Rare footage of a deep-sea squid attack was captured on camera using the free-fall baited camera of researchers from the University of Western Australia (UWA) and Kelpie Geosciences.
Deep-Sea Study
The marine creature was found to be a deep-sea squid under the Taningia danae species, also known as the Dana octopus squid. It was seen at depths of 1,026 meters.
The camera used for filming was falling to the seafloor at a rate of 190 feet per minute.
Jess Kolbusz, a Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Center researcher, says that they caught the footage just north of the South Pacific's Samoan Passage at depths of 1,026 meters. The Samoan Passage Ocean Trench is situated in the mid-Pacific, close to the islands of Samoa and American Samoa. They released the baited cameras to the seafloor just at this area's north to attract marine life and catch a glimpse of the species hidden under the waves.
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Rare Deep-Sea Squid Attack Caught on Cam
🦑BREAKING SQUID NEWS🦑
— Deep Sea Research Centre (@deepseauwa) May 16, 2024
Rare #deepsea #squid filmed at depth by Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre and @InkfishExplore @uwanews @jesskolbusz @HeatherMarGeo @Hadalbloke @UWAresearch @uwaoceans @BiolSci_UWA pic.twitter.com/WvXXgSYJTM
Heather Stewart, a Kelpie Geosciences member and UWA adjunct professor, says that as they reviewed the video they captured, they realized that they caught something quite rare.
The researchers estimate that the squid is roughly 75 centimeters long. It reportedly descended on the camera, assuming the device was prey. The squid then tried startling it using its massive bioluminescent headlines. It then wrapped its arms around one of the other devices, which was able to capture the attack in greater detail.
The Dana octopus squid is among the largest squiz species found inside the deep ocean. It can reach up to 7.5 feet in length and be found at notable depths roughly 4,000 feet below the sea surface. This squid feeds on various marine creatures, including smaller squids and fish. They are also, in turn, eaten by predators, such as sperm whales.
The squid species is known to have two massive photophores at the ends of its two arms. These are roughly lemon-sized. They are considered the natural world's largest-known photophores and are used for making strong bioluminescent flashes, meant for disorienting prey and communicating and attracting mates.
It is not often that the squid gets to be observed in wild settings, making this discovery quite an exciting and rare event for the scientists.
Alan Jamieson, the director of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Center, says that most of the species records come from strandings, whale stomach contents, or accidental bycatch. Hence, the great rarity of the amazing animals' live observations makes each encounter significant when gathering behavior, depth, and geographic location data. Moreover, the creature is so unique that it rarely ever gets seen.
The researchers behind this discovery are spending their last few weeks aboard RV Dago in their three-month-long expedition. They are hopeful of unraveling deeper-sea secrets before going back to dry land.
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