Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
During a recent expedition to study seamounts offshore of Central California, MBARI scientists and NOAA collaborators encountered a rarely seen deep-sea bigfin squid (Magnapinna sp.) approximately 3,277 meters (10,751 feet, or roughly two miles) underwater near Davidson Seamount.
The squid was hovering above the seafloor, undulating two large fins and trailing eight arms and two tentacles. Using a laser measuring system on ROV Doc Ricketts, the team estimated that the squid was about 1.25 meters (4.1 feet) long from the top of the body to the ends of the arms.
This is just the second encounter of the bigfin squid that MBARI researchers have logged in four decades of deep-sea exploration. The first was observed by MBARI geologists while studying the volcanic geology offshore of O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, in 2001.
First collected in 1883, this unique squid was not described by scientists until 1998. Only about 70 Magnapinna have ever been seen with submersibles or collected from scientific trawls. We still have many unanswered questions about the bigfin squid. Continued advancements in ocean technology are providing scientists with tools to reveal life in the largest habitat on Earth. Each new sighting of Magnapinna offers important clues about the natural history and behavior of this elusive deep-sea squid.
Learn more about this amazing encounter:
mbari.org/news/mbari-researchers-film-chance-encounter-with-a-rare-deep-sea-bigfin-squid
Learn more about this and other fascinating animals of the deep: mbari.org/animal/bigfin-squid
Video credits:
Producer/editor: Kyra Schlining
Science advisors: Jim Barry, Andrew DeVogelaere, Olívia Soares Pereira
Production team: Raúl Nava, Kyra Schlining, Susan von Thun
Music: Far Away by Tilyusound (155972457 Pond5)
During a recent expedition to study seamounts offshore of Central California, MBARI scientists and NOAA collaborators encountered a rarely seen deep-sea bigfin squid (Magnapinna sp.) approximately 3,277 meters (10,751 feet, or roughly two miles) underwater near Davidson Seamount.
The squid was hovering above the seafloor, undulating two large fins and trailing eight arms and two tentacles. Using a laser measuring system on ROV Doc Ricketts, the team estimated that the squid was about 1.25 meters (4.1 feet) long from the top of the body to the ends of the arms.
This is just the second encounter of the bigfin squid that MBARI researchers have logged in four decades of deep-sea exploration. The first was observed by MBARI geologists while studying the volcanic geology offshore of O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, in 2001.
First collected in 1883, this unique squid was not described by scientists until 1998. Only about 70 Magnapinna have ever been seen with submersibles or collected from scientific trawls. We still have many unanswered questions about the bigfin squid. Continued advancements in ocean technology are providing scientists with tools to reveal life in the largest habitat on Earth. Each new sighting of Magnapinna offers important clues about the natural history and behavior of this elusive deep-sea squid.
Learn more about this amazing encounter:
mbari.org/news/mbari-researchers-film-chance-encounter-with-a-rare-deep-sea-bigfin-squid
Learn more about this and other fascinating animals of the deep: mbari.org/animal/bigfin-squid
Video credits:
Producer/editor: Kyra Schlining
Science advisors: Jim Barry, Andrew DeVogelaere, Olívia Soares Pereira
Production team: Raúl Nava, Kyra Schlining, Susan von Thun
Music: Far Away by Tilyusound (155972457 Pond5)
