lurks in the southern deeps

Size
Length: 12–14 m
Lifespan
Unknown, likely several years.
Diet
Carnivorous. Feeds on fish, other squid, and carrion using rotating hooks.
Habitat
Deep-sea pelagic waters of the Southern Ocean, primarily around Antarctica.
Range
Southern Ocean, with records around New Zealand subantarctic islands and Antarctic waters.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
Bycatch in Patagonian toothfish fisheries. Predation by sperm whales in deep waters.
Population
Population stable. Difficult to assess due to deep-water habitat and rare sightings.
Conservation Status
data_deficient
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
deep-sea species rarely encountered alive by humans
Conservation Note
Cephalopod species not included in the 2021 NZTCS marine invertebrates assessment; conservation status currently unassessed nationally.
Te Ao Māori
The colossal squid holds a significant place in New Zealand maritime culture and scientific curiosity. Te Papa Tongarewa houses the world's only complete specimen, drawing thousands of visitors. It represents the unknown depths surrounding the country and the limits of human exploration. The species is a taonga of the deep, symbolising the mysterious and powerful forces of the Southern Ocean.
The dark is its domain. Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni inhabits the cold depths of the Southern Ocean, primarily around Antarctica. It is a creature of the abyss, rarely seen alive by human eyes. Most knowledge comes from specimens caught as bycatch in Patagonian toothfish fisheries or washed up on beaches. The colossal squid is built for power, not speed. Its mantle is massive, housing a heart that pumps blood through a body that can weigh nearly 500 kilograms. The eyes are the largest in the animal kingdom, each the size of a dinner plate. They detect the faint bioluminescence of prey in the eternal night. Unlike its cousin the giant squid, it has rotating hooks on its tentacles, not just suckers. These hooks swivel to grip slippery fish and other squid. It is an ambush predator, drifting in the current until something large enough passes within reach. Sperm whales are its primary predator, bearing the scars of epic battles fought in the deep. The relationship is one of mutual necessity. The whale needs the calories. The squid needs to survive. For humans, it is a myth made flesh. A monster from the headlines that turns out to be just another animal, trying to eat and avoid being eaten. It is the largest invertebrate on Earth. It lives where we cannot easily follow. The numbers are not encouraging for those hoping to study it in life. It carries on in the dark.