Extraordinary Discovery: First-Ever Sighting of Live, Massive Antarctic Squid Caught on Camera

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Researchers on the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Expedition in the Southern Ocean have recorded a history-making sighting of a three-foot-long deep-sea squid species that has never before been seen alive. The Gonatus antarcticus squid, an elusive squid found only in the frigid waters around Antarctica, was discovered on Christmas Day by the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, the R/V Falkor (too), in a surprise moment caught on camera via the research vessel’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV), SuBastian. The footage, available HERE, will be broadcast in an upcoming National Geographic documentary.

Prior to the astonishing discovery, the species was only known from carcasses in fishing nets or when the squids’ beaks were found in the stomach of fished marine animals. Footage of the squid shows the animal with scratches on its arms and fresh-looking sucker marks on its mantle but otherwise shows it is in good shape. Spotted at a depth of approximately 2152 meters in the Weddell Sea, researchers have not been able to confirm the squid’s sex from the footage, nor age, but the discovery is a reminder of how much more there is to learn about the relatively unexplored polar regions of our world’s ocean.

According to squid expert Dr. Kathrin Bolstad, who worked with marine biologist, ecophysiologist and expedition team member Manuel Novillo on the species identification, the large single central hook observed on each tentacle club clinched her confirmation that the squid was the elusive Gonatus antarcticus.

The research team also mapped several previously unexplored sites throughout the Southern Ocean, including depths that reached 4000 meters, obtaining various samples of sediment, water and biota to study the health of various Southern Ocean habitats, including abyssal plains, hydrothermal vents, troughs, canyon walls and sea ice. This work was conducted aboard the 110-meter global ocean-class R/V Falkor (too) in collaboration with the Schmidt Ocean Institute, which provided National Geographic Explorers the opportunity to leverage its state-of-the-art tools and capabilities during its maiden voyage to the Southern Ocean. Part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expedition, the mission was to provide a comprehensive scientific examination of the impact of climate and environmental change in and around the Weddell Sea, an area prioritized for marine protection and one of the few near-pristine ecosystems on the planet.

Read the full story and see the incredible footage on NatGeo.com HERE

VISUALS AVAILABLE: Images and footage available to download HERE