Latest news with #Galiteuthisglacialis
Otago Daily Times
14-05-2025
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
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.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Glacial Glass Squid Filmed for the First Time In This Beautiful Footage
In January, the Schmidt Ocean Institute was on a research expedition in the Bellingshausen Sea near Antarctica. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, because a massive slab of an iceberg had just calved off the George VI ice shelf and it was the first time scientists were able to have a look at what goes on down there in the hours and days after a calving event of that size. While they found many interesting things floating around down there, a few stood out. The one that stood out the most was the first-ever footage of an exceedingly rare creature called the Galiteuthis glacialis, a glacial glass squid to the layperson. The expedition, which took place over 35 days, had deep-sea expert named Dr. Thom Linley from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa along for the ride. As he was poring over the feed from the ROV making its way along the never-before-seen piece of seafloor, he spotted the glacial glass squid. At 2,254 feet deep, he was sure that he was the watching the first footage of a live specimen ever. 'In the footage,' a press release reads, 'the transparent G. glacialis positions its arms loosely above its head, similar to the cockatoo pose commonly observed in other glass squids… G. glacialis is a glass squid species that has never been seen alive in its natural environment before.' Amazingly, the glacial glass squid wasn't the only first-ever footage the researchers managed to catch. They also filmed the very first footage of a colossal squid. It's a testament to just how much there is to learn about our planet. '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's executive director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani. '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.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Live colossal squid, super-heavyweight of the deep sea, caught on video for the first time
The colossal squid, the world's largest squid species, was caught on video for the first time swimming in its natural habitat, according to a California ocean research organization. This squid, as its name suggests, can grow to as much as 23 feet in length and 1,100 pounds — the heaviest invertebrate in the world — according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute. But the creature the institute caught on video was a footlong juvenile. It was recorded March 9 near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean at a depth of nearly 2,000 feet, according to a news release from the nonprofit. The squid was formally named and identified in 1925 but hadn't been recorded alive until this instance. The squid, officially named Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, was recorded during a 35-day expedition that was aimed at finding new marine life, the release states. Scientists aboard the institute's Falkor research vessel captured video of the squid with its remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian. The squids lose their transparent bodies as they get older, and dying adults have been recorded before by fishermen, but a colossal squid hadn't before been seen alive at such a depth. "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 Kat Bolstad of the Auckland University of Technology in the release. Bolstad was consulted to verify the video, according to the institute. 'For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish.' Read more: Trump administration seeks to narrow Endangered Species Act by redefining 'harm' During a January expedition, the team also captured first-time video of the glacial glass squid (called Galiteuthis glacialis), according to the institute. That creature also has never been seen alive before in its natural environment. '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,' Jyotika Virmani, the Schmidt Ocean Institute's executive director, said in the release. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal squid filmed alive for first time since its discovery a century ago
A colossal squid has been filmed alive in the wild for the first time, 100 years after the species was discovered. The rare footage was captured on March 9 by Schmidt Ocean Institute's remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, at a depth of 600 metres off the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The juvenile squid, around 30 centimetres long, is the first confirmed sighting of a living Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni in its natural habitat. Colossal squid are thought to grow up to seven metres and weigh as much as 500kg, making them the world's heaviest invertebrate. Until now they have been seen only dead – washed up or in the stomachs of predators such as whales. '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, who helped verify the footage. The discovery came during a 35-day ocean census expedition – part of a global project to find and record new marine life. The mission involved Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, and research teams from the UK and Germany. Experts confirmed the juvenile squid by its transparent body and arm hooks, which help distinguish it from similar species such as the glacial glass squid (Galiteuthis glacialis). The glacial glass squid was also filmed alive for the first time on a previous Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition in January, in the Bellingshausen Sea off Antarctica. 'The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable,' said the Institute's executive director, Dr Jyotika Virmani. 'It shows how little we've seen of life in the Southern Ocean.' To date, the Institute's ROV SuBastian has recorded the first confirmed footage of at least four deep-sea squid species, with another still awaiting identification. 'These unforgettable moments remind us how much of the ocean remains unexplored,' Dr Virmani added.
The Independent
16-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Colossal squid filmed alive for first time since its discovery a century ago
A colossal squid has been filmed alive in the wild for the first time, 100 years after the species was discovered. The rare footage was captured on March 9 by Schmidt Ocean Institute's remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, at a depth of 600 metres off the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The juvenile squid, around 30 centimetres long, is the first confirmed sighting of a living Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni in its natural habitat. Colossal squid are thought to grow up to seven metres and weigh as much as 500kg, making them the world's heaviest invertebrate. Until now they have been seen only dead – washed up or in the stomachs of predators such as whales. '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, who helped verify the footage. The discovery came during a 35-day ocean census expedition – part of a global project to find and record new marine life. The mission involved Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, and research teams from the UK and Germany. Experts confirmed the juvenile squid by its transparent body and arm hooks, which help distinguish it from similar species such as the glacial glass squid (Galiteuthis glacialis). The glacial glass squid was also filmed alive for the first time on a previous Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition in January, in the Bellingshausen Sea off Antarctica. 'The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable,' said the Institute's executive director, Dr Jyotika Virmani. 'It shows how little we've seen of life in the Southern Ocean.' To date, the Institute's ROV SuBastian has recorded the first confirmed footage of at least four deep-sea squid species, with another still awaiting identification. 'These unforgettable moments remind us how much of the ocean remains unexplored,' Dr Virmani added.
