A bigfin squid was spotted in a rare deep-sea sighting. It was an extraordinary discovery because there were only 20 recorded encounters of the scarcely seen cephalopod in the last two decades.
Bigfin Squid Spotted in Extremely Rare Sighting
The sea creature was found at the Lost City hydrothermal vent field along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Lost City is being investigated by Schmidt Ocean's remotely controlled submarine. The goal of the current experiment is to gather chemical and biological samples from this enigmatic environment on the seafloor.
Schmidt Ocean shared a video on Twitter after spotting the bigfin squid during dive 501 of the expedition, which was live-streamed on YouTube. The sighting occurred at around 9 hours, 33 minutes, and 40 seconds, IFLScience noted.
According to the Schmidt Ocean, the bigfin squid has a translucent pinkish-red body with deep purple eyes. The rare sighting happened at a depth of over 1,930 meters (6,332 feet) below sea level. It was gently swirling in the dark waters.
The sighting of the rare sea creature received mixed responses from the netizens. Many were impressed after seeing the footage.
One said it was "absolutely amazing." Another wondered where in the depth of the ocean bigfin squid live.
From our friends at @oceanexplorer :
Large fins & long appendages (8 arms 2 tentacles) w/ elbow-like bends give bigfin squid distinctive appearance. They can exceed 6m (19.7 ft) length. Largest known bigfin was 6.4m; its arms+tentacles 6.1m long - 20 times length of its body!
2/3 pic.twitter.com/XnHPNqKEk7— Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean) April 4, 2023
What's a Bigfin Squid?
Bigfin squid is a member of the genus Magnapinna, which has several recognized species. They are recognized as belonging to the same genus in both the Atlantic and Pacific, indicating that they may have a global range across all oceans.
According to NOAA Ocean Exploration, bigfin squid are widely distributed throughout the world's deep ocean. They can live deeper than any other known squid.
They have large fins and long appendages - eight arms and two tentacles - with elbow-like bends that give them their distinctive appearance. Bigfin squid can grow to more than six meters (19.7 feet). However, only their arms and tentacles grow that long.
The largest known bigfin squid recorded was 6.4 meters (21 feet long). Its arms and tentacles were 6.1 meters (20 feet) long, which was 20 times longer than the length of its body.
It is uncertain exactly how bigfin squid use their arms and tentacles. However, these appendages have tiny suckers on them, and scientists believe that squid utilizes them to capture creatures that bump into them as they drag over the seafloor or hang down in the water below their bodies.
There may be more bigfin squid species than the three that have been formally identified by scientists so far. NOAA Ocean Exploration discovers more about these elusive, amazing animals with every sighting, but there is still more to discover.
More chances to see a bigfin squid and learn more about its biology, behavior, and other aspects will surely arise as access to the deep ocean continues to expand.
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Check out more news and information on the Giant Squid in Science Times.
