For the first time, the elusive giant squid has been imaged in deep waters off the coast of Australia. The cephalopod is a very strange marine animal and little known by experts; this sighting represents an advance in the study of distribution patterns.
The depths of the oceans keep for us countless mysteries to discover. Given the enormous amount of Earth’s surface covered by water, we know only a tiny part of the species that inhabit it.
Justly magnapinnidae Colquially known as the giant squid, it is a species that has been little studied due to the scarcity of its sightings. However, work continues on the matter to learn more about the ecology of this species. Thus, thanks to an extensive study of deep waters off the coast of Australia, it turned out to be gold for marine biologists.
Sighting of five giant squids
To date there have been only three sightings, all in the southern hemisphere in the Eastern Pacific. However, a recent large-scale research program in the Great Australian Bight resulted in the capture of five giant squid, which exceeds all previous sightings in the Eastern Pacific. This reinforces the hypothesis of a cosmopolitan distribution of giant squid.
Sometimes dead specimens appear on the surface of the water, as a result of trawling. However, it is not possible to use the samples for the study of this species due to the damage they present. What is known about the giant squid is that they have large fins and extraordinarily long worm-like tentacles, as well as filaments of tentacles that look like long strands of spaghetti.
For the study led by Hugh Maclntosh and Deborah Osterhage, towed cameras were used at depths of 3,000 to 10,000 feet. The device known as investigator, from the National Marine RV Installation, was key to capturing giant squid images. During the investigation, an area of ââ248 square kilometers was covered.
Nearby specimens of giant squid
A fact that surprised the researchers is that curiously the specimens were observed very close together. In one case, two squids were caught twelve hours apart. And in another, two specimens were observed just 6 kilometers away.
According to experts, the grouping of these giant squids could be due to various aspects such as «specific environmental needs» and/or «greater reproductive opportunities.»
âThese sightings add to our knowledge of this elusive and intriguing genus, and reinforce the value of images as a tool in deep-sea squid research,â the researchers conclude.
Marine fauna is one of the greatest mysteries on the planet, the depths jealously guard species that we still do not know. But explorers continue to invest efforts to learn more about our beautiful planet.
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