In the shape of a heart, a male squid makes its intentions clear
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AOMORI–An amorous squid kept at an aquarium here is capturing attention with the way it courts a female by making a heart shape with its short limbs while caressing her.
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The squid, a member of the Sepia andreana family, or Ezohariika in Japanese, is exhibited at Aquarium Asamushi operated by the Aomori prefectural government.
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An expert said it is extremely rare for squid to make a heart mark and had never heard of the behavior being caught on video. The footage was taken March 8.
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The male squid is still exhibiting the same courting ritual, which is attracting hordes of visitors.
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Shunsuke Momoi, who is 26 and in charge of the squid display, said the one in question bends two short limbs in front of its head to form the heart shape while it caresses the female with its long limbs.
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A staff member who was passing by when the scene took place had the presence of mind to capture the scene on video.
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The apparent courting ritual took about 10 minutes, during which time the male discharged ink, presumably to attract its would-be mate.
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But the female wasn’t interested and didn’t hang around for mating to occur.
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Sepia andreana inhabit waters stretching from southern Hokkaido to Taiwan. Their bodies typically grow to around 12 centimeters in length.
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In the case of males, second limbs from the head are long.
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The male that made the heart mark was caught in a fixed fishing net off Sotogahama, also in Aomori Prefecture, late last year.
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Currently, about 20 Sepia andreana, both female and male, are kept in Aquarium Asamushi.
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Yasunori Sakurai, who heads the Hakodate Cephalopoda science research institute, said little is known about the behavior of Sepia andreana.
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He noted that Aquarium Asamushi is the only facility in Japan that keeps them.
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“Male squid sometimes approach females by lifting their limbs,” he said. “But it is extremely rare for them to make a heart mark.”
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Momoi said the aquarium will continue to exhibit Sepia andreana.
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“Some day, I want visitors to witness a male succeeding in his (marriage) proposal,” he said.
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