Colossal squid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colossal squid |
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| Depiction with an inflated mantle | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Mesonychoteuthis
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| Species: |
hamiltoni
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| Global range of M. hamiltoni | |
The colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), sometimes called the Antarctic cranch squid or giant squid, is the largest squid species in terms of mass. It is also the largest known invertebrate, weighing from 495 kilograms (1,091 lb) to 600–700 kilograms (1,300–1,500 lb).
Its maximum total length is between 10 metres (33 ft) and 14 metres (46 ft).
The first specimens were discovered and described in 1925.
Contents
History
The colossal squid, species Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, was discovered in the form of two arm crowns found in the stomach of a sperm whale in 1925. It was named Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni after E. Hamilton who made the initial discovery. This species belongs to the class Cephalopoda and family Cranchiidae and was formally described by Guy Coburn Robson.
Description
The colossal squid has one pair of gills, a beak or tooth, eight arms and two tentacles, a head, and two fins. Just like other squids it uses a mantle for locomotion. However, is the only squid in its family whose arms and tentacles are equipped with hooks, either swivelling or three-pointed. There are squids in other families that also have hooks, but no other squid in the family Cranchiidae.
Distribution and habitat
The squid's known range extends thousands of kilometres north of Antarctica to southern South America, southern South Africa, and the southern tip of New Zealand, making it primarily an inhabitant of the Southern Ocean. Colossal squid are also sighted often near Cooperation Sea and less near Ross Sea because of its prey and competitor, the Antarctic toothfish.
Behavior
Little is known about their behaviour, but it is believed to feed on prey such as chaetognatha, large fish such as the Patagonian toothfish, and smaller squid in the deep ocean. Antarctic toothfish make up a significant part of the colossal squid's diet. The colossal squid likely preys on large fishes and smaller squids, according to its size, and that its predators include sperm whales and sleeper sharks.
Predation
Colossal squid are a major prey item for sperm whales in the Antarctic. Many other animals also feed on colossal squid, including the beaked whales, such as southern bottlenose whales, Cuvier's and Baird's beaked whales. Other possible squid predators include the pilot whale, killer whales, larger southern elephant seals, Patagonian toothfish, southern sleeper sharks (Somniosus antarcticus), Antarctic toothfish, and albatrosses (e.g., the wandering and sooty albatrosses).
Reproduction
Not much is known about the colossal squid's reproductive cycle, although it does have two distinct sexes. Young squid are thought to spawn near the summer time at surface temperatures of −0.9–0 °C (30.4–32.0 °F).
Conservation status
The colossal squid has been assessed as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List. Furthermore, colossal squid are not targeted by fishermen; rather, they are only caught when they attempt to feed on fish caught on hooks. Additionally, due to their habitat, interactions between humans and colossal squid are considered rare.
Interesting facts about the colossal squid
- The colossal squid has the largest eyes of any known creature, with an estimated diameter of 27–30 cm (11–12 in) to 40 cm (16 in).
- Its eyes can also glow in the dark because their photophores contain symbiotic bacteria that produce light through a chemical reaction.
- It is thought that the colossal squid's eyes can detect predator movement beyond 120 m.
- The colossal squid has a very slow metabolic rate, needing only around 30 grams (1 oz) of prey daily for an adult with a mass of 500 kilograms (1,100 lb).
- Colossal squids are essentially deaf to high frequencies, such as whale sonar, so they rely largely on visual detection mechanisms to avoid predation.
- The largest recorded specimen was captured in February 2007 and weighed 495 kilograms (1,091 lb).
Images for kids
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The specimen on display at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Colossal squid on display in the Te Papa museum in Wellington
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Colossal squid head and limbs, Natural History Museum, London
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See also
In Spanish: Calamar colosal para niños
