Firefly Squid

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Firefly Squid
Species:	Watasenia scintillans
Category:	Deep-Sea Life
Length:	3in (7cm)
Appearance:	A small, pale squid. When its bioluminescence is triggered, its whole body glows bright blue.
Location: (EO)	Deep Valley Abyss
Location: (EO2)	Zahhab Region Depths
Time:	Night only (Deep Valley) (EO) Day and night (All others)
Dangerous:
Forms:	Adult only

The Firefly Squid (Watasenia scintillans) is a small species of deep-sea squid found in both Endless Ocean and Endless Ocean 2.

It gets its name from its combination of small size and bioluminescence. When it glows, cells all across its body light up bright-blue.

In-Game

Marine Encyclopedia

Endless Ocean

Description

"These animals have spindle-shaped bodies with eight arms and two tentacles that extend from beneath. The nearly white body is covered in hundreds of bioluminescent organs called photophores that emit a blue green light. They can be seen year-round in the deeper, darker parts of the ocean.

The tips of the fourth set of arms contain light-emitting photophores that are used to attract prey and intimidate enemies. These fish usually dwell hundreds of thousands of feet underwater during the day but will come to the surface at night.

They are the only cephalopods that can see in color, which allows them to distinguish between ambient light and their own bioluminescence. This unique skill lets them blend into almost any shadow or dark area and hide from all but the most keen-eyed predators."

Endless Ocean 2

Description

"The hundreds of light-emitting organs on its body make this squid shine with a bluish-white light. It has ten arms, but only the fourth pair emit any light; there are three especially bright light-emitting organs at their tips which are used for intimidating other creatures. It spends the day at depths of several hundred meters, returning to the surface when night falls."

[Light Disguise]

"It can sense how much light is coming from the surface and adjust the brightness of the light from its luminescent organs, making it hard for predators to detect it from underneath as its silhouette blends into the background."

Location

Endless Ocean

Small groups of firefly squids can be found under zooms on rocky surfaces in the Abyss. At night, they can be observed in the main stage of Manoa Lai, in zooms along the rim and walls of Deep Valley.

Endless Ocean 2

Firefly squids can be found under zoom-mode spots in the Zahhab Region Depths, at coordinates C-2NE. An easy-to-find glow spot can be found by swimming directly upwards of the Giant's Lair and scouring the wall above.

Behavior

Small groups of firefly squids can be found swimming around slowly under zoom-mode glows. From time to time, they will briefly glow bright blue, and will glow if the player pokes them. They respond positively to being fed - their trivia can be unlocked by feeding them.

Gallery

The firefly squid as it appears in the first game.

Notes

Real-Life Information

• A group of firefly squids, demonstrating their bioluminescence.

1/2

• Both games accurately remark upon the firefly squid's behavior of staying deep in the ocean during the day, but coming closer to the surface at night. They do this mostly to hunt, and they also form large aggregations near the surface during mating season. These nighttime gatherings are a popular tourist attraction in Japan.
  • Tourists also seek out the firefly squid for its unique flavor, which is reportedly something of an acquired taste.
• Both games make note of how the firefly squid can alter its own bioluminescence to disguise itself against the light coming from the surface. This is something called "counter-illumination", and the firefly squid may be one of the most well-known examples of it.
  • The organs that produce light, called photophores, may also be used to lure in prey and to startle predators; However, their true purpose still hasn't been completely agreed upon.
  • The first game says that the firefly squid is the only cephalopod that can see in color, which assists in its control of its luminescence, and this is true. Most other cephalopod eyes only have one kind of light receptor, restricting them to black-and-white; The firefly squid, however, has three.
• Another common name for the firefly squid, used far less frequently, is the sparkling enope squid. It is also called the Japanese firefly squid, named after its natural habitat.

Navigation

Deep-Sea Life

Splendid Alfonsino • Common Fangtooth • Fanfin • Pelican Eel • Snailfish • Sea Pig
Chambered Nautilus • Popeye Grenadier • Barreleye • Humpback Anglerfish • Firefly Squid
Glass Squid • Galatheid Crab • Sea Gooseberry • Deep-Sea Blind Shrimp • Giant Sea Spider
Ocean Sunfish • Opah • Polka-Dot Ribbonfish • Vampire Squid • Giant Isopod • Longnose Lancetfish
Megamouth Shark • Goblin Shark • Frilled Shark • Bluntnose Sixgill Shark • Oarfish
Giant Siphonophore • Giant Squid (Deep-Sea Battle)