Off the coast of the US state of California, the rarely seen bigfin squid Magnapinna sp. was filmed during an expedition investigating deep-sea creatures. This was the species’ first sighting in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
While examining seamounts, the team aboard the David Packard research vessel found the squid with a remotely operated vehicle approximately 3 thousand 277 meters below the surface. The creature, drifting above the seafloor, had two large fins, 8 dangling arms and two tentacles; its length from the body to the tips of its arms was estimated at approximately 1.25 meters.
The research was conducted at Davidson Seamount, approximately 130 km southwest of the city of Monterey. The area is known for its deep-sea coral gardens and octopus nursery. The team was also investigating channels on the seafloor. The encounter at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary was the first confirmed bigfin squid sighting there. Approximately 70 bigfin squid had been observed or captured previously.
Why it matters
This record adds a new area in the northeastern Pacific Ocean to the known observation range of the bigfin squid and provides data for understanding the species’ distribution. The fact that the sighting took place in a marine sanctuary containing seamounts, deep-sea coral gardens and octopus nurseries shows that biodiversity in the region is not limited to species living close to the coast. At the same time, studying different habitats together, such as channels on the seafloor, may help ensure that the diversity of depths and habitats is taken into account in conservation efforts. However, this encounter leaves open the question of whether the species occurs regularly in the region or whether this was an isolated sighting; new observations are needed to answer it.