CaptionThe Loch Ness Monster isn’t real, but you know what is? An enormous, boneless sea animal with sharp hooks on its arms that’s five times larger than an average man. Also real: Aglowing, gelatinous blob that can change colors and patterns so quickly it hypnotizes its prey. Both are cephalopods, a large animal family containing squid, octopuses and cuttlefish. They’re alien creatures totally unlike ourselves: slimy, scary-smart predators, some with vicious weapons on their tentacles, terrifying beaks and seemingly supernatural capabilities like glowing in the dark. Read on to meet some of these real-life sea monsters.Getty ImagesLike the dumbo octopus squid pictured above, the Dana octopus squid also sports fins on its body to help with swimming. Where things get very unique with the Dana octopus squid is in its hunting, communication and behavior. This squid has photophores—sometimes described as bioluminescent bulbs—on the ends of its two longest arms. During a rare live sighting of this squid in 2005, a Japanese research vessel shined lights at a Dana and the monstrous squid went nuts: It attacked, tried to communicate and possibly even tried to flirt. Many squid species have some kind of bioluminescence, but this one having it on the ends of its tentacles and relying on it so heavily is very unusual.
