Live colossal squid, super-heavyweight of the deep sea, caught on video for the first time

The colossal squid, the world’s largest squid species, was caught on video for the first time swimming in its natural habitat, according to a California ocean research organization.

This squid, as its name suggests, can grow to as much as 23 feet in length and 1,100 pounds — the heaviest invertebrate in the world — according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute. But the creature the institute caught on video was a footlong juvenile.

It was recorded March 9 near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean at a depth of nearly 2,000 feet, according to a news release from the nonprofit. The squid was formally named and identified in 1925 but hadn’t been recorded alive until this instance.

Powered by Froala Editor