‘Unforgettable’: Colossal squid filmed alive in deep sea for the first time
For the first time since its discovery a century ago, what will grow up to become one of the heaviest invertebrates on the planet has been caught on video in its natural habitat.
Growing up to seven metres in length, the colossal squid – known as Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, first identified in 1925 when the remains of the head and arms of one were discovered in a sperm whale’s stomach – can weigh up to half a tonne, making the species the world’s heaviest invertebrate.
Although it was discovered 100 years ago, much about the colossal squid has remained a mystery.
Until the Schmidt Ocean Institute released footage of a juvenile colossal squid swimming in the deep sea this week, none had ever been filmed alive in the wild.
Why this baby squid’s small-screen debut is so colossal
Taken by a team of international researchers and scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, Falkor, the video shows the colossal squid – semi-transparent, with eight arms – swimming in the deep sea near the South Sandwich Islands (an island east of the Falkland Islands), about 600 metres below the South Atlantic Ocean’s surface, on March 9.
At the time, those aboard Falkor had no idea they were filming a colossal squid. It’s only 30 centimetres in length, indicating the squid caught on camera – it was captured by SuBastian, a remotely operated vehicle, during a 35-day expedition looking for new marine life – was just a baby. Days later, independent scientific experts verified the squid was, in fact, a colossal, thanks to the sharp hooks on its tentacles, which distinguishes it from other species of glass squid.
“These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved,” Schmidt Ocean Institute executive director Jyotika Virmani said.
What little we do know about the colossal squid
Much is yet to be uncovered about the colossal squid’s life cycle, though it’s understood it loses its transparent appearance as it grows up.
Most deep-sea exploration equipment is noisy, large, and uses bright lights while trying to film animals. In the dark, void-like expanse of the deep sea, it could not be more obvious to prey that those machines don’t belong. As such, most information gathered on the colossal squid has come from whales and seabirds. Those natural predators, after all, are much better at hunting down the colossal squid than humans.
Before this footage was made public, only eight adult colossal squid had been reported since 1925, and six of those were from remains discovered in caught whales. Dying adult colossal squids had been filmed in the nets of fisherman, but none had ever been seen alive in their deep sea natural habitat. Until now.
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