Mysterious Squid with Horns Spotted in the Gulf of Mexico

This is one wild looking squid! I am amazed by finds like these and it makes me wonder, "what will they find next?". It isn't certain yet if this is a new species that has yet to be documented, or an existing species that is just rarely seen. Enjoy!
SOURCE

The squid was found upside down near an undersea mound, at a depth of about 2,790 feet While exploring the depths of Gulf of Mexico, researchers stumbled across an unusual creature. It is a squid with blood red body and a set of pointy horns. The strange squid was captured on April 17 by the crew of NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer during a scientific voyage studying an ocean area never explored before. The mission has been conducting both scientific research and capturing images of deep-sea habitats in the western Gulf of Mexico that likely found nowhere else.

The identity of the squid is still a mystery. Some suggest that it belongs to Discoteuthis as its body and limb shape somewhat resembles squids of this genus. But there is a possibility that it could be an entirely new species. The squid was discovered at the depths of about 2,790 feet. When the creature was observed, it was curled inward in a very dramatic manner and its arms were folded as if in a defensive posture. NOAA biologist Mike Vecchione describes this squid as “probably the most bizarre squid I’ve ever seen.” The appearance and behavior of the squid is so strange that it does not even look like a squid at first glance.

Link to Okeanos Explorer Website with Larger Video

darn thing is so red it looks fake ( i know its real but wow cool )

originally posted by: midnightstar
darn thing is so red it looks fake ( i know its real but wow cool )

Here's another "fake" looking squid discovered in 2016:

A team of scientists and technicians scanning the rocky ocean floor off Southern California couldn’t contain their excitement when they spotted a bright-purple, googly-eyed stubby squid. They let out a collective “whoa” on video posted on the Exploration Vessel Nautilus’ Facebook page as a camera on a remote-operated vehicle came across the iridescent cephalopod with giant round eyes. Then the jokes started. “He has weird eyes!” said one enthusiastic observer. “Get close! Get close!” urges another. One suggested it resembled a child’s dropped toy, and another said the creature’s eyes appeared to be painted on. “It looks so fake,” says one member of the Nautilus’ team.

SOURCE
AND here's a ghost-like octopus discovered by the Okeanos Explorer team in 2016, as well:

a reply to: seattlerat

It probably used to be pale until it ingested all that oil.

originally posted by: seattlerat

Fifi!

I've been looking everywhere for her. I've had missing / reward signs up all around the beach and the marina all month. The kids been crying themselves to sleep every night since she got loose.

Spineless bastards.

But they are tasty.

How cool is that?
I wonder how it tastes with beer?

a reply to: seattlerat

There must be decent numbers of still-undiscovered species yet to be discovered in our oceans and at subterranean levels of the earth

Fascinating find - thanks for sharing SR

a reply to: seattlerat

So it's a uni horn? At least it's not pink or blue I guess that would be silly.

71% of the Earth is covered in water and we keep looking for aliens out there.

Cool find

originally posted by: DAVID64
71% of the Earth is covered in water and we keep looking for aliens out there.

Cool find

Couldn't agree more.

Throw it in the gumbo.

originally posted by: skunkape23
Throw it in the gumbo.

Correxit gumbo ... Mmmm !

Pretty, pretty, pretty!

originally posted by: seattlerat

originally posted by: midnightstar
darn thing is so red it looks fake ( i know its real but wow cool )

Here's another "fake" looking squid discovered in 2016:

A team of scientists and technicians scanning the rocky ocean floor off Southern California couldn’t contain their excitement when they spotted a bright-purple, googly-eyed stubby squid. They let out a collective “whoa” on video posted on the Exploration Vessel Nautilus’ Facebook page as a camera on a remote-operated vehicle came across the iridescent cephalopod with giant round eyes. Then the jokes started. “He has weird eyes!” said one enthusiastic observer. “Get close! Get close!” urges another. One suggested it resembled a child’s dropped toy, and another said the creature’s eyes appeared to be painted on. “It looks so fake,” says one member of the Nautilus’ team.

SOURCE
AND here's a ghost-like octopus discovered by the Okeanos Explorer team in 2016, as well:

I should show this to my wife, she could knit one of those things.

I just noticed that this thread is in Pets. That's funny.

But what's odd is that not one person has made a joke about horny squids.

a reply to: Phage

That squid looks like a horny cephalopod. Slut.

originally posted by: Timely

originally posted by: skunkape23
Throw it in the gumbo.

Correxit gumbo ... Mmmm !

I'd forgotten about the corexit. That with a crude oil infusion must be delicious!