Researchers have filmed a living Antarctic gonate squid in a world-first sighting deep in the ocean surrounding Antarctica.
First Ever Live Footage Captures Elusive Antarctic Gonate Squid Deep Off Antarctica
Researchers have captured the first-ever live footage of the mysterious Antarctic gonate squid (Gonatus antarcticus), an elusive deep-sea species known only from dead specimens and preserved remains — until now.
On December 25, 2024, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) exploring the midnight zone nearly 7,100 feet (2,152 meters) below the surface of Antarctic waters filmed the 3-foot-long blood-red squid drifting silently in the pitch-black depths. The ROV, launched from the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel R/V Falkor (too), startled the squid enough to release a greenish cloud of ink before swiftly vanishing into the darkness.
Kat Bolstad, head of the Lab for Cephalopod Ecology and Systematics at Auckland University of Technology, confirmed the identification by noting the squid’s distinctive large hooks on its two longer tentacles—likely tools for ambush hunting.
This footage represents a major milestone in cephalopod science, shedding light on a species that has remained a deep-sea enigma for over a century. Scientists hope that further exploration will reveal more about the behavior and ecology of this rarely seen Antarctic predator.