The Monterey Bay Aquarium announced Thursday the arrival of two rare deep-sea creatures now on exhibit.
A deep-sea vampire squid and a mid-water octopus went on exhibit Thursday morning and are part of a new "Tentacles" special exhibition at the aquarium.
The vampire squid is an ancient species with characteristics of both a squid and an octopus, according to the aquarium.
Though mainly a scavenger subsisting on marine snow, mucus, decaying dead animals and fecal matter, its Latin name Vampyroteuthis infernalis translates as "vampire squid from hell."
The mid-water octopus has chromatophores that enable it to change its appearance from clear with spots to an almost solid orange color, according to the aquarium.
The creatures have been observed in the Monterey Bay and in the Gulf of California.
--Bay City News
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