Via National Geographic: Holy Squid! Photos Offer First Glimpse of Live Deep-Sea Giant

Like something straight out of a Jules Verne novel, an enormous tentacled creature looms out of the inky blackness of the deep Pacific waters.

But this isn't science fiction. A set of extraordinary images captured by Japanese scientists marks the first-ever record of a live giant squid (Architeuthis) in the wild.

The animal which measures roughly 25 feet (8 meters) long was photographed 2,950 feet (900 meters) beneath the North Pacific Ocean. Japanese scientists attracted the squid toward cameras attached to a baited fishing line.

The scientists say they snapped more than 500 images of the massive cephalopod before it broke free after snagging itself on a hook. They also recovered one of the giant squid's two longest tentacles, which severed during its struggle.

The photo sequence, taken off Japan's Ogasawara Islands in September 2004, shows the squid homing in on the baited line and enveloping it in "a ball of tentacles."

I'm fascinated with the giant squid, motsly because it's still such a mystery to us and mysteries that large are sort of rare nowadays. To thnk that this is the first time we've ever seen this giant creature, alive in it's native habitat is awe inspiring. To me anyway.

To know that ther is one even bigger, the colossal squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, (which can grow up to 65 feet!) that we have yet to see alive just gives me goosebumps.

Some related nifty stuff:

• Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni
• Giant Squid and Colossal Squid Fact Sheet
• Super squid surfaces in Antarctic
• "Colossal Squid" Revives Legends of Sea Monsters
• 'Mystery' squid delights scientists
• Discovery Channel: Chasing Giants

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