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The colossal squid is part of the “glass” squid family (Cranchiidae). Three known glass squid species are found in the Antarctic ocean, but it can be difficult to distinguish them on camera.
Researchers from the organisation Kolossal, aiming to film the colossal squid, observed a similarly sized glass squid during their fourth Antarctic mission in 2023. But since the
characteristic features needed to identify a colossal squid — hooks on the ends of the two long tentacles and in the middle of each of the eight shorter arms — weren’t clearly visible, its
exact identity remains unconfirmed. In the Schmidt Ocean Institute footage, the mid-arm hooks are visible. And for this young individual, the resemblance to other glass squids is also clear.
With age and size, colossal squid likely lose their transparent appearance and become much more of an anomaly within the family. While many will be amused by the idea of a “small colossal”
squid, this footage showcases a beauty shared by many deep-sea animals, in contrast to the monster hype and “stuff of nightmares” click-bait titles we see all too often. This colossal squid
looks like a delicate glass sculpture, with fins of such fine musculature they are barely visible. It has shining iridescent eyes and graceful arms fanned out from the head. At full size,
the colossal squid may be a formidable predator, with its stout arms and array of sharp hooks, able to tackle two-metre-long toothfish. But in our first confirmed view of it at home in the
deep sea, we can marvel at the elegance of this animal, thriving in an environment where humans require so much technology even to visit remotely.