The Bigfin Squid is a mysterious deep-sea creature rarely encountered by humans. Its distinctive appearance includes large fins and unusually long, slender arms and tentacles that can extend many times its body length. These appendages often bend at sharp angles, giving the squid an “elbowed” look. This unique morphology contributes to its elusive nature.
Global Sightings
Sightings of the Bigfin Squid are rare, with only around a dozen to twenty confirmed observations worldwide. These encounters indicate a wide, yet sparse, distribution across the major ocean basins, including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Specific locations of sightings include:
Off the coasts of northern Brazil and Ghana
South of Mauritius
Within the Gulf of Mexico
The Great Australian Bight
The Southern Caribbean
Off Hawaii
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Tonga Trench
The earliest video recording of a Bigfin Squid dates back to 1988, underscoring its elusiveness.
Deep-Sea Habitat
The Bigfin Squid inhabits extreme depths, making it the deepest-living known squid species. Observations typically place these creatures at depths exceeding 2,000 meters (6,500 feet). The deepest recorded sighting occurred at 6,212 meters (20,381 feet) in the Philippine Trench, placing it within the ocean’s hadal zone. Life in this abyssal environment presents challenges. Conditions include immense hydrostatic pressure, complete darkness, and near-freezing temperatures. Food is also scarce in these deep-sea regions. The Bigfin Squid’s exceptionally long arms and tentacles are thought to be an adaptation for this sparse environment, possibly used to capture prey by trailing them along the seafloor or acting as a vast, sticky net.
Unveiling the Mystery
Scientists observe and document the Bigfin Squid using advanced deep-sea technologies. Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and submersibles are the primary tools for exploring these extreme depths. These machines are equipped with specialized deep-sea cameras that capture rare glimpses of creatures like the Bigfin Squid in their natural habitat. Some ROVs also utilize paired lasers to accurately measure the size of these elusive cephalopods without direct contact. Many sightings have come from ROVs deployed by research expeditions or oil companies. Despite these technological advancements, the Bigfin Squid’s deep-sea home remains largely inaccessible, meaning much about its life and behavior is still unknown.