Colossal Squid

Colossal Squid

Colossal Squid

This Mollusc is the largest known invertebrate ever recorded, growing up to 46 ft in length. It has hooks at the tips of its arms and tentacles. It is also known as the Antarctic Squid because it is mostly found in the Antarctic Ocean. It is still a great mystery how this animal achieves such a huge size despite eating only 30 g of food daily. In 1925, the very first specimen was discovered in the form of two tentacles found in the stomach of a sperm whale. It was initially estimated to measure 33 ft in length and weigh 450 kg!! The largest recorded specimen was captured by a New Zealand fishing boat off Antarctica in 2007. Colossal squids have large pupils and retinas. This allows more light into the eye. Despite their huge size and the sharp claws on their tentacles, life isn’t easy being a colossal squid. They’re food for sperm whales, which can grow to 67 feet long. This gigantic nature is very common in deep sea, a phenomenon known as “abyssal gigantism”.