Invertebrates
Glass Squid
Cranchiidae · also called cranchiid squid
Nearly invisible in open water thanks to a gelatinous, transparent body, a glass squid drifts effortlessly using an internal reservoir of buoyant fluid, a family spanning everything from palm-sized drifters to the colossal squid itself.
Overview
The glass squid, family Cranchiidae, is a transparent, gelatinous cephalopod native to tropical and temperate ocean habitat recorded across multiple ocean basins worldwide. Its nearly invisible body, effortless buoyancy control, and inclusion of species ranging from tiny drifters to the colossal squid make it one of the most size-diverse and visually distinctive cephalopod families found anywhere in the ocean.
One family, an extraordinary range of sizes
Few cephalopod families span as wide a size range as the glass squid, whose members include some of the smallest, most delicate open-water drifters alongside the colossal squid, one of the largest invertebrates known to science, all sharing the same basic transparent, gelatinous body plan.
Status
Least Concern, though population trends remain largely unknown given the difficulty of surveying deep-sea and open-water habitat.
Glass Squid: common questions
Why is it called the glass squid?
This family has a nearly transparent, gelatinous body, a feature that gives the family its common name and hides most individuals almost completely against the surrounding open water.
How does the glass squid hover without much effort?
This family has a body cavity filled with ammonium-rich fluid that is lighter than seawater, helping many species hover effortlessly in open water without expending much energy on active swimming.
Is the colossal squid part of the glass squid family?
Yes, this family includes species ranging from just a few centimetres long to some of the largest squid known, including the colossal squid, despite most glass squid species being far smaller.
Why does the glass squid have such large eyes?
This family typically has large, prominent eyes relative to its body, an adaptation suited to gathering what little light is available at the depths many species within the family inhabit.