In brief
Researchers aboard the R/V Falkor (Too) captured unprecedented video footage of a living Antarctic gluonate squid, marking a significant milestone in deep-sea exploration and increasing knowledge of this mysterious species.
In a remarkable event on Christmas Day 2024, a research expedition in the Southern Ocean led to the first-ever live sighting of the elusive Gonatus antarcticus squid. This rare deep-sea cephalopod, previously only found in debris from fishing nets or by seabirds, was unexpectedly observed by the crew of the R/V Falkor (Too) when they explored uncharted waters near Powell Basin due to ice block movement.During a dive of 7,000 feet with the remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian, researchers were astonished to detect a shadow in the live feed. Upon closer inspection, they discovered the magnificent three-foot squid, notable for its red coloring and the release of a green ink cloud. "This squid was truly beautiful. It's one of those classic examples of underwater beauty," remarked Andrew Thurber, a deep-sea biologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who was part of the expedition team.The squadron followed the squid for a few minutes, ensuring they recorded its behavior on video. The astonishing footage is anticipated to provide valuable insights into the life of such creatures dwelling at extreme ocean depths. Linsey Sala, a museum scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, spoke about the excitement of discovering species like the Gonatus antarcticus. She emphasized the potential for the recorded video to assist scientists in understanding and identifying unidentified specimens already housed in various global collections, thereby broadening our comprehension of deep-sea ecosystems.
