Oceanic researchers studying the waters off the coast of California have once again spotted a truly breathtaking creature in the form of a squid which boasts enormous googly-eyes!
Scientists aboard the research vessel E/V Nautilus were delighted when their cameras first caught a glimpse of the cartoonish creature.
Researchers observing the animal couldn't help but laugh at the sheer absurdity of the squid's strange appearance, noting that it looked like a plush toy that a child may have dropped into the ocean.
Scientists aboard the ship initially theorized that the creature was a cuttlefish, but further investigation revealed it to actually be a species of adorably-named stubby squid.
According to the E/V Nautilus team, this particular type of squid boasts the remarkable ability to collect sand all over its body in order to camouflage itself.
Once rendered virtually invisible to passing shrimp and small fish, all that remains exposed by the squid are its enormous eyes which watch for potential prey.
So not only does it resemble an animated creature, it apparently hunts in a cartoonish fashion as well.
The unique creature is yet another wonder of nature found by the researchers aboard the E/V Nautilus as the ship also discovered a strange purple orb-like mollusk last month.
Compared to the strange animals continually being spotted on the ocean floor, we suspect that, by the time they arrive, aliens will actually look rather unimpressive to us, since it's hard to top a googly-eyed squid.
Source: LiveScience