Latest news with #SuBastian
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
This Squid Was Discovered in 1898. Scientists Just Saw It Alive For the First Time.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: The Antarctic gonate squid, Gonatus antarcticus, had never been seen alive in the ocean until 2024, when it was filmed by an ROV late in the year. That footage has finally been released All that was known about this creature—which was first discovered in 1898—came from dead specimens that showed up in fishing nets. If it wasn't for hazardous weather that forced the expedition to stop short of the area it planned to cover, Gonatus antarcticus might have slipped into the darkness unnoticed. Far beneath the glaciers and ice floes of the Weddell Sea are dark Antarctic waters that have gone mostly uninfluenced by humans. Thousands of feet down lurk bizarre creatures: slithering deep-sea ribbon worms, siphonophores, sea pigs, and a species of squid that had never been seen alive until centuries after it first washed up on the shore. On board the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor (too) in December of 2024, a team of scientists were exploring the Weddell Sea at depths of about 7,000 feet with the ROV SuBastian when they saw a flash of red in the darkness. Right at the edge of the Powell basin, SuBastian captured video footage of a massive squid drifting by and releasing a cloud of greenish ink. For the next few minutes, the squid floated around SuBastian, and the team managed to turn down the ROV's lights (to get an idea of how the squid interacts with its environment) and measure the creature using lasers before it shot away into the shadows. The squid sighting caught the attention of environmental scientist Kat Bolstad of Auckland University in New Zealand. When she later reviewed the video, she was able to identify the creature as Gonatus antarcticus, the elusive Antarctic gonate squid. 'This is, to the best of my knowledge, the first live footage of this animal worldwide,' Bolstad told National Geographic. Gonatus antarcticus had been discovered by Einar Lönnberg—a Swedish zoologist who had gone on an expedition to Tierra del Fuego—at the extreme southern tip of South America in 1898. He first discovered a deceased specimen stranded in the Strait of Magellan, and collected already dead specimens that had been entangled in fishing nets. Closer study revealed that the squid showed significant differences from close cousin Gonatus fabricii, which was the only known Gonatus species at the time. It was only from these observations (and beaks of the animal lodged in the stomachs of predators) that Lönnberg and the scientists who followed him were able to find out anything about this mysterious squid. Lönnberg described the new species of squid he discovered as having a 'very slender mantle, very long tail, and soft body' with 'long, narrow fins, long stout tentacles and small tentacle clubs.' Its arms were 'short, thick and muscular' while its tentacles were 'long with relatively small club[s], large central hook[s] and medium-size distal hook[s].' At three feet long, the Antarctic gonate squid may not grow to the enormity of the giant squid or the equally-ellusive colossal squid (which was also first seen alive by SuBastian in January of 2025), but it is still a rare find. So little is known about the numbers and whereabouts of these cephalopods that it is difficult to gauge how many populate the Southern Sea. What G. antarcticus does have in common with its larger cousins, however, is its red coloration, which is actually a clever type of camouflage shared by many creatures in the twilight and midnight zones. Wavelengths of red light cannot penetrate waters so deep, so they appear black and just about invisible to predators. It seemed that the squid on SuBastian's footage had possibly gotten into a scuffle with something larger—possibly a colossal squid, based on the scratches along its mantle that suspiciously resembled hook marks. The squid might have never been discovered if it hadn't been for hazardous weather conditions that Christmas Eve. On an expedition sponsored by the National Geographic Society as a part of their Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions partnership, the team was planning to look into the unexplored Powell Basin—an abyssal plain that reaches nearly ten thousand feet deep. But an onslaught of ice made them rethink their plans, and they decide to drop SuBastian just outside the basin instead. 'What are the odds?" researcher Manuel Novillo from Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (who was also a member of Bolstad's team) told National Geographic. 'We were not supposed to be there and not at that precise moment.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Miami Herald
11-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Gargantua' deep-sea creature among new species found in Atlantic. See them
In the depths of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, underwater volcanoes spew material into the ocean water. Vents that connect underground rifts to the surface release billowing clouds of black deposits of iron sulfide, earning the moniker 'black smoker chimneys.' These hydrothermal vent fields are hot, chemically rich and toxic to most forms of life. But, a special few organisms have adapted to call them their home. Now, two new species found around the black smoker chimneys of the Hydra and Falkor hydrothermal vent fields have been identified — and they're huge. Researchers operating the remote underwater vehicle SuBastian, from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and the human-occupied vehicle Nautile, from the French Institute of Research and Exploitation of the Sea, used suctioning tools to collect peltospirid gastropods from the black smokers, according to a study published June 5 in the peer-reviewed Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. The peltospirid gastropods, or a family of marine snails found around hot vents, were compared to known species, but their 'very large' size immediately tipped off researchers that they may belong to new species. Genetic testing confirmed their suspicions, according to the study. The first new species, Peltospira gargantua, was found on a black smoker chimney in the Hydra field at a depth of about 12,300 feet, researchers said. With a shell smaller than an inch, the snail is 'very large' compared to others in their genus, researchers said. The shell is 'rather tightly coiled,' and their bodies have 'short, paddle-like' tentacles. Part of the shell is an 'olive green' color, but the shells are typically 'obscured by dark brown to reddish layers of' mineral deposits, according to the study. 'The head is large, with a thick and broad snout that expands slightly towards the mouth,' researchers said of the snail's body. The animals have no trace of eyes on their external bodies, not uncommon for creatures found in the dark abyss of the Atlantic. Researchers named the species after Gargantua, a character from the French novels 'The Five Books of the Lives and Deeds of Gargantua and Pantagruel,' stories of a giant king and his son. 'The word Gargantua has since been used to mean 'huge' or 'immense,' as exemplified by the English adjective gargantuan,' according to the study. 'Thus, the species name refers to the very large size of the new species in relationship to other known (relatives).' The second new species, from a different genus, was named after Gargantua's son, Pantagruel, according to the study. Lirapex pantagruel is the 'largest of all known Lirapex species, hence the name of a giant is fitting,' researchers said. The species was found on the black smokers of the Falkor hydrothermal vents at a depth of about 13,000 feet, according to the study. This species is even smaller, with a shell diameter of about 0.3 inches long, and the shell is 'tightly coiled,' researchers said. The pantagruel snail is also covered in reddish to blackish material, but has a semi-transparent and greenish hue otherwise. 'The soft parts are overall typical of the genus Lirapex,' researchers said. 'The head is large and without pigmented eyes… The snout is short, flattened, with the mouth opening ventrally. A pair of thin, film-like jaws are present.' Finding the two new species was a 'surprising discovery,' researchers said, as the areas where they live have only been explored for a few years. 'Hydrothermal vents on the northern (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) have been explored for about four decades. Yet, species of large snails aggregating in conspicuous habitats near hot fluid orifices, such as P. gargantua and L. pantagurel, have remained undiscovered until now,' researchers said. 'It might be that the two new species are present only in Hydra and Falkor EMARK, two vent fields that were found only in 2023.' The research team includes Chong Chen, Florence Pradillon, Coral Diaz-Recio Lorenzo and Joan Manel Alfaro-Lucas.
CBS News
11-06-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Elusive Antarctic squid spotted alive in the wild for the first time, captured on video
Unprecedented footage of an elusive deep-sea creature came to light this week. On an expedition through the Southern Ocean last Christmas Day, researchers discovered the Gonatus antarcticus, a mysterious species of squid known to roam the freezing waters around Antarctica but never seen alive before in its natural habitat. The crew of Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel, the R/V Falkor (too), encountered the squid by happenstance, according to National Geographic, which led the expedition through its nonprofit, the National Geographic Society, and on Tuesday published photos and video of the historic find. The research vessel's remotely operated vehicle, called SuBastian, captured the footage that's also set to appear in an upcoming National Geographic documentary. Presented by National Geographic Society in partnership with Rolex. A National Geographic Society expedition spotted an Antarctic gonate squid alive for the first time—helping researchers form theories around this mysterious species. — National Geographic (@NatGeo) June 10, 2025 In the first look released this week, a three-foot-long multicolored squid shimmers in pitch-dark, appearing to glow as it floats. Crew members recalled to National Geographic a cloud of green ink ejected from the animal as the machine approached, suggesting it was startled. The creature was spotted about 7,000 feet below the surface of the Weddell Sea, a remote area near the Antarctic peninsula. Researchers have yet to confirm the squid's sex or age based on the footage. Before this encounter, evidence of the Antarctic gonate squid had come exclusively in the form of carcasses caught in fishing nets or in the stomachs of its predators, National Geographic said. This particular squid was determined to be "in good shape" outside of some scratches and sucker marks. Researchers discovered the Gonatus antarcticus, a mysterious species of squid. National Geographic The Antarctic gonate is among a group of large and elusive deep-sea squid species native to the Southern Ocean, which have for the most part evaded human contact. Another, the colossal squid, was filmed alive for the first time ever in March, during a different research expedition by the Schmidt Ocean Institute around the South Sandwich Islands.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Elusive deep-sea squid caught on camera for the first time: Watch
An elusive deep-sea squid species was caught on camera for the first time ever in a major breakthrough. National Geographic, on June 10, revealed the "history-making sighting" of a massive, three-foot long deep-sea squid, which has never before been seen alive, saying the first-ever video footage of the Gonatus antarcticus was captured "on Christmas Day by the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel, the R/V Falkor (too)." Schmidt Ocean Institute, a nonprofit organization, is focused on ocean research, discovery, and knowledge. The "surprise moment" was "caught on camera via the research vessel's remotely operated vehicle (ROV), SuBastian," in the Southern Ocean, National Geographic said in a press release. Manuel Novillo, a postdoctoral researcher at Argentina's Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, who was aboard the ship, told NatGeo the expedition wasn't even meant to be in the area that day. But adverse weather conditions and treacherous sea ice forced them to choose a new site at the outer edge of the Powell Basin, instead of inside the "unexplored abyssal plain," which has a depth of approximately 9,800 feet. On Christmas morning, as Novillo watched a live video feed of the expedition's remote vehicle, SuBastian, traveling 7,000 feet through the ocean's depth towards the seabed, he spotted a shadow which caught his attention. Novilla asked the pilot to get closer and 'voila, it appeared,' he told NatGeo. 'What are the odds?' Novillo said about the experience. 'We were not supposed to be there and not at that precise moment. Prior to the sighting, the Gonatus antarcticus was only known from carcasses in fishing nets or when the squids' beaks were found in the stomach of fished marine animals, NatGeo said. Watch: Young colossal squid captured on video in its natural habitat for the first time Alex Hayward, senior lecturer at the University of Exeter in England, told National Geographic that deep-sea squids have good eyesight and usually avoid the lights of a research vessel, making it impossible to spot them. 'We want to see them, but they probably don't want to see us most of the time,' she told the publication. The Gonatus antarcticus squid, which has a red and bluish appearance and is characterized by a large single central hook on each tentacle club, is found only in the frigid waters around Antarctica, according to NatGeo. It was spotted at a depth of approximately 2152 meters in the Southern Ocean's Weddell Sea. Researchers, however, have not been able to confirm the squid's sex or age from the footage. Novillo told the publication that the squid released a small cloud of greenish ink as it was spotted, perhaps startled by the vehicle. The squid also had scratches on its arms and fresh-looking sucker marks on its mantle, hinting at some kind of recent predation attempt that it may have managed to escape. During the expedition, the research team also mapped several previously unexplored sites throughout the Southern Ocean and collected various samples of sediment, water, and biota for research purposes, NatGeo said. Part of the expedition was to examine the impact of climate and environmental change in and around the Weddell Sea, "an area prioritized for marine protection and one of the few near-pristine ecosystems on the planet." Earlier, in March, crew members on board a research vessel operated by Schmidt Ocean Institute in the South Atlantic Ocean recorded a video of the world's largest squid species. The nearly one-foot-long juvenile colossal squid was spotted floating at a depth of approximately 1968 feet below the waters around the South Sandwich Islands, a volcanic archipelago located between the tip of South America and Antarctica. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deep-sea squid species caught on camera for the first time: Watch
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Deep Sea Squid Caught on Camera Alive for the First Time. The Astonishing Footage Wasn't Planned
Scientists on a research expedition in the Southern Ocean captured the very first footage of a living Gonatus antarcticus squid The colorful, three-foot squid species was only known to scientists previously by its remains in fishing nets and larger mammals' stomachs The expedition also mapped ocean depths up to 4000 meters, collected samples of plant and animal life, and tracked a range of underwater terrainsScientists have captured the first images of a live Antarctic squid! Researchers on an expedition in the Southern Ocean obtained the first known footage of a living Gonatus antarcticus squid, according to a press release from National Geographic on June 10. The three-foot-long specimen of the elusive species, which is only found in the icy waters around Antarctica, was filmed on Christmas Day 2024, and scientists are now sharing those findings with National Geographic and the world. Footage of the mysterious creature was taken by chance. Scientists aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel, R/V Falkor (too), sent the vessel's remotely operated vehicle (ROV), SuBastian, to explore the depths of the frigid Southern Ocean. The ROV was in the right place at the right time and managed to film a passing Gonatus antarcticus squid. Before this, the cephalopod's existence was only known because its remains appeared in fishing nets and the stomachs of larger marine animals. Images from the exciting encounter, which occurred 2152 meters (1.34 miles) deep in the Weddell Sea, show the vibrantly-colored squid with scratches and sucker marks on its body. Aside from these minor wounds, the squid appears to be in good health, according to National Geographic. Footage of the squid also shows the large single central hook found on each tentacle, a characteristic researchers used to confirm that the sighting was indeed of a Gonatus antarcticus squid. During the expedition, the research team also collected samples of plant life, organisms, sediment, and water, and mapped previously undiscovered depths that reached 4000 meters (roughly 2.5 miles deep), including terrains of "abyssal plains, hydrothermal vents, troughs, canyon walls and sea ice," per the release. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Weddell Sea — part of the Southern Ocean, just southeast of the southern tip of South America — where the squid was found is considered "one of the few near-pristine ecosystems on the planet." The R/V Falkor (too) and National Geographic Explorers went to the far-flung spot as part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expedition, which aims to provide a comprehensive scientific examination of the impact of climate change on the Earth's "few near-pristine ecosystems." Footage of the squid and other moments from this expedition will be used in a future National Geographic documentary. To read more about this impressive squid sighting and the work it took to capture it, read more at Read the original article on People
