| Natural History |
Learn more about Loligo. Many of the reasons that this animal is so important to science stem from the role that it plays in its environment, for example the waters around Cape Cod. Adaptations have evolved in squid that allow them to survive in a hostile world and also provide biologists with a different and often enhanced view of processes like the nervous system. These explorations often unveil details about our own bodies as well as a fuller understanding of life in general.
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| More than an Axon
This 1995 article appeared in the Fall issue of MBL's LabNotes. To some in the scientific community, the giant axon of the squid has contributed so much to our understanding of the nervous system that we sometimes forget that squid have lives of their own. MBL is beginning to unravel some of these mysteries. Read this and then continue to the article on development for some updates that have taken place since this was written. |
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Breeding and Development
Since the LabNotes article (referred to above), MBL researchers have learned more about the lives of Loligo during the spring egg-laying season. Read about these new findings and learn what happens after the eggs are laid. |
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| Morphology
What does a squid look like? How does it swim and feed? Evolution has tailored a remarkable set of features that gives this mollusk the speed to outrun its enemies and the brains to survive in a complex and hostile environment. |
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Taxonomy
What is a squid? What are they related to? See where Loligo sits on the family tree. You may be surprised what their closest relatives are. |
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| How do Squid Change Color?
Squid, octopus, and their relatives are masters of camouflage. Able to change color and pattern instantly, they use this ability to hide, communicate with their own species and to warn away possible enemies. How do they do this? |
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