The piglet squid with a smiley face and a twinkle in his eye

Something seems to have put a smile on this piglet squid's face.

The tentacled creature has developed what appears to be a smiley face, believed to be caused by an unusual alignment of skin pigments.

This happy specimen, known as helicocranchia pfefferi to scientists, was caught during a deepwater plankton trawl in the Pacific Ocean between Los Angeles and Catalina.



Piglet squids are about the size of a small avocado and are found at depths of more than 100m (300ft).

The creatures have a habit of filling up with water and have large light producing organs behind both its eyes.