A rare deep-sea squid was caught on video attacking an underwater camera

A deep-sea squid attacked a camera descending to the ocean floor, allowing itself to be seen.

Researchers from the University of Western Australia and the British company Kelpie Geosciences have published video of an attack on the camera of the deep-sea squid Taningia danae. The clam apparently mistook the device for prey and attempted to scare and disorient it.

To study the underwater world, scientists placed a video camera at a depth of more than 5 km near the island of Samoa in the Pacific Ocean. After removing the camera and studying the filmed material in the very first frames, scientists discovered an unusual plot - the hunting of a squid, which has rarely been observed in its natural habitat.

At a depth of just over 1 km, the squid Taningia danae, about 75 cm long, caught up with the lander, which was descending to the seabed at a speed of 58 m/min. These mollusks use special bioluminescent photophores to scare off enemies or attract prey. When the squid approached the camera, they began to glow, and the mollusk itself tried to grab the device.

Although Taningia danae is quite common, it is rarely studied in its natural environment. Usually, they are found washed ashore, accidentally caught. “The rarity of live sightings of these amazing animals makes each encounter valuable for collecting information about geographic location, depth and behavior,” the study authors note.