In a recent expedition to the icy depths of Antarctica, Australian scientists have captured rare footage of deep-sea squids, once again highlighting the astonishing biodiversity lurking beneath the ocean’s surface.
Uncharted Depths, Endless Discoveries
With only 5% of the deep ocean explored to date, each new mission holds the potential for groundbreaking discoveries. And this time, researchers from the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre (University of Western Australia) and the ocean research organization Inkfish made some remarkable observations.
During a deep-sea expedition over 1,000 meters below the surface near the Antarctic Peninsula, their team filmed several rare squid species using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). This mission is part of a larger collaboration to map and explore some of the planet’s most remote underwater environments.
A Ghostly Predator from the Deep
Among the discoveries was a little-known cephalopod named Moratoothopsis longimana, recognized by its ghostly white hue and extraordinarily long arms.
“Little is known about this deep-sea species, but its name refers to its unusually long arms. Likely a midwater predator, this is a rare sighting,” the researchers shared on Instagram alongside a video of the encounter.
This find adds to the growing evidence that the Southern Ocean remains one of the most mysterious and biodiverse regions on Earth—underscoring the urgent need to study and protect these fragile ecosystems.
Source: science-et-vie
