For the first time, a colossal squid has been filmed alive in its natural environment, marking a century since the species was first identified.
The exceptional footage was taken on March 9 by the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian, at a depth of 600 meters near the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
This juvenile squid, approximately 30 cm long, represents the first confirmed sighting of a living Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni in its natural setting.
Colossal squids are believed to reach lengths of up to seven meters and weigh as much as 500 kg, making them the heaviest invertebrates in the world.
“It’s thrilling to witness the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal squid, and it’s humbling to realize they are unaware of human existence,” remarked Dr. Kat Bolstad, who assisted in verifying the footage.
The finding was made during a 35-day ocean census expedition, part of a global initiative aimed at discovering and documenting new marine species.
This mission was a collaboration between the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, and research teams from the UK and Germany.
Experts identified the juvenile squid by its transparent body and distinctive arm hooks, which differentiate it from similar species like the glacial glass squid (Galiteuthis glacialis).
The first confirmed footage of the glacial glass squid
Additionally, the glacial glass squid was filmed alive for the first time during a prior expedition by the Schmidt Ocean Institute in January, off the coast of Antarctica in the Bellingshausen Sea.
“The consecutive sightings of two different squid species on back-to-back expeditions are extraordinary,” stated the Institute’s executive director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani.
“This underscores how little we have observed of life in the Southern Ocean.”
As of now, the Institute’s ROV SuBastian has captured the first confirmed footage of at least four deep-sea squid species, with one still pending identification.
“These unforgettable moments remind us just how much of the ocean remains unexplored,” Dr. Virmani concluded.
