Scientists spot colossal squid on video for the first time
Known as the heaviest invertebrate on the planet, the elusive species has never been seen in the wild - until now.
The colossal squid seen for the first time in the wild. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute
A never-before-seen species of squid has been captured in new underwater footage taken by a team of scientists searching for new marine life.
The colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) was first identified and named by scientists 100 hundred years ago. But the species has never been seen alive in its natural environment, and has mainly only ever been encountered as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs.
A member of the glass squid family, the colossal squid is thought to be the heaviest invertebrate on the planet, with fully grown adults estimated to weigh up to 1100 lbs (500 kilograms) and reach 23 feet (seven meters) in length.
Now, the elusive creature has been filmed alive in the wild for the first time ever.
While the colossal squid is known for its huge size, the marine animal captured in the footage is actually a baby of the species. The juvenile squid filmed was roughly one foot long (30cm).
“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 the Auckland University of Technology, one of the independent scientific experts that verified the footage.
The unprecedented sighting was made by a team of scientists during a 35-day expedition as part of the Ocean Census. The census, a collaboration between institutions and organizations including the Schmidt Ocean Institute, is a project dedicated to the discovery of ocean life. According to the census, only 240,000 marine species have been documented and millions more are yet to be discovered.
While scientists do not know much about the colossal squid’s life cycle, it is known that the species loses the see-through ‘glass’ appearance that can be seen in juveniles.
Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute
Spotting the colossal squid was made possible thanks to the use of the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s remotely operated vehicle known as SuBastian, which was able to film the creature at a depth of 1968 feet (600 metres) in the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
The SuBastion has previously captured the first confirmed footage of several other squid species in the wild, including the Spirula spirula (Ram’s Horn Squid) in 2020 and the Promachoteuthis in 2024.
“These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the Ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved,” said Dr. Jyotika Virmani, Schmidt Ocean Institute’s executive director.
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