Scientists from the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus posted a video on their YouTube channel showing a unique encounter with a rarely-seen Asperoteuthis mangoldae squid they encountered while on an underwater expedition.
The tentacled wonder put on quite a show for the amazed researchers, first puffing up its translucent yellow-hued tail, reminiscent of a sea-pen, at one of the researchers, while others couldn't figure out if the tail was even part of the squid's body. Then suddenly the cephalopod's quirky tail elongated and changed its colour to red, leaving the team absolutely stunned. Finally, the animal got tired of the company and swam away, spurting a cloud of ink after it.
In the video description, the team argues that its unorthodox tail probably serves the squid as a means to mimic other animals, something which might be important for its survival in the deep and dark ocean waters.