ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Vampire squid

A vampire squid is a type of sea creature that lives really deep down in the ocean, where it's super dark and spooky. It's called a vampire squid because it has some really cool features that make it seem like a combination between a vampire bat and an octopus.

The first thing you need to know is that the vampire squid is really small, only about the size of a basketball. It has two big eyes that are really good at seeing in the dark, and they help it find its way around in the deep ocean. It also has a special glowing organ on its body called the photophore, which it uses to light up when it wants to scare away predators or attract prey.

When it feels scared or threatened, the vampire squid can turn itself inside out. It does this by folding its body over until its arms cover its head and its tentacles point outward. This makes it look like a big ball covered in spikes, which can scare away other animals that might want to eat it.

Interestingly, the vampire squid doesn't actually drink blood like a vampire bat would. Instead, it uses its long arms to catch tiny plankton and other small creatures that float in the deep ocean. It has a special webbing between its arms and tentacles that it can use to trap its prey, like a spider weaving a web.

So, in summary, the vampire squid is a small sea creature that lives in the deep, dark ocean. It can light up and turn itself inside out to scare away predators, and it catches tiny plankton and other small creatures using its long arms and tentacles. It's not actually a vampire, but it has some really cool features that make it seem like one!