List of giant squid specimens and sightings (21st century)
This []list of giant squid specimens and sightings from the 21st century is a comprehensive timeline of recent human encounters with members of the genus Architeuthis, popularly known as giant squid. It includes animals that were caught by fishermen, found washed ashore, recovered from sperm whales and other predatory species, as well as those reliably sighted at sea. The list also covers specimens incorrectly assigned to the genus Architeuthis in original descriptions or later publications.
Background
The beginning of the 21st century marked a turning point in humanity's understanding of the life habits of the giant squid, as it ushered in the first visually documented and incontrovertible observations of live animals, both adult and paralarval. The quest to photograph or film a live giant squid—mooted since at least the 1960s—had begun in earnest in the 1980s and intensified significantly in the following decade, with several multi-million-dollar expeditions launched in the late 1990s. While these were all unsuccessful, they were followed by a steady stream of [|live giant squid "firsts"] in the nascent years of the 21st century, and spurred further efforts that ultimately culminated in the first footage of live giant squid in their natural deep-ocean habitat—recorded off Japan's Ogasawara Islands in 2012.The turn of the century also roughly coincided with a shift in the way new giant squid specimens were reported and information on them was disseminated. The rapidly growing popularity of the World Wide Web resulted in a proliferation of both online news sources and platforms for sharing and discussing said news, the latter facilitating a never-before-seen level of engagement between professional teuthologists and amateur enthusiasts. Consequently, much of the information on recent specimens is drawn from online rather than print sources, though scholarly papers continue to be published on individual specimens.
Quest for a live animal
Though the total number of recorded giant squid specimens now runs into the hundreds, the species remains notoriously elusive and little known. By the turn of the 21st century, the giant squid remained one of the few truly large extant megafauna to have never been photographed alive, either in the wild or in captivity. Marine writer and artist Richard Ellis described it as "the most elusive image in natural history".and Clyde F. E. Roper examining a giant squid specimen during the [|1999] "In Search of Giant Squid" expedition
Early expeditions
Early attempts to capture a glimpse of the animal in its natural habitat included a submersible expedition by Frederick Aldrich in the late 1980s. :File:Moroteuthis robusta.jpg|A photograph purporting to show a live Architeuthis dux alongside a diver was published by Poppe & Goto, but this turned out to be a sick or dying Onykia robusta. A number of expeditions were mounted in the 1990s with the aim of capturing footage of a live giant squid in its natural habitat, but all were unsuccessful. They included Smithsonian-backed expeditions to the Azores in July 1996 and to Kaikoura Canyon off New Zealand in January–March 1997 and February–March 1999. These expeditions—the latter two each costing around $10 million—employed a combination of sperm whale–mounted crittercams, baited "ropecams" or "drop-cams", an Odyssey IIB autonomous underwater vehicle, and the single-person submersible Deep Rover. All three were led by giant squid expert Clyde Roper, with the first two also involving marine biologist Malcolm Clarke and the last two Steve O'Shea of NIWA. Richard Ellis took part in the first of the New Zealand expeditions and in 1998 released a popular nonfiction book, The Search for the Giant Squid, further raising interest in the pursuit of a live animal. Oceanographic explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, led another unsuccessful expedition to New Zealand that ended in early 2001.21st century breakthroughs
In 2001 Steve O'Shea succeeded in capturing the first footage of a live giant squid when he caught and filmed several paralarval individuals—measuring —in captivity. This milestone was followed by the first images of a live adult giant squid on 15 January 2002, near Goshiki beach in Amino-cho, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The animal, which measured about in mantle length and in total length, was found near the water's surface. It was captured and tied to a quay, where it died overnight. These images were joined by a number of little-publicised photographs of live adults at the surface off Okinawa. Renewed interest in filming a live giant squid followed the :File:Bigfin squid May 2001.jpg|2001 recording of an enormous specimen of bigfin squid at great depth off Hawaii, which received global media attention, and the observation of a possible giant squid egg mass in early 2002. This included further efforts by O'Shea to capture live paralarval specimens and another unsuccessful attempt to film a live adult in the wild, dubbed Proyecto Kraken, made off the Spanish coast of Asturias in September 2002 and led by giant squid expert Ángel Guerra. Amid growing competition between researchers, in September 2003 it was reported that O'Shea was leading a team that planned to image a live giant squid by suspending cameras in the water column that would release "puréed" female gonads to attract a male.It was only on 30 September 2004 that a live giant squid was photographed in its natural deep-water habitat, off the Ogasawara Islands, by Tsunemi Kubodera and Kyoichi Mori, the culmination of an effort that spanned three years and 26 week-long expeditions. The researchers employed a remote camera system suspended from floats at the surface on a long-line of up to. The system consisted of a downward-facing camera with a light and data logger, below which extended a weighted fishing line containing three items of bait at intervals along its length: a large hook with a Japanese flying squid of mantle length, a mesh bag containing euphausids to act as an odour lure, and finally a second bait squid directly attached to a weighted squid jig. The camera was configured to take one image every 30 seconds. The squid attacked the deployed bait at a depth of, becoming snagged on the associated jig. Over the next 4 hours and 13 minutes it periodically came into camera view as it struggled to free itself, gradually pulling the camera system up to a depth of around before apparently tiring and slowly sinking to almost, at which point it severed its own tentacle and escaped. The tentacle was recovered and used to confirm the squid's taxonomic identity via DNA sequencing. It measured in length, with a tentacular club of, and was used to estimate the mantle length at around, the standard length at, and the total length at more than. The images provided a unique insight into the feeding habits of the giant squid and suggested that it was a far more active predator than had previously been thought; the findings were published in the 22 December 2005 issue of .
Kubodera and his team, again working off the Ogasawara Islands, subsequently became the first to film a live adult giant squid on 4 December [|2006]. The animal was caught on a baited hook at depth and pulled to the surface, where it was recorded waving its arms and ejecting large volumes of water from its funnel. It was then brought aboard the research vessel, dying in the process. The squid measured approximately in mantle length and to the tips of the arms, and weighed nearly. Notably, footage of the squid at the surface showed the animal exhibiting conspicuous countershading, being reddish dorsally and silvery-white ventrally. The observed forceful ejection of water from the funnel provided further evidence for an active lifestyle and significant swimming ability in this species.
However, the quest to film a live giant squid in its natural habitat continued, with an unsuccessful National Geographic–backed attempt off the Azores in 2011, headed by camera expert Martin Dohrn and assisted by Malcolm Clarke. The following year, a team including Natacha Aguilar de Soto of the University of La Laguna lowered a camera to a depth of off El Hierro, Canary Islands, but to no avail. Around the same time, researchers at the University of Aberdeen's Oceanlab also expressed an interest in filming the giant squid in its natural habitat.
The elusive footage was finally captured in July 2012 by a team comprising Kubodera, O'Shea and Edith Widder, after more than 285 hours underwater and 55 submersible dives. The project was a joint effort by NHK, Discovery Channel, and Japan's National Museum of Nature and Science. Like Kubodera's two previous "firsts", the milestone was achieved off the Ogasawara archipelago. Initially, black-and-white video of a live giant squid was recorded at a depth of around from a "Medusa" remote camera system, which was suspended from a buoy at the surface. This system employed Widder's "e-jelly", a flashing ball meant to mimic the bioluminescent signalling of a panicking Atolla jellyfish, a behaviour hypothesised to be a last-ditch effort on the part of the jellyfish to attract a predator of its predator and thereby enable it to escape. In total, five sightings of giant squid were made using this system, the last being the most impressive: the squid was recorded passing over the "e-jelly" and apparently attacking the camera system directly, lending credence to the "alarm hypothesis". About a week after the first sighting using the "Medusa" system, a live animal was filmed by a three-man crew from a Triton 3300/3 submersible, providing the first ever colour and high-quality film of a live giant squid in its natural habitat. The squid, which was about long and missing its feeding tentacles, was initially observed at a depth of and later followed to around. It was drawn into viewing range through a combination of a flashing squid jig and the use of a large Thysanoteuthis rhombus as bait. The giant squid was filmed feeding for about 23 minutes until it departed. The footage was the subject of two full-length documentaries that premiered in January 2013: NHK's "Legends of the Deep: Giant Squid" and Discovery Channel's "Monster Squid: The Giant is Real". In August [|2013], Kirsten and Joachim Jakobsen announced an Evonik Industries–backed project to film a fully intact adult giant squid in its natural habitat off the Azores and thereby determine how the species uses its long tentacles for feeding ; efforts were ongoing as of 2015.
on 24 December 2015. The animal spent several hours in the harbour, where it was filmed by local divers before being guided out to sea. The resulting videos rank among the highest-quality live giant squid footage ever captured. Note the animal's splayed arms, which it repeatedly wrapped around the divers when approached.
Since the 2012 milestone, live giant squid have been photographed and filmed at the surface on a number of occasions, mostly in Japanese waters —the majority of these being related to the mass appearance event in the Sea of Japan between January 2014 and March 2015 —but also off Spain and South Africa. Additionally, two freshly stranded animals were photographed alive on South African beaches, and at least four individuals were briefly kept alive in tanks in Japan. Notable among these encounters was a specimen seen in Toyama Bay, Japan, on 24 December 2015, the video of which is one of the highest-quality ever recorded. The squid was apparently swimming normally when a local diving shop owner dove alongside it, and after a few hours of being filmed in a harbour the animal was guided back into the open ocean. It was estimated to be long excluding the tentacles. Two other specimens from Toyama Bay were similarly filmed by divers. Another noteworthy encounter was that between a paddleboarder and a badly injured individual off Melkbosstrand, South Africa, in March 2017, with the stricken animal filmed wrapping its arms around the paddleboard.
Another video of a live giant squid in its natural deep-water habitat —reported at the time as the second ever recorded—was captured in the Gulf of Mexico at depth in June 2019 by a NOAA-funded team that included Widder and visual ecologist and marine biologist Sönke Johnsen. The animal was seen approaching an "e-jelly" lure before retreating. It subsequently came to light that a seven-second clip of a live giant squid —little publicised initially —had been captured in October 2017, off the southern coast of El Hierro in the Canary Islands at around depth, making the Gulf of Mexico video the third such recording.
[|List of giant squid]
| # | Date | Location | Nature of encounter | Identification | Material cited | Material saved | Sex | Size and measurements | Repository | Main references | Additional references | Notes |
| 424 | 12 January 2001 | approximately from Gijón, off coast of Asturias, Spain at 300–600 m depth | By trawl; caught alive | Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 | Entire; missing arms III; arm II not intact | Entire | Female | ML: 1350 mm; MW: 400 mm; EL: 8010 mm; WT: 81 kg; VML: 1190 mm; MT: 22 mm; HW: 260 mm; AL: 2310/2400 mm; AL: 1791/1900 mm ; AL: 1870/1920 mm; TL: 6370/6530 mm; TCL: 770/790 mm; DC: 120/160 mm; MaL: 510/490 mm; CaL: 140/140 mm; LRL: 15.9 mm; URL: 16.5 mm; GL: 1180 mm; GW: 150 mm; FL: 560 mm; FW: 400 mm; EyD: 120 mm ; FuL: 160 mm; FuCL: 135 mm; FuCW: 25 mm; GiL: 370 mm; NGL: 150 mm | CEPESMA | González et al. ; Guerra et al. ; Guerra et al. | Second record of a living specimen collected in Spanish Atlantic waters. Specimen was frozen immediately after measurements were taken. It was later defrosted, dissected, and reconstructed. It was placed in a transparent glass case and fixed for 48 hours in 4% formalin. It is now preserved in 70% alcohol. | |
| 425 | 7 February 2001 | off south-west Australia | "Caught by commercial fishermen" | "giant squid" | Entire; "near-perfect specimen" | Entire? | WT: 200 kg | "Australian museum" | #Anon2001a| | Placed in preservative fluid. Mark Norman interviewed about find. | ||
| 426 | May 2001 | Caladero Lastres, Asturias, Spain | Architeuthis | ?EL: 9 m; WT: 90 kg | Guerra et al. | |||||||
| 10 June 2001 | east of Pacific Light, Florida Keys, Florida, United States | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis dux | Not stated | None given | RSMAS; "ex UMML 31.3149" | Roper et al. | Found over bottom depth of 725 m. | ||||
| 25 June 2001 | off Málaga, Andalusia, Spain, at ~400 m depth | By trawl, alive; died shortly thereafter | Architeuthis | Entire; tentacles intact | Entire | Female | ML: 125 cm; EL: 750 cm; WT: 65 kg | Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain | #Anon2001c| ; Guerra et al. | Rivas | On public display. Nicknamed "Archi". Second known giant squid specimen from the Mediterranean Sea. Caught by trawler Neptuno. Examined at Instituto Oceanográfico de Málaga, based in Fuengirola. Delivered to Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid in freezer truck on 1 October 2001 and there preserved under supervision of cephalopod expert Oscar Soriano; exhibited in tank. According to Guerra et al., found washed ashore dead but relatively fresh on Fuengirola beach on 27 June 2001. | |
| spring/summer 2001 | off east coast of South Island, New Zealand | Paralarvae caught alive and filmed "swimming robustly" in tank | Architeuthis | Seven live individuals | ?EL: 9–13 mm | Baird ; Young | Lamb | First video of live giant squid, albeit paralarval. Specimens caught by team led by Steve O'Shea and also including Malcolm Clarke and Chung Cheng Lu, after ~100 tows in 12 days. Attempts by aquaculturist Mike Tait to simulate natural conditions in tank proved unsuccessful as paralarvae soon died. Featured in Discovery Channel documentary Chasing Giants: On the Trail of the Giant Squid. | ||||
| 2 July 2001 | west of Carrandi, Asturias, Spain | Caught | Architeuthis | ?EL: 7.10 m; WT: 60 kg | Guerra et al. | Caught by the Spanish vessels Elena María and Bautista Pino from Cillero. | ||||||
| 6 July 2001 | off Bermuda | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis dux | Not stated | Male | "total length": ~ | Roper et al. | |||||
| 429 | 12 September 2001 | Playa de Rodiles, Asturias, Spain | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis dux | Entire?, missing tentacles | Entire? | Female | ML: 127 cm; EL: 710 cm; WT: 90 kg | Guerra et al. ; Bustamante et al. | Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study. | ||
| 430 | 20 September 2001 | Playa de Torimbia, Asturias, Spain | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | ?EL: 10 m; WT: 104 kg | Museo del Mar de Biarritz, Biarritz | Guerra et al. | On public display. Exhibited at the Museo del Mar de Biarritz in Biarritz. | ||||
| 431 | 23 September 2001 | Caladero de El Corbiro, Asturias, Spain | By trawl | Architeuthis | Female | WT: 73.5 kg | Guerra et al. | |||||
| 432 | 8 October 2001 | Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 600 m depth | Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark | Architeuthis dux | Lower and upper beak | Entire | LRL: 18.13 mm; ML: 220 cm | Cherel ; Cherel & Duhamel | Rincon | Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld. | ||
| 433 | 8 October 2001 | Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 600 m depth | Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark | Architeuthis dux | Lower and upper beak; broken | Entire | Cherel ; Cherel & Duhamel | Rincon | ||||
| 434 | 23 October 2001 | Playa de S. Cosme de Barreiros, Asturias, Spain | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis dux | Entire? | Entire? | Female | ML: 150 cm; EL: 800 cm; WT: 104 kg | Guerra et al. ; Bustamante et al. | Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study. | ||
| 435 | 21 November 2001 | Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 453–575 m depth | Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark | Architeuthis dux | Lower beak only | Entire | LRL: 10.43 mm; ML: 45 cm | Cherel ; Cherel & Duhamel | Rincon | Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld. | ||
| 436 | Unknown | North Atlantic | Architeuthis | Female | ML: 1480 mm; TL: 5910 mm ; CL: 830 mm ; CSC: 255 ; TSC: 279 ; additional indices and counts | VSM | Roeleveld | Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld. | ||||
| 437 | Unknown | North Atlantic | Architeuthis | Right club | TL: 1490+ mm; CL: 880 mm; CSC: 277; TSC: >288; additional indices and counts | VSM | Roeleveld | Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld. | ||||
| 438 | Unknown | North Atlantic | Architeuthis | Left club at least | Male | ML: 1180 mm | VSM | Roeleveld | Only referred to in single caption; not included in main study of Roeleveld. | |||
| 439 | 2002 | off Santa Catarina, Brazil | "found" | Architeuthis | Martins & Perez | Unreported prior to Martins & Perez. | ||||||
| 440 | 2002 | off Nishiizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan | Photographed by diver | Architeuthis | Entire? | None? | ?EL: ~2 cm | Yoshikawa | First time "baby" giant squid photographed by diver, according to Yoshikawa. | |||
| 3 January 2002 | west of St Kilda, Scotland, at 770 m depth | By trawl | Architeuthis | Entire, missing tentacles | Entire | Female | WL: 3.15 m; EL: 5.5 m | National Marine Aquarium | #Anon2002a| ; #Anon2002c| | #Anon2003a| | On public display. Caught by Fraserburgh trawler Marina Polaris. Specimen preserved in formaldehyde and displayed in custom-made tank at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth. | |
| 15 January 2002 | Goshiki beach, Amino-cho, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Found alive near surface; tied to quay with rope; died overnight | Architeuthis | Entire; reddish skin partly missing | Entire | ?ML: 2 m; ?WL: 4 m | National Museum of Nature and Science | #Anon2002b| ; O'Shea ; #Anon2006d| ; #Anon2008a| ; #Anon2008b| | Hellwarth | On public display. First images of live adult giant squid. Identified by Koutarou Tsuchiya of the Tokyo University of Fisheries. Exhibited at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo. | ||
| mid-February 2002 | off Poor Knights Islands, Northland Region, North Island, New Zealand | Large egg mass photographed in shallow water | ball-like salp; egg mass of pelagic squid ; egg mass of Nototodarus gouldi | Egg mass | - | diameter: 2 m | - | Doak ; Doak ; #Anon2002d| | Bolstad | Non-architeuthid. Photographed by photojournalists Jenny and Tony Enderby and posted on website of marine researcher Wade Doak. First known photo of such a squid egg mass. as egg mass of pelagic squid by Steve O'Shea. Resulting brought to light several similar sightings, one by DNA analysis as the egg mass of an arrow squid. | ||
| 443 | 11 March 2002 | Playa del Gayo, Asturias, Spain | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Female | WT: 70 kg | Guerra et al. | |||||
| 444 | 20 July 2002 | Seven Mile Beach, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis sp.; initially speculated to be a new species | Entire, in two pieces, missing tentacles | Entire | Female | EL: ; WT: ~250 kg | Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery | #Anon2002e| ; Trivedi | #Anon2003a| ; #Anon2007b| | Reported as a possible new species: "Experts found several characteristics which they say they have never encountered before – including long, thin flaps of muscle attached to each of the squid's eight arms." Spermatophores found around mantle. Study supervised by David Pemberton, senior curator of zoology at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Sucker marks and scar on head point to likely encounter with male. |
| August 2002 | Hokitika Canyon, off West Coast, South Island, New Zealand | "caught" | Architeuthis dux | 5 specimens | Entire? | None given | O'Shea | According to Steve O'Shea, specimens indicated that giant squid were migrating into New Zealand waters to spawn "a month later than usual". | ||||
| 445 | 24 August 2002 | near beach between Praia da Galé and Melides lagoon, west coast of Portugal | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis sp. | Entire; "fresh" condition | Male | ML: 111 cm; EL: 619.5 cm; ?WL: 188.5 cm ; WT: 60 kg | Marques ; Rosa et al. | First recorded specimen from Portuguese coast. Found during upwelling when surface water temperatures in region were. Collected by technicians of Sado Estuary Natural Reserve and taken to Museu Oceanográfico do Portinho da Arrábida where it was deep-frozen. Studied for biochemical composition by Rosa et al.. | |||
| 446 | 13 September 2002 | in the proximity of "Pozo de la Vaca", off coast of Asturias, Spain at 450–475 m depth | By trawl | Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 | Entire | Entire | Male | ML: 98/100 cm; MW: 33 cm; WT: 42/43 kg; EL: 600 cm; VML: 92 cm; BC: 76 cm; HL: 27 cm; HW: 28 cm; AL: 176 cm; LAL: 176 cm; AC: 15.4 cm; AC: 19.7 cm; AC: 21.6 cm; AC: 20+ cm; AF: 4.3.2.1; TL: 420/470 cm; TCL: 51 cm; DC: 15 cm; MaL: 29 cm; CaL: 7.9 cm; FL: 30 cm; FW: 28 cm; TaL: 8 cm; HeL: 4.5 cm ; EyD: 8/10 cm; FuL: 17 cm; FuD: 5.5 cm; FuCL: 12 cm; FuCW: 3 cm; PL: 88 cm; SSL: 30 cm; SoA: yes; SL: 11.0–20.0 cm; LRL: 1.2 cm; URL: 1.0 cm | CEPESMA | Guerra et al. ; Guerra et al. | Guerra et al. | Captured by Spanish pair trawlers Helena María and Bautista Pino. Spermatophores embedded in skin. |
| 447 | 10 October 2002 | El Agudo, Asturias, Spain | Caught by ships | Architeuthis | WT: 87 kg | Guerra et al. | Caught by ships Luscinda and Peña la Deva. | |||||
| 448 | 23 December 2002 | off Motobu Peninsula, Okinawa, Japan, at 500 m depth | Caught by vertical long-line squid jig | Architeuthis sp. | Entire | Entire | Female | ML: 1410 mm | Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium | Kubodera & Horikawa ; Kubodera | Donated to aquarium by local fisherman. According to Kubodera & Horikawa, specimen belongs to morphological type with thick arms of medium length and longest arm IV measuring 1.2–1.3 times mantle length. Photographed lying alongside Ryukyu woman for size comparison. | |
| Unknown | off Okinawa, Japan | Photographed alive at surface | Architeuthis | Entire, seemingly in perfect condition; red skin fully intact | None? | #Anonc2003| ; O'Shea | Eyden ; Kubodera | Photographed alive at surface after being attracted by jig-caught Thysanoteuthis. Possibly first adult giant squid to be photographed alive. | ||||
| Unknown | off Okinawa, Japan | Photographed alive at surface | Architeuthis | Entire, seemingly in perfect condition; red skin fully intact | None? | #Anonc2003| ; O'Shea | Eyden ; Kubodera | Photographed alive at surface with Megalocranchia. Possibly first adult giant squid to be photographed alive. Countershading observed in Architeuthis for the first time. | ||||
| 451 | Unknown | off Tonga | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis? | Entire, large gash in mantle near fins | - | ML: 2 m | O'Shea ; O'Shea | Unsuccessful attempt made to haul specimen onto boat deck. Carcass was probably attacked by an animal, but was very fresh upon discovery. taken of floating carcass and severed arm. Steve O'Shea noted that suckers at base of arm fragment in photo appear unusually large relative to arm thickness for it to be Architeuthis, though he considered this the "most likely" ID, with the "only alternative" being a giant onychoteuthid, though he thought this unlikely due to the locality. | |||
| 452 | 11 January 2003 | off Madeira | Seen clinging onto boat hull | Architeuthis dux | Entire | - | ?EL: 7–8 m / nearly ; "tentacle thicker than leg" | #Anon2003a| | Grann | Crew of trimaran Geronimo, competing in round-the-world Jules Verne Trophy, reported being "attacked" by giant squid several hours after departing from Brittany, France. Squid purportedly latched onto boat and blocked rudder with two of its "tentacles". First seen by first mate Didier Ragot, by shining flashlight through porthole. Also seen by captain Olivier de Kersauson, who stopped boat, causing squid to let go. | ||
| 453 | January 2003 | off Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Caught in net | giant squid | #Anon2008a| ; #Anon2008b| | |||||||
| 454 | around 20 July 2003 | Pringle Bay, Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Entire, missing tentacles | Several pieces of bait, buccal mass, beak; remainder cut up for bait | ?WL: 4 m ; WT: 200 kg | Avenier ; Merwe | Found in shallows by four fishermen. Length estimated by fisherman Anton Barnard. Remains in possession of Hermanus squid enthusiast Jean Francis Avenier. | |||
| August 2003 | off New Zealand | Caught in net | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | Entire | Male | EL: 6 m; ML: ~1 m; PL: 40 cm; LSD: 3 cm; WT: 49/60 kg | German Oceanographic Museum, Stralsund | #Anon2004b| ; #Anon2005a| ; Strauß & Reinicke ; #Anon2010f| ; Nordsieck ; #PottwaleNd| | On public display. Acquired by Steve O'Shea who examined it with Volker Miske of the University of Greifswald. Spermatophores found embedded in tissue outside range of own penis, suggesting male-on-male mating. Transferred to German Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund in May 2004 where it was examined by Miske and Götz Reinicke; exhibited there in 6 m tank filled with formalin since 16 January 2005 as the first specimen on public display in Germany. | ||
| 13 September 2003 | La Griega, Asturias, Spain | Not specified | Architeuthis | ?EL: 11 m; WT: 140 kg | Guerra et al. | #Anon2003b| | ||||||
| 456 | 15 September 2003 | La Isla, Asturias, Spain | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis dux | Entire? | Entire? | Female | ML: 152 cm; EL: 1200 cm; WT: 80 kg | Guerra et al. ; Bustamante et al. | #Anon2003b| | Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study. | |
| 457 | 16 September 2003 | Gozón, Asturias, Spain | Found floating at surface, dying | Architeuthis dux | Entire? | Entire? | Male | ML: 122 cm; EL: 620 cm; WT: 66 kg | Guerra et al. ; Bustamante et al. | #Anon2003b| | Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study. | |
| 458 | 23 September 2003 | Bañugues, Asturias, Spain | Found stranded | Architeuthis | Male | WT: 60 kg | Guerra et al. | |||||
| 459 | 10 October 2003 | Pozos- Carrandi, Asturias, Spain | Caught by ships | Architeuthis | ?EL: 10 m; WT: 67.5 kg | Guerra et al. | Caught by ships Travesía and Valdés Vega of Avilés. | |||||
| 460 | 16 October 2003 | off Gijón, off coast of Asturias, Spain | Found moribund and floating at the surface | Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 | Entire, missing tentacles | Entire | Male | ML: 122 cm; MW: 38 cm; WT: 66 kg; VML: 116 cm; HL: 28.9 cm; AC: 16.2 cm; AC: 20.4 cm; AC: 21.2 cm; AC: 25.1 cm; AF: 4.3.2.1; FL: 42 cm; BC: 82 cm; EyD: 9.5/10.3 cm; FuL: 17 cm; FuD: 7.6 cm; FuCL: 14.5 cm; FuCW: 3.6 cm; PL: 96.5 cm; SSL: 32.9 cm; SoA: no obs.; SL: 12.3–20.1 cm; LRL: 1.34 cm; URL: 1.2 cm | CEPESMA | Guerra et al. ; Guerra et al. | Guerra et al. give capture date as 16 September 2003. | |
| 461 | 18 October 2003 | La Griega, Asturias, Spain | Not specified | Architeuthis | Entire?, missing tentacles | Female | WT: 70 kg | Guerra et al. | ||||
| 462 | Unknown | off New Zealand, probably at 400–600 m depth | By hoki trawl | Architeuthis dux | Mantle only; caecum distended with prey, including fragments of an Architeuthis tentacular club | Female | ML: 1.6 m; additional measurements of Architeuthis remains found in caecum | Stomach contents accessioned into the Auckland University of Technology, Earth & Oceanic Sciences Research Institute, accession # AUT G.22 | Bolstad & O'Shea | Caught in one of two locations: either off the west coast of South Island, near Hokitika Canyon, between July and August; or off Banks Peninsula, on the east coast of South Island, between December and February. Contents of caecum examined. Prey items attributed to Nototodarus sp. and Architeuthis dux. Presence of Architeuthis remains in caecum suggests cannibalism or autophagy. | ||
| 15 March 2004 | 15.6 km NW of Port Stephens Settlement, Falkland Islands at 200/220 m depth | By bottom trawl, caught alive | Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 | Entire, almost complete | Entire | Female? | EL: 8.62 m; WT: >200 kg | BMNH; reg. no. 20040669 | #Anon2006a| ; Morelle ; Ablett ; Hendry ; Bonnett ; Westwood | Colwell ; Lamb ; numerous media sources | On public display. Nicknamed "Archie". Caught by Falkland-registered trawler John Cheek ; immediately frozen. Donated by Alexander Arkhipkin of Falkland Islands Fisheries Department. Preservation overseen by mollusc curator Jonathan Ablett. DNA samples taken. Defrosted over 3 days and then measured by museum scientist Oliver Crimmen. Next injected with ~15 litres of 10% formol-saline solution and placed in purpose-built wooden container lined with rubber, filled with 3250 litres of water, 350 litres of formalin, and 125 kg of rock salt. Finally transferred to 9.45 m-long acrylic tank filled with 10% formol-saline solution. On display in undissected state at Darwin Centre, BMNH, but only viewable to public as part of Spirit Collection Tour. Central to plot of [|2010] fantasy novel Kraken. | |
| 15 April 2004 | southeast of Okinawa Island, Japan | Photographed alive at surface | Architeuthis | Entire, seemingly in perfect condition; red skin fully intact | - | ML: 2 m ; ?WL: 5–6 m | - | #Anon2004a| | Eyden ; Kubodera | |||
| 11 August 2004 | off Arguineguín, southern Gran Canaria, Canary Islands | Caught by fishermen | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacle intact | Entire | EL: 8.5 m; WT: 83/85 kg | Instituto Canario de Ciencias Marinas, Telde | #Anon2004c| ; Alcalá | Taken to Instituto Canario de Ciencias Marinas in Telde for study, with necropsy planned for winter. Identification provided by Patricia Navajas of ICCM. | |||
| 11 August 2004 | between Fuerteventura, Canary Islands and Morocco | Found by Salvamento Marítimo | Architeuthis dux | Mantle only? | Entire | ML: 1 m | Instituto Canario de Ciencias Marinas, Telde | #Anon2004c| ; Alcalá | Taken to Instituto Canario de Ciencias Marinas in Telde for study, with necropsy planned for winter. Identification provided by Patricia Navajas of ICCM. | |||
| 23 August 2004 | 3 km from lighthouse, Ocean Beach, Farewell Spit, New Zealand | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Entire | Entire | ?WL: 5.7 m; WT: "near" 300 kg | Auckland University of Technology | #Anon2004d| ; #Anon2004e| ; #Anon2004f| | #Anon2007d| | Reportedly largest known giant squid specimen. Found by British tourists Nick and Rosemary Pinfield on Farewell Spit Tours trip. Transferred to Steve O'Shea of Auckland University of Technology on August 25. Available for public viewing at university on October 11. | ||
| 30 September 2004 | off Chichijima Island, Ogasawara Islands, Japan, initially at 900 m depth, then up to 600 m, and finally down to 1000 m | Sighted in natural habitat; line baited with squid and shrimp | Architeuthis | Entire; live animal sighted and photographed | 5.5 m long portion of tentacle attached to line; squid broke free and swam away | Recovered tentacle: 5.5 m long; TCL: 720 mm; LSD: 28 mm; ML: 1615 mm ; ML: 1709 mm ; WL: ~4.7 m ; EL: >8 m | Kubodera & Mori ; Owen ; Hopkin ; #Anon2005b| ; #Anon2005c| ; Staedter ; Morelli ; Kubodera ; Kubodera | Dery ; Sakamoto ; Hanlon & Messenger ; numerous media sources | First images of live giant squid in its natural deep-water habitat. Feeding behaviour observed; "Architeuthis appears to be a much more active predator than previously suspected, using its elongate feeding tentacles to strike and tangle prey". Distal tentacle portion was still functioning upon retrieval at surface, with club suckers "repeatedly gripping the boat deck and any offered fingers". Press event with Tsunemi Kubodera held at Tokyo's National Museum of Nature and Science. | |||
| 5 December 2004 | near the Red Rock local landmark, Ghaneys Beach, Colliers, Conception Bay, Newfoundland | Found stranded on rocks, ~ above sea level | Architeuthis dux | Entire; missing skin | Female | ML: 131 cm; ?EL: | "Flynnsbeach" ; Roper et al. | Found and first reported by Jimmy Conway of Colliers; later identified by scientists. Photographed with Dennis Flynn at 10:45 pm on 5 December 2004; specimen left untouched by photographer. | ||||
| 22 December 2004 | near shore off Triton, Green Bay, Newfoundland | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis dux | Not stated | Male | "total length": 405 cm | Roper et al. | |||||
| 2005 | off South Island, New Zealand, at 500 m depth | Caught in net for hoki | Architeuthis sanctipauli | Entire; tentacles intact | Entire | Male? | EL: 6.75 m; WT: 250 kg | Queensland Museum | Holroyd ; Morelli ; #Anon2006e| ; Pearce ; #QM2010| ; Sykes & Begley ; Kent ; #QM2014| | On public display. Purchased by Melbourne Aquarium curator Nick Kirby for more than A$100,000. Displayed in 3.5-tonne block of ice that took 3 weeks to freeze, initially at Melbourne Aquarium, later at UnderWater World as part of "Monsters of the Deep" exhibit. Donated in frozen state to Queensland Museum in 2008; ice chipped away over 3 days, specimen then thawed over a week, and preserved in ethanol; after more than 5 years in museum lab, displayed as part of "Deep Oceans" exhibit, later on level 2. Nicknamed "Cal". #QM2010| gives 2004 as year of capture. | ||
| 468 | 2005 | Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, near Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis dux | Entire; "poor condition"; all arms and tentacles damaged and incomplete, mantle torn open and bearing row of sperm whale teeth holes, most internal organs missing | Entire | ML: 960 mm; EL: 2340 mm; WT: 22,600 g ; MW: 780 mm; HL: 410 mm; HW: 360 mm ; EyD: 40 mm; TL: 1270/1105 mm; AL: 1165/1430 mm; AL: 940/810 mm; AL: 805/710 mm; AL: 745/700 mm; AD: 180/200 mm; AD: 180/180 mm; AD: 195/180 mm; AD: 150/140 mm; BAC: 280 mm; BAL: 135 mm | Royal British Columbia Museum | Cosgrove & Sendall ; Horner | Found by Parks Canada staff. Photographed on beach by Heather Holmes. Beak and radula extracted for identification. Identification of specimen as A. dux confirmed by Steve O'Shea. Apparently attacked and killed by a sperm whale. | ||
| 2 July 2005 | south of Key West, Florida, United States | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis dux | Entire; "whole specimen" | WL: ~ | Roper et al. | Found over bottom depth of 592 m. Identified based on photo. | |||||
| 19 July 2005 | off Gandia, Valencia, western Mediterranean Sea | By trawl | Architeuthis dux | Entire? | Entire? | Male | ML: 107 cm; EL: 600 cm; WT: 50 kg | CEPESMA | Bustamante et al. ; #Anon2014d| ; #Anon2014e| | #Anon2013b| | First male specimen from Mediterranean. Caught by fishing boat Nova Emi. Taken to Grau de Gandia fish market off Playa de Piles and auctioned to fishmonger Jesús Caudeli for 37 euros. Initially offered to University of Valencia, who rejected it; donated to CEPESMA. Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study. One of few CEPESMA specimens not destroyed during storm of 2 February 2014. On temporary display in Biarritz from June 2014. | |
| 470 | 22 July 2005 | off Gijón, Asturias, North Spain | By trawl | Architeuthis dux | Entire? | Entire? | Female | ML: 146 cm; EL: 820 cm; WT: 139 kg | Bustamante et al. | Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study. | ||
| October 2005 | Los Cristianos, Tenerife, Canary Islands | Not stated; dead | Architeuthis | Not given | #Anon2009| | |||||||
| ~March 2006 | off West Coast of South Island, New Zealand | By trawl | "giant squid" | Entire, "largely intact, albeit with a few battle scars"; tentacles intact | Entire | Male? | EL: 8.23 m; TL: 5 m; WT: 100 kg | Coursey | Nicknamed "Squid Vicious". Supplied by Steve O'Shea. Formerly on public display in 3.8 m tank at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland, New Zealand, as part of "Freaky Fish" exhibit from 23 September 2006; partly preserved but displayed in chilled sea water in new experimental approach. | |||
| 7 May 2006 | Florida Current, offshore, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis dux | "most of mantle missing" | "total length": | Roper et al. | Most of mantle bitten off by mako shark. Sample used as part of mitogenomic study of Winkelmann et al.. | |||||
| 471 | 11 August 2006 | about eight miles off Santa Cruz Island | Found floating at surface | "giant squid" | "a tentacle and two arms" | Entire?; stored in cooler after being found | TL: ~; TD: "about the diameter of a broomstick"; AL: ~; ASD: "about the size of a nickel" | Not stated | #Anon2006c| | Found by sport fisherman Bennett Salvay from the Los Angeles suburb of Tarzana. "Eric Hochberg, a squid expert at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, said the rest of the squid might have ended up in the stomach of a sperm whale or orca." | ||
| 472 | October? 2006 ; December 2006 fide Lee | Pacific Ocean, about northwest of Midway | Found floating at surface; caught with fishing spear | Architeuthis | Entire | Entire | WT: 211 kg; BC: 1.5 m; BL+HL?: 3 m; ?EL: 6 m ; Lee ] | China Times 21 December 2006; #Anon2006f| | #Anon2013g| ; Lee | Caught by skipper Hong Jeh Shan and mechanic Hong Shih Cheng. Sold for around $530 USD at Tong Goang fish market. Kept in freezer for 2 months prior to being reported. Identified as giant squid by C. C. Wu of the Taiwan Department of Fish and Game. Photographed separately with kindergarten children and with Hong Chieh Shang, son-in-law of Hong Shih Cheng. | ||
| 4 December 2006 | ~ northeast of Otohto-jima Island, Ogasawara Islands, Japan, at 650 m depth | Caught on baited hook; videotaped alive at surface; brought aboard research vessel "after putting up quite a fight"; died in process | Architeuthis sp. | Entire; tentacles and several arm tips missing | Entire | Female | ML: 1.43 m; EL: ~7 m ; BL+HL: 3.5 m; WT: nearly 50 kg | Talmadge ; de Pastino ; #Reuters2007| ; Kubodera ; Nilsson et al. | Dery ; Sakamoto ; numerous media sources | First of live adult giant squid. Specimen was hooked when it attempted to eat a neon flying squid, which was itself attracted by bait of Japanese flying squid. Countershading and forceful ejection of water observed at surface. Sexual maturity determined based on immature ovary. Carcass preserved in formalin displayed at news conference at National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo on 22 December. Eye preserved in 4% formalin; sections of retina embedded in histological Araldite used by Nilsson et al. to measure rhabdom diameter. | ||
| 474 | 24 January 2007 | off Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Caught in net, escaped | giant squid | Entire | - | #Anon2008a| | |||||
| June 2007 | off southern Tenerife, Canary Islands | Pilot whale observed at surface with a tentacle in its mouth | Architeuthis? | Tentacle | - | EL: 4–5 m ; TL: >2 m ; WT: 180 kg | #Anon2007e| ; Soto et al. ; Walker | Pilot whale made several side jumps to release tentacle and eat it. Photographed by Pablo Aspas; video also recorded. Led scientists to suggest that pilot whales may feed on giant squid. Size estimates by teuthologist Ángel Guerra. Piece of "fresh" arm and other remains also found near diving pilot whales. | ||||
| 475 | 10 July 2007 | Ocean Beach, near Strahan, Tasmania, Australia | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Entire, missing tentacles | ML: ~1.7 m; EL: ~6–8 m ; BD: ~1 m; WT: ~250 kg | Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery | #Anon2007a| ; #Anon2007b| ; #Anon2007f| | Kept in formalin for a month before being preserved in ethanol. Photographed in situ with Ritchie Bauer of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. | |||
| 476 | 22 or 23 July 2007 | ~6 km from base of spit, Ocean Beach, Farewell Spit, New Zealand | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Entire? | ?EL: 4.2 m | #Anon2007c| ; #Anon2007d| | Found by members of Farewell Spit Eco Tours. | ||||
| 477 | 8 August 2007 | Marathon Hump, south of Marathon, Florida Keys, Florida, United States | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis dux? | Entire, "completely intact"; both eyes and all arms and tentacles intact | Male | EL: ; WT: | Mote Marine Laboratory | Lollar ; #Anon2007j| ; Roper et al. | Possibly the smallest and most intact giant squid found in the region. Recovered by David Stout of North Fort Myers while fishing for tuna and mahi-mahi aboard Concrete Gringo in of water. Kept on ice by Stout before being transported to Mote Marine Laboratory, where it was examined and tentatively idenfitied by Debi Ingrao. Preserved in formalin. Sample used as part of mitogenomic study of Winkelmann et al.. | ||
| 478 | 21 August 2007 | New Zealand | By trawl | Architeuthis | Entire, missing tentacles | EL: ~10 m | Bolstad | Submerged in and injected with 5% formalin after thawing. Eyes in very good condition. | ||||
| 23 August 2007 | off Elba, Italy | Caught in a deep sea net by fisherman | Architeuthis; Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857 | Entire, with mature eggs | Female | EL: 1.7 m; WT: 17.6 kg | Marine Biology Laboratory, Livorno, Italy | #Anon2007g| ; #Anon2007h| ; #Anon2007i| | Non-architeuthid. Identified by Paolo Sartor. Specimen retrieved in "excellent condition". | |||
| 479 | 29 August 2007 | beach in Port Underwood, New Zealand | Found washed ashore; likely discarded by a trawler | Architeuthis | Entire, missing tentacles | ?WL: ~3 m; EL: ~4 m | Johnston | Found by retired whaler Ted Perano. | ||||
| 480 | 25 October 2007 | off Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Caught by fishermen | Architeuthis | Entire | Unknown | ?EL: ~4 m; WT: 130 kg | #Anon2007k| | Martins & Perez | Specimen was taken to Niterói, where it was purchased by Alessandro Mello. Martins & Perez write "the fate of this specimen is currently unknown". | ||
| 481 | 27 December 2007 | beach near mouth of Yura River, Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Found washed ashore | giant squid | Entire? | Female | ?EL: 3.3–3.7 m; ML: ~1.8 m; WT: 100 kg | National Museum of Nature and Science | #Anon2008a| ; #Anon2008b| | Initially frozen at the Kyoto Prefectural Marine Center. Dissection carried out on 4 February 2008. | ||
| 482 | February 2008 | off Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan | captured | giant squid | #Anon2014n| | |||||||
| 485 | 9 May 2008 | 40 km off Hickory Bay, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand, at 112 m depth | Caught by trawler Austro Carina | "giant squid" | Mantle and tentacles, head missing | ML: 2 m; TL: 4 m | Brown | Head lost when caught in net. Capture of squid described by Lyttelton skipper Dale Robertson. | ||||
| 25 May 2008 | about 40 km off Portland, Victoria, Australia, at [|556] m depth | Caught by trawler Zeehaan | "giant squid" | Entire; eyes, skin and fins intact | Entire | Female | EL: >12 m ; ?EL: 5.5–6 m; WT: 245 kg | Melbourne Museum, Museum Victoria | Burgess ; #Anon2008e| ; #Anon2008f| ; McNamara ; #Anon2008g| ; #Anon2008i| | Largest recorded specimen from Australian waters. Capture of squid described by skipper Rangi Pene. Identified as a "colossal squid" in some media reports. Public dissection took place at Melbourne Museum on 17 July 2008, carried out by team of experts led by Mark Norman. | ||
| 487 | 25 June 2008 | about off Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay, California | Found floating at surface with gulls feeding on remains | Architeuthis | Entire; missing parts of mantle, most of one tentacle, eyes, sex organs, stomach, ink sac, and heart | Entire | EL: ~ ; ?WL: ; BC: ; WT: ~; WT: | Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History | Alexander ; Rusk ; Hirschmann ; #Anon2008h| ; Kettmann ; Meyers ; Williams | Found by Santa Cruz researcher Sean Van Sommeran and other crew of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. Possibly died as a result of shark attack. taken of specimen in water, during retrieval, on boat deck, and during dissection. Dissected on 26 June 2008 at Long Marine Lab by team including William Gilly, Ken Baltz, and John Field. Specimen was measured, checked for parasites, and tissue samples were taken. Examined again on August 22 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Covered in 2011 book Kraken: The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid. | ||
| 488 | 16 October 2008 | "beginning" of Farewell Spit, New Zealand | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Entire | Entire? | Female? | ?EL: 5 m; WT: ~200 kg | Auckland University of Technology | Holst ; Rowe | Gale | Found by team including Chris Pomeroy and Tim Rowe of Farewell Spit Eco Tours. Transferred in refrigerated truck by Department of Conservation to Steve O'Shea at Auckland University of Technology. Viewed by children from three local primary schools prior to transfer. |
| 489 | 2009 | Kerguelen waters | Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark | Architeuthis dux | Lower beak | Entire | LRL: 16.2 mm | Xavier & Cherel | ||||
| 490 | 2009 | Kerguelen waters | Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark | Architeuthis dux | Lower beak | Entire | LRL: 10.1 mm | Xavier & Cherel | ||||
| 491 | 2009 | Kerguelen waters | Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark | Architeuthis dux | Upper beak | Entire | URL: 18.1 mm | Xavier & Cherel | ||||
| 19 February 2009 | Charco Manso, El Hierro, Canary Islands | Found floating at surface; later washed ashore, dead | Architeuthis | Entire? | "large size" | #Anon2009| | Analysed and identified by members of Instituto Español de Oceanografía. | |||||
| 492 | 2 April 2009 | Island Bay beach, New Zealand | Found in shallow water; dragged onto beach | "giant squid" | Entire; "fantastic condition" | Entire | Male? | ?EL: 3 m | NMNZ | Paulin ; Wood & Easton | Found by Alana Spragg and Bella Spragg. Probably died only a few hours before being found. Thought to be either a male or a juvenile due to small size. | |
| 493 | 30 July 2009 | off Louisiana, United States, at > depth | Caught in research cruise trawl net | Architeuthis | Entire, "intact" | Entire | Female | EL: ; WT: 103 lb | NMNH | Melvin ; Schleifstein ; Roper et al. | Roper & Shea | Capture announced by Interior Department on 21 September. Stomach contents examined and found to contain mostly fluid with few solid remains. White tissue on posterior tip of ink sac interpreted as putative light organ. Sample used as part of mitogenomic study of Winkelmann et al.. |
| 15 August 2009 | near a small bay just west of Beaver Point on Saltspring Island, Canada | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis dux; Moroteuthis robusta | Entire | Entire; "badly decomposed" | ?EL: | Horner | Non-architeuthid. Found by Saanich residents Karia Leschke and Ron Lysek on their boat Stealaway. Identified by invertebrate research biologist Graham Gillespie. Reported on 5 October. | ||||
| 495 | 14 October 2009 | off Bonin Islands, Japan | Found floating at surface | Architeuthis | Single tentacle | TL: 3.5 m | Hansford ; Wu ; Wu | Found and measured by Tony Wu. | ||||
| 496 | 15 October 2009 | off Bonin Islands, Japan | Female sperm whale photographed near surface carrying giant squid remains in its jaws | Architeuthis | Remains | - | ?EL: 9 m | Hansford | Group of five adult sperm whales and one calf photographed by Tony Wu. Steve O'Shea suggested adult whales may use remains of giant squid to teach calves about hunting. | |||
| 497 | 2010 | Fosa de Hércules, off Province of A Coruña, Spain | By trawl | Architeuthis | Entire? | Not stated | #Anon2011b| ; #Anon2011c| | Caught by the trawler Minchos VI. Both this specimen and another caught by Minchos VI in April 2011 were noted for differing anatomically from other Spanish giant squid specimens. | ||||
| 15 January 2010 | Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea | Found stranded on beach | Architeuthis sp. | Entire; tentacles intact, skin largely missing | Female | ML: 1750 mm; TL: 5060 mm; AL: 1550/1560 mm; AL: 1420/1560 mm; AL: 1620/1730 mm; AL: 1500/1410 mm; LSD: 20 mm; MT: 30.6–40.2 mm; HL: 310 mm; HW: 230 mm; EyD: 50 mm; FL: 594 mm; FW: 545 mm; GiL: 460 mm; WT: 2764 g ; WT: 1290 g | Lee et al. | Total weight not measured. | ||||
| 498 | 20 February 2010 | off Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Found washed ashore, dead | Architeuthis sp. | Entire?, good condition | Entire? | ML: 1.7 m; WL: 3.4 m; WT: 109.2 kg | National Museum of Nature and Science | #Anon2010b| ; #Anon2010c| | Local newspapers | Identified by Niigata City Aquarium based on fin shape. | |
| 22 May 2010 | Pacific Ocean , at 197 m depth | Not stated | Architeuthis dux | Not stated | Undetermined | None given | da Fonseca et al. ; da Fonseca et al. | Chromatin and genomic DNA extracted from arm used to generate annotated draft genome of Architeuthis dux. | ||||
| 499 | 4 July 2010 | near southern seamount off continental shelf out from Narooma, Australia | Found floating at surface | "giant squid" | Parts of head, arms, and tentacles; partially eaten | None; discarded into ocean | TL: "close to" 3 m; ?EL: 5 m | Gorton | Found by Narooma fisherman Tony Lawson and his crew while chasing bluefin tuna. | |||
| 500 | 7 August 2010 | Houghton Bay, Wellington, New Zealand | Found washed ashore in stormwater channel, dead | "giant squid" | Entire; "in bad shape" | Beak; other remains left to the elements, washed out to sea around 3 pm | ?EL: 3.5–4 m | NMNZ | Harvey ; #Anon2010g| ; Pollock | Probably attacked at sea. Initially identified as a colossal squid by Department of Conservation Wellington area manager, Rob Stone. Correct identification by Te Papa communications manager, Jane Kieg. Te Papa only interested in beak for examination due to poor condition of specimen. | ||
| 501 | early April 2011 | Fosa de Hércules, off Province of A Coruña, Spain, at 600 m depth | By trawl | Architeuthis | Entire, missing one tentacle | Entire | Female | EL: 6 m; WT: 48 kg | CEPESMA | #Anon2011b| ; #Anon2011c| | Caught by the trawler Minchos VI. Reported 11 April 2011; captured week prior. Both this specimen and another caught by Minchos VI the previous year were noted for differing anatomically from other Spanish giant squid specimens. Transferred to CEPESMA in Luarca for planned necropsy. | |
| 502 | 26 June 2011 | off Jensen Beach, Florida, United States, over deep waters | Found floating at surface, dead or "barely alive" | Architeuthis dux | Entire, "extremely well-preserved"; missing one tentacle, patches of red skin intact | Entire | Female | ?EL: ; ?WL: ; WT: | Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida | Crabbe ; Mayfield ; Than ; Torrent ; Thomas ; Roper et al. | May have died shortly after mating. Found by Stuart fishermen Robert Benz, Paul Peroulakis, and Joey Asaro. Transferred to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission field laboratory in Tequesta on 27 June 2011, and to University of Florida later that day. Genetic samples taken. Mantle injected with formalin and specimen submerged in 10% formalin as part of two-week preservation process. | |
| 503 | July 2011 | around south of Los Gigantes cliff, Tenerife, Canary Islands, over 800–1200 m deep waters | Found floating at/just below surface, dead | Architeuthis | Entire, missing tentacles, eyes, ends of arms, patches of red skin intact; "in good general condition" | Beak and sucker samples | Female? | EL: ~8 m | Association for the Study of Cetaceans in the Canary Islands | Corniola ; Lamar | Millán | Found by Aquawork film crew during filming of documentary on local cetaceans. Floating specimen filmed with diver. Several shearwaters observed in area prior to discovery of carcass. |
| 504 | 23 August 2011 | Ocean Beach, entrance to Farewell Spit, New Zealand | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Entire | None; left to the elements | ?EL: "nearly four metres" | Gale | Found by Paddy Gillooly of Farewell Spit Eco Tours. | |||
| 505 | 31 March 2012 | Kaikoura Canyon, New Zealand | Male sperm whale photographed at surface with severed giant squid arm attached to side of head | "giant squid" | Single arm | None; seen to have detached by following day | - | Nicoll | Observed by Whale Watch Kaikoura tour group, including tour guide Sarah Rousseaux. Sperm whale had been diving for around 45 minutes prior to observation. | |||
| 1 June 2012 | about 50 km off Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis | Entire, portions of arms and tentacles missing, orange skin intact, not foul-smelling; likely very fresh | Beak and tissue samples; carcass too heavy to bring aboard | ?WL: 3 m ; WT: > | Australian Museum | Holland ; Smith ; Thomas ; Hill ; | Found by The Daily Telegraph columnist Al McGlashan during tuna and swordfish fishing expedition, after spotting albatross sitting on carcass. Tied to boat; photographed and filmed over period of 3 hours. Blue shark measuring 2.5 m filmed feeding on remains. Others on board included Justin Lewis, a film crew, and Phil Bolton, fisheries officer with New South Wales Fishing and Aquaculture. Beak went on display as part of Australian Museum's Deep Ocean exhibition, beginning 16 June 2012. | |||
| July 2012 | off Ogasawara Islands, Japan, at ~700 m depth | Filmed from remote camera system, alive | Architeuthis | Five recordings of live animals; likely multiple individuals | - | ?WL: ~4 m | Lyden ; Schrope ; Millikan ; Widder ; Widder | Dery ; numerous media sources | First video of live giant squid in its natural deep-water habitat. Black-and-white footage recorded from "Medusa" system suspended from a floating buoy; first encounter took place during second deployment. Squid was seen fanning its arms and, in the fifth and final encounter, passing over the optical lure and in a manner consistent with Edith Widder's "alarm hypothesis". | |||
| July 2012 | ~15 km east of Chichi Island, Ogasawara Islands, Japan, initially at 630 m depth; later followed to ~900 m depth | Filmed and photographed from submersible, alive | Architeuthis | Entire, missing both tentacles | - | WL: 3 m; EL: 8 m | Robey ; Schur ; Ito ; Revkin ; Mullen ; #Anon2013a| ; Lyden ; Schrope ; Millikan ; Dawkins ; Johnston ; Frazer ; Widder ; Widder ; #NHK2013a| ; #NHK2013b| ; #NHK2013c| ; #NHK2013d| ; Kubodera ; Kubodera ; Sakamoto ; #NHK2014| ; Sakamoto | Hellwarth ; Dery ; Sakamoto ; Lamb ; numerous media sources | Widely reported as first of live giant squid in natural habitat. Observed swimming against current and holding bait squid in arms. Filmed from Triton 3300/3 submersible for 23 minutes by three-man crew comprising Tsunemi Kubodera, an NHK cameraman, and pilot Jim Harris, initially under low-light and then for 18 minutes under submersible's bright main lights, which apparently did not disturb the feeding squid. Expedition was joint effort by NHK, Discovery Channel, and Japan's National Museum of Nature and Science; scientific team was led by Kubodera, Steve O'Shea, and Edith Widder. Footage officially announced on 10 December 2012, by Robey. | |||
| 10 October 2012 | Playa de Getares, Punta Carnero, Algeciras, Andalusia, Spain | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire | Female | EL: 6.45/7.5 m; ?WL: 3.6 m; WT: 70 kg | El Estrecho Natural Park | #Anon2012a| ; #Anon2012b| ; #Anon2013b| ; #Anon2013c| ; #Anon2013d| ; Muñoz ; Prieto ; #Anon2013h| | Numerous media sources | Largest known specimen from Mediterranean. Found by volunteers who moved it to Cala Arenas, then handed over to CEGMA who transferred it to Algeciras for freezing. Dissected in front of TV cameras on 1 February 2013 by staff from CEPESMA, CSIC, and CEGMA, including Ángel Guerra and Luis Laria. Internal organs examined and tissues sampled for heavy metals and genetic analysis. Specimen found to be extremely thin, with changes in digestive gland and hematopoietic organs. Placed in methacrylate container, first in preservative fluid for 1.5–2 months, then formalin. On public display at El Estrecho Natural Park information point from 22 May through October 2013. | |
| 509 | 3 February 2013 | off Shark's Tooth point, South Bay, Kaikoura, New Zealand | Found floating at surface, dead but fresh | "giant squid" | Entire, posterior end of mantle missing | Entire | Female | EL: ~8 m ; TL: ~6.5 m; WT: >140/150 kg | Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium / NMNZ | #Anon2013e| ; Dangerfield ; Dangerfield ; Williams | Hill ; numerous media sources | On public display. Found by Christchurch recreational fishermen Jack and Sharon Osikai around 8 am while returning from fishing trip; towed ashore behind boat. Marine biologist Megan Bosch of Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium speculated bite marks on mantle might have resulted from attack by larger squid. Bosch dissected specimen live on TV3's Campbell Live on 4 February 2013. Stomach contents found to be "well-digested". Specimen on display at aquarium from March 2013 in five custom-made glass containers each holding different parts. |
| 510 | 19 April 2013 | Uchinoura Bay, off Uchinoura, Kimotsuki District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu Island, Japan at 45 m depth | Caught alive in set net | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire | Unclear | EL: 608.5 mm; ML: 140.8 mm; VML: 131.0 mm; MW: 29.4 mm ; HL: 34.7 mm; HW: 32.2 mm; FL: 56.2 mm; FW: 40.5 mm; EyD: 18.2 mm; LRL: 2.2 mm; URL: 2.0 mm; FuCL: 10.2/8.7 mm ; FuCW: 2.9/2.7 mm ; WT: 44.8 g; extensive additional measurements | Kagoshima City Aquarium "Io World" | Wada et al. ; Jozuka ; Yuhas | Shimada et al. ; numerous media sources | Caught by Shioji Maru. Species identification confirmed by COI sequence analysis. Exhibited at Kagoshima City Aquarium "Io World" between 20 November 2015 and 31 January 2016, preserved in ethanol. |
| 511 | 28 April 2013 | near Cape Campbell Lighthouse, Marlborough, New Zealand | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis dux | Entire, missing tentacles and arm tips, bite damage | None; left to decompose on beach | WL: 1.5 m; AL: ~0.5 m | Kirk ; #Anon2013f| | Found by Marlborough resident Jason Gluer while quad biking. Inspected by ranger and photographs sent to Te Papa for research purposes. Measurements provided by Department of Conservation spokesperson Clare Duston. | |||
| 30 May 2013 | off Brazil | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; "looked relatively well preserved, but had begun to deteriorate due to wave action" | None; not collected | "length": ~2 m | Leite et al. | Sighted by three Marine Mammal Observers on duty onboard an operating seismic vessel. As the specimen was not examined its death cannot be unequivocally attributed to the seismic activity. Species identified by teuthologist Ángel Guerra from photograph by Leite. A "similar, smaller squid" was seen by Versiani in the same area earlier that month, but no photos were taken. | ||||
| 513 | 14 June 2013 | off Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, Japan at 120–130 m depth | Caught in purse seine net | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire | Unclear | EL: 1629.0 mm; ML: 332.0 mm; MW: 88.5 mm ; HL: 47.0 mm; HW: 43.1 mm; FL: 100.1 mm; FW: 63.1 mm; EyD: 36.3 mm; LRL: 4.0 mm; URL: 4.2 mm; FuCL: 30.1/28.3 mm ; FuCW: 6.7/6.7 mm ; WT: 390.6 g; extensive additional measurements | Shimane Prefectural Fisheries Technology Center | Wada et al. ; Jozuka ; Yuhas | Shimada et al. ; numerous media sources | Caught by Yoshikatsu Maru in same purse seine net as 1487 mm EL specimen; one of the two was exhibited at the Shimane Prefectural Fisheries Technology Center from 18 March 2015, preserved in ethanol. Species identification confirmed by COI sequence analysis. |
| 514 | 14 June 2013 | off Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, Japan at 120–130 m depth | Caught in purse seine net | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire | Unclear | EL: 1487.0 mm; ML: 332.0 mm; MW: 58.5 mm ; HL: 33.0 mm; HW: 38.5 mm; FL: 111.9 mm; FW: 67.3 mm; EyD: 36.2 mm; LRL: 4.2 mm; URL: 4.1 mm; FuCL: 27.0/26.5 mm ; FuCW: 6.4/6.7 mm ; WT: 357.0 g; extensive additional measurements | Shimane Prefectural Fisheries Technology Center | Wada et al. ; Jozuka ; Yuhas | Shimada et al. ; numerous media sources | Caught by Yoshikatsu Maru in same purse seine net as 1629 mm EL specimen; one of the two was exhibited at the Shimane Prefectural Fisheries Technology Center from 18 March 2015, preserved in ethanol. Species identification confirmed by COI sequence analysis. |
| 2013 | McDougalls Bay, South Africa | Found washed ashore, alive | Architeuthis | Entire; eye and skin largely intact, tentacles missing | Scheepers | Kemper | Photographed on beach while alive. | |||||
| 16 August 2013 | ~ off Merón beach, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire, fresh; with multiple bite marks, missing ends of arms and tentacles, eyes intact | Entire | Female | WT: >70/80 kg; EL: 8 m | CEPESMA | Ramos ; #Anon2013i| ; #Anon2013j| ; #Anon2013k| ; #Anon2013l| ; Salas | Likely carried from Carrandi Trench by strong northeast winds. Found by Gijón fishermen Caesar Ceñal and Pachi Sánchez. Brought to Gijón port and there examined by Luis Laria. Transferred by CEPESMA to Museo del Calamar Gigante in Luarca and frozen for necropsy. Necropsied on 29 September 2013 with male specimen from Palombina. Cause of death determined to be asphyxiation by larger female of possibly more than twice its weight, according to Luis Laria. | ||
| 516 | mid-September 2013 | Palombina beach, Llanes, Asturias, Spain | Not stated | Architeuthis | Entire; poor condition | Entire | Male | WT: 55 kg | CEPESMA | Salas ; #Anon2013l| ; del Castillo | Necropsied on 29 September 2013 with female specimen from Merón. | |
| 517 | 1 October 2013 | by mouth of Deva River, La Arena beach, near Pechón, Val de San Vicente, Cantabria, Spain | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis dux | Entire, missing skin and part of one tentacle, eyes present though burst; good condition with no external signs of bites or attacks | Entire | Female | EL: 8.08 m; ML: 1.68 m; HL: 40 cm; AL: 2.3 m; TL: 6 m; WT: 150 kg | Maritime Museum of Cantabria | del Castillo ; Chato ; San José ; #Anon2013m| ; #Anon2013n| ; #Anon2013o| ; Thomas ; Bryner | Bolívar ; numerous media sources | Found and documented by underwater photographer Enrique Talledo. Moved to Maritime Museum of Cantabria in Santander where specimen was cleaned, sampled for analysis, and placed in cold storage under direction of Gerardo García-Castrillo. On morning of 2 October specimen was injected with alcohol, covered with paper moistened with 10% formalin, and finally covered with transparent film; may eventually be put on display. Entire length initially reported as >10 m and weight as 170, 174, or 180 kg. |
| 19 October 2013 | Grosse Bucht, near Lüderitz, ǃNamiǂNûs, Namibia | Found washed ashore | Architeuthis | Entire, in "decomposed state"; most limbs missing | ML: 1.35 m; ?EL: 4–5 m ; AC: 18 cm | Ngulu | Kemper | Found by someone on 19 October, then again the next day by Walvis Bay resident Johan van den Westhuizen, who provided measurements. Marine scientist Jean-Paul Roux from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources said "inspectors could not verify the species due its decomposed state". | ||||
| 4 January 2014 | off Himi-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at <100 m depth | Caught in fixed net for Japanese amberjack, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | WL: 350 cm | Yoshikawa ; Saul ; Kubodera et al. | Fuji News Network report, 4 January 2014; #Anon2014h| ; Sakamoto | Found by fisherman; landed at Himi fishing port. Covered by TBS News. | ||||
| 8 January 2014 | 1 km off Shirose, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan at 70 m depth | Found in stationary net; filmed alive at surface; died during retrieval | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire; missing tentacles and most of red skin | Female | DML: 187 cm; WL: 411.4 cm ; EL: ~8 m ; WT: 163 kg | Fisheries Ocean Research Institute, Niigata Prefecture | Yamamoto ; Thomas ; #Anon2014a| ; Hofilena ; Krishnan ; Saijo ; Yoshikawa ; Saul ; #Anon2015a| ; Higuchi et al. ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto ; numerous media sources | Caught by fisherman Shigenori Goto, who also caught specimen on 10 February 2014. Found in net for Japanese amberjacks at 70 m depth at around 7 am local time; recorded. Animal died shortly after being brought to surface. Reported by M. Higuchi of the Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute, who photographed it in Sado Ryotsu Fishing Port. Delivered frozen to Sapporo Maruyama Zoo in Hokkaido, where thawed, spread out for display and frozen again; briefly exhibited there in frozen state in the open air from 1 January 2015. Visitors were invited to touch it but warned of its strong smell. | |
| 520 | 19 January 2014 | Arahama Beach, Kashiwazaki-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Head and arms only; tentacles missing | AL: 1.2 m | Yoshikawa ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Found by local people. Reported by K. Minowa of Kashiwazaki City Museum. | |||
| 521 | 20 January 2014 | off Ajiro port, Iwami / 30 km off Aoya-cho, Tottori-shi, Tottori Prefecture, Japan at 236 m depth | Caught in bottom gillnets for flounder, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Entire | Female | DML: 170 cm ; WL: 340 cm ; EL: ~8 m | San'in Kaigan Geopark Museum of the Earth and Sea | Yoshikawa ; Saul ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto ; Shimada et al. | On public display. Found by fisherman and reported by T. Wada. Photographed next to person. Exhibited at San'in Kaigan Geopark Museum of the Earth and Sea from 2 February 2016, preserved in formalin. |
| 522 | 10 February 2014 | 2 km off Shirose, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan at <274 m depth | Caught in bottom gillnets for anglerfish, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Male | DML: 136 cm; WL: 305 cm; WT: ~100 kg | Yoshikawa ; Higuchi et al. ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Caught by fisherman Shigenori Goto, who also caught specimen on 8 January 2014. Reported by M. Higuchi of the Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute, who photographed and dissected it with his co-worker at Niigata Sado Ryotsu Fishing Port. | ||
| 523 | 13 February 2014 | off Washizaki, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan at <159 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | Male | DML: 91 cm; EL: 394 cm; WT: 25.2 kg | Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Reported by S. Abe of the Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute, who photographed it in Sado Washizaki Fishing Port. | ||
| 25 February 2014 | ~5 km from Moroyose fishing port, Shinonsen, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan | Photographed alive at surface; snared with rope; died during retrieval | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Not stated | Female | WL: 4.13 m ; EL: 8–9 m ; WT: 150–200 kg | #Anon2014f| ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Spotted by fisherman Tetsuo Okamoto while diving for turban shells at around 10:30 am local time. Squid swam above Okamoto when he was at depth of ~8 m. Squid was secured to boat with a rope and taken to Moroyose port; of live animal recorded. Reported by T. Yamaguchi of NHK. | ||
| 525 | 2 March 2014 | on the shore of Shiidomari, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Female | DML: 135 cm; WL: 285 cm | Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Reported by S. Abe of the Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute, who photographed it as found. | ||
| 526 | 4 March 2014 | on the rocky shore of Akasaki, Kotoura-cho, Tottori Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire | DML: 120.8 cm; EL: 462.5 cm | Kubodera et al. | Reported by T. Wada. | ||||
| 527 | 5 March 2014 | off Amarube, Kasumi-ku, Kami-cho, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan at <223 m depth | By bottom trawl for firefly squid, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | DML: 123 cm; EL: 430 cm; WT: 50 kg | Kubodera et al. | Found by fisherman and reported by T. Wada. Displayed at Kinosaki Marine World. | ||||
| 12 March 2014 | Tokyo Bay, ~50 m offshore, off Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan | Found floating at surface; captured alive; housed in tank and transported by truck but "died several hours after being caught" | Architeuthis | Entire | Entire, including internal organs; tentacles intact, red skin partly intact | Female | ML: 91 cm; EL: 4.38 m ; WT: 24.28 kg; extensive additional measurements ] | Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park | #Anon2014g| ; #Anon2014t| ; #Anon2014u| ; #Anon2014v| ; #Anon2014w| ; #Keikyu2014a| ; #Keikyu2014b| | #Anon2015i| ; Shimada et al. | On public display. Caught by local fisherman affiliated with Kanagawa Eastern Fisheries Cooperative Association. Public dissection carried out by Tsunemi Kubodera, Toshiaki Kuramochi and Akiko Yatabe at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park, Miura, on 8 August 2014. Dissection took 2 hours and involved removal of internal organs, sex determination, and measurements. Small fish bones found in stomach and scales in buccal area. Specimen estimated to be 1–2 years old. On display at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park in acrylic tank, preserved in formalin, from 13 September 2014. | |
| 529 | 16 March 2014 | Benten-hama, Itoigawa-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Female | DML: 196 cm; WL: 446 cm; WT: ~200 kg | Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Reported and photographed as found by M. Baba of Joetsu Aquarium Museum. | ||
| 530 | 24 March 2014 | 30 km off Mishima, Hagi-shi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan at <121 m depth | By bottom trawl | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | Entire | Male | DML: 116 cm; WL: 270 cm; EL: 5.71 m | Shimane AQUAS Aquarium | Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto ; Shimada et al. | On public display. Found by fisherman and reported by T. Fujita of Shimane AQUAS Aquarium, where specimen has been on display since 18 March 2015, preserved in formalin. |
| 531 | 26 March 2014 | 200 m off Hayoshi Port, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan at ~20 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact, red skin missing | Entire | Female | DML: 84 cm; EL: 448 cm; WT: 33.2 kg | National Museum of Nature and Science facility | Kakuno ; Higuchi et al. ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Caught by local fisherman Yuji Kawaguchi. Reported by M. Higuchi of the Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute. |
| 532 | 26 March 2014 | off Ryotsu Port, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Found floating at surface, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles, eye and red skin intact | Entire | Male | DML: 110 cm; EL: 435 cm; WT: 37.7 kg | National Museum of Nature and Science facility | Kakuno ; Higuchi et al. ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Caught later the same day as Hayoshi Port specimen, by different local fisherman. Reported by M. Higuchi of the Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute, who photographed it in Sado Ryotsu Fishing Port. |
| 533 | 7 April 2014 | Toyama Bay, 1 km off Yokataminatomachi, Toyama-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at <100 m depth | Caught in fixed net for firefly squid, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; missing ends of tentacle | Not stated | Male | DML: ~1.5 m; WL: ~3.5 m; EL: 7 m | #Anon2014h| ; Kubodera et al. | The Sankei Shimbun, 7 April 2014; #Anon2014i| ; #Anon2014m| ; Sakamoto | Alive at time of capture, dead when landed. Found by fisherman; examined and measured by expert from Uozu Aquarium. | |
| 8 April 2014 | Toyama Bay, 1.5 km off Shinminato, Imizu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at <300 m depth | By bottom trawl, alive; briefly kept alive in tank | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | Not stated | DML: 110 cm; WL: 275 cm; EL: 510 m | #Anon2014i| ; #Anon2014j| ; Kubodera et al. | The Sankei Shimbun, 8 April 2014; #Anon2014m| ; Sakamoto | Second specimen from Toyama Bay in two days. Caught in net for Japanese glass shrimp or Metapenaeopsis lata. Landed at Shinminato fishing port. Survived in tank for two hours after landing. Tasted by Kazuhisa Hagiwara of Shinminato Fisheries Cooperative Association who described it as very salty. Osamu Inamura, director of Uozu Aquarium, suggested global warming might be responsible for influx of specimens as giant squid's range is pushed northward. | |||
| 535 | 9 April 2014 | west of Nekozaki Peninsula, Toyooka-shi, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | DML: 112 cm; EL: 594 cm | Kinosaki Marine World | Kubodera et al. | Found by angler and reported by T. Wada. | |||
| 536 | 12 April 2014 | off Aika-cho, Matsue-shi, Shimane Prefecture, Japan | Found floating at water's edge, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Not stated | EL: ~5 m | #Anon2014k| ; Kubodera et al. | The Shikoku Shimbun, 12 April 2014; Sakamoto | Found by Etsuo Harada and others at 9 am. Pulled to land and died soon afterwards. | ||
| 537 | 12 April 2014 | off Waki, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan at <200 m depth | Caught in fixed net | Architeuthis dux | Entire? | DML: ~100 cm | Kubodera et al. | Reported by M. Higuchi of the Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute. | ||||
| 538 | 13 April 2014 | at the mouth of Yoshida river, Makidani, Iwami-cho, Tottori Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | Female | DML: 121.5 cm; EL: 637 cm | Kubodera et al. | Reported by T. Wada. | |||
| 539 | 18 April 2014 | 2/3 km off Ohtomari-machi, Nanao-shi, Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan at <94 m depth | Caught in fixed net for Japanese amberjack, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | Not stated | ML: 0.78 m; EL: 4.7/4.8 m; WT: ~30/50 kg | #Anon2014l| ; #Anon2014m| ; #Anon2014n| ; Shinya ; Kubodera et al. | The Hokkoku Shimbun, 19 April 2014; #Anon2014q| ; #Anon2014r| ; #Anon2014s| ; Sakamoto | Became entangled in fixed net around 5:30 am. Taken in Styrofoam box to supermarket in Shinbohon, Kanazawa, and there displayed on ice between 18 and 19 April. Identification confirmed by Shinichiro Ikeguchi, assistant director of Notojima Aquarium, based on size and fin shape. | ||
| 540 | 20 April 2014 | ~130 km off Kitadaito, | Caught | giant squid | Entire, fresh; missing ends of tentacles and some arms | Entire | WL: ~2.7 m; WT: ~32 kg | Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium? | #Anon2014o| | Caught by fishermen targeting Thysanoteuthis rhombus. Transferred to Okinawa Churashima Foundation in Motobu, where specimen was examined beginning on 25 April. Photographed being measured, later fixed in formalin. | ||
| 27 April 2014 | ~1 km off Furai port, Saikai, Shika-machi, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan at <57 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive; briefly kept alive in tank | Architeuthis dux | Entire, good condition; eyes, tentacles and some red skin intact | Entire | Female | DML: 111 cm; WL: 289 cm; EL: 5.02 m ; WT: ~60 kg | Notojima Aquarium | #Anon2014p| ; #Anon2014q| ; #Anon2014r| ; #Anon2014s| ; Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Caught around 4:30 am by fishermen including deputy helmsman Isamu Mukai and landed in Togi fishing port. Still alive, specimen was transported in container to Notojima Aquarium in Nanao, but died 3 hours after capture. During transport, specimen was observed opening and closing its eyes and hyponome and clinging to container with its suckers; of live animal recorded. Measured at aquarium and displayed there between 3 and 5 May ; also dissected there. Reported by S. Ikeguchi of Notojima Aquarium. | |
| 542 | 6 May 2014 | north off Kyotango-cho, Kyotango-shi, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan at <218 m depth | By bottom trawl, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire? | None; discarded | DML: ~100 cm | None | Kubodera et al. | Sakamoto | Found by fisherman and reported by Y. Ueno of the Fisheries Technology Department, Kyoto Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Center. | |
| 7 May 2014 | off Awashima Island, Awashimaura-mura, Niigata Prefecture, Japan at <79 m depth | By bottom trawl | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | DML: 92 cm; EL: 420 cm | Kubodera et al. | Nigataken Suikaiken Dayori | |||||
| 4 September 2014 | off Hamada-shi, Shimane Prefecture, Japan at 120 m depth | Caught in fixed net? | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Entire | Male | DML: 140 cm; WL: 314 cm | Shimane AQUAS Aquarium | Kubodera et al. | Isobe | Reported by T. Fujita of Shimane AQUAS Aquarium, where specimen was exhibited. | |
| 545 | 7 September 2014 | ~ off Matagorda coast, Texas, United States | Found floating at surface, dead | "giant squid" | Entire; missing red skin and posterior end of mantle | Not stated | ?EL: ; WT: | "donated to researchers" | Azad ; Alexander | Found by fisherman Michael Belvin when returning from fishing trip with friends. Identification confirmed by Houston Zoo aquarium supervisor Mike Concannon. Belvin speculated it might have been attacked by a mako shark, based on bite marks. Find covered by KTRK-TV. | ||
| 546 | 22 October 2014 | 900 m off Komeno, Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, Japan at 65 m depth | Caught in fixed net, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles largely missing | Male | DML: 117 cm; WL: 264 cm; EL: 288 cm; WT: ~40 kg | Kubodera et al. | Reported and photographed by S. Sasai of Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, where specimen was exhibited for four days. | |||
| 547 | 8 November 2014 | 1 km off Waki, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan at <200 m depth | Caught in fixed net | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacle present | EL: 260 cm; WT: ~25 kg | #Anon2014x| ; Kubodera et al. ; Higuchi et al. | The Asahi Shimbun, 11 November 2014 | Displayed at Sado Fish Festival in Ryotsu Port, Sado, on 9 November. | |||
| 548 | 20 November 2014 | east of Okinoshima, Tottori Prefecture, Japan | Caught in purse seine, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing, head and mantle separated | Female | DML: 183.5 cm; WT: 130 kg | Kubodera et al. | Reported by K. Ichisawa of Tottori Prefectural Museum. Landed at Sakai port. | |||
| 549 | 24 November 2014 | off Tsunegami Peninsula, around Ongami-jima, Wakasa, Fukui Prefecture, Japan at <60 m depth | Caught in fixed net?, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire, good condition; tentacle present | Entire | Male | DML: 137 cm ; EL: 740 cm; WT: ~60 kg | Echizen Matsushima Aquarium | Kubodera et al. | The Chunichi Shimbun, 24 November 2014; Shimada et al. | On public display. Examined at Echizen Matsushima Aquarium and exhibited there since 27 March 2015, preserved in formalin. Photographed laid out on tarpaulin by S. Sasai. |
| 550 | 24 November 2014 | 1 km off Tangocho-taiza, Kyotango-shi, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis dux | Head and arms only; tentacles missing | - | AL: 1.2 m | Kubodera et al. | Discovered by an angler and reported by Y. Ueno of the Fisheries Technology Department, Kyoto Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Center, who photographed it in the water. Specimen left undisturbed. | |||
| 27 November 2014 | 3.3 km off Yahatacho, Imizu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at 330 m depth | Caught in bottom trawl for glass shrimp, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacle present | DML: 155 cm; EL: 630 cm | Kubodera et al. | The Chunichi Shimbun 27 November 2014 | Served at an event after being hard cured. | ||||
| 552 | 9 December 2014 | Kirihama beach, Takenocho, Toyooka-shi, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | WL: 350 cm; WT: ~100 kg | Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo | Kubodera et al. | Discovered by local people and reported by T. Wada of Shimane AQUAS Aquarium. | |||
| 553 | 23 December 2014 | off Ineura, Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan at <60 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Entire | WL: 3.2 m ; BL+HL?: 2.3 m; WT: ~70 kg | Kyoto Aquarium | #Anon2014y| ; #Anon2015j| ; #Anon2015k| ; #Anon2015l| ; #Anon2015m| ; #Anon2016g| ; Kubodera et al. | Shimada et al. | On public display. Died during retrieval. Stored frozen at Kyoto Aquarium where on public display 24–25 December 2014; subsequently sent to research facility. Specially dried by seafood processing company Gogyofuku Co. over 8 days beginning on 16 July 2015 ; shrunk considerably during processing. Displayed at Suma Aqualife Park in Kobe from 30 July to 8 November 2015, and in Kyoto Aquarium from 20 April 2016. | |
| 554 | 24 December 2014 | Honjyo beach, Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; only one tentacle present | DML: 178 cm; EL: 507 cm; WT: ~100 kg | Kubodera et al. | Discovered by local people and reported by Y. Ueno of the Fisheries Technology Department, Kyoto Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Center, which recovered the specimen. | ||||
| 555 | 28 December 2014 | 600 m off Tomari, Obama-shi, Fukui Prefecture, Japan at <20 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | None; returned to sea | WL: ~300 cm | Kubodera et al. | Fukui Shimbun 28 December 2014 | |||
| 31 December 2014 | 2 km off Toyama-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at <100 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | ?WL: ~6 m | #Anon2014z| ; Kubodera et al. | Video footage recorded. | |||||
| 557 | 6 January 2015 | Oobaneo beach, Iwami, Tottori Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | DML: 180.5 cm; WL: 355 cm | Kubodera et al. | Discovered by local people and reported by Y. Kiyosue of Notojima Seaside Park, who photographed it as found. | ||||
| 558 | 13 January 2015 | south of Tsubakiyama, Henashi, Fukaura-machi, Aomori Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Male | DML: 127 cm | Kubodera et al. | Found by fisherman and reported by E. Koganezaki of the Ajigasawa Fisheries Office, who photographed it as found and dissected in situ. Specimen had empty stomach. | |||
| 559 | 15 January 2015 | 500 m off Iino, Nyuzen-cho, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at 50–60 m depth | Caught in fixed net for amberjack | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | WL: 420 cm | Kubodera et al. | Found by fisherman and reported by M. Kanbayashi of Kitanihon Broadcasting. | ||||
| 560 | 19 January 2015 | 2 km off Shinminato, Hachiman-machi, Imizu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at 60 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire | DML: ~200 cm; EL: ~600 cm; WT: ~200 kg | Kubodera et al. | The Toyama Shimbun, 20 January 2015 | Found by fisherman. Exhibited at Michinoeki Shinminato. | |||
| 19 January 2015 | 2 km off Yokata fishing port, Toyama-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at 90 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive; filmed in water by divers | Architeuthis dux | Entire | WL: ~300 cm | #Anon2015d| ; Kubodera et al. | Fuji News Network report, 19 January 2015 | Found by fisherman. recorded. | ||||
| 22 January 2015 | 2 km off Iwase, Toyama-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net for amberjack, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacle present | DML: ~200 cm; EL: ~600 cm; ?WL: ~3 m | #Anon2015b| ; #Anon2015c| ; Kubodera et al. | The Kitanippon Shimbun, 23 January 2015 | Found alive in stationary net around 3:30 am; caught with school of Japanese common squid. and alive in net. Died shortly after being pulled onto ship. Landed at Iwase port and there measured. | ||||
| 24 January 2015 | off Daitō Islands, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | Filmed alive at surface | "大王イカ" | Entire, good condition; red skin somewhat damaged | None given | Uchima | grasping Thysanoteuthis rhombus caught on fishing lure; seen inking after releasing prey. | |||||
| 29 January 2015 | off Shinminato, Hachiman-machi, Imizu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | DML: 170 cm; WL: ~400 cm | Kubodera et al. | The Kitanippon Shimbun, 30 January 2015 | Found by fisherman. Specimen B-20 was found nearby on the same day. | ||||
| 564 | 29 January 2015 | off Shinminato, Hachiman-machi, Imizu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire | ML: 180 cm; EL: 6.3 m; WT: 150 kg | Kubodera et al. | The Kitanippon Shimbun, 30 January 2015; Shimada et al. | On public display. Found by fisherman. Specimen B-19 was found nearby on the same day. Exhibited in dry state at local fish market from February 2015. | ||
| 3 February 2015 | 2 km off Yokata fishing port, Toyama-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at 78.4 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive; filmed in water by two divers; swam away slowly once released | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing, red skin somewhat damaged | - | DML: ~200 cm; WL: ~400 cm | None | #Anon2015e| ; Kubodera et al. | Fuji News Network report, 4 February 2015; Wakabayashi ; Matsumoto | Found by fisherman. recorded; seen inking. Featured in Japanese documentary. | ||
| 566 | 4 February 2015 | 1 km off Aoshima, Uozu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net | Architeuthis dux | Entire | WL: ~400 cm | Kubodera et al. | Toyama Television report, 4 February 2015 | Found by fisherman. | |||
| 567 | 6 February 2015 | 500 m off Kodomari, Misakimachi, Suzu-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan at 40 m depth | Caught in fixed net, alive; released | Architeuthis dux | Entire | WL: 335 cm | Kubodera et al. | The Hokkoku Shimbun, 6 February 2015 | Found by fisherman. | |||
| 568 | 7 February 2015 | 2 km off Iorimachi, Nanao-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | WL: 420 cm; WT: ~200 kg | Kubodera et al. | The Yomiuri Shimbun, 8 February 2015 | Found by fisherman. Exhibited at Notojima Seaside Park. | |||
| 569 | 7 February 2015 | 2 km off Shichimi, Noto-cho, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | WL: 360 cm; WT: ~150 kg | Kubodera et al. | The Yomiuri Shimbun, 8 February 2015 | Found by fisherman. Exhibited at Notojima Seaside Park. | |||
| 570 | 16 February 2015 | 1.5 km off Shirouse, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | WL: 415 cm | Kubodera et al. | The Niigata Nippo, 16 February 2015 | Found by fisherman. Exhibited at a local supermarket. | |||
| 571 | 17 February 2015 | Gunkan rock, Gumizaki-cho, Fukui-shi, Fukui Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded at rock reef, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | - | Female | DML: 175 cm; WL: 377 cm | None | Kubodera et al. | Found by local people and reported by S. Sasai of Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, who photographed specimen. Dissected and then discarded. | |
| 572 | 18 February 2015 | Tsunoshima, Toyokita-cho, Shimonoseki-shi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded at rock reef, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | WL: 286 cm; WT: 65.5 kg | Kubodera et al. | The Yamaguchi Shimbun, 19 February 2015 | Found by a tourist. Exhibited at Shimonoseki Kaikyokan aquarium during the summer holidays. | |||
| 23 February 2015 | ferry pier Koshinokata-machi, Imizushi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan at 1 m depth | Found floating at surface, alive; swam away | Architeuthis dux | Entire, seemingly in perfect condition; red skin fully intact | - | WL: 250–300 cm | None | #Anon2015f| ; Kubodera et al. | Tulip Television report, 23 February 2015 | Spotted by harbour official at around 8:50 am. | ||
| 574 | 1 March 2015 | 1–3 km off Namerikawa-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net for firefly squid, alive; disposed of at sea | Architeuthis dux | Entire | - | DML: ~200 cm | None | Kubodera et al. | Toyama Television report, 1 March 2015 | Found by fisherman. | |
| 575 | 1 March 2015 | off Takasu, Hamaju-cho, Fukui-shi, Fukui Prefecture, Japan at 200 m depth | By bottom trawl, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | Female | DML: 177 cm; WL: 376 cm | Kubodera et al. | Found by fisherman and reported by S. Sasai of Echizen Matsushima Aquarium. Specimen had empty stomach. | |||
| 10 March 2015 | Osaki beach, Nishiyama-cho, Kashiwazaki-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | DML: 161 cm; WL: 327 cm | Kubodera et al. | Found by local people. Reported and photographed by K. Minowa of Kashiwazaki City Museum. | |||||
| 25 March 2015 | off Okinoerabujima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan | Photographed alive at surface | giant squid | Entire, seemingly in perfect condition; red skin fully intact | ?WL: ~5 m | #Anon2015g| ; #Anon2015h| | Photographed alive at surface by fisherman Shigeki Yamashita. Pink fishing lure attracted large Thysanoteuthis rhombus, which in turn attracted giant squid. | |||||
| 26 March 2015 | Yoneyama beach, Kashiwazaki-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles missing | - | DML: 190 cm; WL: 360 cm | None | Kubodera et al. | Found by local people. Reported and photographed by M. Baba of Joetsu Aquarium Museum. Swept out to sea. | |||
| 6 May 2015 | Tokyo Bay, Otsu fishing port, Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan | Found floating at surface, alive; scooped up with rake net and placed in water tank; died soon afterwards | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire | Unknown | EL: 126.4 cm; DML: 29.0 cm; HL+AL: 46.6 cm; FL: 95.0 mm; FW: 69.7 mm; WT: 1.034 kg | Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park | #Anon2015i| ; #Keikyu2015a| ; #Keikyu2015b| | Shimada et al. | On public display. Found by fisherman Seiichi Ogawa while catching sea cucumbers. Briefly kept alive in tank. Frozen until examination at National Museum of Nature and Science facility on 29 June 2015, when identified as giant squid. On display at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park from 29 November 2015; embedded in transparent acrylic block and installed on automatic rotating table to allow viewing from all sides. Specimen may belong to long arm type or middle arm type; cannot be determined due to juvenile nature. Estimated to be <1 year old. | |
| 13 May 2015 | South Bay beach, Kaikoura, New Zealand | Found washed ashore | "giant squid" | Entire | Entire | BL: ~2 m; TL: >5 m; EyD: 19 cm | Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium | Hill | Numerous media sources | Found by Bruce Bennett at 8:30 am while walking dog. Moved to Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium and stored there in freezer. | ||
| 579 | 6 August 2015 | ~ north of Getaria and Zumaia, opposite Lekeitio, Basque Country, Spain | By trawl | Architeuthis | Entire | Entire | WL: <8 m; ?WL: ~4.5 m; WT: >80 kg | CEPESMA | Bolívar ; Gómez & Bolívar | #Anon2015o| ; Del Gallo | Caught by fisherman Antonio Do Veriño. Landed in port of Santander where it was auctioned and won by BM supermarkets, which placed it on display at their store on Rubén Darío street, Sardinero, Santander. Later handed over to Instituto Español de Oceanografía, who passed it on to CEPESMA in Luarca. | |
| last week of September 2015 | off Hawaii | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis?; Megalocranchia cf. fisheri | Entire; several limbs missing, bite mark in head | Entire | ?EL: ≥; WT: | #Anon2015n| ; Mosendz | Non-architeuthid. Found and retrieved by fishermen with Kona Sea Adventures: boat captain Cyrus Widhalm, deckhands Manny Billegas II and Ian MacKelvie, and anglers Mathew and Miriam Fowler. Squid had apparently been attacked at sea. Landed in Kailua-Kona. Length estimated by laying alongside fishing bag. Later placed on ice and sent to Washington state for examination. Tentatively identified as Megalocranchia fisheri by marine biologist. | ||||
| 17 November 2015 | off Hahajima, Ogasawara Islands, Japan | Filmed alive at surface | giant squid | Entire; red skin largely intact | None given | Murata | and at surface by Keisuke Murata; seen grasping line-caught swordfish. | |||||
| 23 November 2015 | El Cudillo fishing ground, near Cañón de Lastres, Gijón, Spain, at 300–400 m depth | By trawl | Architeuthis dux | Entire | Entire | Female | EL: 10 m; WT: 150 kg | CEPESMA | #Anon2015o| ; Del Gallo ; #Anon2015p| ; Peláez | Numerous media sources | Caught by the trawler Minchos VI around 21:30 pm local time, in waters deep. Landed in Muelle del Rendiello, El Musel, Gijón. Frozen in Gijón fish market before being transferred to CEPESMA in Luarca. Planned to be dissected later that year before going on display. | |
| 24 December 2015 | Toyama Bay, Mizuhashi Fisherina, Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Filmed and photographed alive near surface | Architeuthis | Entire, good condition; red skin somewhat damaged | - | WL: 3.7 m | - | #Anon2015q| ; McKirdy & Ogura ; Feltman ; Hongo ; Keartes ; Murai ; #Anon2015r| ; Hunt | Nippon TV report; ANN News report; Wakabayashi ; numerous media sources | recorded. Spotted swimming under docked fishing boats around 7 am. Spent several hours in Toyama Bay harbour where it was filmed by local divers, including Akinobu Kimura, owner of local Diving Shop Kaiyu, and professional underwater cameraman Takayoshi Kojima, who swam alongside it. Also seen by harbourmaster and Mizuhashi Fisherina manager Tatsuya Wakasugi. Kojima and Kimura "helped guide" it out to sea; initially pushed back and forth by fast flowing water near entrance to marina, but eventually disappeared into depths around 2:30 pm. Squid "showed some signs of energy", including inking and attempting to wrap arms around divers. Display with 4.3 m resin giant squid model and Igushi's 8-minute video opened at Uozu Aquarium on 16 January 2016. | ||
| 3 January 2016 | Toyama-Shinko Port, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Recorded alive at surface | giant squid | Entire; red skin largely intact, missing from distal end | ?WL: ~2.5–3 m | "yokotama37" ; "atelierichi" | FNN News, 4 January 2016; #Anon2016b| | and alive at surface at around 1:30 am; seen by 3 people. Display with 4.3 m resin giant squid model and video of this specimen opened at Uozu Aquarium on 16 January 2016. | ||||
| 583 | 7 January 2016 | Yaetsu Beach, Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Found washed ashore | giant squid | Entire | ?WL: 3 m | #Anon2016a| | Found and photographed on beach. Speculated by Osamu Inamura, director of Uozu Aquarium, to have possibly escaped from fixed net prior to stranding. | ||||
| 11 January 2016 | near Wushi Port, Yilan, Taiwan, at ~18–20 m depth | Caught by fishermen trawling for flathead grey mullet | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles, eye and some reddish skin intact; portions of arms missing | Entire | Male | EL: ~4 m; ML: 89 cm ; ML: 70 cm ; EyD: 8 cm; WT: 17 kg | National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan | Xiao ; Huang et al. ; Liu et al. ; Zhang | First specimen from Taiwan. Caught by Hsien-Kun Lin; initial preservation and transportation assisted by Chun-Yen Lin and Yao-Chen Lee. Stored on ice for 6 hours after capture and transported at low temperature to laboratory at National Chung Hsing University where dissected at < over 4 hours. Fully developed sperm mass present; small size for mature male. Stomach empty. Fixed in 10% formalin; replaced with 70% ethanol after 10 days. Left optic lobe scanned using high-resolution MRI as part of comparative study of giant squid optic lobe morphology and internal structure. | ||
| 584 | 17 January 2016 | near Noto, Hōsu District, Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan | Found stranded ashore, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire; arm tips intact, red skin and tentacles largely missing | Entire, including internal organs and eggs | Female | ML: 170 cm; WL: 417 cm; BC: 113 cm; FL: 52 cm; AL: 210 cm ; EL: ≥10 m ; WT: 110–180 kg | Ishikawa Prefectural Natural History Museum | Takeda ; Shimada et al. | On public display. Found by Mr. Kubota while walking along coast around 8 am. Dissection revealed well developed ovaries with an estimated 1.48 × 107 eggs. Fixed in formalin and placed on display at Ishikawa Prefectural Natural History Museum; eggs stored in 70% ethanol. | |
| 585 | early 2016 | off Bain-Boeuf, northern Mauritius | Caught by fishermen | "giant squid" | Entire; eye and skin largely intact, mantle cut open and damaged | WT: 125 kg | #Anon2016f| ; Touzé | Caught by boat Lady Diana, with crew including captain Mikael Bardin, Karl Gentille, and angler Toorabally Adil. Misidentified as a Humboldt squid in some reports. | ||||
| 6 February 2016 | 100 m off coast of Ine Bay, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Photographed alive in fixed net; escaped | giant squid | Entire, seemingly in perfect condition; red skin fully intact | - | ?WL: 4 m | - | #Anon2016d| | Caught by fisherman Shirasu Shu-Ichiro. by Katsuyoshi Nagashima. | |||
| 8 February 2016 | off Imizu, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught | giant squid | Entire, good condition; eye and most of red skin intact | ?WL: ~5 m | #Anon2016c| | ||||||
| 587 | 13 February 2016 | Kosagawa, Kisakata-machi, Nikaho-shi, Akita Prefecture, Japan | Found washed ashore | giant squid | Entire; tentacles missing | Entire | ML: 136 cm; WL: 3.22 m; WT: 114/70 kg | Akita Prefectural Museum | #Anon2016e| ; Funaki | Shimada et al. | On public display. Exhibited at Akita Prefectural Museum from 1 April 2016, preserved in formalin and ethanol. Previously temporarily displayed at Oga Aquarium GAO, who collected it on 14 February. | |
| 588 | 4 March 2016 | off Saint Gilles, Reunion Island | Found floating at surface, dead | Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 | Entire; missing distal part of mantle including fins | Head with limbs | LRL: 19.74 mm; DML: 2153–3060 mm ; EL: 7262–15,664 mm | University of Reunion Island | Romanov et al. ; Romanov | Found by crew of game fishing vessel FV Maeva 4, including captain Loïc Jauneau and deckhand Joel Mussard. Photographed by Thibaut Thellier during and after retrieval. Whole carcass too heavy to bring aboard; only head and limbs saved. Possibly largest recorded giant squid specimen, based on estimated mantle and total lengths. Soon after the paper of Romanov et al. was published the authors received reports of recent giant squid off the Maldives and Seychelles. | ||
| 7 October 2016 | beach on Bares peninsula, Galicia, Spain | Photographed alive in water; 2.5 hours later found stranded on beach, dead | Architeuthis dux | Entire, "very fresh"; tentacles severed at base, mantle covered with sucker marks and scars | Female | DML: 123 cm; WT: 105 kg | Keartes ; Guerra et al. ; Preston | First live adult photographed outside Japanese waters. Necropsy revealed no signs of mating, no food remains in digestive tract, and no traces of macroscopic parasites. mtDNA analysis confirmed species as A. dux. | ||||
| 21 December 2016 | off Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net | giant squid | Entire, good condition; red skin partly missing | ?WL: ~4 m | #Anon2016h| | Caught around 11:20 am. Landed at Mizuhashi Fishing Port in Toyama. | |||||
| March 2017 | near Melkbosstrand, South Africa | Found floating at surface, alive; filmed wrapping itself around paddleboard; snared with rope and dragged to shore | Architeuthis | Entire, badly injured; covered with bite marks, missing several arm tips and patches of skin | Male | Keartes ; Grundhauser ; Payne | Found by paddleboarder James Taylor. Once Taylor secured a rope around it and pulled at it the animal lethargically wrapped its arms around his board. He then pulled it to shore to save it "for research purposes". Once on the beach, Taylor severed its head to "put it out of its misery", after which the animal was seen to release spermatophores, confirming that it was male. The whole incident was captured on video, with further video and photos taken on the beach. Researchers reached beached remains several days later and salvaged some remains. Identified as a giant squid by teuthologist Michael Vecchione based on . Poor state of animal might indicate post-spawning individual. | |||||
| 591 | 15 May 2017 | near Porcupine Basin, 190 km off Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland | By trawl | Architeuthis dux | Entire; tentacles intact | Entire | Male | EL: 5.8 m | NMI | O'Sullivan ; #Anon2017a| ; #Anon2017b| ; Flannery ; Keartes ; O'Sullivan & Hamilton | Numerous media sources | Caught by crew of Cú na Mara, skippered by Pete Flannery, while trawling for prawns. Flannery's father caught two giant squid in the same area in 1995. First taken to Dingle Oceanworld in Dingle, where it was dissected by marine biologist Kevin Flannery and studied by marine science students from Sacred Heart University, Connecticut, then transferred to the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History in Dublin. Total length misreported as 15.8 m by O'Sullivan & Hamilton. |
| 592 | 18 July 2017 | Porcupine Bank, off Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland | By trawl | Architeuthis dux | Entire, good condition; tentacles and eye intact | Entire | EL: 5.5 m | Dingle Oceanworld | Lucey ; #Anon2017c| | Numerous media sources | Caught by crew of Cú na Mara, skippered by Pete Flannery, while trawling for prawns. Flannery's father caught two giant squid in the same area in 1995. Studied by marine biologist Kevin Flannery. In "better condition" than specimen from 15 May 2017. | |
| 593 | 28 August 2017 | Guano Bay, near Lüderitz, Namibia | Found stranded on beach | Architeuthis cf. sanctipauli | Entire, "fresh no visible injuries or obvious signs of illness"; tentacles, arm tips and skin missing | Beak | Female | ML: 189 cm; WL: 401 cm ; EL: 8–9 m | #Anon2017d| ; Finck ; Kemper | Measurements taken on morning of discovery, when all arm tips were already missing. Kelp gulls seen feeding on remains and had shortened arms by a further 30 cm by next morning, when beach post mortem established sex as female. Beak extracted and kept refrigerated in ethanol. Reported by marine scientist Jean-Paul Roux from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, who was stationed with Lüderitz Marine Research. Examined and photographed by Roux and Jessica Kemper. Seen by kite surfers preparing for 2017 Lüderitz Speed Challenge. | ||
| October 2017 | south of El Hierro, Canary Islands, at ~500 m depth | Recorded briefly interacting with luminescent camera | Architeuthis dux | Entire | - | ?WL: >3 m ; WT: >300 kg | - | Escánez et al. ; Ocampo ; Millán ; #Anon2019g| | Second video of live giant squid in natural habitat. Caught on camera lowered from IEO research vessel B/O Ángeles Alvariño, by team studying diet of pilot whales and other cetaceans; filmed for 7 seconds at 7:46 pm. Team included biologist Alejandro Escánez and Eugenio Fraile of IEO. Footage first revealed on 20 June 2018, at 6th International Symposium on Marine Sciences, but only in June–July 2019, after announcement of #599. Identification confirmed by researchers including giant squid expert Ángel Guerra, primarily on basis of arm and sucker morphology. | |||
| 6 April 2018 | Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines | Found by fisherman, dead | "giant squid" | Entire; skin, tentacles and ends of arms missing | Not stated | WL: "just over" ; BD: | Nelz | First record from the Philippines. Photographed and filmed laid out on grass in local village with tape measure; see . Seen by local fisherman Harold Eduardo Curtis. | ||||
| 2018 | off west coast of Tasmania, Australia, at 380 m depth | Caught | Architeuthis dux | Entire | None; discarded at sea | ?WL: ~3 m ; WT: 80–100 kg | - | #Anon2018a| ; Blackwood | Caught by crew of the Empress Pearl, including skipper Alec Harvey. Specimen photographed and thrown overboard. Tentatively identified as Architeuthis dux by Julian Finn of the Melbourne Museum. | |||
| 26 August 2018 | near Red Rocks, south coast of Wellington, New Zealand | Found washed ashore | "giant squid" | Entire, in good condition with only "scratch" on top of head; tentacles and reddish skin missing | Entire | WL: 4.2 m | #Anon2018b| ; #Anon2018c| | Numerous media sources | Found on beach by diving brothers Daniel, Jack and Matthew Aplin while driving along track next to shore; measured by them with tape measure. Two much-publicised photos show Jack lying, and Matthew kneeling, next to specimen, respectively. Specimen collection organised by NIWA. | |||
| November 2018 | Ama-cho, Nakanoshima, Oki Islands, Shimane Prefecture, Japan | Caught in net; filmed at surface | giant squid | Entire; red skin missing | ?WL: <2 m | "shimashoku_terakoya" ; #Anon2018d| | at surface. First reported on 28 November 2018. Flesh tasted; described as having strange acidity. | |||||
| 29 December 2018 | Shinminato port, Imizu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Recorded alive at surface | giant squid | Entire; red skin largely intact, missing from distal end | None given | Keisho | Found alive at surface by Yasuyoshi Keisho; and . | |||||
| 30 January 2019 | off Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan | Caught in net | giant squid | Entire; mantle and limbs separated, red skin missing | ML: 166 cm | #Anon2019a| | Landed on day of capture at Sakai Fishing Port in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture. Announced by Tottori Prefectural Fisheries Experimental Station. | |||||
| 31 January 2019 | off Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net | giant squid | Entire; eye intact, tentacles and red skin missing | Entire | WL: 3.22 m | Notojima Aquarium | #Anon2019b| ; #Notojima2019| | Caught in same net as oarfish, Regalecus russelii. Both died at time of landing at Kishibata fishing port and were taken to Notojima Aquarium; placed on public display 1–3 February, then dissected. | |||
| 597 | 21 February 2019 | mouth of Shimoko River, Shimoko-cho Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, Japan | Found washed ashore, dead | giant squid | Entire; eye intact, tentacles and majority of red skin missing | Entire | Female | ML: 158 cm; WL: 340 cm; EL: 600–700 cm ; WT: 135 kg | Shimane AQUAS Aquarium | Isobe ; #Anon2019c| ; #Anon2019e| ; #Anon2019h| | #Tsuriho2019| | Spotted from car by local woman who contacted Shimane AQUAS Aquarium; collected by staff. Examination by Tsuyoshi Fujita and others revealed eggs. Stored frozen before being placed on public display on ice in late March as part of annual Aquas Spring Festival, where visitors could touch the thawed specimen. Public dissection performed on 3 November 2019. |
| 598 | 1 April 2019 | off Kisakata Fishing Port, Nikaho, Akita Prefecture, Japan | Found in gill net, dead | giant squid | Entire; tentacles, arm tips and much of red skin missing | Entire | ?WL: 3 m | Oga Aquarium GAO | #Anon2019d| ; #Anon2019f| | Found by local fisherman Kenichi Sasaki around 10:30 am; landed in Kisakata Fishing Port. Collected by staff from Oga Aquarium GAO on 2 April; placed on public display there on 6–7 April. | ||
| 17/18 June 2019 | Gulf of Mexico, at 759 m depth | Recorded approaching "e-jelly" lure before retreating | Architeuthis | Entire | - | ?EL: 3–3.7 m | - | Johnsen & Widder ; #NOAA2019| ; Jarvis ; Adkins ; Mack ; Langlois | Numerous media sources | Widely reported as second video of live giant squid in natural habitat, but actually third. Captured on three short videos; filmed over bottom depth of 2200 m. NOAA-funded team included Nick Allen, Sönke Johnsen, Megan McCall, Nathan Robinson, Tracey Sutton, and Edith Widder, as well as FIU marine scientists Heather Bracken-Grissom and Lori Schweikert. Identified as almost certainly a juvenile giant squid by teuthologist Michael Vecchione. | ||
| 600 | 28 June 2019 | Jodogaura Coast, northeastern part of Okinoshima, Oki Islands, Shimane Prefecture, Japan | Found floating at surface by shore, dead | giant squid | Entire; red skin and tentacles missing | ?WL: 3.12 m; ?AL: 1.9 m; WT: ~100 kg | Osada ; #Tsuriho2019| | Photographed by local, Mr. Nozu. Estimated to have died 1 day prior to discovery. | ||||
| November 2019 – January 2020 | Toyama Bay, off Toyama Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed nets | giant squid | Three specimens | None given | Yanagisawa ; #Anon2020e| | One specimen caught in each of November, December, and January. | |||||
| 20 January 2020 | off Ine-cho, Tango Peninsula, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan | Caught in fixed net, alive | giant squid | Entire; missing tentacles and arm tips | Entire | ML: 1.35 m; ?WL: ~4.8 m; WT: ~140 kg | Kyoto Aquarium | Kurokawa ; #Anon2020a| ; #Anon2020b| ; #Anon2020c| ; #Anon2020d| | at surface during capture. Stored on ice and transported to Kyoto Aquarium, where displayed on ice in free area by entrance on 21–22 January 2020. Eyes damaged due to pressure differential. | |||
| 602 | 21 January 2020 | Chatham Rise, New Zealand, at 442 m depth | By trawl | giant squid | Entire; eyes intact, tentacles and red skin largely missing | "nearly 50 kg of samples", including eyes, head, stomach, and reproductive organs | ?WL: >4 m; WT: 110 kg | Auckland University of Technology? | #Anon2020f| ; Georgiou | Taken by NIWA-operated RV Tangaroa during expedition to survey hoki. Crew included voyage leader and NIWA fisheries scientist Darren Stevens. Dissected onboard by Ryan Howard of Auckland University of Technology, where saved parts later sent. | ||
| 603 | 12 February 2020 | Toyama Bay, off Hayatsuki River, Uozu-shi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, at 80 m depth | Caught in fixed net | giant squid | Entire; mantle separated from head and limbs | Parts, including beak | ?ML: 1.5 m; ?MW: 45 cm; ?WL: 3.48 m; WT: 73.3 kg | Uozu Aquarium | Yanagisawa ; #Anon2020e| | Found around 2 am; measured and dissected at Uozu Aquarium. Fourth specimen from Toyama Bay since November 2019. Appearance may be linked to unseasonably high local sea temperatures. | ||
| 7 June 2020 | Golden Mile Beach, Britannia Bay, Western Cape, South Africa | Found washed ashore, alive | Architeuthis dux | Entire, excellent condition; eyes and reddish skin intact, tentacles and arm tips missing, no obvious bite marks or injuries | Entire | WL: 4.19 m; AL: ~ ; WT: 200–300 kg | SAM | Baxter ; Gibbings ; Agnew ; Geggel ; McGreevy | Found stranded alive by Richard Davies, who ; specimen filmed and inking and also observed using suckers. Also photographed on beach by Adéle MomNdele Grosse. First moved to holding facility in Saldanha Bay; from there moved to Cape Town by Wayne Florence, Albe Bosman and Toufiek Samaai to form part of Iziko Museums of South Africa collection; there measured, sampled for DNA, and beak extracted. Initially stored in −30 °C walk-in freezer due to COVID-19 restrictions. |
Specimen images
The following images relate to 21st century giant squid specimens and sightings. The number below each image corresponds to that given in the List of giant squid table and is linked to the relevant record therein. The date on which the specimen was first documented is also given.Explanatory footnotes
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