Latest news with #Promachoteuthis
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal squid captured on camera for the first time, scientists say
A colossal squid was filmed in its natural environment by scientists for the first time since its identification and naming 100 years ago, according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime situation; these types of discoveries don't come along very often," Michelle Taylor, the expedition's chief scientist and professor at the University of Essex, told ABC News. The sighting occurred on March 9 during a 35-day expedition searching for new marine life in the waters off the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the institute said in a press release shared on Tuesday. The footage, captured by a remotely operated vehicle from the institute, reveals a juvenile colossal squid, nearly one foot long with a see-through appearance, at a depth of almost 1,100 feet, the institute said. This marked the first time a colossal squid was spotted in its natural environment alive, with previous occasions occurring when it was caught or brought to the surface by fishermen, Taylor said "It's very challenging to understand the biology, ecology and the behavior of an animal if you've only ever seen dead specimens or on the surface, not in the mid-water area, which is a natural home," Taylor said. "You get a real feel for its behavior and how it moves around its natural environment." MORE: First shark sound recordings captured by researchers, study shows At first, Taylor and her team did not realize this "beautiful, glassy squid" could be a colossal, since they did not have an expert on board. They did not suspect it was this creature until someone watching a livestream of the footage commented, "Is that a juvenile colossal squid?" "When we first watched it live, it was so beautiful, so we were already quite mesmerized by this stunning little squid. Then to find out that it was something so special, that was a real beautiful moment," Taylor told ABC News. A traditional colossal squid, also known as Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, is estimated to grow up to 23 feet in length and can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds, "making them the heaviest invertebrate on the planet," the institute said. Despite a giant squid being the longest invertebrate, the colossal squid is the "beefiest," Taylor said. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the squid is the "presence of hooks on the middle of their eight arms," the institute said. The Schmidt Ocean Institute has captured the first confirmed footage of "at least four squid species in the wild," including the Ram's Horn Squid in 2020 and the Promachoteuthis in 2024, with "one more first sighting yet to be confirmed," the institute said. MORE: Giant Squid With 16 Feet Long Tentacles Washes Up on New Zealand Beach "These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the Ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved," said Jyotika Virmani, the Schmidt Ocean Institute executive director. Taylor said she hopes viewers of the squid footage recognize the "wonder of our planet," specifically the ocean. "People want to go into space and we have all this beautiful, uncharted territory on our own planet," Taylor said. "There are still so many amazing, incredible things left to discover; we've only scratched the surface." Colossal squid captured on camera for the first time, scientists say originally appeared on
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal squid captured on camera for the first time, scientists say
A colossal squid was filmed in its natural environment by scientists for the first time since its identification and naming 100 years ago, according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime situation; these types of discoveries don't come along very often," Michelle Taylor, the expedition's chief scientist and professor at the University of Essex, told ABC News. The sighting occurred on March 9 during a 35-day expedition searching for new marine life in the waters off the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the institute said in a press release shared on Tuesday. The footage, captured by a remotely operated vehicle from the institute, reveals a juvenile colossal squid, nearly one foot long with a see-through appearance, at a depth of almost 1,100 feet, the institute said. This marked the first time a colossal squid was spotted in its natural environment alive, with previous occasions occurring when it was caught or brought to the surface by fishermen, Taylor said "It's very challenging to understand the biology, ecology and the behavior of an animal if you've only ever seen dead specimens or on the surface, not in the mid-water area, which is a natural home," Taylor said. "You get a real feel for its behavior and how it moves around its natural environment." MORE: First shark sound recordings captured by researchers, study shows At first, Taylor and her team did not realize this "beautiful, glassy squid" could be a colossal, since they did not have an expert on board. They did not suspect it was this creature until someone watching a livestream of the footage commented, "Is that a juvenile colossal squid?" "When we first watched it live, it was so beautiful, so we were already quite mesmerized by this stunning little squid. Then to find out that it was something so special, that was a real beautiful moment," Taylor told ABC News. A traditional colossal squid, also known as Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, is estimated to grow up to 23 feet in length and can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds, "making them the heaviest invertebrate on the planet," the institute said. Despite a giant squid being the longest invertebrate, the colossal squid is the "beefiest," Taylor said. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the squid is the "presence of hooks on the middle of their eight arms," the institute said. The Schmidt Ocean Institute has captured the first confirmed footage of "at least four squid species in the wild," including the Ram's Horn Squid in 2020 and the Promachoteuthis in 2024, with "one more first sighting yet to be confirmed," the institute said. MORE: Giant Squid With 16 Feet Long Tentacles Washes Up on New Zealand Beach "These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the Ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved," said Jyotika Virmani, the Schmidt Ocean Institute executive director. Taylor said she hopes viewers of the squid footage recognize the "wonder of our planet," specifically the ocean. "People want to go into space and we have all this beautiful, uncharted territory on our own planet," Taylor said. "There are still so many amazing, incredible things left to discover; we've only scratched the surface." Colossal squid captured on camera for the first time, scientists say originally appeared on
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal squid caught on video for first time, seen swimming nearly 2,000 feet below ocean's surface
The colossal squid, the heaviest invertebrate in the world, was captured on video swimming in the deep sea for the first time since it was identified a century ago. The footage was filmed on March 9 by an international team of scientists and crew on an expedition near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, Schmidt Ocean Institute said in a news release. The squid, scientifically named Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, was a juvenile at nearly one foot long, according to the release. It was at a depth of 1,968 feet when scientists and crew on board the institute's research vessel Falkor captured footage of it with a remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian. "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. Bolstad was one of the scientific experts who assisted with verifying the video. "For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish," she said. The squid was formally identified and named in 1925, but until now, no one has been able to capture it alive on camera. It's estimated that the squid can grow up to 23 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,100 pounds, the institute said. Little is known about the squid's life cycle, but it loses its transparent body as it becomes an adult. The colossal squid is not to be confused with a giant squid, according to the Natural History Museum of London. Both are massive cephalopods, but belong to different families of squid. The giant squid has much longer tentacles with a more narrow body, whereas the colossal squid has a much larger body with shorter tentacles. Bolstad and Aaron Evans, an independent expert on the glass squid family who also helped verify the video, both said that the colossal squid has distinguishing characteristics, including hooks on the middle of their eight arms. To date, the institute's ROV SuBastian has captured the first confirmed footage of at least four squid species in the wild, including the Promachoteuthis last year and the ram's horn squid in 2020. This article was originally published on
NBC News
16-04-2025
- Science
- NBC News
Colossal squid caught on video for first time, seen swimming nearly 2,000 feet below ocean's surface
The colossal squid, the heaviest invertebrate in the world, was captured on video swimming in the deep sea for the first time since it was identified a century ago. The footage was filmed on March 9 by an international team of scientists and crew on an expedition near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, Schmidt Ocean Institute said in a news release. The squid, scientifically named Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, was a juvenile at nearly one foot long, according to the release. It was at a depth of 1,968 feet when scientists and crew on board the institute's research vessel Falkor captured footage of it with a remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian. "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. Bolstad was one of the scientific experts who assisted with verifying the video. "For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish," she said. The squid was formally identified and named in 1925, but until now, no one has been able to capture it alive on camera. It's estimated that the squid can grow up to 23 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,100 pounds, the institute said. Little is known about the squid's life cycle, but it loses its transparent body as it becomes an adult. The colossal squid is not to be confused with a giant squid, according to the Natural History Museum of London. Both are massive cephalopods, but belong to different families of squid. The giant squid has much longer tentacles with a more narrow body, whereas the colossal squid has a much larger body with shorter tentacles. Bolstad and Aaron Evans, an independent expert on the glass squid family who also helped verify the video, both said that the colossal squid has distinguishing characteristics, including hooks on the middle of their eight arms. To date, the institute's ROV SuBastian has captured the first confirmed footage of at least four squid species in the wild, including the Promachoteuthis last year and the ram's horn squid in 2020.
