A century after the identification of the colossal squid as a new species, scientists have achieved an unprecedented milestone: the first recording of a live specimen in its natural environment. This event marks a crucial advance in the exploration of marine mysteries.
During an expedition in March, a team from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, aboard the ship Falkor, managed to capture images of the elusive cephalopod in the icy waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, near the South Sandwich Islands.
The juvenile squid, only 30 centimeters long, was filmed at 600 meters deep using a remotely operated vehicle. Its translucent appearance and unsettling silhouette provided a fascinating perspective on one of the ocean’s most enigmatic creatures.
A mystery of the depths
Despite decades of research, little is still known about the life cycle of the colossal squid. Fishermen have found dying adult specimens, but one had never been observed alive in these extreme conditions.
According to experts, this species can reach seven meters in length and weigh up to 500 kilograms, making it the heaviest invertebrate on the planet and the most impressive squid. As they grow, juveniles lose their transparency and acquire a reddish hue.
Interestingly, this sighting was not part of the mission’s main objective. A spokesperson for the Schmidt Ocean Institute commented that the team had embarked with the intention of discovering new marine life, not capturing images of the colossal squid.
Two new species discovered in three months
This was not the only biological revelation of 2025. In January, the same team managed to obtain the first confirmed images of the glacial glass squid, a species never seen in its natural ecosystem. The discovery took place in the Southern Ocean, near the Antarctica.
Both juvenile squids exhibited remarkable similarities: transparent bodies and sharp hooks at the ends of their longest tentacles. However, unlike the colossal squid, the glacial glass squid lacks hooks in the center of its eight arms.
The discovery of the glacial glass squid occurred in the Bellingshausen Sea, while scientists were studying the seabed exposed by a gigantic iceberg, the size of Chicago, detached from the George VI ice shelf. The revelation allowed for the observation of a hidden ecosystem, providing information on the impact of climate change in polar oceans and the vastness of what is still unknown in their depths.
An expedition of great impact
The 35-day mission that captured the images of the colossal squid was part of a joint effort between the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, and GoSouth, a collaboration project between the University of Plymouth (UK), the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Germany), and the British Antarctic Survey.
The Institute’s remotely operated vehicle has recorded unprecedented images of at least four species of squids in the wild, including the colossal squid and the glacial glass squid. Another species is still awaiting verification.
However, researchers believe that these discoveries are just the beginning of a vast field to explore.
Cover photo: Schmidt Ocean Institute
