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Squid

Marine life profile

Squid

Recorded at 1631 dive sites

Where divers encounter it

Explore Squid around the world

A squid (pl. squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting these criteria). Curious but cautious, it investigates with its eyes and arms, then vanishes into cover when the encounter becomes too close.

Dive sites1631
Countries75
Animal groupCephalopods
Safety profileGenerally Harmless

Meet the species

What to look for

How to Recognize It

Look for expressive eyes, a soft shape-changing body and arms arranged around a compact head.

How It Behaves

Curious but cautious, it investigates with its eyes and arms, then vanishes into cover when the encounter becomes too close.

Special Ability

Color, skin texture and body shape can change in moments, creating one of the ocean's fastest visual disguises.

Dive responsibly

Share the water well

How to Approach

Move slowly, stay low and let curiosity bring it closer. Avoid bright lights, sudden movements and reaching into its shelter.

Safety

Observe without touching. Some species can bite or carry potent venom, and every individual needs an unobstructed escape route.

Worth knowing

The detail you remember

Interesting Facts

Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, and a mantle.

Where to Find

Check rocky crevices, rubble, reef ledges, seagrass and sandy bottoms, especially near dawn, dusk or during night dives.

Known countries

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaAustraliaMauritiusCyprusTurkeyNetherlandsItalyUnited StatesEgyptThailandSint MaartenIndiaMexicoJapanIndonesiaGreeceMalaysia