Scientists say they have captured the first confirmed live footage of the colossal squid, one of nature’s most elusive, gigantic creatures, in its natural habitat.
The new footage, obtained during a recent Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) expedition in the South Atlantic Ocean, offers an unprecedented look at the world’s largest known squid species and marks a major milestone in deep-sea exploration.
The juvenile colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) was spotted during explorations at a depth of close to 600 meters near the South Sandwich Islands. Although biologists formally identified the species a century ago, the unprecedented sighting represents the first time one of the deep-sea giants has been filmed in its natural habitat.
Accompanying the footage of the youthful colossal squid, the SOI team also obtained the first-ever recording of another species of glass squid, an additional first that showcases not only how little is known about life in Earth’s deep Southern Ocean but also how quickly technology is advancing current exploration efforts.
The Colossal Squid
Long considered one of the ocean’s most mysterious giant species, the colossal squid was captured on film by the SOI team on March 9 using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) called SuBastian. The remarkable imagery was obtained during a 35-day expedition that focused on the discovery of new marine life.
At just 30 centimeters in length, the juvenile squid was far smaller than its parents would have been, and it can reach lengths of at least 23 feet once mature, although some estimates place their adult size closer to 46 feet. Weighing as much as 500 kilograms, they are also the heaviest known invertebrates on Earth.
Since the full life cycle of these ocean giants remains largely a mystery, the new footage offers researchers a rare glimpse into the species’ early developmental years. Notably, the juvenile in the new footage still displays a see-through body, which is lost as the squids mature.
Gliding through the ocean at a depth of 600 meters, the young squid’s rare appearance offers marine scientists an incredibly rare view of these deep-sea creatures in their natural environment.
Part of the Ocean Census initiative, the recent expedition was conducted by an international team aboard the research vessel Falkor (too), a collaboration between SOI, the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, and GoSouth.
“It’s exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,” said Dr. Kat Bolstad of Auckland University of Technology, who assisted in verifying the rare footage. “For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish.”
Although a few colossal squid specimens have been caught by fishing vessels, these creatures were either dead or close to death at the time of their capture. By comparison, the new footage provides a look at healthy colossal squid, providing new insights into their movement and appearance while swimming in the deep ocean.
Back-to-Back Discoveries
The researchers recognized the species by the presence of a series of distinctive hooks on the middle of the squid’s eight arms, which are one of the clearest distinctions it possesses compared with its close relative, Galiteuthis glacialis, another glass squid species captured on camera earlier this year.
Only weeks before the team’s unprecedented colossal squid sighting, on January 25, they recorded the first confirmed footage of G. glacialis in the wild. The transparent squid was seen at a depth of 687 meters, floating with its arms raised above its head during an expedition to explore the seafloor areas recently exposed by a massive iceberg calving in the Bellingshausen Sea near Antarctica.
Dr. Thom Linley, a deep-sea expert aboard the vessel, immediately alerted Bolstad to the footage. Independent squid specialist Dr. Aaron Evans also confirmed the identities of both squid species, citing key morphological features such as the placement of hooks and body transparency.
A Window into the Unknown
“The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable and shows how little we have seen of the magnificent inhabitants of the Southern Ocean,” said Schmidt Ocean Institute executive director Dr. Jyotika Virmani, in a press release.
“Fortunately, we caught enough high-resolution imagery of these creatures to allow the global experts, who were not on the vessel, to identify both species,” Virmani added.
The colossal squid’s capture on film by SuBastian was not its first achievement of this kind. The Institute’s ROV has captured unprecedented views of at least four squid species in the wild, although one additional squid sighting is still pending confirmation.
“These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved,” Virmani said.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work at micahhanks.com and on X: @MicahHanks.