Gould's Squid

This image of a Gould's squid (arrow squid/dart squid/Nototodarus gouldi) was taken by an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) during a survey in the Freycinet Marine Park. Gould's squid are a schooling species that inhabit coastal and nearshore waters, preferring shallow reef, sand and seagrass habitats on the continental shelf. Gould's squid are typically light-brownish pink to brick red in colour, but like other cephalopods they can change the colour of their skin in the blink of an eye. This allows them to either mimic the colours of their surrounding environment and render themselves almost invisible to predators, or alternatively give themselves a colour or pattern that makes them stand out.