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Cameras at the bottom of the Tonga Trench in the South Pacific have captured rare footage of a bigfin calamari with spindly weapons system that extend several feet long , a raw television shows .
Bigfin squid ( Magnapinna ) are an passing elusive type of cephalopod — a group that also include octopus and cuttlefish — with only around a 12 sightings on record . They are the deepest - dwelling metal money ofsquidknown to skill , survive at depths of more than 20,000 substructure ( 6,100 meters ) , according to theOcean Conservancy .
Bigfin squid (Magnapinna) are the deepest-dwelling species of squid known to science.
The new footage is from 10,800 feet ( 3,300 m ) beneath the ocean surface . Researchers descry the calamari by chance while explore the deep , and they say it was a golden showdown .
" We always hope to see this character of animal,“Alan Jamieson , a professor and deep - sea scientist at the University of Western Australia who collected the footage , told Live Science in an electronic mail . " [ Bigfin calamari ] are not something you would actively go look for , they are a mintage that rely on us coming across them by accident , " Jamieson said .
Most documented bigfin calamary sighting are " serendipitous filming from oil and gasolene activities , " Jamieson said .
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The calamari in the new video recording was probably feed or attempting to fertilise , he say . The footage demonstrate the otherworldly animal walking slowly along the seafloor before suddenly stopping and pulse the big flipper sequester to its body . Although it looks like the calamary is tugging on something off photographic camera , it ’s probable just strain to pull its sticky arms off the seafloor , Jamieson said .
investigator count on that the calamari ’s consistency is 8 to 12 inch ( 20 to 30 centimeter ) long . Its arms stretch along several metre that duration and look " passing disproportionate , " Jamieson said . Scientists suppose bigfin squid can grow up to 26 feet ( 8 m ) long , including the arm .
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Why bigfin calamary evolved such farsighted , lank arms persist a mystery , Jamieson said , but it ’s probably related to feeding . Bigfin squid are the only squid known to live at hadal depths — between 19,700 and 36,000 feet ( 6,000 to 11,000 m ) deep — where solid food is scarceand mostly comes in the form of particles decrease from above .
To solve the mystery , scientist first need to know more about the squid themselves . " The legerdemain is to keep filming everything else that ’s become on and eventually , if you are favorable , one will adorn you with its presence , " Jamieson tell .
