There are some strange things found in the deep sea. This includes Loch Ness, the Kraken, and other mythical creatures worth taking to the sea for, to locate places rumored to be home to ancient sea monsters.
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Recently, a giant sea monster was just filmed carrying something incredible into the deep.
While it may not be the giant, mythical creature that was found and confirmed as real, the fact that the animal was caught on camera at all is astonishing. This is because, before the November 2024 sighting, the black-eyed squid had only been captured on camera a handful of times. The fact it was caught carrying something that generally no other squids do makes the images of the squid that much more unbelievable.
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Giant Black-Eyed Squid Was Filmed Carrying Her Egg Cluster In The Deep
A female black-eyed squid was caught on camera as she carried her 3,000 eggs through the depths of the ocean
Black-eyed squid on deck of a ship
Black-eyed squid are known for keeping to themselves in the depths of the ocean. Because of this, not much was known about the squid until 2005, when the first black-eyed squid was seen brooding.
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It was believed that all squids deposited their eggs on the ocean floor. But this notion was turned on its head after the black-eyed squid was seen via a submersible carrying her eggs off the coast of California in Monterey.
Capturing black-eyed squid on camera is not a common occurrence, given they stay at depths of 6,200 feet beneath the surface. Therefore, capturing a brooding black-eyed squid on camera was unheard of.
Since 2005, there have only been a handful of times that a brooding black-eyed squid has been captured on camera. Consequently, the November 2024 video taken by the Schmidt Ocean Institute off the coast of Chile showing a black-eyed squid doing just that is special and rare indeed.
The female black-eyed squid, or Gonatus onyx, was carrying up to 3,000 eggs in the sack. The squid will carry the eggs in a large mass "for months." The egg mass is "suspended from hooks on the squid's arms."
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During this time, as the eggs continue to grow, the female squid will use all her energy to carry the eggs. They are never put down. This means the mother squid does not eat. According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, "brooding squid cannot move very quickly, and may be easy prey for deep-diving marine mammals." As such, it is a "dangerous time" for the black-eyed squid.
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Black-Eyed Squid Is Only One Of Two Types Of Squid To Care For Eggs
The black-eyed squid and another member of the Gonatidae are the only two squid that brood
Squid
While it is common for octopus to brood their eggs, for squids, it is very uncommon. While brooding eggs means there is a higher chance of survival, it is also essentially a death sentence for the mother squid, given that she will not eat during this time. However, two squids choose to do this until their eggs hatch, despite cutting their lives short to do so.
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Most squid will lay their eggs and leave them on the ocean floor to fend for themselves. While the male squids may get involved with protecting the eggs, on the whole, thousands to millions of eggs are laid at one time in hopes that some of them will survive until they are ready to be hatched.
The black-eyed squid and a new not-yet-identified squid that is part of the same family the black-eyed squid belongs to, choose to carry their eggs around for months. While doing this, the squid flushes water over the eggs, making it easier for the eggs to hatch when the time comes for them to do so.
During the early stages of brooding, the black-eyed squid and the unnamed member of the Gonatidae family have the strength to make stealthy getaways if predators get too close. However, as the months go by, not eating begins to take its toll. The squid becomes weak and can struggle to get away from those who want to eat them or their eggs.
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But, having a population that is not threatened and nowhere near extinction, the black-eyed squid and the unnamed member of the species are doing something right, with so many of their eggs making it to the end of their incubation period.
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Black-Eyed Squid Are Not Endangered But Their Short Lifespan Is Of Concern
Black-eyed squid are some of the most populous squid in the ocean but their lifespan of up to three years could eventually cause the demise of the species
Squid at the bottom of the ocean
Fortunately, black-eyed squid are not endangered. But, because, on average, they live for approximately one to three years, the short lifespan of the squid is of concern when it comes to conservation efforts.
In the wild, it is not uncommon for squid to live for three years or less. If predators do not eat them, female black-eyed squid die shortly after they are done protecting their eggs six to nine months after carrying them around, given they do not eat during this time. Males will die after their stomachs and caecum dry up after mating, not allowing them to eat any longer.
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Because there are so many animals that rely on squid in general as prey, ensuring that their populations remain stable is paramount. But with animals as well as humans using them as sustenance, this has become more difficult over the years.
For now, however, the black-eyed squid has a large enough population that there are no concerns about it. How climate change around the world and the ever-increasing temperatures of the oceans will affect them in the future, remains to be seen.