For the first time, a giant squid has been captured live on film in its natural habitat, exactly 100 years since this species was identified.
The unusual video was recorded on March 9 using Schmidt Ocean Institute’s remote-operated device SuBastian, located approximately 600 meters deep near the South Sandwich Islands within the Atlantic Ocean.
The young squid, measuring approximately 30 centimetres in length, marks the initial documented observation of a living Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni within its native environment.
Giant squids are believed to reach lengths of up to seven meters and can weigh as much as 500 kilograms, which makes them the planet’s heaviest invertebrates.
So far, they have only been observed when deceased – either stranded ashore or inside the stomachs of predators like whales.
"It’s thrilling to witness the initial live feed of a young colossal squid, and at the same time, quite sobering to consider that these creatures remain unaware of our existence," stated Dr Kat Bolstad, who assisted in confirming the authenticity of the video.
This finding was made during a 35-day sea survey as part of an international effort aimed at uncovering and documenting previously unknown forms of marine life.
The expedition was carried out with involvement from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, The Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census initiative, along with research groups based in the UK and Germany.
Specialists identified the young squid based on its see-through body and arm hooks, features that set it apart from related types like the Galiteuthis glacialis, also known as the glacial glass squid.
These indelible memories serve as a reminder of just how vast the portions of the ocean remain that have not been discovered.
Dr Jyotika Virmani
The glacial glass squid was captured alive for the first time during an earlier Schmidt Ocean Institute mission in January, within the Bellingshausen Sea near Antarctica.
"The discovery of two distinct species of squid during consecutive missions is extraordinary," stated Dr Jyotika Virmani, the institute's executive director.
It highlights how much of the Southern Ocean’s life remains unseen.
So far, the Institute’s ROV SuBastian has captured the initial verified video recordings of at least four distinct deep-sea squid species, with one more yet to be identified.
"These remarkable moments underscore just how vast the uncharted territories of the ocean still are," Dr Virmani added.