List of Colossal Squid specimens and sightings
This list of Colossal Squid specimens and sightings is a comprehensive listing of all recorded specimens of Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, popularly known as the Colossal Squid.
- See also: List of giant squid specimens and sightings
Additional recommended knowledge
Number of specimens
According to Xavier et al. (1999), geographical positions for 188 Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni specimens caught by commercial and scientific fisheries were known as of 1999.
List of Colossal Squid
Records are listed chronologically in descending order and numbered accordingly.
- Date – Date on which the specimen was first captured, found, or observed. In cases where this is unknown, the date the specimen was first reported is listed instead.
- Location – Area where the specimen was found. Given as it appears in the cited references, except where additional information is provided in brackets.
- Oceanic sector – The quadrant of a major ocean in which the specimen was found (see Oceanic sectors).
- Method of capture – Method by which the specimen was recovered or observed. Given as it appears in the cited references, although "washed ashore" encompasses all stranded animals.
- Identification – Species or genus level taxon to which the specimen was originally assigned. Given as it appears in the cited references. Listed chronologically if specimen was re-identified.
- Material cited – Original specimen material that was recovered or observed.
- Material saved – Material that was kept after examination and not discarded (if any).
- Sex – Sex and sexual maturity of the specimen.
- Size and measurements – Data relating to measurements and counts. Abbreviations used are based on standardised acronyms in teuthology (see Measurements), with the exception of several found in older references.
- Repository – Institution in which the specimen material is kept. The acronyms used are those defined by Leviton et al. (1985) and Leviton & Gibbs (1988) (see Repositories). Where the acronym is unknown, the full repository name is listed.
- Cited references – Sources that provide specific data on a particular specimen.
- Additional references – Sources which merely refer to the specimen.
- Notes – Miscellaneous information.
Note: Names of anatomical features are retained from original sources (e.g. jaws may be given instead of the preferred beak).
| # | Date | Location | Oceanic sector | Method of capture | Identification | Material cited | Material saved | Sex | Size and measurements | Repository | Cited references | Additional references | Notes
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| 1 | 1925 | | | From Sperm Whale stomach | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925 | Two arm (brachial) crowns | | | | | Robson (1925:272) | |
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| | 1956/1957 | South Orkney Islands (59°41'S, 44°14'W) | SWA | From Sperm Whale stomach | Architeuthis sp.; Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925 | Head and mantle | Undetermined | | HL: 30 cm; HW: 20 cm; ED: 16–17 cm; WL?: ~12 m | | Korabelnikov (1959:103); Yukhov (1974:62) | | Initial identification by I.I. Akimushkin. From 15.8 m long male Sperm Whale.
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| | 1956/1957 | South Shetland Islands (61°56'S, 52°39'W) | SWA | From Sperm Whale stomach | Architeuthis sp.; Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925 | Fin only | Undetermined | | FL: 41 cm; FW: 48 cm; WL?: ~10 m | | Korabelnikov (1959:103); Yukhov (1974:62) | | Initial identification by I.I. Akimushkin. From 15 m long male Sperm Whale.
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| | 1970 (reported) | | | | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire | Entire? | | ML: 86 mm | | McSweeny (1970) | Voss (1980:395, fig. 10b); Clarke (1986:199) | Juvenile specimen. Upper and lower beaks described and illustrated.
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| | 1975 (reported) | | | | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | | | | "large specimen"; ML unknown | | Klumov & Yukhov (1975) | Clarke (1986:199) | Upper and lower beaks described and illustrated.
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| | 1980 (reported) | | | | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire | Entire? | Female (subadult) | ML: 1250 mm | | Voss (1980) | |
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| | 1980 (reported) | | | | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire | Entire? | | ML: 23 mm | | Voss (1980:395, fig. 10c) | | Advanced paralarva.
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| | 1980 (reported) | | | | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Two partial specimens; brachial crowns | Entire | | | NMNH | Voss (1980) | |
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| | 1981 | off Dronning Maud Land, Antarctic at depth of 750-770 m | | By trawl | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire | | Female (immature) | ML: 2.42 m; EL?: 5.1 m | | | Ellis (1998:147) | Caught by Soviet trawler Eureka (Эврика). Photographed by Alexander Remeslo.
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| | 1985 (reported) | at depth of 2000–2200 m | | Trawled in opening-closing net (RMT8) | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire? | | | ML: 1.05 m | | Rodhouse & Clarke (1985) | |
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| | 1986 (reported) | (47°51'S 40°01'W, WH 101 I/76) | | | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Lower beak | Entire? | Female (juvenile) | LRL: 7.10 mm; ML: 225.0 mm | | Clarke (1986:200, fig. A) | |
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| | 1986 (reported) | S. Georgia | | From Sperm Whale stomach | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Lower beak | Entire? | | LRL: 13.50 mm | | Clarke (1986:200, fig. B) | |
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| | 1986 (reported) | S. Georgia | | From Sperm Whale stomach | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Lower beak | Entire? | | LRL: 20.40 mm | | Clarke (1986:200, fig. C) | |
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| | March 2003 | Ross Sea | | Found floating on surface | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire; recovered in three pieces, later reassembled | Entire | Female (subadult) | ML: ~2.5 m; WL: ~5.4 m; LRL: 37 mm; WT: ~300 kg | Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa | | Numerous media sources |
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| | 2004 (reported) | "in upper slope waters of the Kerguelen Archipelago" | | From stomach contents of 22 sleeper sharks (Somniosus pacificus) | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | 89 beaks; 42 lower, 47 upper (minimum number of individuals: 49) | Entire | | LRL: 10.1–38.8 mm; LRL(average): 22.3 mm ±7.2; ML(estimate): 61–237 cm; ML(average): 136 cm ±44; WT(estimate): 2.1–91.2 kg; WT(average): 24.4 kg ±22.1 | | Cherel & Duhamel (2004) | | M. hamiltoni beaks were found in 61.1% (22/36) of sleeper sharks examined. Beaks of this species accounted for 16.1% (89/553) of total recovered cephalopod beaks. M. hamiltoni accounted for 52.0% (1133621/2180535 g) of total reconstituted cephalopod biomass.
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| | 25 June, 2005 | "South Georgia waters" at depth of 1625 m | | Caught alive by long-lining fishing vessel; "caught on a number of hooks on a longline" set to target Patagonian toothfish | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire; alive | Head with tentacles and arms; mantle too heavy to bring aboard | | WL(estimate): ~5 m; WT (estimate): 150–200 kg | | South Georgia Newsletter June 2005 | | Caught by longliner Isla Santa Clara. Five men, including the ship's scientific observer, attempted to bring the squid aboard. Paul McCarthy, the scientific observer, estimated the length and weight of the squid. Specimen was sent to King Edward Point (KEP) Scientists for formal identification. Two images taken by Ramon Ferreira Gomez.
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| | 8 January, 2007 | "near the Ross Ice Shelf" | | Caught by long-lining fishing vessel targeting Patagonian toothfish | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire; alive | None? | | ML(estimate?): 12-14 ft | | [1], [2] | | First recorded sighting of a mature Colossal Squid. Photographed alive in the water holding onto a Patagonian toothfish.
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| | "early February" (captured); 22 February, 2007 (reported) | "in the Ross Sea" | | Caught by New Zealand (Sanford Ltd.) vessel San Aspiring while fishing for Antarctic toothfish | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Entire; alive | Entire | Male? | EL: 10 m; WT: 495 kg | Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa | Anderton (2007); [Anonymous] (2007a); Griggs (2007); [Anonymous] (2007b) | Numerous media sources | First mature specimen ever recovered and largest extant cephalopod scientifically documented. Weight initially estimated at 450 kg.
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| | 28 May, 2007 (reported) | New Zealand? | | From a research cruise | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Two tentacles | | | ML(estimate): 2 m | | [3] | |
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Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in the List of Colossal Squid table.
Oceanic sectors
M. hamiltoni has a circumpolar Antarctic distribution.
- SWA, Southwest Atlantic Ocean
- SEA, Southeast Atlantic Ocean
- SWP, Southwest Pacific Ocean
- SEP, Southeast Pacific Ocean
- SIO, Southern Indian Ocean
Measurements
Abbreviations used for measurements and counts are based on standardised acronyms in teuthology, primarily those defined by Roper & Voss (1983), with the exception of several found in older references.
- ED, egg diameter
- EL, "entire" length (end of tentacle(s), often stretched, to posterior tip of tail; in contrast to WL, measured from end of arms to posterior tip of tail)
- FL, fin length
- FW, fin width
- HL, head length (most often base of arms to edge of mantle)
- HW, head width
- LRL, lower rostral length of beak
- ML, mantle length (used only where stated as such)
- WL, "whole" length (end of arms, often damaged, to posterior tip of tail; in contrast to EL, measured from end of tentacles to posterior tip of tail)
- WT, weight
Repositories
Institutional acronyms are those defined by Leviton et al. (1985) and Leviton & Gibbs (1988). Where the acronym is unknown, the full repository name is listed.
- NMNH, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Images
The number directly below each image corresponds to the specimen or sighting, in the List of Colossal Squid, that the image depicts. The date on which the specimen was first captured, found, or observed is also given. More detailed information for each image is available in the form of a mouseover.
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References
The following references are cited in the List of Colossal Squid table.
- [Anonymous] 2005. Very Rare Giant Squid Caught Alive. South Georgia Newsletter June 2005.
- [Anonymous] 2007a. NZ fishermen land colossal squid. BBC News 22 February 2007.
- [Anonymous] 2007b. Microwave plan for colossal squid. BBC News 22 March 2007.
- Anderton, H.J. 2007. Amazing specimen of world's largest squid in NZ. New Zealand Government website.
- Cherel, Y. & G. Duhamel 2004. Antarctic jaws: cephalopod prey of sharks in Kerguelen waters.PDF (531 KiB) Deep-Sea Res I 51:17-31.
- Clarke, M.R. 1986. A Handbook for the Identification of Cephalopod Beaks. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 273 pages.
- Ellis, R. 1998. The Search for the Giant Squid. The Lyons Press, 322 pages.
- Griggs, K. 2007. Colossal squid's headache for science. BBC News 15 March 2007.
- (Russian) Klumov, S.K. & V.L. Yukhov 1975. Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925 (Cephalopoda, Oegopsida). Antarktika Doklady Komission 14:159-189. [English translation: TT 81-59176, Al Ahram Center for Scientific Translations.]
- (Russian) Korabelnikov, L.V. 1959. The diet of sperm whales in the Antarctic seas. Priroda 3:103-104, 5 figures.
- Leviton, A.E. & F.H. Gibbs Jr. 1988. Standards in herpetology and ichthyology. Standard symbolic codes for intitutional resource collections in herpetology and ichthyology. Supplement No. 1: Additions and corrections. Copeia 1988(1):28-228.
- Leviton, A.E., F.H. Gibbs Jr., E. Heal & C.D. Dawson 1985. Standards in herpetology and ichthyology: Part I. Standard symbolic codes for intitutional resource collections in herpetology and ichthyology. Copeia 1985(3):802-832.
- McSweeny, E.S. 1970. Description of the juvenile form of the Antarctic squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson. Malacologia 10:323-332.
- Robson, G.C. 1925. On Mesonychoteuthis, a new genus of oegopsid, Cephalopoda. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 9, 16:272-277.
- Rodhouse, P.G. & M.R. Clarke 1985. Growth and distribution of young Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson (Mollusca: Cephalopoda): an Antarctic squid. Vie Milieu 35(3/4):223—230.
- Roper, C.F.E. & G.L. Voss 1983. Guidelines for taxonomic descriptions of cephalopod species. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria 44:49-63.
- (Russian) Yukhov, V.L. 1974. The discovery of giant squids. Priroda, Moscow, 1974(6):60-63, 3 figures.
- Voss, N.A. 1980. A generic revision of the Cranchiidae (Cephalopoda; Oegopsida). Bull. Mar. Sci. 30:365-412.
- Xavier, J.C., P.G. Rodhouse, P.N. Trathan & A.G. Wood 1999. A Geographical Information System (GIS) Atlas of cephalopod distribution in the Southern Ocean.PDF Antarctic Science 11:61-62. [online version]
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