Russian scientists managed to film a colossal squid. Colossal squid Do you regret not being able to catch the squid itself?

(Architeuthis) and Colossal squid ( Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni). In January 2008, off the coast of Antarctica, a team of international ANTCON observers, while fishing for toothfish, while moving through the D'Urville Sea on a South Korean fishing vessel, encountered a crimson colossal squid.

When lifting a hook with a large specimen of toothfish, it was held tightly in the tentacles of a colossal squid. The victim was still alive, but the whole body was covered with traces of suction cups, the diameter of which reached three centimeters. A piece of meat about 2-3 kilograms down to the spine was torn out of the dorsal fin.

"Control" of the colossal squid

In the life of a fisherman, it is not uncommon to see tentacle marks on a caught toothfish. Up to 10% of the catch passes through the “control” of the squid. When a fish leaves the depths of the sea, the predator releases it, so seeing a live colossal squid is very rare. Most studies are based on the remains of dead cephalopods.

Squids are monocyclic

Squids are monocyclic; when they reach a certain age, they give birth and die soon after. Squid corpses either wash ashore or become food for various sea ​​creatures. Sometimes fishermen find tentacles, pieces of mantle, and squid beaks in the stomach of their catch.

All squids belong to the same species

Until recently, it was assumed that the giant squid genus consists of about 8 species. But recent genetic studies by scientists have shown that the differences in the genome of 43 species of squid were insignificant, which means that all individuals belong to the same species.

Source of material: interview with Polit.ru specialists, “Russian scientists managed to film a colossal squid,” dated March 25, 2013.

The first mention of this single representative of the genus Mesonychoteuthis dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The famous zoologist Robson G.K. described a colossal squid, the weight of which reached half a ton. In subsequent years, there was no information about it, and the giant creature was almost forgotten. But in 1970, the larvae of this deep-sea monster were found, and 9 years later an adult specimen more than a meter long was discovered. The world first learned about the existence of these mollusks in 1856. After the scientist Steenstrup decided to compare the size of the beak discovered on the ocean shore with the size of an ordinary squid. The result was shocking - according to the data obtained, it turned out that the mollusk must be simply huge.

Description

The colossal squid has an elongated torpedo-shaped body. The length of its mantle reaches three meters, and together with the tentacles - all ten. Weight especially major representatives can be 500 kilograms. However, there is information about larger mollusks 20 meters long and weighing more than a ton, but this data is not documented.

The mantle is wide, the last third of its length is completed by a narrow sharp tail, surrounded by powerful, thick, terminal fins. They make up almost half the length of the mollusk’s body and, when spread out, form a shape reminiscent of a heart. The mantle is soft, approximately 5-6 cm thick. The infundibular and occipital cartilages are thick, short, slightly curved, and in adult specimens lack tubercles.

The colossal squid has amazing eyes. The photo below gives you a good look at them. Consisting of two photophores, they are truly huge - their diameter reaches 27 centimeters. No known animal on the planet has such giant eyes.

The tentacles are equipped with two rows of round suckers on clubs, two rows of hooks located medially, and small lateral suckers. The squid also has powerful long hunting arms, massive at the base with a wide membrane and thin ends. On the gripping tentacles, or rather in their middle part, there are several pairs of hood-like hooks, and their lower part is equipped with suction cups.

The main weapon that the colossal squid possesses is its hard, powerful chitinous beak.

Habitats

The giant clam is found mainly in Antarctic waters, where it can form aggregations of several individuals. In the northern regions their numbers are smaller, and they hunt mostly alone. Squids have also been found off the coast South Africa, New Zealand and South America.

The Antarctic colossal squid, the photo of which is posted here, is found at a depth of 2-4 thousand meters and practically does not float to the surface. This makes it difficult to study its behavior in natural conditions.

The hypothetical location of the mollusk can be determined by the temperature of the water surface. Thus, the greatest probability of encountering it is possible at a water temperature of -0.9 to 0 ºС. From December to March they can be seen in high Antarctic latitudes.

Dimensions

Sexual dimorphism is expressed somewhat unusually - female colossal squids are much larger than males. The remains of mollusks of both sexes were found in the stomachs of sperm whales. The length of their bodies was 80-250 centimeters, and their weight was up to 250 kilograms. The largest colossal squid in history was caught by New Zealand fishermen in 2007 in Antarctic waters. The length of his mantle was 3 m, the total length was 10 m, and his weight was 495 kg.

Features of nutrition and reproduction

Of course, little is known about the life of these giant mollusks, but scientists were able to identify a unique ability in them. Their body contains a large number of ammonium chloride, which helps reduce specific gravity, which gives squid neutral buoyancy. Thanks to this, they can cut through the water without moving. Thus, predators have the opportunity to camouflage themselves and wait for their prey. They grab prey that swims too close with their tentacles and tear it apart with hooks.

The giants feed mainly on luminous anchovies, mesopelagic fish, and Antarctic toothfish. However, cannibalism is not excluded in their genus. Adult mollusks can eat fry and immature individuals of their species.

Individuals become sexually mature when the length of the mantle is at least 1 meter and the weight is more than 25 kg. Spawning occurs in late winter or early spring.

Enemies

Despite its impressive size, the colossal squid, described above, has its enemies. The main one is the sperm whale. This was determined by the discovered remains of colossal squids in their stomachs. Albatrosses and Antarctic toothfish can feed on small immature individuals.

Naturally, humans are a particularly serious enemy of the deep-sea mollusk. Tender squid meat is used to prepare various dishes. However, if you make a traditional calamari dish from this giant, the diameter of the rings cut from it will be comparable to the diameter of tractor tires.

Cases of attack on a person

More precisely about their attacks on people, it has been written in many works of art. The most famous of them are the works of Jules Verne.

But there are also cases described in real life when a colossal squid attacked ships. Thus, one of the precedents occurred with French sailors during the round-the-world race.

According to one of their yachtsmen, Olivier de Kersuason, a mollusk grabbed their yacht by the stern just a few hours after they left Brittany. Sailors said that a deep-sea giant wrapped its thick tentacles, thicker than a human leg, around the ship and began to pull the ship into the sea. With two tentacles he blocked the ship's rudder. But fortunately, the yachtsmen did not have to fight him off. As soon as the yacht stopped, the mollusk loosened its grip and disappeared into the depths of the ocean.

As the sailors later said, the length of the squid’s body exceeded 8 meters, and if the creature had turned out to be more aggressive, it would have been quite capable of turning over and sinking the yacht.

Little-known predators

In total, scientists have recorded about 250 cases of human encounters with colossal squid, but only a few managed to see this giant alive. The scientists themselves did not have such an opportunity. They have to study only the remains extracted from the stomachs of sea predators, and bodies washed ashore or caught by sailors.

Although little known, the colossal squid is incomparable with any other representative of its class. Its dimensions and photos can amaze anyone. Deep-sea colossi, according to some sources, reach a length of 20 meters and weigh up to a ton.

How many years these giants live in the world remains a mystery. It is possible that quite a bit, since the lifespan of many already studied squid species is just over a year.

The colossal squid, also called the Antarctic giant squid, belongs to the cranchiidae family. This type Found in waters north of Antarctica to southern South America, South Africa and the southern tip of New Zealand. It feeds at great depths. For adult individuals it reaches 2.2 km, and for young squid it reaches 1 km. These deep-sea inhabitants represent the main prey for sperm whales. They make up 75% of the total biomass these whales consume.

Description

This species is one of the largest among known invertebrates. The length of the mantle is 2-4 meters. The maximum total length reaches 12-14 meters with a weight of up to 750 kg. Such parameters were established through the analysis of small and immature samples. But catching a large specimen is extremely difficult, since it lives at great depths.

The largest specimen was caught in February 2007 by New Zealand fishermen in the Ross Sea. They were catching Antarctic toothfish, and it just so happened that the colossal squid was also hunting them. He got caught in the net and was lifted onto the ship. There he was frozen and delivered to his destination port. Its original length was estimated at 4.5 meters with a weight of 495 kg. After thawing, the tentacles shrank and the total length was 4.2 meters. At first they thought it was a male, but after a thorough examination it turned out that they had caught a female.

This sample's eyes reached 27 cm in diameter. These are the largest eyes of all known animals. But the measurements were taken from a dead individual, and in a living one they most likely reached a diameter of 30 to 40 cm. Also, when examined with an endoscope, thousands of eggs were discovered in the ovaries.

Almost half the length of the mantle is made up of fins. They are extremely muscular and thick. The tentacles have 2 rows of suction cups and sharp three-pointed hooks. The hunting tentacles are strong, thick and long. In their middle part they have hooks, and at the end they are equipped with suction cups for a third of their length. The tentacles are arranged in a circle, and in the center there is a hard and powerful beak, reminiscent in shape of a parrot's beak.

The body of the colossal squid is wider and more voluminous than the body of the giant squid. Accordingly, it is heavier. It is believed that representatives of this species have a longer mantle and shorter tentacles than their giant relatives. This species is considered the largest of all known squids..

Reproduction, behavior, nutrition

Very little is known about these representatives of the deep sea. Fragments of the body of a colossal squid were first discovered in the stomach of a sperm whale in 1925. In 1981, Russian fishermen caught a large specimen 4 meters long in the Ross Sea. She was identified as an immature female. In 2003, fragments of a female's body were discovered with an estimated length of 6 meters and a mantle length of 2.5 meters. In 2005, a colossal squid was captured and brought aboard at a depth of 1,625 meters off South Georgia Island. The length of its tentacles reached 2.3 meters, and its weight reached 200 kg.

This species is a passive predator. The squid hangs in the water and waits for its prey to appear. Uses large eyes to detect prey. It feeds mainly on large deep-sea fish and other squid. The main part of the catch is Antarctic toothfish. Young representatives of the species prefer zooplankton.

Nothing is known about reproduction, since this process has never been observed in practice. All information is obtained based on the anatomical structure. Females are larger than males. Puberty occurs at a mantle length of 1 meter and a body weight of 30 kg. These squids spawn in early spring. Estimated fertility is up to 4 million eggs. The number of this species is high; it is endemic to Antarctica.

Video: Ivan Istomin/FSUE VNIRO

At the beginning of 2013, the world media reported that Japanese scientists, together with the Discovery TV channel, were for the first time able to film a living giant squid about three meters long. But it turns out that Russian scientists from the All-Russian Research Institute fisheries and oceanography have been storing video footage of a deep-sea monster that they encountered in the waters of Antarctica for several years. A Polit.ru correspondent met with specialists from the institute Ivan Istomin And Alexander Vagin for details.

Under what circumstances did you meet this creature?

Alexander Vagin: This happened in January 2008 in the D'Urville Sea off the coast of Antarctica. We worked on a South Korean fishing vessel as international observers for ANTCON (Antarctic Marine Living Resources Commission) during the toothfish fishery. This is a large, valuable deep-sea fish that is found in the Antarctic seas and reaches a length of up to two meters. They catch it using a bottom line. This is a strong synthetic rope several kilometers long with weights, to which hooks with pieces of squid or small fish as bait are attached to the streamers.

A. Vagin (left) and I. Istomin (center) weigh a caught toothfish

Ivan Istomin: That day we chose a longline installed at a depth of about one and a half kilometers. At some point, a large specimen of toothfish approached the board on a hook, its body tightly entangled with tentacles of a huge squid. It looked several times larger than its victim and was light at first, and then changed color to a bright purple, like the underwater part of our ship. By luck, I had a camera with me and managed to film this creature. In addition, we were very lucky with the weather - sunny, windless days do not happen so often in these parts.

How did the team react? It's probably not every day that you come across such a catch.

A.V.: The sailors, among whom were Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesians, began shouting loudly in unknown languages, waving hooks and doing their best to “save” the toothfish. When they managed to hook the fish, the squid released its prey and plunged several meters into the water. Then he surfaced again, sticking part of his fin out of the water. At this time its color became more faded. After which the squid turned around and began to slowly dive, performing the so-called undulating fin movements, which are clearly visible in the video recording.

Did you manage to determine the size of the squid?

Colossal squid tentacle from the stomach of a toothfish. Photo by Ivan Istomin

A.V.: When the fish was lifted onto the deck, we examined it carefully. It turned out to be a really large specimen, 178 centimeters long and weighing 65 kilograms. By comparing the sizes of the fish and squid in the photograph, we determined that its mantle is about four meters long and at least half a meter in diameter. The total length appears to have been more than five meters. Typically, squids have four pairs of short tentacle arms and one pair of long hunting arms. Our specimen's long tentacles were torn off. Most likely, he lost them in a fight with a predator. Before this, its total size could reach 8-10 meters.

Yes, really gigantic. Not long ago, a squid only 3 meters long was captured on camera off the coast of Japan.

I.I.: Here it is worth immediately clarifying that in nature there are two genera of large mollusks: Giant squids ( Architeuthis) and Colossal squid with a single representative ( Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni). The specimen that the Japanese took in its natural habitat belonged to the first genus, and ours belonged to the second. Colossal squids are actually quite well studied, but it appears that this one was larger than many previously studied.

And what happened to the fish? Did the squid cause any damage to her?

Tracks left by a squid on a toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni). Photo by Ivan Istomin

A.V.: The entire body of the toothfish was covered with traces of suckers, the largest of which reached three centimeters in diameter. A piece of meat two or three kilograms down to the spine was torn out of the dorsal fin. However, the fish was still alive.

Do you regret not being able to catch the squid itself?

I.I.: The captain of the Korean ship did not see this episode, and then he swore strongly that the crew was busy rescuing the catch and did not pull the squid onto the deck. On the one hand, it would be interesting for us as scientists to study this creature in more detail. But then we wouldn't have gotten the wonderful footage of him moving. So our biggest regret is that we weren’t able to watch the squid longer.

You regularly take part in sea expeditions, including working on fishing vessels. Do you know of any other sightings of huge squids?

A squid beak removed from the stomach of a toothfish. Photo by Ivan Istomin

A.V.: Attacks by large squids on hooked toothfish are not uncommon. In some areas of Antarctica where fishing is carried out, up to 10% of fish caught bear traces of suckers and wounds inflicted by the squid’s “beak”. But usually they release their prey in the depths, so encounters with living giants are very rare. But thanks to the peculiarities of squid biology, scientists have the opportunity to study their remains. The fact is that these creatures are monocyclic. That is, having reached a certain age, they bear offspring and die soon after that. After this, they are either washed ashore or become food for various marine predators. We often found tentacles up to two meters long or pieces of mantle several centimeters thick in the stomach of the same toothfish.

I.I.: In other words, dead squid have been studied quite well. But it’s extremely rare to see a live giant squid, much less film it in such good weather conditions! Although there are always many stories among sailors.

And what examples have you ever heard of?

Fragment of a squid tentacle. Photo by Ivan Istomin

I.I.: As is known, the largest specimen of the giant squid Architeuthis was found on the coast of New Zealand. Its length, including its hunting tentacles, was 17.4 meters. Among fishermen one hears stories about how real monsters over two tens of meters in length were raised along with the caught fish. It is difficult to judge whether this is true or just maritime tales. But it is reliably known that on the skins of sperm whales, which actively consume squid as food, marks from suction cups with a diameter of several tens of centimeters were found. Considering that our specimen, with a mantle length of about five meters, had three-centimeter suckers, these stories do not seem too fantastic. No matter how long we study the ocean, it will still hide its secrets from us.

Reference:

Giant and colossal squids are not only the largest invertebrates on the planet, but also occupy the second place among the largest predators after the sperm whale. Many experts believe that it was these creatures that gave rise to the legends of the sea monster Kraken, which first appeared in Icelandic folklore. If the colossal squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni found only in southern seas off the coast of Antarctica, giant squids of the genus Architeuthis live throughout almost the entire world's oceans. Until recently, it was assumed that the giant squid genus consists of at least 8 species. But recent genetic research published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society shows that this is not the case. Scientists analyzed the DNA of 43 giant squid individuals found in different parts of the planet. The differences in the genome were so slight that all individuals turned out to belong to the same species.

There is the so-called Architeuthis - a genus of huge oceanic squid, whose length reaches 18 meters in length. The greatest length of the mantle is 2 m, and the tentacles are up to 5 m. The largest specimen was found in 1887 on the coast of New Zealand - its length was 17.4 meters. Unfortunately, nothing is said about weight.

Giant squid can be found in the subtropical and temperate zones of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. They live in the water column, and they can be found both a few meters from the surface and at a depth of one kilometer.

No one is capable of attacking this animal except one, namely the sperm whale. At one time it was believed that a terrible battle was being fought between these two, the outcome of which remained unknown to the last. But, as recent studies have shown, architeuthis loses in 99% of cases, since power is always on the side of the sperm whale.

If we talk about squid caught in our time, we can talk about a specimen that was caught by fishermen in the Antarctic region in 2007 (see the first photo). Scientists wanted to examine it, but could not - at that time there was no suitable equipment, so they decided to freeze the giant until better times. As for the dimensions, they are as follows: body length - 9 meters, and weight - 495 kilograms. This is the so-called colossal squid or mesonychoteuthis.

And this is possibly a photograph of the largest squid in the world:

Even ancient sailors told terrible stories in sailor taverns about the attack of monsters that emerged from the abyss and sank entire ships, entangling them with their tentacles. They were called krakens. They became legends. Their existence was viewed rather skeptically. But even Aristotle described a meeting with the “great Teuthys”, from which travelers who plied the waters suffered Mediterranean Sea. Where does reality end and truth begin?

Homer was the first to describe the kraken in his tales. Scylla, whom Odysseus met in his wanderings, is nothing more than a giant kraken. The Gorgon Medusa borrowed tentacles from the monster, which over time transformed into snakes. And, of course, the Hydra, defeated by Hercules, is a distant “relative” of this mysterious creature. On the frescoes of Greek temples you can find images of creatures that wrap their tentacles around entire ships.

Soon the myth took on flesh. People met a mythical monster. This happened in the west of Ireland, when in 1673 a storm washed up on the seashore a creature the size of a horse, with eyes like dishes and many appendages. He had a huge beak, like an eagle's. The remains of the kraken have long been an exhibit that was shown to everyone for big money in Dublin.

Carl Linnaeus, in his famous classification, assigned them to the order of mollusks, calling them Sepia microcosmos. Subsequently, zoologists systematized all known information and were able to give a description of this species. In 1802, Denis de Montfort published the book “General and Particular Natural History of Mollusks,” which subsequently inspired many adventurers to capture the mysterious deep-seated animal.

The year was 1861, and the steamer Dlekton was making a routine voyage across the Atlantic. Suddenly a giant squid appeared on the horizon. The captain decided to harpoon him. And they were even able to drive several sharp spears into the solid body of the kraken. But three hours of struggle were in vain. The mollusk sank to the bottom, almost dragging the ship with it. At the ends of the harpoons there were scraps of meat weighing a total of 20 kilograms. The ship's artist managed to sketch the struggle between man and animal, and this drawing is still kept in the French Academy of Sciences.

A second attempt to capture the kraken alive was made ten years later, when it ended up in a fishing net near Newfoundland. People fought for ten hours with the stubborn and freedom-loving animal. They were able to pull him ashore. The ten-meter carcass was examined by the famous naturalist Harvey, who preserved the kraken in salt water and the exhibit delighted visitors to the London History Museum for many years.

Ten years later, on the other side of the earth, in New Zealand, fishermen were able to catch a twenty-meter clam weighing 200 kilograms. The most recent discovery was a kraken found in the Falkland Islands. It was “only” 8 meters long and is still kept at the Darwin Center in the UK capital.

What is he like? This animal has a cylindrical head, several meters in length. Its body changes color from dark green to crimson-red (depending on the animal’s mood). Krakens have the largest eyes in the animal world. They can be up to 25 centimeters in diameter. In the center of the “head” is the beak. This is a chitinous formation that the animal uses to grind fish and other food. With it, he is able to bite through a steel cable 8 centimeters thick. The kraken's tongue has a curious structure. It is covered with small teeth, which have different shapes, allowing you to grind food and push it into the esophagus.

A meeting with a kraken does not always end in victory for people. Like this incredible story wanders on the Internet: in March 2011, a squid attacked fishermen in the Sea of ​​Cortez. In front of people vacationing at the Loreto resort, a huge octopus sank a 12-meter ship. The fishing boat was moving parallel coastline, when suddenly several dozen thick tentacles emerged from the water towards him. They wrapped themselves around the sailors and threw them overboard. Then the monster began to rock the ship until it capsized.

According to an eyewitness: “I saw four or five bodies washed ashore by the surf. Their bodies were almost completely covered with blue spots - from the suckers of sea monsters. One was still alive. But he hardly resembled a person. The squid literally chewed him up!”

This is Photoshop. The original photo is in the comments.

According to zoologists, it was a carnivorous Humboldt squid that lives in these waters. And he was not alone. The flock deliberately attacked the ship, acted in a coordinated manner and consisted mainly of females. There are fewer and fewer fish in these waters and the krakens need to look for food. The fact that they reached people is an alarming sign.

Below, in the cold and dark depths of the Pacific Ocean, lives a very smart and cautious creature. There are legends all over the world about this truly unearthly creature. But this monster is real.

This is the giant squid or Humboldt squid. It received its name in honor of the Humboldt Current, where it was first discovered. This is a cold current that washes the shores of South America, but the habitat of this creature is much larger. It extends from Chile north to Central California through Pacific Ocean. Giant squids patrol the depths of the ocean, spending most of their lives at depths of up to 700 meters. Therefore, very little is known about their behavior.

They can reach the height of an adult. Their size can exceed 2 meters. Without any warning, they emerge from the darkness in groups and feed on fish on the surface. Like their octopus relative, giant squids can change their color by opening and closing pigment-filled sacs in their skin called chromatophores. By quickly closing these chromatophores, they turn white. Perhaps this is necessary to distract the attention of other predators, or perhaps it is a form of communication. And if something alarms them or they behave aggressively, then their color turns red.

Fishermen who cast their lines and try to catch these giants off the coast of Central America call them red devils. These same fishermen talk about how squids pulled people overboard and ate them. The squid's behavior does nothing to alleviate these fears. Lightning-fast tentacles armed with spiny suckers grab the victim's flesh and drag him towards a waiting mouth. There the sharp beak breaks and shreds the food. Red Devil Apparently giant squids eat everything they can catch, even their own kind. As a desperate measure of defense, the weaker squid shoots an ink cloud from a sac near its head. This dark pigment is designed to hide and confuse enemies.

Few people have had the opportunity or the courage to approach a giant squid in the water. But one wild animal filmmaker went into the dark to capture this unique footage. The squid quickly surrounds him, first showing curiosity and then aggression. The tentacles have grabbed his mask and regulator and this is fraught with the cessation of air. It will be able to restrain the squid and return to the surface if it also shows aggression and behaves like a predator. This short meeting gave some insight into intelligence, strength and

But the real giants are the krakens that live in the Bermuda area. They can reach a length of up to 20 meters, and at the very bottom hide monsters up to 50 meters long. Their targets are sperm whales and whales.

This is how the Englishman Wullen described one such fight: “At first it was like the eruption of an underwater volcano. Looking through binoculars, I was convinced that neither the volcano nor the earthquake had anything to do with what was happening in the ocean. But the forces operating there were so enormous that I can be excused for the first assumption: a very large sperm whale was locked in mortal combat with giant squid, almost as big as himself. It seemed as if the endless tentacles of the mollusk had entangled the entire body of the enemy in a continuous net. Even next to the ominously black head of a sperm whale, the squid's head seemed such a terrible object that one would not always dream of it even in a nightmare. Huge and bulging eyes against the deathly pale background of the squid’s body made it look like a monstrous ghost.”