Giant squid

Giant squid
Giant squid, Architeuthis sp., modified from an illustration by A.E. Verrill, 1880
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Order:	Oegopsida
Family:	Architeuthidae Pfeffer, 1900
Genus:	Architeuthis Steenstrup in Harting, 1860
Species:	A. dux
Binomial name
Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857
Worldwide giant squid distribution based on recovered specimens
Synonyms
Architeuthus Steenstrup, 1857 Dinoteuthis More, 1875 Dubioteuthis Joubin, 1900 Megaloteuthis Kent, 1874 Megateuthis Hilgendorf in Carus, 1880 Megateuthus Hilgendorf, 1880 Mouchezis Vélain, 1877 Plectoteuthis Owen, 1881 Steenstrupia Kirk, 1882

The giant squid (Architeuthis dux) is a genus of deep-ocean dwelling squid. Giant squid can grow to a tremendous size: recent estimates put the maximum size at 12 metres (39 ft) or 13 metres (43 ft) for females and 10 metres (33 ft) for males from caudal fin to the tip of the two long tentacles.^[2][3][4]

There is a larger squid, known as the Colossal Squid.

Until 2005, nobody had ever seen a giant squid that was alive. Only dead giant squids had been found. On 30 September 2004, researchers from Japan took the first images of a live giant squid in its natural habitat.^[5] Several of the 556 photographs were released a year later. The same team successfully filmed a live adult giant squid for the first time on December 4, 2006.^[6]

There is no agreement as to how many species there are. The Kraken is also believed to be a giant squid,

1. ↑ Allcock, L. & Barratt, I. (2014). "Architeuthis dux". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014. IUCN: e.T163265A991505. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T163265A991505.en. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
2. ↑ McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, Dove ADM, Gaskins LC, Helm RR, Hochberg FG, Lee FB, Marshall A, McMurray SE, Schanche C, Stone SN, Thaler AD. 2015. Sizing ocean giants: patterns of intraspecific size variation in marine megafauna. PeerJ 3:e715 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.715
3. ↑ Anderton, H.J. 2007. Amazing specimen of world's largest squid in NZ. New Zealand Government website.
4. ↑ O'Shea, S. 2003. "Giant Squid and Colossal Squid Fact Sheet". The Octopus News Magazine Online.
5. ↑ Kubodera T. & K. Mori 2005. First-ever observations of a live giant squid in the wild.PDF Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 272(1581):2583-2586.
6. ↑ "Japanese researchers capture giant squid". Fox News. December 22, 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-28.