Colossal squid filmed for the first time
Schmidt Ocean Institute's remotely operated vehicle SuBastian provided live recording of the colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni for the first time. PHOTO: SCHMIDT OCEAN INSTITUTE
The first confirmed sighting of giant squid recently thrilled scientists worldwide.
A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on Schmidt Ocean Institute's vessel Falkor (too) filmed a 30cm-long juvenile colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) on March 9 at 600m near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic.
The same international team had earlier, in January, captured the first footage of Galiteuthis glacialis, a glass squid, in the Southern Ocean off Antarctica.
New Zealand scientists were part of the discovery and identification of these deep-sea creatures.
Auckland University of Technology Associate Prof Kat Bolstad verified the species identification of both squid.
The small juvenile Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni was sighted by the ROV SuBastian on March 9 at a depth of 600m.
"I have been researching deep-sea squids, including the colossal since the early 2000s.
"And I can say that this is honestly one of the most exciting observations that we have had across the time that I have been working on deep-sea cephalopods."
She was struck by the "beauty and delicacy" of the creature seen in the footage.
As the heaviest invertebrate on the planet they can reach 500kg and about 7m in length.
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa curator of fishes Dr Thom Linley was in the control room when the ROV filmed Galiteuthis glacialis at 687m.
"I was milling around the control room trying to get my notes together.
"As we were descending, this squid sort of comes into view."
Dr Linley snapped a screen photo and sent it to Assoc Prof Bolstad for confirmation.
"That was just me taking a photo of the screen with my with my phone ... she was climbing the walls like, 'give me the high res, give me the high res'."
Once she had the high-resolution file, Assoc Prof Bolstad confirmed the identity.
"You know, it is incredible to be able to share this," Dr Linley said.
sam.henderson@thestar.co.nz
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