Colossal squid caught on camera for first time in the deep sea
The animal, a juvenile, was spotted at a depth of 600 metres; the animals can reach up to 7 metres long when fully grown
A colossal squid has been caught on camera for the first time in the deep sea by an international team of researchers steering a remotely operated submersible.
The sighting was announced on Tuesday by the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
The squid filmed was a juvenile about 30cm (one foot) in length at a depth of 600 metres (1,968 feet) in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Full-grown adult colossal squid, which scientists have uncovered from the bellies of whales and seabirds, can reach lengths up to 7 metres (23 feet) – almost the size of a small fire truck.
The squid was spied last month near the South Sandwich Islands during an expedition to search for new sea life. Researchers waited to verify the species identification with other independent scientists before releasing the footage.
“I really love that we have seen a young colossal squid first. This animal is so beautiful,” said Kat Bolstad, a squid researcher at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, who helped confirm it.