How the Giant Squid, Architeuthis Dux, Maneuver Long Tentacles for Hunting

[Daveteuthis]

Having a large body, long tentacles, sharp beak and sucker ring teeth to battle against a sperm whale in deep water makes the giant squid, Architeuthis dux, capture imaginations and constantly fire debate and interest. The hunting strategy of the giant squid in the twilight realm, particularly how to manipulate the soft and long tentacles (e.g.>5m length of a subadult), to catch prey, remains largely unknown. Here we present the first in situ behavioural observation of the tentacular strike of the giant squid which attempted to capture the artificial bioluminescent lure in its natural habitat (800 m depth), off Australian waters. Firstly, this footage confirmed that two long tentacles can be firmly held together by extensive paired locking apparatus (smooth-ringed suckers and knobs), along the tentacular stalks. The elastic locked tentacles bearing nimble tentacular clubs allow a ballistic strike onto a small light lure in distance. Also, the remarkably rapid changes of arrangement of tentacular clubs from the noose shape to the claw-like structure to grasp objects indicate that the giant squid likely relies on good vision (enormous eyes), chemotactile (suckers), or both for prey hunting.

https://www.jscimedcentral.com/MarineBiology/marinebiology-7-1031.pdf

Video:

 

[Deleted member 14033]

That is a big squid. The video indicated that part was a meter across...

 

[Daveteuthis]

That is a big squid. The video indicated that part was a meter across...

In the article they estimate the animal size:

"Given the known size of the e-jelly (10 cm diameter), and the length of the bar (1 m), of the camera system (Figure 2), the thickness of the united shaft of tentacles on the camera scene was close to the size of the e-jelly (Figure 3c). Furthermore, the tentacular club length (TCL), was estimated approximately 1.0 –1.2 m (Figure 3a-b), suggesting that the ML of this giant squid is between 2.3 and 2.8 m. The estimate of the body size of this large individual could be one of the exceptionally large giant squid hitherto scientifically reported."

 

[OB]

That is upper limit size