When fleeing from a predator, the Pacific Flying Squid swims fast enough to shoot out of the water and glide through the air for many metres. Another squid escape mechanism is the ability to release a cloud of dark fluid known as ink. The ink is stored in a special sac in the body, and is expelled through a funnel as the squid darts backwards. By releasing a cloud of ink, a squid can confuse or startle a predator and temporarily conceal its escape route. Some squids emit an ink cloud approximately the same size and shape as their body, and escape while the predator is attacking the dummy squid.
Squids have an amazing ability to change their colour.
Special pigment cells in the skin can expand to show dark pigment within, or contract to hide the dark colour and show a pale coloration, usually white or grey. Controlled by muscles, these cells can open and close as fast as you can open and close your eyes, making for rapid and dramatic colour changes. It regularly grows to three or four metres, and some reports have measured it as long as seven metres. The world's largest squids live in the North Atlantic, where giants measuring 18 metres long have been found washed ashore, and sightings of even larger squids have been reported. Although rarely seen, giant squids must occur in considerable numbers, as they are a staple food of Sperm Whales.