What's the largest recorded squid?
20975773#10
The largest recorded specimen was captured in 2007 by a New Zealand fishing boat off Antarctica. It was initially estimated to measure in length and weigh . The squid was taken back to New Zealand for scientific study. A study on the specimen later showed its actual weight was , but it only measured in total length as a result of the tentacles' shrinking "post mortem".
Colossal squid
20598041#27
The giant squid ("Architeuthis dux") was previously thought to be the largest squid, and while it is less massive and has a smaller mantle than the colossal squid, it may exceed the colossal squid in overall length including tentacles. One giant squid specimen that washed ashore in 1878 in Newfoundland reportedly measured in total length (from the tip of the mantle to the end of the long tentacles), head and body length , in diameter at the thickest part of mantle, and weighed about . This specimen is still often cited as the largest invertebrate that has ever been examined. However, no animals approaching this size have been scientifically documented and, according to giant squid expert Steve O'Shea, such lengths were likely achieved by greatly stretching the two tentacles like elastic bands.
Solórzano's velvet worm ("Peripatus solorzanoi") is the largest velvet worm known. An adult female was recorded to have a body length of 22 cm (approximately 8.7 in).
Largest organisms
56826364#1
The little flying squid is said to be dwarf species of flying squid compared to the other species of "Todarodes", the largest female recorded to date had a mantle length of 74mm and the largest male measured 68mm mantle. The maximum mantle length is not thought to exceed 100mm, compared to 500mm for the Japanese flying squid. It also has relatively small fins which only have a length equivalent to 25 to 31% of the mantle length (35-40% in the Japanese flying squid). It has a cylindrical, muscular body, typical of related species, which tapers to a short, pointed tail.
Little flying squid
8375147#85
The heaviest known cephalopod, and the largest living invertebrate, is the colossal squid. The largest recorded specimen of this species, caught in the Ross Sea in 2007, weighed . However, its beak is not the largest known from this species; even bigger colossal squid beaks have been recovered from the stomachs of sperm whales, indicating that this species can grow larger still.
Cephalopod size
20598041#26
Both the largest mollusks and the largest of all invertebrates (in terms of mass) are the largest squids. The colossal squid ("Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni") is projected to be the largest invertebrate. Current estimates put its maximum size at long and , based on analysis of smaller specimens. In 2007, authorities in New Zealand announced the capture of the largest known colossal squid specimen. It was initially thought to be and . It was later measured at long and in weight. The mantle was long when measured.
Largest organisms
8375147#89
The giant and colossal squids have the largest recorded eyes of any living animal, with a maximum diameter of at least and a pupil (Nilsson "et al.", 2012:683). This is three times the size of the largest fish eyes—up to in swordfish—and more than twice the diameter of the largest whale eyes—up to , , and in blue, humpback, and sperm whales, respectively—which are the largest among vertebrates (Nilsson "et al.", 2012:683). A large colossal squid caught in 2014 and dissected at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa reportedly had eyes across (Farquhar, 2014). There are unconfirmed reports from the 19th century of giant squid eyes up to across (Land & Nilsson, 2012:86). Only the extinct ichthyosaurs are known to have approached these dimensions (Motani "et al.", 1999; Humphries & Ruxton, 2002), with some species having eyes up to in diameter (Nilsson "et al.", 2012:687).
Cephalopod size
20975773#0
The colossal squid ("Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni", from Greek "mesos" (middle), "onycho" (claw, nail), and "teuthis" (squid)), sometimes called the Antarctic squid or giant cranch squid, is believed to be the largest squid species in terms of mass. It is the only known member of the genus "Mesonychoteuthis". It is known from only a few specimens, and current estimates put its maximum size at long and weighing possibly up to , based on analysis of smaller and immature specimens, making it the largest-known invertebrate.
Colossal squid
20975773#2
The squid exhibits abyssal gigantism. The beak of "M. hamiltoni" is the largest known of any squid, and more robust than that of the giant squid. The colossal squid also has the largest eyes documented in the animal kingdom; a partly collapsed specimen measured in diameter, with a pupil. The eye was estimated to be when the squid was alive.
Colossal squid
6234666#19
Based on a 40-year data set of more than 50 giant squid ("Architeuthis dux") specimens, Roper & Shea (2013:114) suggest an average total length at maturity of and a "rarely encountered maximum length" of . Of the nearly 100 specimens examined by Clyde Roper, the largest was "46 feet (14 m) long" (Cerullo & Roper, 2012:22). O'Shea & Bolstad (2008) give a maximum total length of for females based on the examination of more than 130 specimens, measured "post mortem" and relaxed, as well as beaks recovered from sperm whales (which do not exceed the size of those found in the largest complete specimens). Steve O'Shea estimated the maximum total length for males at (O'Shea, 2003b). Charles G. M. Paxton performed a statistical analysis using literature records of giant squid specimens and concluded that "squid with a conservative TL of would seem likely based on current data" (Paxton, 2016a, b), but the study has been heavily criticised by experts in the field (Greshko, 2016).
List of giant squid specimens and sightings
38011#31
In 2003, a large specimen of an abundant but poorly understood species, "Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni" (the colossal squid), was discovered. This species may grow to in length, making it the largest invertebrate. In February 2007, a New Zealand fishing vessel caught the largest squid ever documented, weighing and measuring around off the coast of Antarctica. Dissection showed that the eyes, used to detect prey in the deep Southern Ocean, exceeded the size of footballs; these may be among the largest eyes ever to exist in the animal kingdom.
Squid