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Mesonychoteuthis

Mesonychoteuthis is a genus of deep-sea squid in the family Mesonychoteuthidae. It is a monotypic genus, containing the sole described species Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, commonly known as the colossal squid.

Colossal squid are among the heaviest known cephalopods. Estimates for adults place mass in the hundreds of

Habitat: They inhabit cold Southern Ocean waters around Antarctica, from the continental shelf to depths commonly

Ecology: Colossal squid are predators of mid-water and deep-sea fauna, feeding on fish and other squid. Very

Discovery and significance: Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni is notable for being among the largest known cephalopods by mass

kilograms,
with
total
lengths
that
can
exceed
10
meters.
They
have
a
robust
mantle,
large
eyes,
and
long
arms
and
tentacles.
The
feeding
tentacles
carry
large,
swiveling
hooks
along
the
inner
sides
of
the
club,
and
the
arms
bear
two
rows
of
large
hooks
on
the
suckers.
The
beak
is
strong
and
proportionally
large.
between
300
and
2,000
meters,
though
exact
ranges
vary
by
source.
little
is
known
about
their
life
history;
as
with
many
deep-sea
cephalopods,
data
are
sparse.
and
for
its
distinctive
arm
hooks.
It
remains
a
subject
of
ongoing
study
to
understand
deep-sea
gigantism
and
cephalopod
biology.