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Squid on the beaches of Haifa

There are no alien eyes... these are the beautiful and sophisticated eyes of a large apothecary squid that I photographed in Bat Galim today, Tuesday 12.9.23/08/00 at XNUMX:XNUMX (photograph time took about two hours).

Apothecary squid

Pharmacist squid is from the squid family and is found in the Atlantic Ocean to the coast of South Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, the Black Sea. During the breeding season it goes up to shallow water.

Apothecary squid (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)
Apothecary squid (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)

Similar and different from its relative the octopus

Although the animal is relatively familiar, but usually not of this size. It is a "head-on-foot" just like the octopuses, but it is faster than its relative the octopus. This squid has ten arms - two of which are as long as its body and eight small arms covered with buttons in order to grasp the prey.

Apothecary squid (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)
Apothecary squid (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)
Apothecary squid (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)

color change

It changes its color depending on the area around it in the second direction by chromatophores (cells that contain pigments and that reflect light depending on the area in which it is located).

Apothecary squid (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)
Apothecary squid (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)

An agile and smart predator

It is an extremely agile predator and is considered very intelligent. For example, he knows how to identify opponents based on body language. Also, when the squid recognized me, the photographer, swimming slowly beside him, turned his head in my direction, and when my swimming speed increased or I moved behind him, the squid turned and dragged me into the deep water.

Apothecary squid - light color on a suitable sandy substrate (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and Hai Pa Corporation)
Apothecary squid - light color on a suitable sandy substrate (photo: Moti Mendelsohn - all rights reserved to Moti and Hai Pa Corporation)

So what? First time in Bat Galim?

No, the squids were present in Bat Galim in the past as well and came to lay eggs in specific places marked on an area map for monitoring purposes. There are also several other recorded species. But for some reason this year (2023) much more large details are visible in the field. Another point for Haifa's uniqueness.

This is information about this "alien creature".
I would be happy to give the questioners more information.
I wish we would continue to meet fascinating creatures in Haifa.

Pharmacist squid - someone is looking at you... (Photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)
Pharmacist squid - someone is looking at you... (Photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)
The squid in motion (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)
The squid in motion, the blue stripe as a sign of emotion (photo: Moti Mendelson - all rights reserved to Moti and the Hai Pa Corporation)

contact: At watsapBy email

Motty Mendelssohn
Motty Mendelssohn
Marine researcher (diving, underwater photography) and marine and environmental ecology for 35 years. Lecturer in the field for about 20 years. You can order a lecture or a series of lectures accompanied by unique and spectacular photos, taken during many years of research, in Israel and abroad • 050-7271157 • [email protected]

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18 תגובות

  1. Looks quite alien indeed. Beautiful and interesting article. Amazing pictures. Shmulik

  2. And this is an animal that can attack you, that feels threatened, is not a coward at all from large objects and protects its partner

  3. Hello. You wrote a big cuttlefish, but not what size, and there's really nothing to say except for the folds of sand that are known to those who dive.

  4. Good evening and good signing Mira.
    The squid in the photo is about... forty centimeters.

    • hi lee
      There are giant squids in the world and they are human predators...for example the squid that lives in the Sea of ​​Cortez in Mexico, named after the 2.50 meter long red devil.

  5. A pleasure to see this beauty, thank you Muti for the amazing photos and professional information!!
    I wish everyone would take pictures of them and not turn them into bait for fish..

  6. Enriching and beautiful
    Fascinating pictures
    Happy New Year and happy signing

  7. Charming and exciting.
    Yes, such will multiply on our shores!!
    Happy New Year.

  8. Bless you my friend Motty Mendelssohn. Finished a good and blessed signature to you.

  9. Hello Ruth.
    Indeed, you were right because these are skeletons of the pharmacist squid that parrots like to eat because of the calcium.
    This is the white skeleton like a lifeguard, built of tens of thousands of grooves and cavities and used by the squid for buoyancy just like a submarine or a fish's swim bladder.
    Happy New Year

  10. Wow, beautiful pictures.
    Every day there is more to see with us... in the sea
    Thanks for the fascinating pictures.

  11. In my childhood we found a kind of skeleton made of white calcium in large quantities on the beaches of Haifa. I always thought it was related to squids. Is it true and if so which part is it? My father, who worked a lot in a marine environment, brought home our bird in a cage that loved to peck and eat the calcium. Wait for me please Muti

  12. Thanks Moti for the latest info…..
    And for the explanation that enriches us every time anew.

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