Do you know the animal that this shell comes from? Get ready to meet it now! (Wikimedia Commons)
Some of the most curious ocean creatures are ones we only know about because of the things they've left behind after dying. Like the ram's head squid.
The tiny curved, conical head shell of this animal has been found washed up on beaches all over the world. That's it at the top of this post. But we've never actually filmed one of these squid alive in the wild.
Until now. During a ROV (remotely operated vehicle) dive off the Great Barrier Reef by the Schmidt Institute, marine biologists filmed, for the first time ever, a ram's head squid. Want to see it?
Of course you do!
What is that?
This illustration shows where the squid's shell fits inside of its body. (Wikimedia Commons)
This live creature was so unfamiliar to scientists that when the biologists in the video came across it, they didn't know what it was! You can hear them talking to each other about what it is. They know it's a squid... but what species?
Well, we now know it's a ram's head. And this seven-centimetre (three-inch) specimen is quite adorable ... and quick! To see it in action, watch the video starting around 13:20 (see how quickly you can pick out!). The creature disappears for good at 18:00, though some of its ink is left behind and spotted at 18:15.
