Best Cooking Oils: Squid Ink

Monday, August 27, 2012

Squid Ink

Cephalopod ink is a dark pigment released into water by most species of cephalopod, usually as an escape mechanism. All cephalopods, with the exception of the Nautilidae and the species of octopus belonging to the suborder Cirrina, are able to release ink.The ink is released from the ink sacs (located between the gills) and is dispersed more widely by accompanying its release with a jet of water from the funnel. Its dark color is caused by its main constituent, melanin. Each species of cephalopod produces slightly differently coloured inks; generally, octopuses produce black ink, squid ink is blue-black and cuttlefish ink is brown (see Use by humans).A number of other aquatic molluscs have evolved similar responses to attack, including the gastropod clade known as sea hares. This is an example of convergent evolution.