When an iceberg broke away from Antarctica in January , it open up a rarefied opportunity for scientists to research a pristine seafloor ecosystem that was once cover beneath an ice shelf . To their astonishment , the inquiry team captured the first confirmed footage of the problematic frozen glass squid ( Galiteuthis glacialis ) , among many other deep - ocean creep .
The astonishingly cute squid was recognize at a profoundness of 687 meters ( 2,254 foot ) on January 20 , 2025 , in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica . While the species wasfirst identifiedin 1906 , this mark the first confirmed footage of a live individual in the wilderness . Until now , sightings have only come from dead specimens either hauled up in fishing net or chewed up in the belly of whales .
Researchers aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute ’s gas constant / V Falkor ( too ) made the discovery after diverting their row toward this section of the Bellingshausen Sea . The roundabout way was instigate by news that a city - sized crisphead lettuce , name A-84 , had break-dance off from Antarctica ’s George VI Ice Shelf , discover along - concealed stretch of seafloor .
The team note thatG. glacialisbears a unassailable resemblance to a adolescent prodigious calamari ( Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni ) – another inscrutable - sea metal money they managed tocapture the first - ever unrecorded footageof during their next expedition on March 9 .
Both metal money belong to the glass squid family and are roll in the hay for their limpid body , though the prodigious calamari is believed to darken as it age . They also share a classifiable feature in the soma of incisive hooks used for hound in the disconsolate profoundness of the sea . However , the placement of the hooks differ : on the stupendous squid , they are located along the middle of its eight arms , while in the glacial glass squid , they appear at the tips of its two elongate tentacles .
Perhaps the most striking difference is size . The colossal calamari can produce to an astounding 7 meters ( 23 foot ) in length , whereas the gelid glass squid persist far small throughout its life . Nevertheless , if the colossal calamary is young , like this one , it can be hard to tell the species aside .
To ensure accurate identification , the squad called on independent squid experts – Dr Aaron Evans and Dr Kat Bolstad – who confirmed the distinctions and concluded that the specimens belong to two antecedently undocumented species .
“ The first sighting of two different squids on back - to - back expeditions is remarkable and shew how niggling we have seen of the glorious inhabitant of the Southern Ocean , ” Schmidt Ocean Institute ’s executive theater director , Dr Jyotika Virmani , allege in astatement .
“ Fortunately , we caught enough high - resolution imagery of these creature to set aside the orbicular experts , who were not on the vessel , to identify both species , ” she added .
The colossal squid and glacial methamphetamine calamary may be the stars of the show , but the Schmidt Ocean Institute documentedmany more deep - ocean creaturesduring their late expedition in the water supply offAntarctica , including icefish , giant sea spider , and octopus .
“ These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the sea is brim with secret yet to be solved , ” Virmani added .
