Japanese researchers discover gliding squid that use jet propulsion

Japanese scientists have confirmed the long-rumoured secret power of a species of oceanic squid. It can fly.

The unlikely aerialists were witnessed zooming across the ocean surface for more than 30 metres at speeds faster than champion sprinter Usain Bolt, the researchers said yesterday.

Researchers say is the first time anyone has described the mechanism the flying mollusc employs. The squid propel themselves out of the ocean by shooting out a jet of water at high pressure, before opening their fins to glide at up to 11.2 metres per second, Jun Yamamoto of Hokkaido University said.

Olympic Gold medallist Bolt averaged 10.31 metres a second when he bagged gold in London last year.

"There were always witnesses and rumours of squid seen flying, and we have proved that it really is true," Yamamoto said.

Yamamoto and his team were tracking a shoal of around 100 of the squid, dubbed the neon flying squid, in the northwest Pacific 600 kilometres east of Tokyo, in July 2011.

As their boat approached, the 20cm creatures launched themselves into the air with a powerful jet of water that shot out from their funnel-like bodies.