[cheryl j (OP)]

This squid is named Vampyroteuthis infernalis which means "Vampire squid from hell," even though it is actually a shy, passive creature, about the size of a football, and only eats algae. Some marine biologist really needs to apologize.

[JimBob]

But it IS kind of scary

(esp. on the Windows 7 Boot screen background ....)     -

[Don_1]

This isn't kind of scary, this is scary!!!

Colossal Squid Vs Sperm Whale

Though computer generated, its probably a pretty accurate depiction of true life. The squid’s fight to survive is thought be the explanation of scars found on Sperm Whales.

[DanielB]

They finally filmed a giant squid on video.  They used a bio- illumination to bring it in to view it. 

it had already lost it's two long , capturing tentacles, to a sperm whale no doubt

was awesome. 

[alancalverd]

Is it unfairly named? No, they could have called it Margarettus  Thatcherii (translation: "the vampire squid from hell") or a hundred other unpleasant things, but as it doesn't speak English or Latin it probably doesn't much care what you call it as long as there are plenty of fish for it to eat and not too many sperm whales to give it a hard time. 

[cheryl j (OP)]

I was watching this video yesterday of an octopus moving about at low tide. It almost seems surprising that there isn't a land form. They are so dexterous. I suppose they can move a lot faster in water, with less energy. But I have seen articles about scientists trying to copy octopi and building soft, squishy robots. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lom5kM4ytaI

[alancalverd]

The problem with squishy things is that they collapse onto themselves on dry land. An octopus doesn't need strong abductor muscles or a lot of brain power to stop its many legs getting wrapped round each other in water, but on land it would be very confused without a skeleton, hence arachnids, insects, and all those sci-fi aliens that are basically octopi inside an artificial exoskeleton.

I'm interested in using the principle of an octopus or starfish arm as an internal "grabber" for minimally invasive surgery. The idea that you can manipulate a probe in 3 dimensions and activate an effector like a suction disc by very simple hydraulics is most appealing, especially if you can use it to wriggle round corners.       

[cheryl j (OP)]

This may not be relevant, but it is funny. I can't decide which sentence in the article is my favorite.
Maybe this one: "In 2006 jellyfish were sucked into the intakes of the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan in Brisbane during its maiden voyage."

Tracking Australia's bloomin' jellyfish problem
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/03/25/3970947.htm