23.05.2025 – Champions of the deep sea
May 30, 2025
Whilst we did have a few different dolphin species today with the Atlantic spotted (Stenella frontalis), Striped (Stenella coeruleoalba) and Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), today felt like there was not much going on. A quiet sea makes you question what might show up soon.
One unusual sighting of the non-cetacean variety we had today was a vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis). As a deep-sea creature living in depths between 600 and 900 metres in the minimum oxygen zone, this animal was definitely out of habitat at the surface. It is named after the webbing that connects its arms that resembles the cloak of a textbook vampire. Its scientific name translates to “vampire squid of Hell”. Whilst it does not suck blood like its namesake, this species in a sense is immortal: It evolved 165 million years ago and, therefore, is considered a living relic. The vampire squid eats marine snow which is floating zooplankton and other tasty particles. Insead of ink it secrets sticky mucus that helps it catch its prey.
By Hannah Carstens
Sightings of the Day
Ribeira Brava
13:00 Short-beaked common dolphin, Portuguese Man O’War
Stenella
09:30 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Striped dolphin, Portuguese Man O’War, Vampire squid
13:30 Short-beaked common dolphin, Portuguese Man O’War
16:30 Atlantic spotted dolphins
