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In a landmark moment for marine biology, scientists have captured the first-ever footage of a colossal squid in its natural deep-sea habitat. The sighting was made by an international research team using a remotely operated submersible in the South Atlantic Ocean, near the South Sandwich Islands, and was announced by the Schmidt Ocean Institute in April 2025.

About the Colossal Squid

• Scientific Name:Mesonychoteuthishamiltoni
• Distribution: Found in the cold, deep waters of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica
• IUCN Status:Least Concern

The colossal squid is among the largest and most elusive invertebrates on Earth. The filmed specimen was a juvenile about 30 cm (1 foot) long, observed at a depth of 600 meters. However, fully grown adults can reach up to 7 meters (23 feet) in length and weigh around 500 kg.

Key Features

• Body: Tube-shaped and soft-bodied, similar to octopuses but far more massive
• Arms & Tentacles: Equipped with suckers and sharp, swivelling hooks — a feature unique to the species
• Eyes: Possess the largest eyes known in the animal kingdom, aiding visibility in the pitch-dark ocean depths
• Coloration:
  • Juveniles are nearly transparent, giving them a glassy, ghost-like appearance
  • Adults become opaque, with dark red or purple hues and muscular limbs

Scientific Importance & Recent Discovery

• This deep-sea sighting comes almost a century after the species was first identified, and confirms long-standing hypotheses based on carcasses found in the stomachs of whales and seabirds.
• The team is now testing improved camera systems to attempt capturing footage of an adult colossal squid in action.