Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 2289082
Berry's Bobtail
Euprymna berryiAlso known as Hummingbird Bobtail Squid, Berry's Bobtail Squid
Berry's bobtail squids are diminutive nocturnal cephalopods that spend daylight hours buried in sandy sediments with only their large, iridescent eyes exposed. At night, they emerge to hunt across coral reefs and seagrass beds, relying on specialized light organs housing symbiotic bioluminescent bacteria (Aliivibrio fischeri) to emit downward light that cancels out their silhouette against downwelling moonlight. They possess remarkably swift color-changing chromatophores, shifting between translucent speckled tones and rich iridescent greens or purples depending on their mood and substrate.
BioluminescentNocturnalMarine
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Data DeficientConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXData Deficient — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Mysid shrimp
- Amphipods
- Small gobies
Predators
- Moray eels
- Flounders
- Seabass
ThreatsHabitat degradation of coastal seagrass meadows, coastal pollution, and sedimentation.
HabitatsShallow coastal waters, sandy bottoms, seagrass beds, and coral reef margins in the Indo-West Pacific.
Life span6–12 months
Classification
- OrderSepiida
- FamilySepiolidae
- GenusEuprymna
- SpeciesEuprymna berryi
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Night Dives: Search sandy flats adjacent to coral reefs after dusk using a red light to avoid blinding them.
- Observe Sand-Coating: Look for the subtle flicking behavior they use to glue sand grains to their backs for daytime camouflage.
Image unavailableEcological Neighbor Same Order 
Close Relative (c) Chris Frazee and Margaret McFall-Ngai, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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