Stupendously rare footage of a bigfin squid , known for its alien - like appearing and unbelievably long tentacles , has been captured in the dark depths of the Pacific Ocean .
The video was lately inject by scientists from Minderoo - UWA Deep - Sea Research Centre and Inkfish as part of the on-going Tonga Trench Expedition 2024 . From July until October 2024 , the voyage will use submersibles and deep - sea Lander to map out , profile , and survey the Tonga Trench , the second - deepest pelagic oceanic abyss in the world after theMariana Trench .
Their new footage of the bigfin squid was filmed at a depth of 3,300 meters ( 10,827 groundwork ) using a deep - sea lander build up with a photographic camera and a bit of fish for lure .
It ’s the first prison term the squid has been seen in the Tonga Trench and the squad debate themselves to be very lucky ; few than 20recorded sightingsof the elusive creature have ever been made .
Bigfin squidare known for their lank tentacles that dangle from their bodies , stretching up to 8 meters ( 26 feet ) in distance .
The unusual creature belong to the genusMagnapinna , which mean “ great fin ” in Latin . There are just three described mintage – M. atlantica , M. pacifica , andM. talismani – but it ’s possible there are more out there in the ocean , as yet undiscovered .
Professor Alan Jamieson , Director of the Minderoo - UWA Deep Sea Research Centre and leader of the current hostile expedition , haspreviously publish a paperon bigfin squid after coming in inter-group communication with one during a submersible diva in the Philippine Trench .
Along with document the maritime liveliness , the expedition is shoot for to accumulate selective information about the geology of Horizon Deep , the deep percentage point of the Tonga Trench with a depth of or so 10,800 ( 35,433 foot ) below ocean degree .
Professor Jamieson of late ventured into the bowels of Horizon Deep onboard a crewed submergible and made a surprising reflexion : it appeared destitute and gray , almost totally devoid of life except for a few ordered series worm .
It ’s not clear why biodiversity is n’t found in copiousness here , although it might have something to do with the stability of the sloped seabed .
“ Absence is as interesting as comportment , just perhaps slightly less like a shot gratify . It is engrossing why there is absolutely nothing here , ” Jamieson say in a video explaining part of the Tonga Trench Expedition 2024 .
