Scientists have captured a giant squid on video for the first time. These mollusks grow up to 14 meters in length, weigh up to 500 kilograms and are considered the largest invertebrates on the planet.
A submersible launched from the research vessel Falkor spotted the rare animal at a depth of about 600 meters. This happened when it was working in the area of the South Sandwich Islands. The frame captured a young individual that had not yet reached its maximum size. Its length was only 30 centimeters.
In adults, the diameter of the eye can reach 27 centimeters. No other animal species has such large eyes.
Although the existence of giant squids has been known since 1925, they had never been observed in their natural habitat before. According to biologist Kat Bolstad, the researchers dealt mainly with the remains of squids found in the stomachs of whales and seabirds.
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