A global research group has captured pictures deep within the Atlantic Ocean of a juvenile colossal squid—and they are now aiming to locate the rare mature specimen.
Marine experts think giant squid can reach lengths of up to seven meters (23 feet) and may tip the scales at around 500 kilograms (1100 pounds). This makes them the heaviest known invertebrates globally.
To what extent have we learned about the giant squid?
The video captured near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic was recorded during an exploration aimed at discovering new marine species, according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute based in California.
Seen from approximately 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) beneath the waves, the juvenile squid measures around 30 centimeters (roughly a foot) in length and boasts a see-through body along with slender tentacles.
Very little is understood regarding the lifecycle of the giant squid, however, at some point, they shed the translucent characteristic of their youth stages.
Previously, fishermen had captured videos of dying adult fish, but these creatures have never been observed alive at such depths.
“It’s thrilling to witness the initial in-situ images of a young colossal creature and sobering to consider that these beings are unaware of our existence,” stated Kat Bolstad from the Auckland University of Technology, who was among the independent scientific experts the team sought out for verification of the footage.
Over a century, they have primarily been observed as remnants found in the stomachs of whales and sea birds, and also as consumers of caught toothfish.
"I am truly captivated by the fact that we encountered a juvenile giant squid first. It’s such a stunning creature,” stated Bolstad, who also mentioned that scientists are currently experimenting with various camera setups in hopes of capturing video of an older specimen.
The 35-day exploration mission that resulted in the recording of the giant squid was part of the Ocean Census main project aimed at discovering previously unknown sea creatures—a joint effort involving the Schmidt Ocean Institute along with researchers from Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
The glacial glass squid was also documented.
An earlier exploration in January captured the very first pictures of the glacial glass squid — yet another species of glass squids that had not been observed alive in their natural habitat prior to this — within the waters of the Southern Ocean close to Antarctica.
The creature can be observed with its limbs positioned roughly over its head, akin to the "cockatoo stance" exhibited by other varieties of glass squid.
" spotting two distinct species of squid during consecutive missions is extraordinary and highlights our limited understanding of the incredible creatures inhabiting the Southern Ocean," stated Jyotika Virmani, who serves as the executive director at the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Luckily, we captured sufficient high-quality images of these organisms to enable the identification of both species by global specialists, even though they weren’t aboard the ship.
Until now, the institution's remote-operated device has managed to record exclusive video evidence of at least four different squid species in their natural habitat for the first time.
In 2020 they added the Ram's Horn Squid, followed by the Promachoteuthis in 2024, with an additional discovery pending verification.
"These indelible memories persistently remind us that the ocean still harbours numerous enigmas awaiting discovery," stated Virmani.
Edited by: Zac Crellin
Author: Richard Connor (with dpa, AP)