When threatened, the mesopelagic Cockatoo Squid (Cranchia scabra) - a "Glass Squid," can pull its head and tentacles into its mantle and turn into a ball. When aggravated, the squid waives its arms back and forth at whatever it perceives as a danger in an amazing threat display. Sometimes the squid arranges its tentacles into a crest like a cockatoo's —thus its common name, “Cockatoo Squid.” This squid has small, knoblike, cartilaginous tubercles all over its body. It also has 14 oval photophores (light producing organs) around each eye that produce a greenish light. These might be used in communication between squid at the relatively low light depths where they live or the light might be used to aid in finding food. These specimens were photographed in the Sea of Japan as well as the Gulf of Mexico. The diversity of life in the ocean's depths is outstanding. We need to do more to protect it from things like oil spills, commercial deep water fishing, and dumping of waste into our oceans. Many of these images are featured in my book, Life in the Dark. If you haven't checked out and liked the book's FB page, please go give it a look and a like.