A puppy of colossal squid (Msonychoteuthis Hamiltoni) 30 cm was filmed on video for the first time alive by an international team of researchers from Schmidt Ocean Institute. The creature of the abysses was filmed on March 9, 2025 near the Austral Sandwich Islandsin the southern Atlantic Ocean, at a depth of 600 meters from a remote control underwater vehicle (ROV) that allows you to investigate the seabed and waters of the marine ecosystem. The specimen belonging to the Cranchidae family shown in the video is a puppy of approximately 30 cm that with time and growth will lose the transparent aspect typical of young people and could become gigantic reaching i 7 meters length and 500 kg of weight.
You still know little about this kind of cephalopodidentified and officially called only 100 years ago, whose information derives solely from the discovery of carcasses – in particular Becchi – in the stomachs of sperm whales and some movies by fishermen of dying specimens. The rare sighting is added to that of glacial glass squid (Galiteuthis Glacialis) took place in the Antarctic Ocean in January, another kind of squid never seen before in its natural environment. The existence of species such as the colossal squid, an example of abysmal gigantismlight up the theme on the immensity of the oceans and the scientific challenge in understanding the myriad of life forms that inhabit them, of which our current knowledge is extremely limited.
What is the colossal squid and where the heaviest invertebrate on the planet lives
The Msonychoteuthis Hamiltonifrom the Greek Mesos (“half”), Onyx (“Claw”) e Teuthis («Calamaro»), according to the researchers of the Schmidt Ocean Institutecan reach the 7 meters long and weigh up to 500 kgwhich would make them the heavier invertebrates on the planetsignificantly overcoming the giant squid (Architeuthis Dux). The colossal squid has a typical anatomy of cephalopods: cloak (2-4 meters) for the movement, gills, chitinous beak, 8 arms and 2 tentacles characterized by the presence of hooks for having taken on the prey in the ocean depths, a uniqueness in his family. It is also thought that these enormous abysmal creatures also have the largest eye of the animal kingdom, with a diameter of 25 cm.
These are skilled lurking predators which populate the ocean depths usually at a depth above 1000 meters With some young specimens, such as the one protagonist of the video, found more on the surface. Its distribution in the profound waters of southern Antarctica, of Northern South America, of South Africa and the southern end of New Zealand is the ranking mainly as an inhabitant of the whole Southern ocean. Despite the little information on the habits of these animals, it is thought that among its prey there are small medium -sized fish such as cod and lantern fish and that in turn they are prey to be coveted by sperm whalethe cetaceans of over 20 meters that reach up to 3000 meters deep.
Colossal squid is an example of abysmal gigantism
The unique environmental conditions of the ocean depths have led toevolution of extraordinarily adapted forms of life, equipped with specific anatomical and physiological characteristics that guarantee their survival in such environments.
Colossal squid is an example of abysmal gigantismthe tendency to achieve considerably greater body dimensions than their relatives who live in less profound waters. Other creatures with considerable size are the Bathynomus giganteus It is an isopod crustacean that reaches 50 cm in length (considerable size compared to the similar species) and the Japan giant crab (Macrocheira kaempferi), the largest arthropod in the world that can reach 40 cm in length with an impressive opening of the legs up to 4 meters.
It is assumed that gigantism offers evolutionary advantages in these cold and oxygen -rich environments, such as a lower heat dispersion. The theories on gigantism have not yet been confirmed for the obvious difficulties in the studies of these animals.
Because the filming of the colossal squid in the abysses are important
The oceans occupy the 70% of the earth’s surface And they are rich in biodiversity, with estimates that suggest, without considering microorganisms, the presence of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of species. Marine life focuses in the first 50 meters deep, however the oceans reach depth of 11 kmas in the case of the Fossa delle Marianne, and even here it prospects a variety of species currently little known and little studied, with about two thirds of the species Still to discover and officially describe.
The executive director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, Jyotika Virmaniunderlined the importance of the sightings of the colossal squid and the glacial glass squid in discovering and understanding something more on abysmal species:
The first sighting of two different squid in consecutive shipments is remarkable and shows how little we have seen of these magnificent inhabitants of the Antarctic Ocean. These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is full of mysteries still to be solved.
Although the mapping of the seabed, stopped at about 26% of the total, can provide clues to potential habitat does not directly reveal the species present or their interactions. Discovering this biodiversity remains one scientific challenge that shipments with the ROV – Remotely Operated Vehicle – they will be able to help to face.
