Scientists have filmed a ram's horn squid in its natural habitat using a remote-controlled camera. The squid is tiny, just 7cm long.
Ram's horn shells are commonly found on beaches throughout the world. The squid uses the internal shell to maintain buoyancy; the cuttlefish is the only other animal with the shell inside their bodies.
The only movement in the video is the fins at the squid's base. With its tentacles and head above and fins below, the creature's position in the video has scientists questioning their beliefs about how the animal moves throughout the ocean. In aquariums, the tiny squids orient themselves with the tentacles down.
Turning this into a story, what if a conservationist discovers a rare, endangered animal in an area about to be destroyed by developers? They could have to fight to save the animal, then their lives when the developers see their future profits torn away.
The story would be a thriller, complete with a Rambo-like sidekick who takes up the cause. It was supposed to be one of his final jobs, but instead, he's pulled into a fight to keep the scientist alive.
The story could end with the delivery of documents to a government official, who shuts down the development firm.
The second book in the series would be about a pharmaceutical company that isn't interested in the property but the creature itself after discovering properties that could revolutionize medicine. A thriller in the wilderness would turn into a thriller in the city, fighting to stay alive while uncovering the pharma company's illegal business practices.
This duo, the scientist and the mercenary, could go on to save endangered plants and animals all over the world. Each time, they take a stand against large corporations that not only want control of nature but want to kill the two people standing in their way.
