Hobbies And Interests
Habitat
The habitat of the giant squid makes it difficult for scientists to study them. Giant squid are found in all of the oceans around the world, deep in the sea. Giant squid have been found off the western coast of southern Africa in depths of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Schools of giant squid are found in cooler water areas as warm water actually causes suffocation.
About the Giant Squid
Giant squid are members of the Architeuthidae family and are possibly the largest mollusk and largest invertebrate known. Only the colossal squid is bigger than the giant squid. Typically, a giant squid can grow to be about 33 feet long and weigh about 440 lbs. Giant squid have some of the largest eyes of any creature on Earth, that can be roughly the size of a beach ball.
Anatomy of a Giant Squid
The giant squid has two fins, a mantle, a head, eight arms and two tentacles for feeding. On the insides of the arms and tentacles are two rows of suckers with serrated, sharp chitin rings. At the ends of the giant squid's arms are sharp beaks, not unlike a parrot's beak. Giant squid have dark ink that they release to deter predators like sperm whales and sleeper sharks. Giant squid have a large brain, closed circulatory system and a intricate nervous system.
Feeding
Because of the nature of the giant squid's habitat, not too much is known about its behavior. They are thought to hunt alone rather than in pairs or groups. Giant squid feed on other squid, deep sea fish, crustaceans and sometimes small whales. Giant squid grab their prey with the sharp tentacle clubs on their feeding tentacles and break the prey with the sharp beak on their arms and shred their prey before it reaches their esophagus.