At their largest, jumbo, or Humboldt, squid (Dosidicus gigas) can extend to six feet (two meters) in length and weigh more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) each.

The squid have earned the nickname "red devils" for their powerful arms and tentacles, razor-sharp beaks, and insatiable appetites.

The animals were already known to exist in large concentrations in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, or Gulf of California. Scientists estimate that more than ten million squid may be living in a 25-square-mile (65-square-kilometer) area near the town of Santa Rosalia.

But now the squid also seem to have entrenched themselves in the waters along California's coast.

And, perhaps most significantly, the squid's range has expanded both northward and southward to places they haven't ever been seen before—Alaska and southern Chile.

Scientists say the growing numbers of squid are playing an increasingly significant role in the ocean's ecosystems.

Voracious and opportunistic predators, the squid move in schools of more than a thousand and consume vast quantities of fish. At the same time, the squid serve as prey for sperm whales, mako sharks, and other top predators.