10 weird creatures found in the deep sea .
Photobombing squid
The purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis) that swam past the ROV investigating the shipwreck in the Gulf of Aqaba.
The purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis) that swam past the ROV investigating the shipwreck in the Gulf of Aqaba. (Image credit: OceanX)
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In October, researchers trying to map the seafloor of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea were shocked when they discovered a recent shipwreck from 2011. While trying to film the remains of the vessel, the team's ROV was continuously photobombed by a purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis).
The shipwreck and squid were found at a depth of around 2,788 feet (850 m). The scientists from OceanX think it was a solitary squid, but it may have been more than one as it was hard to identify the cephalopod as it zoomed across the screen. The researchers also said the squid had a total body length of about 6 feet (2 m), which would be near the maximum size for the species.
"It was just so spectacular for me," Mattie Rodrigue, science program lead at OceanX, told Live Science. "We had absolutely no idea that we were going to encounter such a magnificent and large animal."
The purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis) that swam past the ROV investigating the shipwreck in the Gulf of Aqaba.
The purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis) that swam past the ROV investigating the shipwreck in the Gulf of Aqaba. (Image credit: OceanX)
(opens in new tab)
In October, researchers trying to map the seafloor of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea were shocked when they discovered a recent shipwreck from 2011. While trying to film the remains of the vessel, the team's ROV was continuously photobombed by a purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis).
The shipwreck and squid were found at a depth of around 2,788 feet (850 m). The scientists from OceanX think it was a solitary squid, but it may have been more than one as it was hard to identify the cephalopod as it zoomed across the screen. The researchers also said the squid had a total body length of about 6 feet (2 m), which would be near the maximum size for the species.
"It was just so spectacular for me," Mattie Rodrigue, science program lead at OceanX, told Live Science. "We had absolutely no idea that we were going to encounter such a magnificent and large animal."
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24 December 2022
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