How is a Squid like a Snail?

They're both molluscs, one of the major groups of invertebrates
(animals without backbones)

Molluscs (about 200,000 species) have:

Photo © The Marine Biological Laboratory


Cephalopods (about 1,000 species) have:

They:

Squids (about 500 species) have:


Can you find the cephalopod?

There's an octopus in this photo. It has changed its skin color to blend with its surroundings.

Octopus, squid, and other cephalopods have developed hiding to a fine art. They can change color in a split second using pigment cells called chromatophores. Their survival depends on it!

Photo: Clyde F.E. Roper/National Museum of Natural History

Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan

Smithsonian Giant Squid Overview Page

gene carl feldman / gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov