Magnificent Magnapinna Squid!! Episode 2
Welcome back to this week’s episode of Weird Fish of the Week! This week’s contestant, the elongated Magnapinna Squid!
INTRODUCTION
The Magnapinna squid (also known as the big fin squid) genus was first described in 1991 by a scientist by the name of Richard Young after looking at young baby squid called paralarvae and damaged juveniles, but dead specimens of these squids had been found as far back as 1902. These elusive squids live from 2300 to 4700 m down, inhabiting the bathyal and abyssal depths of the ocean. They’ve only been spotted a handful of times alive on camera worldwide and the specimens caught in trawls are often damaged, meaning scientists have not been able to research this squid nearly as much as it deserves. As an obvious result, we don’t know much about them.
ANATOMY/PHYSIOLOGY
The big fin squid gets its name from its big fins on the side of its head. These fins allow the squid to swim through the water. The squids can grow past 6 m in length (19.7 ft), with the largest known being 6.4 m (21 ft) long. The majority of this squid’s length is made up by its arms and tentacles, around 11 times larger than the main body. The squids can be easily identified by their “elbows”, where the squid holds out their arms and lets them drape down at a 90 degree angle. These massive arms are full of microscopic suckers, presumed to be for feeding.
FOOD
What a shocker, we don’t know how the squid eats. Two prominent theories persist: one being that they let their appendages drag across the sea floor to grab small prey, and the other that they use their appendages to trap zooplankton with their many suckers.
PERSONAL REVIEW
These have got to be one of my favorite species. My first exposure to this species was when I was younger watching Top 10 CREEPIEST deep sea fish YouTube videos (prime content, I know). These videos are filled with comments bullying the poor squid for being creepy when it’s mostly the framing and coloring that makes it so scary. This infamous clip that makes the squid look like some bizarre alien absolutely entranced me, I am so fascinated by these squids. I almost find it comical how one silly squid just swimming still minding its own business turned into such a scary phenomenon. But since then I’ve grown to love these creatures so much, I’m forever intrigued by an animal scientists haven’t been able to properly research. It gives me hope someday we’ll learn more about this squid, and people won’t be afraid of them. Overall I give the Magnapinna Squid a solid 8/10 (only 8 arms), points are docked because of how well they have been hidden from researchers, but an overall swell creature.
That wraps up that episode, I hope you walk away from this with a newfound appreciation for this wacky creature. Feel free to do more research on these creatures, or since there's such a lack of it, research some other squids! They might make another appearance later ;) no promises. See you next week!
(659 words)
Osterhage D, MacIntosh H, Althaus F, Ross A (2020) Multiple observations of Bigfin Squid (Magnapinna sp.) in the Great Australian Bight reveal distribution patterns, morphological characteristics, and rarely seen behaviour. PLOS ONE 15(11): e0241066. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241066
Rabenold, C. (2021, November 12). Bigfin Squid: Windows to the Deep 2021: Southeast US ROV and Mapping. NOAA Exploration. https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex2107/features/bigfin-squid/bigfin-squid.html
Olimpos, S.(2022, July 29). Magnapinna Squid: the alien-looking, ethereal ghost that lives in the deep oceans. ZME Science. https://www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/magnapinna-squid-the-alien-looking-ethereal-ghost-that-lives-in-the-deep-oceans/
Comments
Post a Comment