Click on the image to enlarge it. The beak of a squid is similar to a parrot's beak and acts as the animal's jaws. It's usually the only evidence found of a squid because the animals are so elusive. The beaks usually turn up in the vomit of squid predators like sperm whales, penguins, albatross and seals. Scientists use the beaks to estimate the size of squid.
Squid species vary greatly in size.
The smallest is between 30 and 45 centimetres long and lives off the northeast coast of North America. The biggest is the Architeuthis , better known as the giant squid, which can grow to an astounding length of 18 metres. Despite this knowledge, there is relatively little else known about this animal. We know nearly nothing about where the normal populations of these animals live. We've never seen them in a healthy state in the wild and we really have no clue as to how that part of the marine economy works.