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Animal profile · Mollusks · Squid
Colossal squid
Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni
The colossal squid is a massive Antarctic cephalopod with a broad body and powerful arms. It is one of the least commonly observed large animals in the ocean.
Not a fish · an aquatic neighborWater
Saltwater
Cold deep waters of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.
Temperature
Range not established
A dependable species-specific wild temperature range was not found.
Size
Known specimens exceed 5 m (16 ft) and may weigh more than 400 kg (880 lb)
About as heavy as a large refrigerator
Lifespan
Not established in the wild.
Life expectancy varies with place, conditions, and what scientists have been able to observe.
01 · Signature adaptation
What does it do?
It is thought to spend much of its life in deep Antarctic water. Its slow metabolism and large body suit a cold environment, while its hooks help it capture fish and resist predators.
02 · Home coordinates
Where does it live?
Circum-Antarctic Southern Ocean, including waters around Antarctica and the Ross Sea.
Regions: Southern Ocean · Antarctica · Ross Sea
03 · The menu
What does it eat?
It ambushes or grabs prey with large, hook-bearing appendages and tears food with its beak.
Carnivore: Antarctic toothfish, other fish, other squid.
04 · Remember this
Two wow facts
Heaviest invertebrate
It is regarded as the heaviest known living invertebrate, even though much of its life remains poorly observed.
Sources [1] [2]
Hooked arms
Its arms and tentacles carry swiveling hooks that can help grip large, struggling prey.
Sources [1] [2]