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The dramatization of an underwater encounter between the sperm whale and giant squid, from a diorama in the Hall of Ocean Life at the American Museum of Natural History. Recent studies have shown giant squid feed on deep-sea fish, such as the orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus), and other squid species.
The giant squid (Architeuthis dux, pictured) was for a long time thought to be the largest extant cephalopod. It is now known that the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) attains an even greater maximum size. The giant squid seen here measured 9.24 m (30.3 ft) in total length and had a mantle length of 1.79 m (5.9 ft).
Size comparison with a human. Unlike most squid species, the colossal squid exhibits abyssal gigantism, as it is the heaviest living invertebrate species, reaching weights up to 495 kg (1,091 lb). [3] For comparison, squids typically have a mantle length of about 30 cm (12 in) and weigh about 100–200 g (3 + 1 ⁄ 2 –7 oz). [10]
The giant squid nevertheless remains a rarely encountered animal, especially considering its wide distribution and large size, [60] with Richard Ellis writing that "each giant squid that washes up or is taken from the stomach of a sperm whale is still an occasion for a teuthological celebration". [61]
Marine Patch says that they can dive 2,000 meters, or about 6,200 feet for up to two hours while hunting giant squid, sharks, skates, and fish. "Squid just so happens to be the sperm whales ...
A piece of sperm whale skin with giant squid sucker scars. Sperm whales usually dive between 300 and 800 metres (980 and 2,620 ft), and sometimes 1 to 2 kilometres (3,300 to 6,600 ft), in search of food. [157] Such dives can last more than an hour. [157]
Apart from two partial specimens (#2 and 3) recovered from sperm whale stomachs in the mid-1950s—initially misidentified as belonging to the giant squid genus, Architeuthis [2] —and a single juvenile individual of 86 mm (3.4 in) mantle length , [3] little else was known about the species until additional specimens began receiving coverage ...
The record size ocean sunfish crashed into a boat off Bird Island, Australia in 1910 and measured 4.3 m (14 ft) from fin-to-fin, 3.1 m (10 ft) in length and weighed about 2,300 kg (5,100 lb), [1] while the other record for the biggest bony fish is yet held by a Mola alexandrini which was also coincidentally 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) in mass and 3 m ...