Advanced underwater robots discover deep-sea squid that broods giant eggs

Advanced underwater robots discover deep-sea squid that broods giant eggs

By Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Source: phys.org

6/12/2024

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Credit: MBARI

The deep sea is the largest living space on Earth, but many of the animals and habitats far beneath the ocean's surface remain shrouded in mystery. MBARI's advanced underwater robots, including remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), are helping survey life in the ocean's depths.

During an expedition to Mexico's Gulf of California in 2015, MBARI's ROV Doc Ricketts encountered a mother squid cradling a cluster of eggs. MBARI researchers had previously observed deep-sea squids brooding their eggs, but this sighting was striking because the eggs were twice as large as those of other brooding deep-sea squids.