Colossal Squid – Pictures of the colossal squid weighing 1,086 pounds caught in the Ross Sea off Antartica and being examined in New Zealand by marine biologists.
The colossal squid was caught by the New Zealand vessel San Aspiring, which was long-line fishing for Antarctic toothfish in the Ross Sea.
It is the largest and most intact adult giant squid ever caught, measuring almost 33 feet in length and weighing 1,086 pounds.
It was brought to the surface on a long-line that had been set for toothfish and was holding on to a toothfish when first seen. The stunned crew immediately stopped fishing and hauled the colossus squid onboard, then placed the giant squid in a huge freezer to preserve it for science.
The collossal squid boasts a fearsome beak, razor-sharp hooks, and eyes the size of dinner plates, but it may be small compared to others still lurking in the depths, scientists said Tuesday.
The adult giant squid is being thawed at The Museum of New Zealand in Wellington today before it is examined in more detail Wednesday by an international team of scientists.
And that’s the latest news on the New Zealand colossal squid.
Tags: colossal squid, colossal squids, colossus squid, giant squid, patagonian toothfish, toothfish