AssetID: 54841493
Headline: Scientists Capture Video Of Colossal Squid In The Ocean For The First Time
Caption: A colossal squid has been filmed in its natural habitat for the first time since the species was discovered 100 years ago. The 30cm-long (11.8in) juvenile was captured on camera at a depth of 600m (1,968ft) near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. The rare footage was recorded in March during a 35-day expedition led by a University of Essex academic, as part of a mission to discover new marine life. Colossal squid are believed to grow up to 7m (23ft) in length and can weigh as much as 500kg (1,100lb), making them the heaviest invertebrate known to science. This particular juvenile was discovered on the 100th anniversary of the species’ first identification and naming. Researchers onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s vessel, Falkor (too), used a remotely operated vehicle to make the discovery. Chief scientist Dr Michelle Taylor from the University of Essex said the team wasn’t initially certain what the squid was, but they recorded it because it was "beautiful and unusual". The species identification was later confirmed by squid expert Dr Kat Bolstad, who noted that most previous encounters with colossal squid involved remains found in the stomachs of whales and seabirds. "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", she said. Though much about the colossal squid’s life cycle remains unknown, scientists do know that juveniles have a transparent appearance that changes as they mature. One of the species’ distinctive features is the presence of hooks on the middle of their eight arms. Until now, only dying adults have ever been filmed - typically when brought to the surface by fishing operations - but none have been observed alive at such depths. The Natural History Museum has pointed out that estimating the global population of colossal squid remains extremely difficult. In 2022, the museum stated that the lack of sightings means "even to this day, the enormous invertebrates still straddle the line between legend and reality". In a related discovery, scientists revealed that in January they also filmed a glacial glass squid for the first time. "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 Dr Jyotika Virmani, executive director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute. "These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved".
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,Colossal squid,juvenile squid,deep sea discovery,South Sandwich Islands,Schmidt Ocean Institute,marine biology,invertebrate,remote-operated vehicle,squid footage,glacial glass squid
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