Source: BBC
Context: For the first time in over a century, a juvenile colossal squid was filmed alive in its natural habitat at a depth of 600 meters in the Southern Ocean, marking a historic milestone in marine exploration.
About Colossal Squid:
- What it is?
- The colossal squid is the largest invertebrate species known, a massive deep-sea predator rarely observed in its natural habitat.
- Scientific Name: Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni.
- Category: It belongs to the class Cephalopoda, which includes octopuses, cuttlefish, and other squids.
- Habitat: It resides in the deep, cold waters of the Southern Ocean, particularly around Antarctica.
- Key Features:
- Physical: It can grow up to 14 meters (46 feet) in length and weigh up to 500 kilograms (1100 pounds), with the largest eyes in the animal kingdom.
- Biological: Females are larger than males. Their tentacles are equipped with sharp, rotating hooks adapted for predation and defense.
- Food Habits: It preys on large fish like the Patagonian toothfish, other squids, and occasionally battles with sperm whales.
- Reproduction: Specific mating behavior is unknown; however, it reproduces through internal fertilization. Juveniles are transparent and grow darker with maturity.
