TFiF: Dragonsquids

When we try to talk about the future of squid, it can really be full of surprises both in the water and out of this. Currently, many members of this order of cephalopods contain many of the most unique and singular forms between invertebrates and even among many of its cousins, including the titanic deep swimmers, colorful and extravagant changers, group predators which hunt with great coordination and one of another aberrant form. Looking from this perspective: What fate may reserve them?

Along future timelines, we can see them take strange roles and while important, some as the next and important successors of vertebrates (especially on land), and other times, exploiting one or another niche in the aquatic environment. However, for this future, they will take a more radical change, since they do not take the land first, but the air.

The Dragonsquids (Teuthodrakida), a clade very derived of cephalopods, are characterized by their ability to use their fins and tentacles to flight. In most species, internal shell has been modified so that it forms an internal structure as rib-shaped "wing delta" which maintains its rigid body during the flight and that of the two long structures were derived which they are connected to the shell by means of joints, which uses them as support on their fins. Two of its tentacles are larger and flatter, more rigid which used as secondary wings, while the other two act as a rudder acquiring a flat shape. This allows it to regulate the flight. The jet propulsion system used to propel water eventually became a support bracket for breathing during flight, allowing it to absorb oxygen continuously.

The most primitive forms are amphibious, so despite leaving and staying in flight for an enormous period of time, in a moment they must return to the water. Subsequent species are able to keep both in water and on land, clinging with its tentacles and keeping hanged in some objects as branches or walls, but always close to water bodies. The skin of these is quite similar to that of their ancestors, smooth and moist; species of terrestrial habits have a clammy skin similar to their cousin’s gastropods to prevent moisture loss.

Summing up its story, they appeared at the beginning of the "Phinizoic" era, during the period "Metamonus" (270 million years in the future) as an unusual types of gliders cephalopods descendants of the colloids squid, different from any other by their morphological adaptations for flight; these basal forms are known as "Jetsquids". In a previous point, some of its ancestors had developed primitive lungs resulting for Jetsquids an advantage to stay out of the water.

This characteristic was useful to them far beyond because it also allowed them survived an anoxic event during the mass extinction of Retrogeian period (472 million years). After that, during the next part of Phinizoic they became into a really successful group of marine flying invertebrates, but remained living in the shadow of vertebrates, but it wasn´t until the beginning of Akrozoic, which achieved greater progress.

Since the devastating end of the Phanerozoic, most of its competitors were extinguished and being one of the few surviving clades, they took advantage of the huge void to take important roles and diversify into many others, acquiring various shapes, sizes and behaviors.

The Rubi Jet Squid is one of these examples. Originating from the "Metamonus" period is considerably one of the biggest species that has existed with more than 30 kg and a wingspan of 2 meters. It is an active carnivorous, feeding mainly little nektonic animals, however, is able to hunt larger species as a group; It is held in groups of up to 20 individuals, and are quite ferocious when attacking and tearing apart their prey with their proboscis ended in a beak, and four tentacles with huge hooks; maybe we might consider it a flying version of Humboldt squid.

Far-winged Dragonsquid
This little dragonsquid is one of the most cosmopolitan species around the planet, inhabiting estuaries and marshes. They are about 15 cm long, and are characterized by their wings strange arrangement, since instead of being together, are very separated from each other, almost the ends of the body. When off the ground or where it hangs first moves the front wings, rising its and then starts moving the hind wings near the head, then jumps off, and takes fly.

Prowshell Dragonsquid
This other kind of dragon squid is quite unusual because it belongs to a lineage where much of its type, have developed a closed inner shell that covers and protects its internal organs. The shell doesn’t seem to cause any problems on the flight, as can easily soar into the air. The top of the shell is interconnected to the respiratory system, using special cameras, allowing you to regulate the amount of air within it. This characteristic is useful at the time of being in the water because they can regulate their buoyancy manner similar to a submarine.

Auroric Butterfin
The Butterfin are derived forms dragonsquid of stubby and circular wings, able to make flights similar to the Lepidoptera, but unlike these, are mainly insectivores. The Auroric Butterfin is a species capable of changing the color of their wings in different shades and colors, this primarily as a method of expression against several of their peers and also as a warning to predators. Unlike others, they are able to create moving patterns...

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And so, these cephalopods now have a future, a very big future.