The footage may belong to a young giant squid

Researchers encountered a small squid that was likely a juvenile giant squid in Antarctic waters .

(Video: IFL Science).

An international team of researchers plans an ambitious plan to find and study giant squid in the natural environment by 2025 on the 100th anniversary of the species' discovery. From December 2022 to March 2023, the research team traveled to Antarctica four times in search of giant squid. They used a polar cruise ship called Ocean Endeavor equipped with a deep-sea camera system that can descend to a maximum depth of 400 m, according to IFL Science .

The giant squid ( Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni ) , also known as the Antarctic giant squid, is one of the ocean's biggest mysteries. There are no photos or videos of giant squids living in their natural environment. What researchers know about this monster comes from the few specimens caught in fishing nets or washed up on beaches. The giant squid is 14m long and weighs at least 500kg. They hold many world records, including the largest invertebrate on the planet by weight. This reclusive animal is believed to live in the deep waters of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.

The young squid may belong to the giant squid species.

Although no adult was found, the research team recorded a glass squid 10 - 12cm long. Currently, they are analyzing the video and speculate it may be an unknown species, an adult Galiteuthis glacialis , or a juvenile small giant squid, said Matt Mulrennan, chief marine scientist. Team of 4 expeditions in 2022 - 2023 and founder/CEO of non-profit organization Kolossal.

Glass squid has the scientific name Cranchiidae , a squid family that includes giant squid and Galiteuthis glacialis. They are the only two members of the Cranchidae family that live in the Antarctic region. According to Aaron Evans, the squid in the video could be a different form of one of two squid species.

In the video, a large amount of marine snow and organic matter falls to the deep sea bottom, obscuring vision when the mysterious squid appears. "Identifying glass squid from footage can be difficult. Some species have a distinct combination of recognizable features, but many others look so similar that it is difficult to confirm where they come from. which species" , commented Dr. Kat Bolstad at Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

In addition to images of squid, the team also recorded more than 80 other deep-sea species, including giant sponges, Antarctic sunflower starfish, soft corals, keels, tube hydras and crinoids.