Marine life profile
Squid
Recorded at 1631 dive sitesWhere 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.
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
Sightings map
Squid locations
Plan a dive
Dive sites with reported encounters
18th Palm
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
House reef of Plaza Beach & Dive Resort and Toucan Diving!
Blairgowrie Pier
Australia
Blairgowrie Pier is a fantastic site for photographers, due to the abundant macro life. It's also a popular training site, due to its sheltered position and manageable depth range (2-7m). The pier pylons and sea wall are heavily encrusted with sponges - home to many Seahorses and Nudibranchs - even the odd Tasselled Anglerfish. Ledges and hidey holes make great homes for numerous species of Rays, as well as Octopus, Squid and Giant Cuttlefish. You can also see Stargazers, Flathead, Decorator Crabs, Goatfish and many others. Blairgowrie Pier often hosts the annual Giant Spider Crab march in May-June each year. Thousands of crabs gather in the shallow waters to moult.
Confetti Bay
Mauritius
A firm favourite in the North, a shallow dive site with a slight drop off to a max of 30 m. An ideal training site for PADI Open Water Divers, or a PADI Search and Recovery Specialty, Fish ID, Naturalist or PADI Advanced Open Water Course! So many schools of fish to swim with and enjoy stunning visibility and beautiful colour. Great for macro.
Cyclops
Cyprus
Beautiful dive site in the new marine reserve. It is suitable for deep dives up to 40 meters deep. However, it can also be very interesting as a shallower dive. A natural underwater road makes navigating to embark and disembark easy. You can find moray eels, lionfish, turtles, squid, groupers and whatever else swims in front of your mask.
St. Didier Wreck
Turkey
St Didier has been sunked by an English aeroplane in 4th of July 1941 durin WW2. The ship whose real name was "Saint Didier", is lying right under the buoy which is an untired guard of the Antalya yatch harbour, 1 km away from there. With her bow looking to south and stern looking to the north, she is lying between 18 and 34 meters with an 35 degrees angle to the starport side. Her length is around 70 meters. In the studies done between 1946 and 1974 , they salvaged the skeletons and a lot of the ship's cargo. There is nothing much left as an artifact in the wreck becase of the later dives where everyone took some part of the wreck as a souvenier. But still she is getting the interest of the wreck divers.
Bergse Diepsluis
Netherlands
Many believe the waters surrounding The Netherlands have more underwater life than the Mediterranean Sea. After diving in The Oosterschelde, you might believe it too. Bergse Diepsluis is less challenging than other dive sites in this area, but still rich with life. Situated in a tributary of The Oosterschelde, there is little to no tidal current, making it an ideal breeding ground for cuttlefish and squid. Colourful anemones, crustaceans and invertebrates are abundant year-round. Spring is the best time to see cuttlefish, but wait until the water temperature reaches 12°C/53°F. The maximum depth is 19 metres/62 feet. Average visibility is 4 metres/13 feet. Photo Credit: Daniel Versteeg
Our house reef. Ideal for Discover Scuba Diving experiences, Open Water courses training, night dives and Scuba Reviews. Also ideal for certified divers who want to have a look at our resident seahorses or just dive with their buddy. The equipment can be easily brought up and down thanks to our lift. Average Depth: 5 meters Marine life: seahorses, octupus, cuttlefish, scorpion fish, flounders, barracuda.......
Casino Point Dive Park
United States
One of the most popular dive sites in North America is well worth the acclaim. Featuring enchanting kelp forests, ever-changing marine life and convenient entry, the Casino Point Dive Park is a site you will want to visit again and again.
Gabr el Bint
Egypt
Gabr el Bint ranks among one of the most attractive sites of North Sinai. With the access by boat, 4x4 or by camel, it is less frequently dived than the other dive sites in Dahab which has left this site in pristine condition. Gabr el Bint means 'The Grave of the Girl' in Arabic. There are two dives possible here. The ledge is riddled with exquisite coral heads that attract numerous reef species, including swarms of anthias, scorpionfish, parrotfish, crocodilefish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, trumpetfish, stingrays and very often a turtle. At the end of the ledge usually is home to a shoal of black and white snappers and twinspot snappers hang here between 5m and 10m. One of the truly breathtaking dives in Dahab.
Gordon's Bay
Australia
Gordon's Bay is renowned for its accessibility and year-round appeal for divers and snorkelers. The calm conditions and a maximum depth of 14 meters make it a popular spot for all levels of divers. Gordon's Bay is famous for the underwater nature trail, a 600-meter path marked by a chain that guides you through the site. The trail leads to "The Wall," which is home to many Port Jackson sharks and Wobbegong sharks. Along the nature trail, divers also commonly encounter the famous Blue Groper, a local legend and a favorite among divers. Photos by Aquatic Imaging Australia.
HTMS Chang wreck
Thailand
HTMS Chang Shipwreck On the 22nd of November 2012 the HTMS Chang has been sunk. The wreck quickly turned into a great artificial reef thriving with marine life, shells, coral, gorgonians... It is truly a spectacular wreck dive, the bottom is on 30m, the topdeck on 20m, captain's cabin and mast on 12 meter and reaches close to the surface around 5 meters. The ship is 100m long, making it the biggest shipwreck in Thailand. Many fish have taken refuge at the Chang, batfish, filefish, scorpionfish, barracuda, giant groupers, squid and octopus, shrimpfish,... we get regular visits of whaleshark to spoil our divers and snorkelers, there is a very interesting diversity of marine life. The HTMS Chang is lying close to Koh Chang, about half hour out by wooden boat, so it is perfect to combine with either Hin Luk Bath or Hin Raab.
Mike's Maze
Sint Maarten
Part of the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area. It starts at approximately 40 feet (12 m) and boasts healthy coral formations and numerous maze-like swim throughs, passageways wind around coral heads, through arches and over bridges. This location is where the Nature Foundation conducted one of its coral reef restoration projects. Common critters: Many of the 60 TWA fish species! French Angelfish, schooling Chubs, Spiny Lobster, & Foureye Butterflyfish, Elkhorn Coral formations, Special guests: Spotted Eagle Rays, Squid, Caribbean Reef Sharks, Nurse Sharks, Sexy Shrimp in anemones, staghorn coral formations
Nemo Reef
India
Nice and clear water with an abundance of marine life as well as corals. It has a flat sandy bottom with a gradual slope starting right from the shore.
Pelican Rock
Mexico
Pelican Rock is one of Cabo's most famous sites. A pinnacle covered in purple fans rising up above the surface from around 14 meters underwater at its deepest. Just in front of the pinnacle we also have a beautiful wall dive filled with life, and off to its side one of Cabo's famous sand falls. The dive site has something for everyone. The shallows are great for courses & newer divers, while the deep walls make it an incredible spot for tec divers to explore. But the big highlight is the sheer amount of life that inhabits the site all year round, making it a beautiful spot for all levels of divers.
Rye Pier
Australia
Rye Pier is one of Melbourne's best know and most-loved shore dive sites and is a great day or night dive. It consists of an L-shaped pier roughly 500m in length, under which lives a whole lot of exciting marine life. Depth ranges from 2 - 6m. Growth has encrusted the pylons, so there's plenty to see. Rye Pier is the easiest place to see Seahorses in the world! Common sightings here include octopus (Sand, Blue Ringed, Maori and Keel, among others), cuttlefish, giant smoothrays, seahorses, leatherjackets, calamari, dumpling squid, goatfish, as well as Giant Spider Crabs in their thousands and large schools of salmon and pike in the right season.
Toilet Bowl
Japan
High Risk Dive site for entry and exit. You will climb over Lime Stone rock to get to the water. the Walk/climb in is dangerous due to the Lime Stone rock being very sharp. Highly encourage to dive this site with an experienced Diver who have dived it prior. Site can shift in current pretty fast, so be prepared to exit at another location and walk back to vehicle. Can be done from Boat. Known for having sharks throughout the year.
40 Kafalar
Turkey
This dive site is popular with those who like to do deep and drop-off dives. The site is between Pınar-1 wreck and Poyraz Bay. It is usually windy and choppy. The dive site has a drop-off first down to 17 m then to 45+ m.
Abu Dabour
Egypt
The nearby jetty can be used to enter this dive or you can enter from the shore through a very nice small canyon leading you to the clear blue water. This dive starts with a sloping sand bottom where you can choose to head to the north or south reef.
Abwonderdive House Reef
Indonesia
This shore dive ranges from 5m to 30m, featuring a coral reef starting at 3m with soft and hard corals. Artificial reef structures lie between 15m and 18m. The current is usually mild to moderate, making for a manageable dive. The surface is generally calm but can be choppy from May to October.
Agios Nikolas Reef
Greece
Just Outside of Linaria Bay, protected from the North wind . The acess is very easy through the Platform.Divers can reach direclty 30 meters if they descend to the west side.Also perfect for Skills update and beginners if you dive at the slope to the East side.
Ajoy
Malaysia
Location: 7 minutes boat ride south of Juara Bay; Depth: 18m+; Current: Sometimes Medium current which could offer drift dive; Site: A sloping coral reef which move into boulder formations full of macro life, moving through a riverscape along the island edge onto a shallow reef with huge rock features.
Akehama
Japan
Located in the western part of Ehime Prefecture, Akihama is a beautifully scenic sea with a rias-style coast and a fine white sandy beach of about 300m in length. You can enjoy a wide range of life forms, from macro to migratory and rooted large fish.
Akkum Batık Dalışi
Turkey
You can easily find 18 meters with a depth that starts with a rocky entrance and continues with a sand bottom structure in a short time. When you reach 18 meters, there is a minibus wreck on your rocky left side and 10 meters ahead to the west
Akkum Burun
Turkey
A diving spot for the advanced level suddenly gets deeper and you can reach 18 meters in a short time. When you move towards the open, that is to the south, the sand structure starts after 18 meters and you can easily find 30 meters.