Nov 19, 2021 16:00:00

An image of a living adult of the deep-sea squid 'Magnapinna pacifica', which looks like a Martian, is being released.

On November 12, 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a video

of the deep-sea squid 'Magnapinna pacifica' swimming. Magnapinna pacifica is a very rare squid that has only been witnessed in more than a dozen cases worldwide. It has been described as 'a squid in a different world' and 'like an alien' because of its peculiar appearance such as bent legs, and the image released this time clearly shows its appearance.

Bigfin Squid: Windows to the Deep 2021: Southeast US ROV and Mapping: NOAA Ocean Exploration
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex2107/features/bigfin-squid/bigfin-squid.html

Eerie video captures elusive, alien-like squid gliding in the Gulf of Mexico | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/bigfin-squid-spotted-on-noaa-expedition-video

'Otherwordly' bigfin squid that can grow longer than 20-feet spotted in the Gulf of Mexico | Daily Mail Online
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10208373/Otherwordly-bigfin-squid-grow-longer-20-feet-spotted-Gulf-Mexico.html

You can see the video of Mizuhiki squid released by NOAA from the following.

A Rare Bigfin Squid Captured By NOAA --YouTube


NOAA's marine research team is investigating the seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico as part of a deep-sea exploration project 'Windows to the Deep 2021' aimed at seafloor surveying and ecosystem research. I noticed something like a pale tentacle crossing in front of the camera.

When I hurriedly chased, I found out that it was a Mizuhiki squid. Among the sightings of Magnapinna pacifica, there is a record at a depth of 4735 meters, but this time it seems that he was swimming at a depth of 2385 meters.

The biggest feature of Mizuhiki squid is the length of its legs, which can reach 20 times the body length ...

This is the bent part of the leg.

Since there are few sightings of Magnapinna pacifica, its ecology and eating habits are a mystery.

According to the research team,

it is speculated that they are dragging eight long legs and two tentacles of approximately the same length to catch and eat creatures living on the seabed, or they are preying on creatures that hit their feet. That.

While the research team was watching, Magnapinna pacifica disappeared into the deep sea with long legs twisting.

In a statement released by NOAA, 'Three species of Magnapinna pacifica have been identified so far, but there are likely to be many others. Every time we are witnessed, we discover something new about this elusive and mysterious creature. However, there are still many things that we do not understand. If the access to the deep sea increases, the chances of seeing the magnapinna pacifica will increase, and its ecology and behavior will gradually become clear. '