By Christina Larson
A colossal calmar was taken in front of the camera for the first time in the deep sea by an international team of researchers directing a submersible from a distance.
The observation was announced Tuesday by the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
The filmed calmar was a juvenile of about 1 foot in length at a depth of 1,968 feet in the South Atlantic Ocean. Adult adult adult calmars, which scientists have discovered whales and sea birds, can reach lengths up to 23 feet – almost the size of a small fire truck.
The Cammar was spied on last month near the South sandwich islands during an expedition to seek a new marine life. The researchers waited to verify the identification of species with other independent scientists before freeing images.
“I really love that we first saw a young colossal calmar. This animal is so beautiful, “said Kat Bolstad, Calmars researcher at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, who helped confirm it.
Researchers test different cameras in the hope of catching an adult colossal calmar, said Bolstad.
The young Cammar is almost entirely transparent, with thin arms. As an adults, the calmars lose this vitrous appearance and become dark red or opaque purple. When they have grown up, they are considered the largest known invertebrates in the world.
The video journalist AP Mustakim Hasnath contributed to this report.
The Department of Health and Sciences of the Associated Press receives the support of the scientific and educational group of the media from the medical institute Howard Hughes and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
