Knowra Colossal squid Colossal squid The colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) is a large squid found in the Southern Ocean. It is distinguished by rotating hooks on its arms and tentacles and exceptionally large eyes.
Cephalopod : A marine mollusk with arms or tentacles attached to a head, including squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish. The colossal squid belongs to this group of soft-bodied, tentacled mollusks.
Cephalopod arm : A flexible cephalopod appendage lined with suckers or other gripping structures. Eight arms help the squid hold prey once it has been seized.
Colossal squid specimen at Te Papa : A preserved colossal squid displayed at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This specimen, caught in 2007, enabled detailed study of a nearly intact animal.
Deep sea : The ocean environment below the depth reached by sunlight sufficient for photosynthesis. The squid’s deep habitat makes direct observation and sampling difficult.
Mesonychoteuthis : A genus of squid containing the colossal squid as its only known species. The colossal squid is the genus’s sole known member.
Tentacle (cephalopod) : A long, retractable cephalopod appendage used chiefly to seize prey. The squid’s two long tentacles carry rotating hooks for grasping prey.
Colossal squid captured in 2007 : A nearly intact colossal squid recovered by a New Zealand fishing vessel in the Ross Sea in 2007. Its capture supplied the first major specimen with much of the body preserved.
Cephalopod gigantism : The evolution of exceptionally large body size in cephalopods. The species’ size raises questions about growth, lifespan, and deep-sea constraints.
Squid : A group of cephalopods with elongated bodies, eight arms, and two longer tentacles. The colossal squid shares the basic body plan of other squid.
Cephalopod eye : A camera-type eye found in cephalopods such as squid and octopuses. Its exceptionally large eyes are adapted to gathering scarce light in deep water.
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