New Vampire Squid Species Discovered in Deep Water Off China Coast, Confirmed as Second Known Species of the Unique Cephalopods

Vampire squids are rare in nature since they can be found in the Twilight Zone, a layer of the ocean across Earth where sunlight cannot reach. This zone has an elevation of 200-1,000 meters below the ocean surface. The habitat of the vampire squid is cold and dark, but this small cephalopod has adapted to the extreme conditions of the deep sea. To adapt to the void-like environment, these organisms have evolved to emit light, in a process called bioluminescence.

Recently, a new vampire squid species has been discovered by scientists in the deep water off the island province of Hainan, China, according to a study earlier in May 2024. This never-before-seen marine animal has been named, Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis after it was discovered by scientists in the South China Sea back in 2016.

The new marine species was spotted approximately 800-1,000 meters below the surface of the ocean.

What is a Vampire Squid?

(Photo : Photo by Emőke Dénes via Wikimedia Commons)

Contrary to popular belief, the vampire squid is not an actual squid despite its designated name and it is not the blood-sucking vampires portrayed in movies and mythology.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium confirms that the gentle scavenger is not a squid but rather a unique sea creature of its cephalopod order. This confusion stems from the history of vampire squids being misclassified for the past century.

Following its discovery in 1903, researchers initially thought that the vampire squid was an octopus due to its appearance resembling the tentacled animal. However, it was concluded that the Twilight Zone creature was neither a squid nor an octopus. Instead, it is part of a different animal group due to its unique gelatinous body with eight appendages connected by webbing, according to scientists.

Also Read: Scientists Discover Vampire Squid's Unique Reproductive Strategy

New Vampire Squid Species Discovered

For over a century, the scientific community thought that vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) was the only extant species under the family Vampyroteuthidae. Yet, research findings in recent years show there could be a second species of the unique cephalopods. In May 2024, scientists revealed the discovery of a new vampire squid species in the South China Sea, their findings were published in the journal BioRxiv.

The research team, led by the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, reported the second species of Vampyroteuthis is different from V. infernalis in terms of morphological features. Before the discovery, the team acknowledged collected specimens from Africa, California, and the Gulf of Guinea, suggesting the possibility of an additional taxa of the unique sea creatures.

The May 2024 study not only confirms additional species of vampire squids but also strengthens previous theories that science has not yet fully explored Earth's oceans. These hypotheses postulate that there are hidden creatures out there waiting to be discovered by humans, especially within and beyond the Twilight Zone.