A female cuttlefish carries her eggs “like a pearl necklace” in a scene that was considered a scientific precedent

A research camera lens has captured very rare, and absolutely unfamiliar, footage of a female squid carrying in her arms a gelatinous chain of eggs resembling a shiny pearl necklace in the depths of the ocean off the coast of California.
Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) recently discovered deep-sea squid, an unknown species in the genus Bathyteuthis about 56 miles (90 kilometers) off the California coast at a depth of 4,560 feet (1,390 meters).
The science team used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to capture high-resolution footage of the squid and its still-developing offspring, which they held in the shape of a pearl necklace, allowing researchers to examine them.

According to the article published in the scientific journal “livescience”, it is unusual for female squid to be seen carrying their eggs with them, as this behavior is known as brooding.
“Most squid species reproduce by laying egg sacs on the sea floor or releasing eggs into a gelatinous mass that drifts into open water,” the researchers wrote in a statement.

Sometimes, the researchers noted, “these nurturing mothers carry the eggs until they hatch to improve their children’s chances of survival.”
But it is also possible that carrying eggs is very costly for the mother and increases the risk of her becoming prey and losing her life, which is why it is not uncommon to see this behavior.