Video of a rare squid with huge eggs has struck the Internet: what kind of mollusk is it and why scientists were silent for 9 years

In 2015, scientists discovered a squid laying giant eggs in the depths of the Gulf of California. A video of the female mollusk, the species of which was finally identified, conquered the Internet.

9 years ago, underwater work led by the Monterey Bay Research Institute (MBARI) managed to capture some footage of a mother squid with her eggs laid. Only now have researchers concluded that the squid in the video belongs to an unknown species of the Gonatidae family, Iflscience reports.

Researchers tell us that seeing a female squid with eggs in the depths of the ocean is very rare. And what MBARI's remote-controlled vehicle saw in 2015 was a unique phenomenon. After all, the mother squid held eggs measuring 11.6 millimeters across in her tentacles, which is almost twice the size of other known species of gonatids. What was also different was that the number of eggs was smaller than in a typical squid clutch.

"Our unexpected encounter with giant squid eggs caught the attention of everyone in the control room. The stable and expected environmental conditions of the deep water column (1,000-4,000 meters) allow us to select a smaller number of large eggs," MBARI senior scientist Stephen Heddock said in a statement.

Scientists also explained that the mother squid gives her life to her offspring. "The brood takes a lot from the squid. She does not eat while she is incubating the eggs and eventually dies after the offspring hatch from the eggs," explained scientist Hank-Jan Hoving.

According to the researchers, it can take up to four years for a female squid to incubate such large eggs. Her sacrifice increases the chances that the offspring will survive. 'This is just one of many remarkable adaptations that can help cephalopod molluscs survive in the deep sea,' Hoving added."

Such sacrifice of a squid mother has conquered the network. Under the unique video published by MBARI, connoisseurs of the ocean depths leave heartfelt comments: "She is a good mom, unfortunately, for her it will be the first and last time", "So much work went through for a 29-second video. Amazing!", "I didn't realize squid carried eggs in their tentacles for so long. Nature never fails to nurture us! Thanks for this short but great snippet of life!".

And the final comments call for the world to focus on exploring nature rather than destroying it, "I wish the world would just come together and focus its resources on helping each other and exploring these depths instead of waging wars."

Earlier OBOZ.UA wrote that off the coast of Antarctica fished a creature with 20 arms.

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