NATURAL WORLD FACTS
The Giant Squid
The giant squid lurks down in the dark depths of the deep sea. The enormous eyes of the giant squid and sharp-toothed suckers make this a formidable predator.
Common Name | Scientific Name | Diet | Size | Depth | Ecosystem/Habitat | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giant Squid | Architeuthis | Giant squid eat fish, shrimp, squid, and potentially small whales. | 43 feet (13 m) | 2,000 feet (610 m) | Found in all of the world's oceans. | Mesopelagic Zone |
The Giant Squid
Down in the black abyss of the ocean, a leviathan lurks in wait of its next meal. The enormous eyes of the giant squid, and the sharp-toothed suckers that line its feeding tentacles, make this a formidable predator, able to snatch prey from up to 33 feet away. It has eight arms coated with 2-inch wide toothed suckers that guide prey from the feeding tentacles to a sharp central beak. Here, the prey is cut and ground by a tongue-like radula, coated with rows of teeth.
At 1 foot in diameter, its eyes are the largest found in the natural world, a powerful advantage in the lightless depths where it lives, allowing this cephalopod to see bioluminescent prey in the dark, or catch sight of predators lurking nearby.
In spite of their enormous size, with some found to be as long as 42 feet, they are not the apex predators of the depths. They are known to be prey for a number of other organisms. Most notably, sperm whales have been observed with sucker marks on their skin, battle scars so large that no other creature could be responsible. Furthermore, giant squid beaks and flesh have been found in the stomachs of both sperm whales and Greenland sharks, another monster of the deep that you can read about on this site.
Similarly to Greenland sharks, the Giant Squid perfectly demonstrates Deep Sea Gigantism, a phenomenon thought to be caused by colder temperature, food scarcity, and reduced predation pressure in the deep sea leading to deep sea organisms growing larger than their shallower water relatives.
The story of the giant squid is one of mystery; most of what we know about them comes from carcasses that have washed ashore, for although they are huge they are among the most elusive deep sea animals that we know of, only filmed for the first time as recently as 2006, when researchers suspended bait beneath a research vessel off the Ogasawara Islands and hooked one of these leviathans. A 24-foot squid was hauled to the surface and caught on camera, allowing the world to catch its first glimpse of this mysterious and otherworldly creature, that inspired so many tales of monsters and sea-serpents.
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CREATURE COLLECTIONS
Fish
With enlarged eyes, bioluminescent photophores, and often growing to enormous sizes, fish of the deep are oddly fascinating.
Invertebrates
The deeper you dive beneath the waves, the larger the invertebrates become. This demonstrates the phenomenon of deep sea gigantism.
Marine Mammals
Many mammals, from seals to the mighty cetaceans of the open seas, frequent the depths of the ocean, diving down in search of prey.
Reptiles
Though they may not dominate the seas as they once did, reptiles still play a vital part in the marine ecosystem, from turtles to sea snakes.
Sharks & Rays
The depths are home to some of the ocean's largest sharks, from Greenland sharks to Sixgills. As apex predators, they have a key role in the ecosystem.
ARTICLE COLLECTIONS
All
Read our in-depth write-ups about the environment, ecosystems, adaptations, and discoveries related to the deep sea. Individual animal profiles can be found by clicking 'fact files' in the menu above.
Exploration
Ah, the ocean. Rolling blue waves, picturesque seascapes, and a bottomless abyss of sheer darkness. With only 5% of the ocean having been discovered, there is much to explore.
Environment
Environmental degradation has reached even the isolated depths of the ocean, a realm we know little about, yet have caused much damage to with our destructive nature.
Ecosystems
We are only now beginning to understand the importance of deep sea ecosystems, from hydrothermal vents that mitigate climate change, to whale-falls that provide a large carbon sink.
Adaptations
To survive in the abyss, life has to overcome some extreme challenges. Thus, we find creatures with peculiar morphologies and astounding adaptations. Let's take a look.
