Giant squid

The legendary 'kraken' of the deep

The giant squid is the kraken of sailors' legends! Up to 13 metres long, with eyes the size of footballs — the biggest eyes in the animal kingdom. It lives 1 km down in total darkness, which is why it was first photographed alive only in 2004. It has 10 arms, two of them very long for grabbing prey. Its greatest enemy is the sperm whale.

The giant squid (Architeuthis dux) lives at 300–1,000 m in all oceans; females reach 13 m (mostly thanks to two feeding tentacles), with a 2 m mantle. Its 27 cm eye is the largest of any animal, built to spot a sperm whale's bioluminescent 'silhouette' 120 m away. Its copper-based haemocyanin blood carries oxygen poorly in warm water — hence the cold depths. For centuries it was known only from stranded bodies and sperm-whale stomachs; in 2004 Japanese scientists (Kubodera) took the first live photo, and video followed in 2012. Diet: deep-sea fish and other squid. It lives about 5 years, growing fast. The colossal squid (Antarctica) is heavier but shorter.

Fun facts

• A giant squid's eye is 27 cm — the largest of any animal.
• A live giant squid was first photographed only in 2004.
• Sperm whales carry scars from giant squid suckers.