Incredibly rare video of a bigfin squid with an overall length of up to 8 meters, which is well-known for its extraordinary long tentacles and alien-like look, has been discovered deep within the Pacific Ocean.
At a depth of 3,300 meters (10,827 ft), their newly discovered footage of the bigfin squid was captured by a deep-sea lander equipped with a camera and a piece of fish for bait.
During the ongoing research trip, which runs from July to October 2024, submersibles and deep-sea landers will be used to map, profile, and survey the trench.
Leading the present mission is Professor Alan Jamieson, Director of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre. He has written a report on bigfin squid before, having encountered one during a submersible dive in the Philippine Trench.
Along with documenting the marine life, the expedition is aiming to gather information about the geology of Horizon Deep, the deepest point of the Tonga Trench with a depth of approximately 10,800 m (35,433 feet) below sea level.
When Professor Jamieson recently traveled down Horizon Deep in a crewed submersible, he noticed something startling: everything looked gray and lifeless, with the exception of a few scale worms.
The lack of biodiversity in this area is unresolved, though it may have something to do with the seabed's stability being inclined downward.
The lack of biodiversity in this area is unresolved, though it may have something to do with the seabed's stability being inclined downward.
“Absence is as interesting as presence, just perhaps slightly less immediately gratifying. It is fascinating why there is absolutely nothing here,” Jamieson said in a video explaining part of the Tonga Trench Expedition 2024.