Sex Life of Vampire Squids Hints at Why They Outlive Shallower Peers

Ever wondered how vampire squids reproduce? Some researchers were, too, and they found something surprising.

Unlike other squids, which spawn once, vampire squids can spawn many times—perhaps more than 100, according to a new study in Current Biology. The difference may be the result of a low-energy lifestyle in deep seas, where there is almost no light.

As Henk-Jan Hoving, of the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, explained to the Christian Science Monitor, it’s possible that vampire squids simply don’t have enough energy to spawn all of their eggs at once.

Since they don’t live long in captivity, Hoving says it’s difficult to know what their lifespan may be. But since animals that spawn multiple times often live longer than those that spawn only once, the discovery means it’s possible that the vampire squid may live much longer than its coleoid cephalopod counterparts.

[CSM]