Giant squid is a huge sea creature that lives in many parts of the world’s oceans. The giant squid probably lives at depths of 1,000 to 3,300 feet (300 to 1,000 meters). The creature often appears in sea monster stories. However, few giant squids have ever been seen alive. Little is known about them. Scientists have learned about the animals mostly by studying dead ones found in fishing nets or washed up on shores. They have also studied body parts of giant squid found in the stomachs of sperm whales.
Giant squid belong to a group of animals called mollusks. Mollusks have soft, boneless bodies. The squid’s body is long and shaped like a bullet. An adult can grow about 60 feet (18 meters) in length. It can weigh more than 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms). The giant squid has two huge eyes about 10 inches (25 centimeters) wide. They are perhaps the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. Its flesh contains ammonium, which is lighter than water. This lightness enables the animal to hover in deep water. A long body part called the mantle extends from one side of the head. The mantle tapers toward a wide tail with two rounded fins. Eight arms and two long tentacles extend from the other side of the head. Each arm and tentacle is lined with rows of round sucking disks. The animal uses its tentacles to seize prey. It then draws the prey to a large, beaklike structure near its mouth. Inside this structure is a toothed radula (tongue), which shreds the food. Giant squid eat fish, octopus, and smaller squid.
