Two Super-Cute New Pygmy Squids Discovered Hiding In Japanese Coral Reefs

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Squee for the squid!

https://assets.iflscience.com/assets/articleNo/71281/iImg/71596/hannan-s-pygmy-squid-l.webp

Actually, this looks like a stubby squid. Apparently, pygmy and stubby (or bobtail) squid are easily confused:

In many ways, the behavior of Idiosepius matches that of the Bobtail Squids (Sepiolidae), and, owing to their similarities, the two have long been lumped together as a single group. Both have rather stubby arms and small bodies, and both are associated more with the benthos than their pelagic cousins in the Teuthida (the “true squids”). However; these similarities apparently belie a deep evolutionary divergence between the two, as seen in recent molecular studies that place the Pygmy Squids as basal among all decapods (squids, cuttlefishes, etc.).

https://www.iflscience.com/two-super-cute-new-pygmy-squids-discovered-hiding-in-japanese-coral-reefs-71281