List of giant squid specimens and sightings

Giant squid (Architeuthis sp.), modified from an illustration by A.E. Verrill, 1880

This list of giant squid specimens and sightings is a comprehensive timeline of recorded human encounters with members of the genus Architeuthis, popularly known as giant squid. It includes animals that were caught by fishermen, found stranded ashore or floating at the water's surface, recovered (in whole or in part) from sperm whales and other predatory species, as well as confirmed giant squid sightings at sea. The list also covers specimens incorrectly assigned to the genus Architeuthis in original descriptions or later publications.

The list generally follows "Records of Architeuthis Specimens from Published Reports" (2001), which was compiled by Michael J. Sweeney of the Smithsonian Institution and includes records through 1999, with additional information taken from other sources (see References).

Number of specimens

According to Guerra et al. (2006), 592 confirmed giant squid specimens were known as of the end of 2004. Of these, 306 came from the Atlantic Ocean, 264 from the Pacific Ocean, 20 from the Indian Ocean, and 2 from the Mediterranean Sea. The figures for specimens collected in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans further broke down as follows: 126 in the northwestern Atlantic, 148 in the northeastern Atlantic, 6 in the southwestern Atlantic, 26 in the southeastern Atlantic, 28 in the northwestern Pacific, 43 in the northeastern Pacific, 183 in the southwestern Pacific, and 10 in the southeastern Pacific (Guerra et al., 2006).

Guerra & González (2009) reported that the total number of recorded giant squid specimens stood at 624. Guerra et al. (2011) gave an updated figure of 677 specimens (see table below). Around 30 of these specimens are exhibited at museums and aquaria worldwide (Guerra et al., 2011). The Centro del Calamar Gigante in Luarca, Spain, had by far the largest collection on public display, but many of the museum's 14 specimens were destroyed during a storm on 2 February 2014 ([Anonymous], 2014b; [Anonymous], 2014c).

Records of giant squid specimens sorted by region and method of capture (from Guerra et al., 2011)
Region Number of specimens % of total Found stranded or floating (%) From fishing (%) From predators (%) Method of capture unknown
NW Atlantic 148 21.9 61 30 1 8
NE Atlantic 152 22.5 49 31 15 5
SW Atlantic 6 0.9 50 16 1 33
SE Atlantic 60* 8.9 10 60 17 13
NW Pacific 30* 4.4 30 35 30 5
NE Pacific 43 6.4 7 56 30 7
SW Pacific 183 27.0 12 41 42 5
SE Pacific 10 1.5 90 10 0 0
Indian Ocean 33** 4.8 6 94 0 0
W Mediterranean 3 0.4 100 0 0 0
Equatorial/tropical 9 1.3 11 44 45 0
All regions 677 100.0
* Underestimates according to Guerra et al. (2011).
** Includes records from Durban, South Africa.

Size considerations

Further information: Cephalopod size
Giant squid found at Ranheim in Trondheimsfjord, Norway, on 2 October 1954, being examined by Professors Erling Sivertsen and Svein Haftorn. This specimen measured 9.24 m in total length and had a mantle length of 1.79 m.

Giant squid size, and particularly total length, has often been misreported and exaggerated. Reports of specimens reaching or even exceeding 18 m (59 ft) in length are widespread, but no animals approaching this size have been scientifically documented in recent times, despite the hundreds of specimens available for study. It is now thought likely that such lengths were achieved by great lengthening of the two long feeding tentacles, analogous to stretching elastic bands, or resulted from improper measurement methods such as pacing (O'Shea & Bolstad, 2008).

Based on the examination of more than 130 specimens, as well as beaks recovered from sperm whales (which do not exceed the size of those found in the largest complete specimens), the giant squid is not known to attain a mantle length (ML) in excess of 2.25 m (7.4 ft) (O'Shea & Bolstad, 2008). Including the head and arms but excluding the tentacles, it very rarely exceeds 5 m (16 ft) (O'Shea & Bolstad, 2008). Maximum total length, when measured relaxed post mortem, is estimated at 13 m (43 ft) for females and 10 m (33 ft) for males, from the posterior end of the mantle and fins to the tip of the two long tentacles (O'Shea, 2003b).

Giant squid exhibit sexual dimorphism. Maximum weight is estimated at 275 kg (606 lb) for females and 150 kg (330 lb) for males, though discredited weights of up to 1 tonne (2,200 lb) can be found in older literature (O'Shea, 2003b).

List of giant squid

Records are listed chronologically in descending order and numbered accordingly. Specimens incorrectly assigned to the genus Architeuthis are not counted and are instead denoted with an asterisk (*) and highlighted in pink. Records that cover multiple giant squid specimens, or remains of more than a single animal (e.g. two lower beaks), are highlighted in grey.

# Date Location Oceanic sector Method of capture Identification Material cited Material saved Sex Size and measurements Repository Main references Additional references Notes
1 1545 near Malmö, Denmark [since 1658 Malmö has been part of Sweden] NEA Found washed ashore; "caught live" [fide Muus (1959:170)] "Japetus Steenstrup delivered a lecture in 1854 with a strong suggestion that the 'soemunk' was an Architeuthis." [fide Muus (1959)]; Architeuthis monachus Steenstrup in Harting, 1860 Entire? Undetermined WL?: ~3 m transcript of Steenstrup's 1854 lecture; Lönnberg (1891:36) Nordgård (1928:71); Muus (1959:170) Muus (1959) writes: "From contemporary descriptions with accompanying woodcuts it appears that the animal was regarded as a 'soemunk'."
2 Autumn 1639 Thingøresand, Nordresyssel, Iceland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire One arm BL+HL: ~6 ft (1.8 m); AL: ~3 ft (0.91 m); TL: ~16–18 ft (4.9–5.5 m); BC: ~3–4 ft (0.91–1.22 m) Thingore monastery Steenstrup (1849:[9]); Steenstrup (1898:[272]) Jónsson (1639); Olafsen (1772:716); Verrill (1875b:84); Robson (1933:691); Muus (1959:170)
3 ~15 October 1673 Dingle-I-cosh, Kerry, Ireland NEA Found floating at surface, in process of washing ashore, alive Dinoteuthis proboscideus More, 1875; Architeuthis monachus [fide Verrill] Entire Two arms, buccal mass, and suckers taken to Dublin TL: ~11 ft (3.4 m) + 9 ft (2.7 m); AL: ~6–8 ft (1.8–2.4 m); "liver": 30 lb (14 kg) Undetermined [NMI?]; holotype of Dinoteuthis proboscideus More, 1875 More (1875a:4526); Verrill (1875c:214) Massy (1909:30); Ritchie (1918:137); Robson (1933:692); Rees (1950:40); Hardy (1956:285); Collins (1998:489) Found by James Steward.
4 1680 Ulvangen Fjord, Alstadhoug parish, Norway NEA Not stated Entire? Pontoppidan (1752:34?/344?) Steenstrup (1857:[18]); Grieg (1933:19)
5 1770 Jutland, Denmark NEA Unknown Muss (1959) Ellis (1998:257)
6 27 May 1785 Grand Banks, Newfoundland NWA Found floating dead Architeuthis sp. BL: 7 ft (2.1 m) Thomas (1795:xx); Aldrich (1992:457) Data from Capt. G. Cartwright.
7 November or December 1790 Arnarnaesvik, Modruvalle, Iceland NEA Found washed ashore Entire None; used for cod bait "longest tentacula": >3 fathoms (5.5 m); "body right from the head": 3.5 fathoms (6.4 m); "so thick that a fullgrown man could hardly embrace it with his arms" Steenstrup 1849:[11]); Steenstrup (1898:[276]) 1792 diary of Svein Paulsson (in library of Literature Society of Iceland, in Copenhagen); Verrill (1875b:84); Robson (1933:691) Called Kolkrabbe ('coal-crab') by local people.
8 17-- (reported 1795) near St. John's harbour, Newfoundland NWA Unknown Architeuthis sp. Thomas (1795:xx); Aldrich (1992:457)
9 17-- Grand Banks, Newfoundland NWA Unknown Architeuthis sp. Aldrich (1992:457)
10 1798 Denmark NEA Unknown Packard (1873) Ellis (1998:257)
11 1802 off Tasmania SWP EL?: 6–7 ft (1.8–2.1 m) Péron (1807) Ellis (1998:257)
12 1817 Atlantic Ocean ? WT: 400 lb (180 kg) Quoy & Gaimard (1824) Ellis (1998:257)
13 December 1853 Raabjerg beach, North Jutland, coast of Skagerack, Denmark NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis monachus Entire Jaws only; radula discarded after poor preservation; jaws cut out; portion used for bait; remainder buried after 2 days 80–85 kg; jaw measurements Steenstrup (1898:[270]) ZMUC; holotype of Architeuthis monachus Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Kristensen & Knudsen (1983:222)] Steenstrup (1855:[14]); arting (1860:11); Steenstrup (1898:[258], pl.); Kristensen & Knudsen (1983:222) Steenstrup (1857:[18]); Gervais (1875:91); Verrill (1875b:84); Posselt (1890:144); Nordgård (1928:71) "Architeuthis monachus" Steenstrup = nomen nudum [fide Robson (1933:690)].
14 5 November 1855 western part of the Atlantic Ocean (31°N 76°W / 31°N 76°W / 31; -76 (Giant squid specimen)); Bahamas (Captain Hygom) [fide Ellis (1998:258)] NWA Not stated; presumably found floating at surface Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857; Architeuthis titan [fide Verrill (1875)] Arm, suckers, and gladius Arm, suckers, and gladius Male WL: 377 cm; AL: 1/2 whole length [fide Steenstrup]; beak measurements; GL: 6 ft (1.8 m) [fide Verrill citing Harting] ZMUC; holotype of Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Kristensen & Knudsen (1983:222)]; ZMB Moll. 34798 (single sucker) Steenstrup (1857:[18]); Steenstrup (1882:[160]); Steenstrup (1898:[260, 298], pls. 3–4); Kristensen & Knudsen (1983:222); Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas (2000:273) Verrill (1875b:84); Posselt (1890:144); Toll & Hess (1981:753) Obtained by Capt. V. Hygom. Japetus Steenstrup donated single sucker to Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, which was incorporated into collection in 1883 according to catalogue entry.
15 December 1855 Aalbaekbugten, Denmark NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire? Undetermined None Muus (1959:170) Posselt (1890:144)
16 Unknown (reported 1860) Unknown ? Not stated Architeuthis dux [fide Harting (1860)]; Architeuthis hartingii (Verrill, 1875) [fide Verrill (1880)]; nomen nudum [fide Dell (1970:27)] Jaws, buccal mass, detached arm suckers Jaws, buccal mass, detached arm suckers ASD: 1.05 in (2.7 cm) Utrecht University Natural History Museum; holotype of Loligo hartingii Verrill, 1875. Harting specimen No. 1 Harting (1860:2, figs. 1–8); Verrill (1875b:85); Kent (1875:491); Verrill (1880:240); Pfeffer (1912:37) Dell (1970:27)
17 1860 between Hillswick and Scalloway, Shetland, Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis monachus Steenstrup, 1857; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Stephen (1962:154)] Undetermined TL: 16 ft (4.9 m); AL: ~8 ft (2.4 m); BL: ~7 ft (2.1 m) Jeffreys (1869:124); Stephen (1944:263) Pfeffer (1912:26); Rees (1950:40); Collins (1998:489)
18 30 November ?1861 [=1860 Rees & Maul] about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Teneriffe, Canary Islands NEA Found floating at surface Loligo bouyeri [fide Crosse & Fischer] Entire, decomposed None BL: 15–18 ft (4.6–5.5 m) None Bouyer (1861); Crosse & Fischer (1862); Kent (1874:180); Verrill (1875b:86) Kent (1875:491); Gervais (1875:93); Rees & Maul (1956:266) Observed only by officers of the French gunboat Alecton; sketch made.
19 1862 North Atlantic ? Unknown Crosse & Fischer (1862) Ellis (1998:258)
* Unknown; 1870? Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, Canada NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878 [=Sthenoteuthis pteropus (Steenstrup, 1855) fide Dunning (1998:428)] Entire Entire BL: 14 in (36 cm); WL: 43 in (110 cm); extensive additional measurements NSMC; catalog no. 1870-Z-2; holotype of Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878 [fide Macalaster (1977:14). Verrill specimen No. 21 Verrill (1878:207); Verrill (1880a:193) Non-architeuthid. Collected by J.M. Jones.
20 September 1870 Waimarama, east coast of Wellington, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Entire Beak BL+HL: 10 ft 5 in (3.18 m); BC: 6 ft (1.8 m); AL: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) In Kirk's possession; Kirk specimen No. 1 Kirk (1880:310); Verrill (1881:398) Meinertzhagen letter 27 June 1879 to Kirk; Pfeffer (1912:32); Dell (1952:98) Mr. Meinertzhagen sent beak, saved by third party (unidentified), to Kirk. Natives called specimen a "taniwha".
21 1870 (winter) Lamaline, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup Entire? Two; WL: 40 ft (12 m) and WL: 47 ft (14 m) Unknown; Verrill specimens No. 8 & 9 Murray (1874a:162); Verrill (1875a:36); Verrill (1880a:187) Harvey (1874:69); Kent (1874:182) Data from Mr. Harvey letter citing Rev. M. Gabriel's statement to Harvey.
22 October 1871 Grand Banks, Newfoundland NWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875 Entire; part used as bait Jaws obtained from Baird for examination by Verrill; lower jaw is syntype of Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875b BL: ~15 ft (4.6 m); BD: 19 in (48 cm); AL (mutilated): ~10 ft (3.0 m); AD: 7 in (18 cm); AC: 22 in (56 cm); beak; BC: 4 ft 8 in (1.42 m); WT: 2,000 lb (910 kg) Jaws at NMNH [fide Verrill (1874a:158)][no longer extant?]. Verrill specimen No. 1 Packard (1873:91); Verrill (1874a:158); Verrill (1874b:167); Verrill (1875b:79, fig. 27); Verrill (1880a:181, 210, pl. 18 fig. 3) Verrill (1880a:178); Pfeffer (1912:20) Taken by Capt. Campbell, Schooner B.D. Haskins.
23 1871 Wellington, New Zealand SWP EL?: 16 ft (4.9 m) Dell (1952) Ellis (1998:258)
24 1872 (autumn or winter) Coomb's Cove, Newfoundland NWA Found alive in shallow water, having been driven ashore in heavy sea Entire; "one long arm missing" (later changed to both present) BL: 10 ft (3.0 m); BD: 3–4 ft (0.91–1.22 m); TL: 42 ft (13 m); AL: ~6 ft (1.8 m); AD: 9 in (23 cm); skin + flesh: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) thick; EL: 52 ft (16 m) Unknown; Verrill specimen No. 3 Verrill (1874a:159); Verrill (1874b:167); Verrill (1875a:35); Verrill (1880a:183) Owen (1881:163) Specimen had a reddish colour. Verrill's data taken from newspaper accounts and 15/VI/1873 T.R. Bennett letter to Prof. Baird.
25 December 1872 Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore ?Architeuthis dux [fide Verrill (1874a)]; ?Architeuthis harveyi [fide Verrill (1880a)] Entire (damaged arms) Pair of jaws and two suckers TL: 32 ft (9.8 m); AL: ~10 ft (3.0 m); BL: ~14 ft (4.3 m) (estimate); BC: 6 ft (1.8 m) NMNH; Verrill specimen No. 4 (1875a:33); and possibly also Verrill specimen No. 11 (1875b:79) Verrill (1874a:160); Verrill (1874b:167); Verrill (1875a:33); Verrill (1875b:79); Verrill (1880a:184, 187, pl. 16 figs. 5–6, pl. 25 fig. 5) Pfeffer (1912:19) Material from Rev. A. Munn, through Prof. Baird to Verrill.
26 Unknown (reported 1873) North Atlantic Ocean NWA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875 Upper and lower jaws Upper and lower jaws Beaks Syntype of Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875b; Verrill specimen No. 10. Presented by Capt. N.E. Atwood of Provincetown, Massachusetts to EI [fide Verrill (1875b)]; PASS [fide Verrill (1880a)]. Packard (1873:91, fig.); Verrill (1875a:22); Verrill (1875b:79, figs. 25–26); Verrill (1880a:187, 210, pls. 17–20) Verrill states Packard's illustration is inaccurate.
27 1873 Yedo fishmarket, Japan NWP Purchased Megateuthis martensii Hilgendorf, 1880; Nomen spurium [fide Pfeffer (1912:31)] 'Entire', missing head, "abdominal sac", ends of tentacles and arms [fide Owen (1881:163)] Not specified ML: 186 cm; WL: 414 cm; HL: 41 cm; AL(longest): 197 cm; ASD: 1.5 cm (with 37 cusps); EyD: 200 mm ZMB Moll. 34716 + 38980, holotype of Megateuthis martensii Hilgendorf, 1880 [34716a: eyeball, 200 mm diameter, dry; 34716b: pieces of arm and gladius, suckers; 34716c: larger piece of arm with suckers; 38980: four suckers from holotype arm piece] Hilgendorf (1880:67); Pfeffer (1912:31); Sasaki (1929:227); Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas (2000:276) Owen (1881:163) Second specimen from Tokyo fishmarket seen by Franz Martin Hilgendorf and used for description of gladius. Of other specimen, Hilgendorf saved assorted parts: "Theile eines Armes, die Hüllen des Auges, und ein Bruchstück des Schulpes" (Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas, 2000:276). Model of specimen placed in Exhibition of Fishery in Berlin.
28 26 October 1873 off Portugal Cove, Conception Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found floating at surface Megaloteuthis harveyi Kent, 1874; Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup [fide Verrill (1875a:34)]; ?Architeuthis harveyi [fide Verrill (1880a:181)] Entire One tentacle; one arm discarded (see Verrill, 1880a:220) TL (incomplete): 19 ft (5.8 m); TSD: 1.25 in (3.2 cm); TC: 3.5 in (8.9 cm); additional measurements based on photograph (1875a:34); additional club measurement from Harvey letter (1875b:79); BL: ~10 ft (3.0 m) YPM?; holotype of Megaloteuthis harveyi Kent, 1874; Verrill specimen No. 2 Harvey (1874:67, pl.); Murray (1874a:161); Murray (1874b:120); Verrill (1874a:159); Verrill (1874b:167); Kent (1874:178, 182); Verrill (1875a:34); Verrill (1875b:78); Kent (1875:32); Verrill (1880a:181); Verrill (1882b:74) Owen (1881:161); Pfeffer (1912:19); Aldrich (1992:457); "February Naturalist pg. 120"; "13 December Field"; "6 December 1873 American Sportsman" Found floating at surface, struck by Mr. T. Picot from boat, attacked boat.
29 25 November? 1873 Logy Bay (~3 miles from St. John's), Newfoundland NWA In herring net ?Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup [fide Verrill (1874a)]; Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874) [fide Verrill (1880a)] Entire (badly mutilated, head severed, etc.) Miscellaneous parts obtained from Rev. M. Harvey (gladius and ?) (see 1880a:220) BL: ~7 ft (2.1 m); BC: 5–6 ft (1.5–1.8 m); caudal fin: 22 in (56 cm) broad; TL: 24 ft (7.3 m); TC: 2.5 in (6.4 cm); AL (all 8): 6 ft (1.8 m); AC (base): 10 in (25 cm), 9 in (23 cm), 8 in (20 cm), 7 in (18 cm); ASC: ~100; CSC: ~160; club description; extensive description of reconstructed parts In Verrill's possession; Verrill specimen No. 5 Verrill (1874a:160); Verrill (1874b:167); Kent (1874:181); Verrill (1875a:23); Kent (1875:32) Verrill (1876:236); Verrill (1880a:184, 197, pls 13–16a); Pfeffer (1912:18); Aldrich (1992:457, fig. 1A,B) Harvey in Morning Chronicle (newspaper) of St. John's; Maritime Monthly Magazine of St. John's, March 1874; several newspapers Verrill's data from letter to Dr. Dawson from M. Harvey. Photographs made of a) entire body, somewhat mutilated anteriorly; b) head and 10 arms. Poorly preserved; first in brine, then in alcohol. Capture date given as December several times, then as November several times and as November 25 by Aldrich (1992:457).
30 Unknown (reported 1874) Unknown; South-American coast [fide Kent (1874:179)] SWA? Not stated Architeuthis monachus [fide Kent (1874:178)]; Plectoteuthis grandis Owen, 1881; Architeuthis sp.? (grandis) [fide Verrill (1881:401)]; nomen nudum [fide Dell (1970:27)] Sessile arm Arm AL: 9 ft (2.7 m); AC: 11 in (28 cm) BMNH; holotype of Plectoteuthis grandis Owen, 1881 Kent (1874:179); Verrill (1875b:86); Kent (1875:493); Owen (1881:156, pls. 33b–35); Verrill (1881:400); Verrill (1882b:72); Steenstrup (1882:[160]); Pfeffer (1912:37) Dell (1970:27)
31 1874 Buøy, Foldenfjord, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire None WL: ~4 m Grieg (1933:19) Nordgård (1928:71)
32 10 May 1874 Indian Ocean (8°50′N 84°5′E / 8.833°N 84.083°E / 8.833; 84.083 (Giant squid specimen)) NIO Unknown The Times (July 4, 1874); Lane (1974:205) Ellis (1998:258) Seen from the steamers Strathowen and Pearl.
33 2 November 1874 on beach, St. Paul Island, Indian Ocean (38°43′S 77°32′E / 38.717°S 77.533°E / -38.717; 77.533 (Giant squid specimen)) SIO Found washed ashore Architeuthis mouchezi Velain (1875:1002) [nomen nudum]; Mouchezis sancti-pauli Velain (1877:81) Entire; found in advanced state of decay Tentacle(s?) and buccal mass EL: 7.15 m MNHN; catalog nos. 3-2-658 + 3-2-659 (tentacular clubs) [fide Lu et al. (1995)]; holotype of Mouchezis sancti-pauli Velain, 1877 Velain (1875:1002); Velain (1877:81 & 83, fig. 8); Velain (1878:81 & 83, fig. 8); Owen (1881:159); Pfeffer (1912:32) Gervais (1875:88); Verrill (1875c:213)
34 December 1874 Grand Bank, Fortune Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis princeps Entire, except for tail (cut up for dog food) Jaws, one tentacular sucker EL: 42–43 ft (12.8–13.1 m); HL+BL: 12–13 ft (3.7–4.0 m); ?TL: 30 ft (9.1 m); TL: 26 ft (7.9 m); TC: 16 in (41 cm); BL: 10 ft (3.0 m); jaws In Verrill's possession; Verrill specimen No. 6 and Verrill specimen No. 13 Verrill (1875a:35); Verrill (1875c:213); Verrill (1880a:186, 188, pl. 17 fig. 11) Simms letter 27/X/1875 to Verrill Data from 10/XII/1873 letter from Mr. Harvey to unknown individual citing measurements taken by G. Simms; Pfeffer (1912:21). Measurements are given differently in different papers.
35 Unknown (reported 1875) west St. Modent (on Labrador side), Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland NWA Found alive Architeuthis princeps or Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup Entire None; cut up, salted, and barrelled for dog meat TL?: 37 ft (11 m); BL+HL: 15 ft (4.6 m); WL: 52 ft (16 m); SD: ~2 in (5.1 cm) None; Verrill specimen No. 7 Verrill (1875a:36); Verrill (1880a:186) Dr. Honeyman article in Halifax newspaper Data from unidentified third party cited in Halifax newspaper article.
36 Unknown (reported 1875) Boffin Island, west coast, Ireland NEA Not stated Beak, tentacles, and arms Undetermined TL: 30 ft (9.1 m); CL: 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m); CSD: ~1 in (2.5 cm) Uncertain chronology; More (1875b:123); Verrill (1875c:214)
37 1874? 1875? (winter) near Harbor Grace, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Destroyed None taken None; Verrill specimen No. 12 Verrill (1875b:79); Verrill (1880a:188) "destroyed before its value became known, and no measurements are given"
38 25 April 1875 off Boffin Island, Connemara, Ireland NEA "Captured" Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Beak and buccal mass, one arm, portions of both tentacles TL: ~30 ft (9.1 m); CL: 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m); CSD: 1 in (2.5 cm); AL: ~8 ft (2.4 m); AC: 15 in (38 cm) NMI More (1875b:123); Massy (1909:30) Ritchie (1918:137); Massy (1928:32); Robson (1933:692); Rees (1950:40); Hardy (1956:285); Collins (1998:489) Preserved by Sergeant O'Connor.
39 October, 1875 Grand Banks, Atlantic Ocean (44°–44°30'N 49°30'–49°50'W) NWA Not stated; presumably found floating at surface Multiple None; cut up for cod bait Filled 75 US gal (280 l) tub; ~1,000 lb (450 kg) (No. 25); TL: 36 ft (11 m) (No. 26) None; Verrill specimen No. 25 and Verrill specimen No. 26 Verrill (1881:396) An unusual number (>25–30) of mostly dead giant squid found by Gloucester, Massachusetts fishermen.
40 ~1876 Clifford Bay, Cape Campbell, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Entire Jaws [fide Pfeffer (1912:32)] BL(estimate): 7 ft (2.1 m); EL(estimate): ~20 ft (6.1 m) Colonial Museum [NMNZ] [fide Pfeffer (1912:32)] Robson (1887:156); Kirk (1880) Pfeffer (1912:32); Dell (1952:98)
41 20 November 1876 in Notre Dame Bay, southwest arm of Green Bay, Hammer Cove, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Partial specimen; devoured by foxes and seabirds Piece of pen 16 in (41 cm) long WH: 18 in (46 cm); FW: 18 in (46 cm) In Harvey's possession; Verrill specimen No. 15 Verrill (1880a:190); Verrill (1880b:284) M. Harvey letter 25 August 1877 to Verrill
42 1877? Norway NEA Not stated Map location only Sivertsen (1955:11, fig. 4)
43 24 September 1877 Catalina, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore, alive Architeuthis princeps Entire; "nearly perfect specimen" Loose suckers (see 1880a:220) HL+BL: 9.5 ft (2.9 m); BC: 7 ft (2.1 m); TL: 30 ft (9.1 m); AL (longest, ventral): 11 ft (3.4 m); AC(ventral): 17 in (43 cm); beak; FW: 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m) In Verrill's possession; Verrill specimen No. 14 Canadian Illustrated News, October 27, 1877; Verrill (1877:425); Verrill (1880a:189, pl. 17, figs. 1–10, pls. 19–20) Owen (1881:163); Pfeffer (1912:21) Measured fresh by M. Harvey; examined preserved (poorly) by Verrill at New York Aquarium. Later "prepared" for exhibition by taxidermist. Cast made for the AMNH.
44 October 1877 Trinity Bay, Newfoundland NWA Not stated "big squid" None None taken None; Verrill specimen No. 17 Verrill (1880a:191); Verrill (1880b:285) M. Harvey letter 17 November 1877 to Verrill citing reference to specimen by John Duffet Specimen cut up and used for manure.
45 21 November 1877 Smith's Sound, Lance Cove, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore ?Architeuthis princeps Entire None; carried off by tide BL(+HL?): 11 ft (3.4 m); TL: 33 ft (10 m); AL: 13 ft (4.0 m) (estimate) None; Verrill specimen No. 16 Verrill (1880a:190); Verrill (1880b:285) M. Harvey letter 27 November 1877 to Verrill citing measurements taken by John Duffet Found still alive, having "ploughed up a trench or furrow about 30 ft long and of considerable depth by the stream of water that it ejected with great force from its siphon. When the tide receded it died."
46 2 November 1878 near Little Bay Copper Mine, Thimble Tickle, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found aground off shore, alive; tied with rope and pulled to shore ?Architeuthis princeps Entire None; cut up for dog food BL+HL: 20 ft (6.1 m); TL: 35 ft (11 m) None; Verrill specimen No. 18 Verrill (1880a:191); Verrill (1880b:285) M. Harvey letter 30 January 1879 to Boston Traveller; Hickey (2009) Discovered by Stephen Sherring, fisherman. Often cited as the largest recorded giant squid specimen. Giant Squid Interpretation Centre and "life-sized" [55-foot-long (17 m)] sculpture built near site of capture.
47 2 December 1878 Three Arms, South Arm of Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore ?Architeuthis princeps Entire, mutilated and with arms missing None; cut up for dog food BL+HL: 15 ft (4.6 m); BC: 12 ft (3.7 m); AL: 16 ft (4.9 m) None; Verrill specimen No. 19 Verrill (1880a:192); Verrill (1880b:286) M. Harvey letter 30 January 1879 to Boston Traveller Found dead by William Budgell, fisherman, after heavy gale.
48 23 May 1879 Lyall Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Steenstrupia stockii Kirk, 1882 [=Architeuthis sp.? fide Verrill (1882c:477)] Entire, but somewhat mutilated Pen, beak, tongue, some suckers ML: 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m); BC: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m); HL: 1 ft 11 in (0.58 m); BL+HL: 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m); HC: 4 ft (1.2 m); AL: 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m); AC: 11 in (28 cm); ASC: 36; FL: 24 in (61 cm); FW: 13 in (33 cm) (single); GL: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m); GW: 11 in (28 cm); other measurements NMNZ; catalog no. M.125405 + M.125403 [fide Marshall (1996:45)]; holotype of Steenstrupia stockii Kirk, 1882. Kirk specimen No. 3 Kirk (1880:310); Verrill (1881:398); Kirk (1882:286, figs. 2–4) Verrill (1882c:477); Kirk (1888:34); Pfeffer (1912:34); Dell (1952:98); Dell (1970:27); Stevens (1988:149, fig. 2) Measurements taken by T.W. Kirk.
49 1879 off Nova Scotia, Canada (42°49′N 62°57′W / 42.817°N 62.950°W / 42.817; -62.950 (Giant squid specimen)) NWA From fish stomach, Alepidosaurus [sic] ferox ?Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878; ?Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874) Terminal part of tentacular arm Portion of arm 18 in (46 cm) long NMNH; catalog no. 576962. Verrill specimen No. 20 Verrill (1880a:193); Verrill (1880b:287) Lancetfish taken by Capt. J.W. Collins of schooner Marion on halibut trawl-line.
September 1879 Olafsfjord, Iceland NEA Architeuthis Left tentacle TL: 7680+ mm; CL: 1010 mm; CSC: 268; TSC: 290; additional indices and counts ZMUC [specimen NA-7 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:727) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
50 October 1879 near Brigus, Conception Bay, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Two arms with other mutilated parts Undetermined; Verrill specimen No. 22 AL: 8 ft (2.4 m) None?; Verrill specimen No. 22 Verrill (1880a:194); Verrill (1880b:287)
51 1 November 1879 James's Cove, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Entire None; cut up by fishermen WL: 38 ft (12 m); BL: 9 ft (2.7 m); BC: ~6 ft (1.8 m); TL: 29 ft (8.8 m) None; Verrill specimen No. 23 Verrill (1880a:194); Verrill (1880b:287) Morning Chronicle of St. John's 9 December 1879 Found alive and driven ashore.
52 Unknown (reported 1880) near Boulder Bank, Nelson, New Zealand SWP Not stated; hook and line? Not indicated Undetermined; Kirk specimen No. 4 8 ft (2.4 m) long None?; Kirk specimen No. 4 Kirk (1880:310); Verrill (1881:398) Newspaper article Caught by fishing party. No other data.
53 Unknown (reported 1880) near Flat Point, east coast, New Zealand SWP Not stated Not indicated Undetermined; Kirk specimen No. 5 None None?; Kirk specimen No. 5 Kirk (1880:310); Verrill (1881:398) Description sent to Mr. Beetham, M.H.R., by Mr. Moore Found by Mr. Moore. No other data.
54 April 1880 Grand Banks, Newfoundland NWA Found dead at surface Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874) Head, tentacles, and arms only Head, tentacles, and arms TL: 66 in (170 cm); ASC: 330; extensive measurements and counts YPM; catalog no. 12600y. Verrill specimen No. 24 Verrill (1881:259, pl. 26, pl. 38 figs. 3–7) Pfeffer (1912:19) Found dead by Capt. O.A. Whitten of schooner Wm.H. Oakes.
55 6 June 1880 Island Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis verrilli Kirk, 1882 Entire Not specified ML: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m); BC: 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m); TL: 25 ft (7.6 m); AL(I,II,IV): 9 ft (2.7 m); AC(I,II,IV): 15 in (38 cm); AL(III): 10 ft 5 in (3.18 m); AC(III): 21 in (53 cm); ASC(III): 71; HC: 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m); HL: 19 in (48 cm); FL: 30 in (76 cm); FW: 28 in (71 cm); EyD: 5 in (13 cm) by 4 in (10 cm) NMNZ; holotype of Architeuthis verrilli Kirk, 1882; specimen no longer extant [fide Marshall (1996:46)] Kirk (1882:285) Verrill (1882c:477); Kirk (1888:35); Pfeffer (1912:33); Dell (1952:98); Dell (1970:27) Measurements taken by Kirk, except TL by James McColl. Beak and portions of gladius ("skeleton") taken by Italian fishermen and not recovered.
56 ~1880 Kvænangen, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None None Grieg (1933:19) Sivertsen (1955:11)
57 ~1880 Tønsvik, Tromsøysund, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None None Grieg (1933:19)
58 October 1880 Kilkee, County Clare, Ireland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Ritchie (1918:137) Nature, 22:585 (1880); Rees (1950:40); Collins (1998:489) Originally cited as an octopus.
59 10 November 1881 Portugal Cove, near St. John's, Newfoundland NWA Found floating dead near shore Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874) Entire Entire (somewhat mutilated and poorly preserved) a) BL: 5.5 ft (1.7 m); HL: 1.25 ft (0.38 m); EL: 28 ft (8.5 m); BC: 4.5 ft (1.4 m) b) ML: 4.16 ft (1.27 m); BC: 4 ft (1.2 m); FL: 1.75 ft (0.53 m); FW (single): 8 in (20 cm); TL: 15 ft (4.6 m); CL: 2 ft (0.61 m); AL(ventral, minus tip): 4.66 ft (1.42 m); TC(base): 8.5 in (22 cm); etc. E.M. Worth Museum (101 Bowery, NY, NY). Verrill specimen No. 27 Verrill (1881:422); Verrill (1882a:71) Morris article in 25 November 1881 New York Herald; Morris article in 10 December 1881 Harper's Weekly; Pfeffer (1912:19) Obtained by Mr. Morris, photographed by E. Lyons (St. John's), shipped on ice by steamer Catima to New York, purchased and preserved by E.M. Worth. Measurements by a) Inspector Murphy (chief Board of Public Works) when iced; b) Verrill of fixed specimen.
60 30 June 1886 Cape Campbell, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Beak and club ML: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m); HL: 1 ft 9 in (0.53 m); AL: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m); TL: 18 ft 10 in (5.74 m); EL: 28 ft 10 in (8.79 m); BC(estimate): ~8 ft (2.4 m) NMNZ; catalog no. M.125404 + ?M.125406 [fide Marshall (1996:45)]; holotype of Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887. Kirk specimen No. 2 Kirk (1879:310); Verrill (1881:398); Robson (1887:156) C.H.[W.] Robson letter 19 June 1879 to T.W. Kirk; Pfeffer (1912:35); Dell (1952:98); Dell (1970:27) Found by Mr. C.H.[W.] Robson; beak given to Mr. A. Hamilton.
61 "early" October 1887 Lyall Bay, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis longimanus Kirk, 1888 Entire Beak and buccal-mass Female EL: 55 ft 2 in (16.81 m); ML: 71 in (180 cm); BC: 63 in (160 cm); extensive additional measurements and description Dominion Museum [NMNZ] (see Dell, 1970:28); holotype of Architeuthis longimanus Kirk, 1888. Specimen not found [fide Marshall (1996:46)] Kirk (1888:35, pls. 7–9); Pfeffer (1912:36) Dell (1952:98[date found listed incorrectly fide Sweeney & Roper (2001:87)]); Dell (1970:27) Found by Mr. Smith, local fisherman. Measurements taken by T.W. Kirk.
62 27 August 1888 between Pico and St. George, Azores Islands (38°33′57″N 30°39′30″W / 38.56583°N 30.65833°W / 38.56583; -30.65833 (Giant squid specimen)) at 1266 m depth NEA By benthic trawl Architeuthis? sp.? [fide Joubin (1895:34)] Large beak Undetermined None Joubin (1895:34)
63 1889 Norway NEA Not stated Map location only Sivertsen (1955:11, fig. 4)
64 Unknown (reported 1892) Sao Miguel Island, Azores Islands NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis princeps Entire? Jaws and tentacle club Beak measurements Museum in Lisbon [fide Pfeffer (1912:27)] Girard (1892:214, pls. 1–2) Pfeffer (1912:27); Robson (1933:692)
65 1892 Greenland NWA Not stated Architeuthis monachus Posselt (1898:279)
* Unknown (reported November 1894) Talcahuano, Chile SEP Unknown; collected and donated to ZMB by Ludwig Plate Ommastrephes gigas [fide Martens (1894)]; Architeuthis [fide Kilias (1967:491)]; Dosidicus gigas [fide Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas (2004)] Entire Entire, internal parts missing, preserved in alcohol; "exceptionally good condition" (Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas (2004:55)) Female (adult) ML: 865 mm; MW: 230 mm; EL: 1740 mm; HL: 160 mm; HW: 190 mm; FL: 440 mm; FW: 600 mm; TL: 720 mm; CL: 225 mm; AL(I): 460 mm; AL(II): 450 mm; AL(III): 500 mm; AL(IV): 440 mm; LSD(tentacle): 20 mm; LSD(arm II): 15 mm; LSD(arm II): 14 mm; EyD: 80 mm; Lens: 35 mm ZMB Moll. 49.804 Martens (1894); Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas (2004:53, figs. 1a–f, 2a–g) Möbius (1898a:373); Möbius (1898b:135); [Anonymous] (1899:38); [Anonymous] (1902:41); Kilias (1967:491, fig.); Wechsler (1999) Non-architeuthid. First noted by Carl Eduard von Martens in November 1894. Exhibited at Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin from 1897 to World War II, and again from c. 1945–50, when it was housed in main entrance hall in large glass cylinder on marble pedestal.
66 4 February 1895 Bay of Tateyama, Province of Awa, Japan NWP In net Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Entire Undetermined Female ML: 720 mm; MW: 235 mm; GL: 640 mm; FL: 280 mm; FW: 200 mm; TL: 2910 mm; extensive additional measurements and description Undetermined; ?Zoological Institute, Science College, Tokyo; holotype of Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Mitsukuri & Ikeda (1895:39, pl. 10); Pfeffer (1912:27) Caught in net after 2–3 day storm.
* 18 July 1895 near Angra, Azores Islands (38°34'45"N, 29°37'W) NEA Caught at surface (from sperm whale vomit) with shrimp net Architeuthis sp.?; Non-architeuthid [fide Pfeffer (1912:27)] Several jaws Undetermined None Joubin (1900:46, pl. 14 figs. 1–2) Pfeffer (1912:27); Clarke (1956:257) Non-architeuthid.
67 18 July 1895 near Angra, Azores Islands (38°34'45"N, 29°37'W) NEA Caught at surface (from sperm whale vomit) using shrimp net Dubioteuthis physeteris Joubin, 1900 [=Architeuthis physeteris (Joubin, 1900) fide Voss (1956:136)] Mantle only Mantle Male ML: 460 mm; BD: 115 mm; FL: 220 mm; FW: 110 mm; GL: 390 mm MOM; holotype of Dubioteuthis physeteris Joubin, 1900 [fide Belloc (1950:6); listed incorrectly as station 558] Joubin (1900:102, pl. 15 figs. 8–10); Pfeffer (1912:24) Hardy (1956:288); Roper & Young (1972:220); Toll & Hess (1981b:753)
68 10 April 1896 Kirkseteroren, Hevnefjord, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire Female BL: 2.5 m; AL: 2.5 m; TL: 7.25 m VSM Storm (1897:99); Grieg (1933:19) Brinkmann (1916:178); Nordgård (1923:11); Nordgård (1928:71); Sivertsen (1955:11)
69 27 September 1896 [28 September fide Roeleveld (2002:727)] Kirkseteroren, Hevnefjord, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire, posterior part missing Male TL: 1030+ mm; CL: 900 mm; CSC: 294; TSC: >298; LRL: 17.9 mm; URL: 16.2 mm; additional beak measurements, indices, and counts VSM; VSM 110a [specimen NA-18 of Roeleveld (2000) and Roeleveld (2002)] Storm (1897:99, fig. 20); Grieg (1933:19); Roeleveld (2000:185); Roeleveld (2002:727) Brinkmann (1916:178, fig. 2); Nordgård (1923:11); Nordgård (1928:71); Sivertsen (1955:11); Toll & Hess (1981b:753) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000). Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
70 Unknown (reported 1898) Iceland NEA Not stated Architeuthis monachus Not specified Undetermined None Posselt (1898:279) Bardarson (1920:134)
71 1898 north of Bahamas NWA Unknown Steenstrup (1898) Ellis (1998:259)
72 1902 north of Faeroes Islands, Atlantic Ocean NEA Found floating at surface, dead ?Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire, very bad condition Entire BL+HL: 76 cm; ML: 63 cm; MW: 15 cm; FL: 26.7 cm; FW: 8 cm; TL: 214 cm; ASD: 8 mm; TSD: 11 mm Bergen Museum [=ZMUB?] Murray & Hjort (1912); Grieg (1933:20) Young specimen taken by Michael Sars.
73 15 August 1903 Mjofjord, Iceland NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Tentacle (partial), arm Tentacle (from mouth of whale) TD: 17 cm; AL?: 6 m Bergen Museum [=ZMUB?] Murray & Hjort (1912); Grieg (1933:21) Length of arm given by whalers.
74 July 1906 ?, Norway NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Collett (1912:635)
75 1907 ?, Norway NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Collett (1912:635)
76 March 1909 off Highland Light, Truro, Massachusetts NWA Not stated; floating at surface? Architeuthis sp. Entire None AL: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m); WL?: ~16–17 ft (4.9–5.2 m); AD: 4 in (10 cm) None Blake (1909:43) Found by schooner Annie Perry; attempted to be hoisted aboard but cut in half by rope; tentacle [arm] saved but later discarded.
77 July 1909 ?, Norway NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Collett (1912:635)
78 September 1910 off coast of Mayo, Ireland NEA From two sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. Two upper beaks Undetermined None Massy (1913:2) From Captain Bruun.
79 1910/1911? (autumn) Lundenes, Grytøya, Senjen, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None WL: 1.2 m Brinkmann (1916:178); Grieg (1933:20) Nordgård (1928:71); Sivertsen (1955:11)
80 June 1911 Monterey Bay, California, United States NEP Floating at surface, dead Unidentified; Architeuthis? Entire; "in very bad condition, there was no color left, and the epidermis had all sloughed off" None EL: >30 ft (9.1 m) Berry (1912:117)
81 February 1912 Veiholmen, Smøla, Norway NEA Found in shallow water Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire BL: 1.9 m; TL: 6.7 m Kristiansund Museum Brinkmann (1916:180, fig. 3); Grieg (1933:20) Nordgård (1928:71); Sivertsen (1955:11)
82 1912 Japan NWP Unknown Pfeffer (1912) Ellis (1998:260)
83 12 October 1912 Monterey Bay, California, United States NEP Not indicated Unidentified; Architeuthis? Entire None WT: ~500 lb (230 kg) Berry (1914:22) Observed by Mr. K. Hovden (Manager, Booth Canning Company, Monterey). Eaten raw by Italian fishermen who "captured" it. [Highly doubtful considering ammonium chloride present in giant squid tissues.]
84 June–September 1913 Belmullet whaling station, Ireland NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874) Entire, plus other parts Tip of tentacle; beak and radula; other dry beaks plus portion of gladius ML: 6 ft (1.8 m); BC: 4 ft (1.2 m); AL: 6 ft (1.8 m); TL: 21 ft (6.4 m); FL: 1 ft 7 in (0.48 m); FW: 1 ft 9.5 in (0.546 m) Undetermined; University of Liverpool? Hamilton (1915:137); Hardy (1956:286); Collins (1998:489) Rees (1950:40) From 57 ft 3 in (17.45 m) male sperm whale (no. 22) examined by J.E. Hamilton.
85 22 November 1915 [21 November fide Roeleveld (2002:727)] Lerøya, Austrheim, north of Bergen, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Initially entire [head and viscera fide Roeleveld (2000:185); Roeleveld (2002:727)] Male [immature female fide Roeleveld (2000:185); Roeleveld (2002:727)] ML+HL: 1550 mm; ML: 1310 mm; BD: 440 mm; HW: 310 mm; FL: 430 mm; FW: 105; AL(I): 1780 mm; AL(IV): 1640 mm; TL: 5600 mm [TL(R): 4925 mm fide Roeleveld (2002:729)]; CL(R): 745 mm; CSC(R): 262; TSC(R): 287; LRL: 15.8 mm; URL: 15.9 mm; additional beak measurements, indices, and counts ZMUB; ZMUB 43689 [specimen NA-12 of Roeleveld (2000) and Roeleveld (2002)] Brinkmann (1916:175, fig. 1); Grieg (1933:17); Roeleveld (2000:185); Roeleveld (2002:727) Nordgård (1928:71); Sivertsen (1955:11); Toll & Hess (1981b:754) Plaster cast made of specimen also in Bergen Museum. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000). Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
86 17 March 1916 Hellandsjo, west of Hevnefjord, Norway NEA Found washed ashore, alive Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire A little of the front part, tentacles and arms; remainder used for bait TL: 6.2 m VSM Brinkmann (1916:180); Grieg (1933:20) Nordgård (1923:11); Nordgård (1928:71); Sivertsen (1955:11) With sucker response when found by J.F. Vaagan.
87 November 1916 Oyvag, Djonna, Helgoland, Atlantic Ocean NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire? None None Grieg (1933:20)
88 29 October 1917 Skateraw, Berwickshire, Scotland (55°58.5′N 02°25′W / 55.9750°N 2.417°W / 55.9750; -2.417 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874); Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Club and gladius fragment BL+HL: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m); FW: 19 in (48 cm); AL: 4 ft (1.2 m); AC: 9.5 in (24 cm); TL: 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m); CL: 2 ft 6 in (0.76 m); other measurements and description NMSZ catalog no. 1917.54.1–2 Ritchie (1918:133); Ritchie (1922:423); Robson (1933:692); Heppell & Smith (1983:35) Stephen (1944:264); Rees (1950:40); Stephen (1962:154); Collins (1998:489) Observations by J. Ritchie after earlier mutilation of specimen by local boys. Colour drawing by Ritchie in NMSZ.
89 10 January 1918 reportedly caught in Awa Province; Tokyo fishmarket, Japan NWP Not stated Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Entire Undetermined Male ML: 1100 mm; BC: 800 mm; FL: 400 mm; FW: 320 mm; GL: 1040 mm Sasaki (1929:224, pl. 20 figs. 1–11); Heuvelmans (1968) Toll & Hess (1981b:753)
90 1918 Kilkel, County Clare, Ireland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Not specified Undetermined None Hardy (1956:286) Collins (1998:489)
91 November 1919 Oyvag of Dønna, off coast of Nordland, Norway NEA Not stated Architeuthis dux Entire? Undetermined None Nordgård (1923:11) Nordgård (1928:71); Sivertsen (1955:11, fig. 4)
92 February 1920 Vallay, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis or Sthenoteuthis [fide Ritchie]; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Stephen] Entire None "Length of squid": 3.5–4 ft (1.1–1.2 m); AL: ~1 ft (0.30 m) Ritchie (1920:57) Stephen (1944:264); Rees (1950:40); Stephen (1962:154); Collins (1998:489) Information from Mr. G. Beveridge.
93 1921 Wick, Moray Firth, Scotland NEA Not stated Architeuthis dux Beak and sucker ring, dry Sucker ring; beak lost, photograph only extant None NMSZ Heppell & Smith (1983:33) Collins (1998:489)
94 1922 Caithness, North of Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874); Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Stephen (1962:154)] Not specified Undetermined None NMSZ Ritchie (1922:423); Robson (1933:692) Stephen (1944:264); Rees (1950:40); Hardy (1956:287); Stephen (1962:154)
95 1924 Margate, Natal SIO Unknown Heuvelmans (1968) Ellis (1998:260)
96 9 ?October 1924 Bluff, New Zealand SWP Not stated Undetermined BL: 7 ft (2.1 m); "spread of tentacles": 18 ft (5.5 m) Dell (1952:98) New Zealand Herald 9 October 1924
97 Unknown (prior to spring 1926) Urago Bay, Oki Islands, Japan NWP Not stated ?Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined None Hamabe (1957); Nishimura (1968:75) Capture date prior to spring 1926.
98 1926 (early spring) off Kuniga, Oki Islands, Japan NWP Not stated ?Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined None Hamabe (1957); Nishimura (1968:75)
99 1926 Wingan Inlet, Victoria, Australia SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined None MacPherson & Gabriel (1962:413)
100 13 December 1927 Kalveidøy, Fitjar, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None BL: 1 m; TL: 6.5 m Grieg (1933:19) Sivertsen (1955:11)
101 4 March 1928 Ranheim (about 8 km east of Trondheim), Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire Male WL?: ~7.9 m; ML: 1.37 m; AL: 1.4–1.5 m; TL: 6.4 m; LRL: 15.0 mm; URL: 13.7 mm; additional beak measurements VSM; VSM 108a [specimen NA-19 of Roeleveld (2000)] Nordgård (1928:70, text-fig.); Grieg (1933:20); Roeleveld (2000:185) Sivertsen (1955:5); Aldrich (1992:476) Spermatophores present. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
102 1928 off Greenland ? Jaws only Muus (1962) Ellis (1998:260) Seen by members of the Godthaab Expedition.
103 24 January 1930 Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland (56°02.5′N 02°51′W / 56.0417°N 2.850°W / 56.0417; -2.850 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Undetermined; Stephen specimen No. 1 BL+HL: 1803 mm; HL: 381 mm; HC: 711 mm; ML: 1422 mm; BC (at mantle edge): 1143 mm; additional measurements NSMZ; catalog no. 1930.174 Stephen (1962:151); Heppell & Smith (1983:34) Collins (1998:489) Data from unpublished Ritchie manuscript; see Heppell & Smith concerning locality data.
104 1930? Goose Bay, Kaikoura, New Zealand SWP Not stated Entire Undetermined BL: 11 ft (3.4 m); AL[TL?]: ~30 ft (9.1 m) Dell (1952:98) W.R.B. Oliver. [observer?]
105 1930 Miura Peninsula, Japan NWP EL?: 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) Tomilin (1967) Ellis (1998:260)
106 1930–1933 Pacific between Hawaii and Samoa SWP Unknown Grønningsaeter (1946) Ellis (1998:261)
107 14 January 1933 Scarborough, Yorkshire, England NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis clarkei Robson, 1933 Entire Entire ML: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m); MW: 1 ft 10 in (0.56 m); FL: 2 ft 1.5 in (0.648 m); FW (total): 1 ft 7 in (0.48 m); numerous additional measurements BMNH 1933.1.30.5 + 1926.3.31.24 (radula and beak); holotype of Architeuthis clarkei Robson, 1933 Robson (1933:681, text-figs. 1–7, pl. 1) Stevenson (1935:114); Stephen (1944:264); Rees (1950:40); Hardy (1956:286); Collins (1998:489) Specimen obtained by W.J. Clarke.
108 December 1933 Dildo, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Male ML: 1560 mm Frost (1934:xxx) Knudsen (1957:189); Toll & Hess (1981b:754); Aldrich (1992:476) A replica of this giant squid is now on display in Dildo.
109 26 June 1935 Gulf of Gascogne [Bay of Biscay] (46°50'N) at 200 m depth NEA By trawl Architeuthis nawaji [fide Cadenat (1935)]; Architeuthis harveyi [fide Cadenat (1936)] Entire Female EL: 818 cm; ML: 138 cm; FL: 60 cm; TL: 645 cm; AL(IV): 112 cm; AL(I): 110 cm ?MHNLR Cadenat (1935:513); Cadenat (1936:277, figs. 1–3) Caught by the Palombe.
111 12 November 1935 Holyrood, Harbour Main, Conception Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire None; destroyed in fire Female ML: 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m); BC: 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m); FL: 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m); FW: 2 ft 1 in (0.64 m); TL: 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m); HL: 1 ft 7 in (0.48 m) None Frost (1936, figs. 1–10); Stephen (1962:155); Dyson (1982:107); see also [1][2] Caught by Harbour Main fisherman Joe Ezekiel, who sold specimen to a scientist for $10.00. Stored in local Fisheries Department's fish freezer, which caught fire, destroying specimen. At least two photographs of the specimen exist.
112 7 January 1937 off Bell Rock, Angus, Arbroath, Scotland (56°26′N 02°23′W / 56.433°N 2.383°W / 56.433; -2.383 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA By trawl Architeuthis harveyi (Kent, 1874); Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Stephen (1962:154)] Entire Tentacles and one arm BL: ~7 ft (2.1 m); AL: 92 cm; TL: 368 + 421 cm NMSZ; catalog no. 1977107.1 Stephen (1937:131); Heppell & Smith (1983:34) Stephen (1944:264); Rees (1950:40); Stephen (1962:154); Collins (1998:489) Captured alive in trawl, tentacles and one arm cut off and remainder discarded. Date of capture incorrect in Heppell & Smith (1983).
113 22 July 1937 Petone, Wellington, New Zealand SWP Not stated Not specified Undetermined TL: 22 ft (6.7 m) Dell (1952:98) Press Association message 22 July 1937
114 1939 Norway NEA Not stated Map location only Sivertsen (1955:11, fig. 4) Possibly the same as #115.
115 10 October 1939 near Tromsø, Norway NEA "killed by fishermen" BL+HL?: >13 m; TL: 8.7 m Wood (1982) Ellis (1998:261) Gerald Wood calls it "the largest known Architeuthis". Reference for measurements is "Karl Basilier, personal communication". Possibly the same as #114.
116 February 1941 Susa Bay, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan NWP Not stated Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined ML: ~1.5 m; WT: ~180 kg Tanaka (1950); Nishimura (1968:75)
117 1941–1978 Sea of Japan; various locations NWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis martensi (Hilgendorf, 1880) Entire; numerous Undetermined None Okiyama (1993:408, fig. 6) Summary of Sea of Japan strandings.
118 1945 Pahau River Mouth, Wellington East Coast, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Entire Undetermined WT: >1 ton Dell (1952:98)
119 1946 Vikebukt, Norway NEA Undetermined Architeuthis sp. Map location only Undetermined Sivertsen (1955:11, fig. 4)
120 September 1946 Romsdal, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined EL: 9.35 m; other measurements Myklebust (1946:377, fig. 1) Sivertsen (1955:11, map)
121 mid-September 1948 Wingan Inlet, Victoria, Australia SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire, tentacles largely missing, arms "mutilated and torn off"; poor condition Head with arms and tail with fins EL(partial): 14 ft (4.3 m) (on arrival at museum), ~20 ft (6.1 m) (when found); BL: 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m); HL: 1 ft 6 in (0.46 m); TL(partial): 4 ft (1.2 m); TC(stalk): 4 in (10 cm); AL(partial): 4 ft (1.2 m); AC: 8–10.5 in (20–27 cm); ASD: ≤1 in (2.5 cm); EyD: 7 in (18 cm); other measurements AMS? Allan (1948:306) Zeidler (1996:7); Zeidler & Gowlett-Homes (1996:85) First record from Australia. CSIR Fisheries Division at Cronulla notified about specimen by Mr. W. Warn. Shipment of specimen from Eden to Australian Museum arranged by Lucy M. Willings of CSIR. Gladius and internal organs removed prior to reposit.
122 7 September 1949 Hirtshals, Denmark NEA Not stated Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Undetermined WL?: 1.75 m ["totallaengde uden fangarme"; "total length without tentacles"] Muus (1959:170)
123 2 October 1949 Whalefirth Voe, Shetland, Scotland (60°35′N 01°10′W / 60.583°N 1.167°W / 60.583; -1.167 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Jaws and sucker rings; remainder cut up for bait BL: ~4 ft (1.2 m); AL: ~6 ft (1.8 m); TL: ~20 ft (6.1 m) NMSZ; catalog nos. 1950.2 + 1950.3 Stephen (1950:52); Heppell & Smith (1983:33) Collins (1998:489) Jaw, description, and sketch sent by Dr. Petersen and two suckers sent by Mr. J. Inkster to NMSZ.
124 30 November 1949 Bay of Nigg, Aberdeen, Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. [fide Rae (1950)]; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Stephen (1962)] Entire Undetermined; entire? Female ML: 117 cm; HL: 28 cm; FL: 44.5 cm; FW: 37.5 cm; extensive additional measurements and description ?Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, Scotland. Stephen (1962) specimen No. 2 Rae (1950:163, pls. 20–21) Hardy (1956:pl. 22); Stephen (1962:148); Boyle (1986:82); Collins (1998:489)
125 1950–1955 off Mississippi Delta, Gulf of Mexico NWA Found floating on surface Architeuthis physeteris (Joubin, 1899) Entire, in poor condition Male (mature) ML: 61.2 cm; extensive description Voss (1956:136, fig. 10) Roper & Young (1972:220); Toll & Hess (1981b:753); Aldrich (1992:476) Mature male with spermatophores. Possibly the same as #133.
126 22 August 1951 270 miles (430 km) W of Shpanberg Id., at surface NWP Observed alive only Architeuthis japonicus Two squid Observation only TL(estimate): 10–12 m None Sleptsov (1955:75) Thought to be avoiding sperm whales by staying at surface.
127 14 December 1951 Angus, East Haven, Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis harveyi Entire Jaws, radula, and piece of arm with suckers ML: 4 ft 9 in (1.45 m) Undetermined Stephen (1953:121) Collins (1998:489) Mutilated prior to examination.
128 January 1952 Carnoustie, Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Not specified Undetermined None Hardy (1956:287)
129 12 June 1952 off Sao Lourenco, Madeira Island NEA From sperm whale stomach, vomited up Architeuthis sp. Entire "Fragments" EL: 10,600 mm; ML: 1,860 mm; TL: 8,500 mm; AL: 2,800 mm; BC: 1,360 mm; TC: 330 mm; WT: 150 kg MMF Rees & Maul (1956:266) Clarke (1962:173) Still exhibited some signs of life after being vomited.
130 1952 Florida Keys NWA ML: 36 in RSMAS Voss (1996) Ellis (1998:261)
* 1952 (summer) near Bonin Islands, western Pacific NWP From "digestive canal" of sperm whale Architeuthis japonica? Pfeffer, 1912; Psychroteuthidae? [fide Roper & Young (1972:220)] Entire; two specimens Undetermined ML: 92 mm + 104 mm; extensive additional measurements and description ?Laboratory of Fisheries Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo Iwai (1956:139, pls. 1–5); Roper & Young (1972:220) Ellis (1998:121) Non-architeuthid. Based on the original illustrations and written description, Roper & Young (1972:220) wrote: "the specimens appear to be members of the Psychroteuthidae". Ellis (1998:121) gives erroneous total length of "8 feet" for the larger specimen.
132 1953 Norway NEA Not stated Map location only Sivertsen (1955:11, fig. 4)
133 1954 off Mississippi Delta, Gulf of Mexico NWA Found floating at surface, dead Architeuthis Melvin (2009) Possibly the same as #125.
1954 Skagerrak, Denmark NEA Architeuthis Entire? Entire?, both tentacles loose Male (mature?) ML: 1035 mm; TL: 4480/3800 mm; CL: 620/695 mm; CSC: 248/248; TSC: 276/271; additional indices and counts ZMUC [specimen NA-3 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:727) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
133 January 1954 Kie Kie Bay, Kaikoura, New Zealand SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Photographs held by NIWA Förch (1998:105)
134 22 June 1954 1 sea mile (~1850 m) north of Skaw (Skagerack), Denmark NEA Found alive on surface Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire?, left tentacle loose Male (mature) ML: 1010 mm [970 mm fide Roeleveld (2002:727)]; VML: 940 mm; HL: 275 mm; TL: 4900 mm [4585/4785 mm fide Roeleveld (2002:729)]; CL: 605/780 mm; AL(I): 800 mm; AL(IV): 1470/1530 mm; LAL: 1530 mm; HeL(IV pair): 90/130 mm; PL: 780 mm; SSL: 155 mm; SoA: no obs.; SL: 110–180 mm; CSC: 255/265; TSC: 286/280; additional indices and counts ZMUC [specimen NA-6 of Roeleveld (2002)] Knudsen (1957:189, figs. 1–5); Roeleveld (2002:727); Guerra et al. (2004b:8) Kjennerud (1958:1); Muus (1959:170); Stephen (1962:155); Roper & Young (1972:220); Toll & Hess (1981b:753); Aldrich (1992:476) Discovered by fishermen. Mature male with spermatophores and both ventral arms hectocotylised; colour notes. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
135 30 July 1954 Ranheim, Trondheim Fjord, Norway NEA Not stated Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Undetermined WL: 7.5 m; BL: 1.3 m; AL(shorter): 1.9 m; TL: 6.2 m Sivertsen (1955:5); Knudsen (1956)
136 2 October 1954 Ranheim, Trondheim Fjord, Norway NEA Not stated Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire, left tentacle loose Female? EL: 9.24 m; BL: 2.14 m; AL(shorter): 1.9 m; TL(L): 7.1 m; ML: 1.79 m; MW: 0.57 m; FL: 0.52 m; FW(each): 0.18 m; TSD: 2.6 cm; ASD: 1.5 cm; CL(L): 820 mm; CSC(L): 254; TSC(L): >275; LRL: 15.6 mm; URL: n/a; additional beak measurements, indices, and counts VSM; VSM 156 [specimen NA-17 of Roeleveld (2000) and Roeleveld (2002)] Sivertsen (1955:5, fig. 1); Roeleveld (2000:185); Roeleveld (2002:727) Clarke (1966:fig. 4) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000). Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
137 4 July 1955 off Porto Pim, Faial Island, Azores Islands (38°21′N 29°08′W / 38.350°N 29.133°W / 38.350; -29.133 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Entire Undesignated anatomical material WT: 405 lb (184 kg); EL: 34 ft 5 in (10.49 m); WL: 16 ft 3 in (4.95 m); ML: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m); BD: 1 ft 11 in (0.58 m) National Institute of Oceanography Clarke (1955, 5 figs.) Clarke (1956:257, pl. 2 fig. 2); Budker (1959); [3] Squid swallowed whole by 47 ft (14 m) sperm whale (no. F346). Examined at Porto Pim whaling station. Budker (1959) states: "This is probably the only complete specimen of such an animal to be collected under these conditions."
138 Unknown (reported 1956) off Fowey Rocks, Florida, United States NWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis princeps or Architeuthis harveyi Entire, mutilated Undetermined EL?: 47 ft (14 m) [fide Rathjen (1973:24)] RSMAS [fide Rathjen (1973:24)]; no longer extant [fide Voss (1956:138)] Voss (1956:138) Rathjen (1973:24, fig. 7) Taken by the vessel Silver Bay.
139 12 May 1956 about a mile north of Makara Stream, Wellington west coast, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis kirki Robson, 1887 Entire, missing tentacles Entire? ML: 1829 mm; WT: 127.9 kg; extensive additional measurements and description Dominion Museum [NMNZ] Dell (1970:27, figs. 1–8) Roper & Young (1972:216) Arm suckers had no sucker rings [fide Dell (1970)]; likely dissolved after preservation in formalin per Roper & Young (1972:216).
* 1956/1957 South Orkney Islands (59°41′S 44°14′W / 59.683°S 44.233°W / -59.683; -44.233 (Colossal squid specimen)) SWA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp.; Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925 Head and mantle Undetermined HL: 30 cm; HW: 20 cm; ED: 16–17 cm; WL?: ~12 m Korabelnikov (1959:103); Yukhov (1974:62) Non-architeuthid. Initial identification by I.I. Akimushkin. From 15.8 m long male sperm whale.
* 1956/1957 South Shetland Islands (61°56′S 52°39′W / 61.933°S 52.650°W / -61.933; -52.650 (Colossal squid specimen)) SWA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp.; Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925 Fin only Undetermined FL: 41 cm; FW: 48 cm; WL?: ~10 m Korabelnikov (1959:103); Yukhov (1974:62) Non-architeuthid. Initial identification by I.I. Akimushkin. From 15 m long male sperm whale.
140 1 February 1957 six miles (10 km) north by east from Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire, Scotland NEA By trawl Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire EL: 23 ft 11 in (7.29 m); ML: 940 mm; BD: 343 mm; TL(R): 4750 mm; CL(R): 559 mm; HL: 279 mm; FL: 305 mm; FW: 305 mm NMSZ; catalog no. 1957.20. Stephen specimen No. 3 Stephen et al. (1957:181); Stephen (1962:152, text-fig. 6, pl. 1 fig. 2); Heppell & Smith (1983:33) Collins (1998:489) Received from trawler Viking Prestige almost complete, but poorly preserved.
141 14 December 1957 Misaki, Oki Islands, Japan NWP Not stated ?Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined None Hamabe (1957); Nishimura (1968:75)
142 4 February 1958 Ashiya, Hamasaka-machi, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan NWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined EL?: 4.1 m; WT: ~150 kg Kamita (1962); Nishimura (1968:75)
143 7 February 1958 off Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan NWP Not stated Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined EL?: ~6 m; WT: 170 kg Kamita (1962): Nishimura (1968:75)
144 3 March 1958 Sandane, Nordfjord, Norway NEA Not stated Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Male (mature) ML: 100 cm; WT: 48 kg; ZMUB Kjennerud (1958:1, figs. 1–9); Guerra et al. (2004b:8) Toll & Hess (1981b:753) Spermatophore and colour notes.
145 1958 Bahamas NWA EL?: 47 ft (14 m) Voss (1967) Ellis (1998:261)
146 August 1959 off Madeira Island NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined EL?: 2.5 m Clarke (1962:173, fig. 1A) Toll & Hess (1981b:754) From male sperm whale.
January?, 1960 Lonja de Aviles, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux Not specified Returned to the sea WT: 100 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258)
147 6 February 1960 Arahama, Kashiwazaki-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan NWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined ML: 1.3 m; EL?: 3.5 m; WT: 112 kg Nishimura (1960:214); Nishimura (1968:75)
148 23 January 1961 Oi, Hirata-shi, Shimane Prefecture, Japan NWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined EL?: 2.6 m; WT: 41.2 kg Kamita (1962); Nishimura (1968:75)
149 18 February 1961 Câmara de Lobos, Madeira Island NEA From fish stomach, Alepisaurus cf. ferox Architeuthis sp. A Entire Entire Female (juvenile) ML: 57 mm [56 mm fide Roeleveld (2002:727)]; VML: 54 mm; MW: 12 mm; FL: 20 mm; FW: 15 mm; HL: 17 mm; HW: 11 mm; GiL: 16 mm; AL(I): 47 mm; AL(II): 59 mm; AL(III): 58 mm; AL(IV): 58 mm; TL: 90 mm [TL(L): 80 mm fide Roeleveld (2002:729)]; CL: 25 mm; ASD(I): 0.96 mm; ASD(II): 1.04 mm; ASD(III): 0.96 mm; ASD(IV): 0.64 mm; CSD: 0.96 mm/0.40 mm (medial/marginal); LRL: 1.0 mm; URL: 1.2 mm; extensive description and additional counts, indices, and beak measurements NMNH cat. no. 727508 [specimen NA-34 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roper & Young (1972:206, figs. 1a–c, 2–4, 5a); Roper (1992:99, figs. 160a–c); Roeleveld (2002:727) Nesis et al. (1985:526); Roper & Shea (2013:116) From stomach of lancetfish No. 18123, captured on tuna long-line at 50–150 m depth and supplied by G. E. Maul. Squid's greatly distended stomach contained largely unidentifiable material with some small fragments of fish bones. Sucker rings missing; likely degraded by digestive juices or formalin fixative. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
150 April–July 1961 near Commander Islands and western Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea NWP From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Combined beak samples Undetermined Percentage of whale diet Kodolov (1970:[158]) From sperm whales sampled in several different whaling regions of Soviet whaling flotilla Aleut during the 1961 season.
151 August 1961 Sao Miguel, Azores Islands NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined ML: 2.4 m; AL[?]: 4.4 m; WL: 6.8 m Keil (1963:320, figs. 3–5) From 16 m sperm whale.
152 16 September 1961 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One upper beak None NMML 110 Fiscus (1993:92) From male sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-535).
153 December 1961 King's Cove, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Architeuthis sp. Entire? None "small" Undetermined Aldrich (1968); Aldrich (1992:459)
154 April–July 1962 near Commander Islands and western Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea NWP From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Combined beak samples Undetermined Percentage of whale diet Kodolov (1970:[158]) From sperm whales sampled in several different whaling regions of Soviet whaling flotilla Aleut during the 1962 season.
155 23 June 1962 Durban Whaling Station, South Africa SIO From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Body only Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 6 Male FL: 40 cm; FW: 28 cm None?; Clarke specimen No. 6 Clarke (1980:67) From sperm whale number A956.
156 1962 Donkergat Whaling Station, South Africa SEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Head only Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 1 TL: 176 cm Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 1 Clarke (1980:67, text-fig. 37A)
1962 Las Tiberas, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux Not specified Not specified TL: 6 m Guerra et al. (2006:258)
157 13 June 1963 Durban Whaling Station, South Africa SIO From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Head only Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 2 HL: 19 cm; HW: 15 cm; WT: 19 kg None?; Clarke specimen No. 2 Clarke (1980:67) From sperm whale number D1500.
158 15 June 1963 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One upper beak None NMML; catalog no. 111 Fiscus (1993:92) From male sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-813).
159 1963 Donkergat Whaling Station, South Africa SEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Body only Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 3 Female ML: 66.5 cm; MW: 24 cm; FL: 29 cm; FW: 16 cm Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 3 Clarke (1980:67, text-fig. 37B) From sperm whale no. 2271.
160 13 August 1963 Durban Whaling Station, South Africa SIO From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 5 ML: ~70 cm; HL: ~23 cm; FL: ~30 cm; FW: ~22 cm None?; Clarke specimen No. 5 Clarke (1980:67, text-fig. 37A) From sperm whale number 2258.
161 August?, 1963 Cook Strait, New Zealand SWP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. One beak Undetermined None Gaskin & Cawthorn (1967:170) From New Zealand whaling station; specimen No. 63

of 1963–1964 season.

162 17 December 1963 off Chile, South America (19°51′S 95°09′W / 19.850°S 95.150°W / -19.850; -95.150 (Giant squid specimen)) SEP From fish stomach, "very probably Alepisaurus" Architeuthis sp. B Entire, sucker rings degraded and missing Entire Male (juvenile) ML: 45 mm; VML: 43 mm; MW: 8 mm; FL: 14 mm; FW: 11 mm; HL: 11 mm; HW: 9 mm; GiL: 14 mm; AL(I): 20 mm; AL(II): 27 mm; AL(III): 27 mm; AL(IV): 28 mm; TL: 33 mm; CL: 14 mm; ASD(I): 0.72 mm; ASD(II): 0.88 mm; ASD(III): 0.80 mm; ASD(IV): 0.56 mm; CSD: 0.56 mm/0.24 mm (medial/marginal); extensive description and additional counts and indices NMNH; catalog no. 727509 Roper & Young (1972:206, figs. 1d–e, 5b); Roper (1992:99, figs. 160d–e) Nesis et al. (1985:526); Roper & Shea (2013:116) From lancetfish captured on long-line at 80–150 m depth by R/V Shoyo Maru (Cruise 13, Fish Station 17). Squid specimen and capture information supplied by Witek L. Klawe. Stomach found to be empty. Sucker rings missing; likely degraded by digestive juices or formalin fixative.
163 23 April 1964 Durban Whaling Station, South Africa SIO From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Body only Undetermined; Clarke specimen No. 4 ML: 58 cm; MW: 19 cm; FL: 23 cm; FW: 11.5 cm None?; Clarke specimen No. 4 Clarke (1980:67) From sperm whale number 2418.
164 1964 Southeastern Atlantic Ocean SEA From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. Map locations only Yukhov (1974:61, fig.) Multiple records from sperm whales with generalised data on distribution, depth, and sex.
165 1964 Southwestern Pacific Ocean SWP From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. Map locations only Undetermined Yukhov (1974:61, fig.) Multiple records from sperm whales with generalised data on distribution, depth, and sex.
166 1964 Southwestern Indian Ocean SIO From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. Map locations only Yukhov (1974:61, fig.) Multiple records from sperm whales with generalised data on distribution, depth, and sex.
167 23 October 1964 Conche, White Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Beaks, gladius, arms, and tentacles Female ML: 185 cm; additional measurements and description MUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 1 Aldrich (1992:461, figs. 3–4) Aldrich (1968:395); Aldrich & Brown (1967:4, figs.) Cestode found in caecum by Pippy & Aldrich (1969). Tentacular regeneration documented by Aldrich & Aldrich (1968:845, figs. 1–3).
168 5 December 1964 Chapel Arm, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found dead on bottom Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None; discarded Female ML: 126 cm; additional measurements and description None; Aldrich specimen No. 2 Aldrich (1992:466, fig. 5) Aldrich (1968:395) Possibly seen alive in September on several occasions.
25 March 1965 Skagen, Denmark NEA Architeuthis Female (immature) ML: 1190 mm; TL: 5495/5307 mm; CL: 745/722 mm; CSC(L): 272; TSC(L): 300; additional indices and counts ZMUC [specimen NA-1 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:727) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
169 29 September 1965 Newman's Cove, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Portion of mantle, tail, and viscera None; discarded Female ML (estimate): 1.37 m None; Aldrich specimen No. 3 Aldrich (1992:467) Aldrich (1968:395)
170 8 October 1965 Lance Cove, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Parts (unspecified) Female ML: 127 cm; additional measurements MUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 4 Aldrich (1992:469, fig. 6) Voss (1967:407, fig.); Aldrich & Brown (1967:6, fig.); Aldrich (1968:395, fig. 2) Possibly the same as #171.
171 1965 "off the coast of Newfoundland" NWA "caught" Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire EL?: >21 ft (6.4 m) Schmitt (1942–1982) Used in Francis O. Schmitt's animal nerve cell research, 1965.[4] Possibly the same as #170.
24 November 1965 Springdale Beach, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None; discarded ML: 161 cm; BL(+HL?): 2.13 m; TL: 3.66 m; GL: 147 cm; additional measurements None; Aldrich specimen No. 5 Aldrich (1992:469, fig. 7) Aldrich (1968:395)
172 22 June 1966 off "Vigo, Spain" (41°32′N 9°48′W / 41.533°N 9.800°W / 41.533; -9.800 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Lower beak Undetermined Description only Clarke & MacLeod (1974:962, fig. 4)
around 10 October 1966 Skagerrak, north of Skagen, Denmark NEA Architeuthis Female (immature) ML: 1115 mm; TL(R): 4605 mm; CL(R): 660 mm; CSC(R): 250; TSC(R): 284; additional indices and counts ZMUC [specimen NA-2 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:727) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
173 9 November 1966 Sweet Bay, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire; tentacles missing and arms incomplete Entire Female ML: 142 cm; additional measurements and description MUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 6 Aldrich (1992:470) Aldrich & Brown (1967:8, fig.); Aldrich (1968:395, as 11 November)
174 24 November 1966 Wild Cove, Fogo Island, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire, badly mutilated None; discarded Female ML: 107 cm; additional measurements None; Aldrich specimen No. 7 Aldrich (1992:471) Aldrich (1968:395)
175 25 November 1966 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One upper beak None NMML; catalog no. 112 Fiscus (1993:92) From male sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1966-165).
176 28 November 1966 Eddie's Cove East, Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire, putrefied None; discarded None None; Aldrich specimen No. 8 Aldrich (1992:471) Aldrich (1968:395)
177 1 December 1966 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One lower beak fragment None NMML; catalog no. 113 Fiscus (1993:92) From female sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1966-177).
178 9 December 1966 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One upper beak None NMML; catalog no. 114 Fiscus (1993:92) From male sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1966-185).
179 12 May 1967 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One pair of beaks None NMML; catalog no. 115 Fiscus & Rice (1974:92, fig. 1); Fiscus et al. (1989:6); Fiscus (1993:93) From female sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1967-128).
180 6 June 1967 off Iceland (64E50'N, 29E30'W) NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Seven beaks Undetermined Specimen weights estimated Clarke & MacLeod (1976:742) From 53 ft (16 m) male sperm whale (no. 121).
181 July–August 1967 in Denmark Strait NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Beaks (as percentage of diet) Martin & Clarke (1986:785) Roe (1969:93) as unidentified beaks From 57 male sperm whales processed at Hvalur H.F. whaling station on west coast of Iceland.
182 22 July – 23 August 1967 off Iceland NEA From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. Two beaks Undetermined Specimen weights estimated Clarke & MacLeod (1976:742) Mixed samples from stomachs of five male sperm whales 47–53 ft (14–16 m) long.
183 23 April 1968 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One upper beak None NMML; catalog no. 116 Fiscus (1993:93) From female sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1968-108).
184 23 April 1968 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One upper beak fragment None NMML; catalog no. 117 Fiscus (1993:93) From male sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1968-109).
14 May 1968 Tokyo Bay, off Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan NWP Found stranded on beach Architeuthis Entire? Single tentacle? EL: 6 m; WT: 35 kg; TL: 3200 mm [length of single extant tentacle] Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park Aquarium Suyehiro (1968); Kubodera & Yamada (2001:238) [Anonymous] (2014f) Stranded on Miura beach two days before Tokachi earthquake of 16 May 1968. Single tentacle deposited at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park Aquarium may belong to this specimen; see Kubodera & Yamada (2001:238).
1968 Puerto de Vega, Asturias, Spain NEA Caught by ship Architeuthis dux Entire? Beak EL?: 7 m Guerra et al. (2006:258) Caught by the ship Matías Bengoechea.
July–November 1968 off central California, United States ("Region II"; 34°34'–36°N 121°–123°W) NEP From fish stomach, Thunnus alalunga (albacore) Architeuthidae, Unidentified sp. One specimen; beaks? None Iverson (1971:14, 34) Roper & Young (1972:221) Single architeuthid specimen from 905 examined albacore stomachs (of which 286 from "Region II").
185 13 June 1969 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One upper beak None NMML; catalog no. 118 Fiscus (1993:93) From female sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1969-143).
186 1969 east of Lake Worth, Florida, United States NWA Unknown RSMAS Voss (1996) Ellis (1998:262)
1969 Las Tiberas, Asturias, Spain NEA Caught by ship Architeuthis dux Tentacle TL: 6 m Guerra et al. (2006:258) Caught by the ship Saturno Juan.
10 July 1969 Luanco (Gozón), Asturias, Spain NEA Caught by sport fishermen Architeuthis dux Entire? WT: 250 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258) Caught by sport fishermen from Oviedo. Heaviest recorded giant squid from Asturias.
1969 Puerto de Figueras, Asturias, Spain NEA Recovered dead Architeuthis dux Entire? EL?: 7.90 m; WT: 120 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258) Recovered dead by José Manuel Méndez and Bote Carducha.
187 19 November 1969 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One lower beak fragment None NMML; catalog no. 119 Fiscus (1993:93) From male sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1969-201).
188 24 February 1970 off central California, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One lower beak fragment None NMML; catalog no. 120 Fiscus (1993:94) From male sperm whale (specimen no. Rice-1970-001).
189 1970 San Juan, Puerto Rico NWA Unknown RSMAS Voss (1996) Ellis (1998:262)
190 18 September 1970 off Saint-Pierre Island, Grand Banks, Atlantic Ocean NWA By trawl Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire None FOSJ; Aldrich specimen No. 9 Aldrich (1992:471) Presented by Government of France in October, 1970.
191 31 October 1970 near Azores Islands (38°34′N 28°11′W / 38.567°N 28.183°W / 38.567; -28.183 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA From shark stomach, Centroscymnus coelolepis Architeuthis sp. "Flesh" Undetermined None Clarke & Merrett (1972:601)
192 November 1970 Tasman Sea SWP From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. One entire; 54 lower beaks Undetermined Female ML: 41.5 cm; BC: 26 cm; AL: 32–49.5 cm; TL: 140 cm; FL: 20 cm; FW: 8 cm; plus estimates of other specimen weights from beaks Clarke & MacLeod (1982:34) Combined data from stomachs of 66 sperm whales taken at various locations in the Tasman Sea.
193 30 December 1970 off Botany Bay, New South Wales, eastern Australia SWP From shortfin mako shark stomach, Isurus oxyrinchus Architeuthis sp. Beak Undetermined ML(estimate): 567 mm Dunning et al. (1993:129)
194 November–April 1970 – 1973 southeastern Atlantic Ocean (30°–43°S) SEA From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. Stomach contents Undetermined None Vovk et al. (1975[1978:131]) Specimens from sperm whales taken on 3 cruises (14 stations) of Antarctic whaling factory ship Yury Dolgoruky during November to April 1970 – 1973.
195 November–April 1970 – 1973 Atlantic sector of Southern Ocean SEA From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis sp. Stomach contents Undetermined None Vovk et al. (1975[1978:131]) Specimens from sperm whales taken on 3 cruises (42 stations) of Antarctic whaling factory ship Yury Dolgoruky during November to April 1970 – 1973.
March 1971 Carrandi, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux Entire? WT: 80 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258) Collected by the boat Divino San Antonio.
196 Unknown (reported 1971) Indian Ocean SIO From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined EL?: 19 m Berzin (1971;[199, fig. 98]) Taken from sperm whale stomach by whaling flotilla Sovetskaya Ukraina.
197 18 November 1971 Sunnyside, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland NWA Not stated Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Arms and tentacles only Female ML: 177 cm; additional measurements MUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 10 Aldrich (1992:471, fig. 8A-B)
198 Unknown (reported 1972) off east coast of Florida, United States NWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Male (mature) ML: 664 mm RSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.1762 Toll & Hess (1981b:753) Roper & Young (1972:220)
February 1972 Puerto de El Musel, Asturias, Spain NEA Found floating at surface in visible state of decomposition Architeuthis dux EL?: ~3 m Guerra et al. (2006:258) Observed[?] by Martino Andres.
199 July 1972 near Rakautura, Kaikoura, New Zealand SWP Found floating at surface Architeuthis sp. Entire Club suckers TL: ~8 m Lost Förch (1998:106) Dangerfield (2013b) Found by fishermen Gus and Ken Garbes. Could not be towed in due to bad weather; pieces cut off for use as bait.
200 1972 off Durban, South Africa SIO From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female ML: 1450 mm; extensive additional measurements, illustrations, and description SAM; catalog no. S1867 Compagno Roeleveld & Lipinski (1991:432, pls.)
1972 off Newfoundland NWA By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire EL: 8.2 m; WT: 207 kg Aquário Vasco da Gama, Lisbon Marques (2002); [5] On display at aquarium.
201 8 December 1972 eastern equatorial Atlantic (6°34′S 5°00′W / 6.567°S 5.000°W / -6.567; -5.000 (Giant squid specimen)) SEA Found in stomach contents of blue shark (Prionace glauca) Architeuthis sp. Jaws plus pieces of mantle, arms, tentacle Undetermined; beaks? TL(piece): 2 m; TSD: ~2 cm; ML(estimate): 70–75 cm Nigmatullin (1976:29, fig. 1) From stomach of 2 m long blue shark.
202 14 May 1974 off Green Point light house, Table Bay, South Africa SEA Found floating at surface, alive Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female (maturing–mature?) ML: 1700 mm; LRL: 16.7 mm; URL: 17.0 mm; extensive measurements, illustrations, and description SAM; catalog no. S1868 [specimen SA-2 of Roeleveld (2000)] Compagno Roeleveld & Lipinski (1991:433, pls.); Roeleveld (2000:185) Found barely alive by Capt. Hennie Smith. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
203 October 1974 South African waters (28°S 14°11'E) SEA By trawl; taken by fisheries vessel Architeuthis sp. Entire Piece of arm and tentacle WT: 220 kg SAM Pérez-Gándaras & Guerra (1989:114)
204 18 February 1975 Verdalsøra, Trondheimsfjorden, Norway NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined TL: 7.96 m; WT: 68.9 kg Holthe (1975:174)
205 28 October 1975 Bonavista, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None; discarded Male (mature) ML: 132 cm; additional measurements None; Aldrich specimen No. 11 Aldrich (1992:472, fig. 9A-D) Mature male with hectocotylus and spermatophores.
206 26 January 1976 off Joban District, Japan (36°39′N 141°51′E / 36.650°N 141.850°E / 36.650; 141.850 (Giant squid specimen)) NWP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Tentacle only Undetermined None Okutani et al. (1976:85) Ohsumi & Satake (1976) From 10.6 m long male sperm whale (no. 56).
207 26 January 1976 off Joban District, Japan (36°40′N 141°53′E / 36.667°N 141.883°E / 36.667; 141.883 (Giant squid specimen)) NWP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Tentacle only Undetermined None Okutani et al. (1976:85) Ohsumi & Satake (1976) From 11.7 m long male sperm whale (no. 58).
208 3 February 1976 off Joban District, Japan (36°44′N 141°33′E / 36.733°N 141.550°E / 36.733; 141.550 (Giant squid specimen)) NWP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Entire Undetermined ML: 58.5 cm Okutani et al. (1976:85, pl. 7) Ohsumi & Satake (1976) From 13.0 m long male sperm whale (no. 75).
209 4 February 1976 off Joban District, Japan (36°46′N 141°58′E / 36.767°N 141.967°E / 36.767; 141.967 (Giant squid specimen)) NWP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Mantle only Undetermined None Okutani et al. (1976:85) Ohsumi & Satake (1976) From 9.5 m long female sperm whale (no. 79).
210 March 1976 Wellington south coast, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire NMNZ; photographs only Förch (1998:106)
211 August 1976 off Vancouver, Oregon, United States NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Entire? Undetermined ML: ~2 m Nesis et al. (1985:523)
212 September 1976 off South Africa (27°42′S 14°13′E / 27.700°S 14.217°E / -27.700; 14.217 (Giant squid specimen)) SEA By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined WL: 4.5 m; WT: 200 kg; TL: ~6 m; ML: 195 cm; radula Pérez-Gándaras & Guerra (1978:401, figs. 1–4) Nesis et al. (1985:518) Stomach contents analysed.
213 19 November 1977 Firth of Forth, North Berwick, Scotland (56°03.5′N 02°43′W / 56.0583°N 2.717°W / 56.0583; -2.717 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire Entire; dissected, parts preserved separately Female ML: 161 cm; HL: 43 cm; AL: 230 cm; TL: 440 cm; FL: 67 cm; FW: 55 cm NMSZ; catalog no. 1978090.1 Heppell (1977:63); Heppell (1978:89); Heppell & Smith (1983:34) Collins (1998:489)
214 21 November 1977 Lance Cove, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire None Unknown size None; Aldrich specimen No. 12 Aldrich (1992:472) Report only, specimen not observed.
215 April 1978 Jiaonon, Shandong Province, China NWP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Beaks Undetermined None Dong (1984:328, fig. 2.1) From stranded sperm whale.
9 June 1978 Miura Peninsula, Japan NWP Not stated Architeuthis cf. japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Entire Entire, missing fins, tentacles, and arm tips Female ML: 540 mm; AL(IV): 830 mm [longest arm IV, missing tip] Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park Aquarium Kubodera & Yamada (2001:238, pl. 2A) Specimen donated to aquarium by Kurihama Thermoelectric Power Plant. Tentatively assigned to A. japonica based on relative lengths of mantle and longest arm IV.
216 ~15 June 1978 near Mack Arch, Oregon, North Pacific Ocean NEP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Sucker rings WT: 225 lb (102 kg) SBMNH; catalog no. 60119 [Anonymous] (1978a); [Anonymous] (1978b) Caught by commercial fisherman G. Steffensmier.
217 21 June 1978 off Fort Lauderdale, Straits of Florida, United States NWA From fish stomach, Xiphias gladius (swordfish) Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Male (mature) ML: 167+ mm; GL: 179 mm; additional extensive description RSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.1761 Toll & Hess (1981b:754, fig. 1) Toll & Hess (1981a:768); Hess & Toll (1981:162, fig. 4); Roper (1992:99); Roeleveld (2002:736); Roper & Shea (2013:116) From stomach of female swordfish (205 cm fork length). Very small mature specimen with spermatophores (subadult according to Roper & Shea, 2013). Toll & Hess (1981b) suggested it might be an undescribed dwarf species and Roeleveld (2002:736) wrote of this specimen: "It probably represents a distinct species and perhaps even a separate genus."
218 July 1978 Gisborne, New Zealand SWP Trawl capture Architeuthis sp. Entire Förch (1998:106) Gisborne Herald (photographs)
219 late 1978 Cheynes Beach, Albany, Western Australia SWP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Two specimens Undetermined WT(larger specimen): 280 kg Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical Museum, South Australia (smaller specimen) [Anonymous] (1980:27); Zeidler (1996:7) Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes (1996:85); Sea Frontiers Caught by Cheynes Beach Whaling Co., Albany, Western Australia. Larger specimen used in promotional displays.
220 Unknown (reported 1979) Noto-cho, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan NWP In floating blanket net Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined TL: 5.5 m; WT: 97 kg Satomi (1979) Kitaguni Newspaper (photograph) [fide Sweeney & Roper (2001:75); "T. Kubodera (pers. comm.)"]
221 1979 Newfoundland NWA By trawl EL: 31 ft (9.4 m) Ellis (1998:263) ["Stephen, pers. comm. (1997)"] Captured by Spanish trawler.
222 20 August 1979 Cortez Bank, California, United States, at 550 fathoms (1,010 m) depth NEP Sable fish trap Architeuthis japonica? Tentacle only; recovered from trap Tentacle SBMNH; catalog no. 60117 Hochberg (in prep. [fide Sweeney & Roper (2001:81)])
223 19 November 1979 Saint Brendan's, Cottel's Island, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire, in several pieces None; discarded Female ML: 154 cm; additional measurements None; Aldrich specimen No. 13 Aldrich (1992:473)
224 Unknown (reported 1980) Oregon, United States NEP Found washed ashore Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Entire? Undetermined None Hochberg & Fields (1980:434) Nesis et al. (1985:523)
225 early February 1980 Plum Island, Massachusetts, United States; see [6] NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire, missing long feeding tentacles, most arm tips, and skin; lost when the squid washed ashore Entire Female WL: 2.7 m; ML: ~2 m; EL(estimate): ~9/~10 m; WT: 200 kg NMNH; catalog no. 814000 Roper & Boss (1982:96); Whalen (2009); see also [7] and [8] Originally displayed at the New England Aquarium. Given as gift to NMNH in 1982. Featured in the Smithsonian Institution's monthly newspaper, The Torch, in February 1983.[8] From 2009, displayed in the Cold Water Quest Gallery of Georgia Aquarium on loan from NMNH.
226 March–April 1980 about 250 miles (400 km) off California (34°39'–35°39'N 126°25'–127°28'W), North Pacific Ocean, at 25–40 to 90 m depth NEP By trawl Architeuthis sp. 18 entire specimens Undetermined ML: 50–77 cm (ML(average): 62.5 cm); additional measurements, indices, and descriptions Nesis et al. (1985:519, figs. 1–3) Eighteen specimens taken in 9 trawls.
* No date given North Pacific (35°20′N 126°43′W / 35.333°N 126.717°W / 35.333; -126.717 (Giant squid specimen)) NEP Architeuthis Tentacles only ML(estimate): ~500 mm; TL: 1030/1570 mm; CL: 311/357 mm; CSC: 247/246; TSC: >273/>274; additional indices and counts P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology [specimen NP-33 of Roeleveld (2002)] Nesis et al. (1985:519); Roeleveld (2002:727) One of the 18 specimens from record #226. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
227 2 July 1980 1,500 miles (2,400 km) off Oregon, Northeast Pacific (42°35′N 148°35′W / 42.583°N 148.583°W / 42.583; -148.583 (Giant squid specimen)) at 15 m depth NEP By pelagic trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire, minus arms and tentacles ML(fresh): 164 cm; FL(fresh): 75 cm; FW(fresh): 43 cm; description of thawed plus preserved specimen ZMMGU Nesis et al. (1985:518) Taken by R/V Novoul'yanovsk with 133 m pelagic trawl.
228 1980 off New South Wales coast, Eastern Australia SWP From smooth hammerhead stomach, Sphyrna zygaena Architeuthis sp. Beak Undetermined ML(estimate): 706 mm Dunning et al. (1993:124)
1980 Vertical de Cudillero, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux At least a tentacle WT(of tentacle?): 100 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258) Attempt made to haul aboard a tentacle weighing 100 kg [?], but material was discarded upon observation of its poor state. Seen from the ship Oñaegea.
229 20 August 1980 South African waters SEA By trawl; taken by fisheries vessel Architeuthis sp. Entire None ML: 0.81 m Pérez-Gándaras & Guerra (1989:114)
230 21 October 1980 Patton Escarpment, California, United States (32°28′30″N 120°15′48″W / 32.47500°N 120.26333°W / 32.47500; -120.26333 (Giant squid specimen)) at 500–600 m depth NEP By RMT-8 midwater trawl Architeuthis sp. Tentacle club and stalk Tentacle club and stalk CL: 41.5 cm SBMNH; catalog no. 60120 Robison (1989:39, figs. 1–2)
231 February 1981 Kāne'ohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands NEP By hook and line Architeuthis sp. Entire Beak plus piece of flesh WL?: 20 ft (6.1 m) Undetermined Higa (1981:9) Taken alive while trolling by M. Yoshida and D. Maeda; attacked by false killer whale during retrieval.
10 February 1981 ~10 mi (16 km) offshore from Kahana Bay, Oahu, Hawaii NEP Caught by fisherman "likely to be of the genus Architeuthis" At least head and arms; skin and eye(s) intact (adult) EyD(estimate): at least 270 mm; pupil diameter(estimate): 90 mm Nilsson et al. (2012:683) Caught by fisherman Henry Olsen. Photograph of freshly caught specimen taken by Ernie Choy at pier shows head with undamaged eye; used by Nilsson et al. (2012) to estimate eye and pupil diameter on basis of standard fuel hose visible in frame (findings of paper summarised by Partridge, 2012; challenged by Schmitz, 2013; Schmitz et al., 2013a; Schmitz et al., 2013b; defended by Nilsson et al., 2013).
232 20 May 1981 Vavilov Ridge, Southeast Atlantic (7°56′S 0°57′E / 7.933°S 0.950°E / -7.933; 0.950 (Giant squid specimen)) at 400–470 m depth SEA By 110 m cable-trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Tentacles plus part of viscera; remainder lost TL(fresh): 420 + 400 cm; TL(fixed): 287 + 269 cm; additional counts, measurements, and description Undetermined Nesis et al. (1985:522) Taken by R/V Novoukrainka.
1981 Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux Entire? EL?: 10 m Guerra et al. (2006:258) Displayed in a Gijón fish shop before being sold at a market in Avilés.
233 3 August 1981 Orange River mouth, Southeast Atlantic (27°45′S 10°45′E / 27.750°S 10.750°E / -27.750; 10.750 (Giant squid specimen)) at 18–95 m depth SEA By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire ML: 81 cm; TL: 364 cm; WT: 11.8 kg Undetermined Nesis et al. (1985:522) Taken by R/V Novoukrainka.
234 7 September 1981 Azores Islands NEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Lower beak Undetermined LRL: 14.1 mm Clarke (1986:fig. 22b)
235 11 October 1981 Tasman Sea (33°19.4′S 155°00.3′E / 33.3233°S 155.0050°E / -33.3233; 155.0050 (Giant squid specimen)) at 20 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Larva ML: 10.3 mm NMV Lu (1986:9, fig.); Roper (1992:99, fig. 161) Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes (1996:85); Roper & Shea (2013:116) Captured by FRV Soela at 1450 hours.
236 14 November 1981 Hare Bay, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire Female ML: 159 cm; additional measurements Natural History Branch of Newfoundland Museum; catalog no. MO-1692. Aldrich specimen No. 14 Aldrich (1992:473)
Christmas, 1981 Playa de Luarca, Asturias, Spain NEA Found washed ashore on beach Architeuthis dux Entire?; poor condition Guerra et al. (2006:258) Found by Secundino González and Manuel Pico.
237 1981–1984 Azores NEA From sperm whale stomachs Architeuthis ?dux Steenstrup, 1860 Beaks Undetermined WT(estimated average): 23 kg; ML(estimated average): 1 m Clarke et al. (1993:71) Found in stomach contents of 76.5% of 17 sperm whales sampled during 1981–1984.
238 30 January 1982 off New South Wales, Australia (33°44′S 153°00′E / 33.733°S 153.000°E / -33.733; 153.000 (Giant squid specimen)) from surface to 600 m depth SWP By oblique pelagic trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined Female (juvenile) ML: 42.2 cm Jackson et al. (1991:331) Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes (1996:85); Roper & Shea (2013:116)
239 July 1982 North Canterbury, New Zealand SWP Trawl capture Architeuthis sp. Entire Partial club NMNZ; NMNZ M77446 Förch (1998:106)
240 23 August 1982 off shore, Radøy (near Bergen), Norway NEA By hook and line, caught alive Architeuthis monachus (Steenstrup in Harting, 1860) Entire Undetermined EL: ~10 m; TL: ~7.3 m; WT: ~220 kg ZMUB? Brix (1983:422, fig. 1) Brix et al. (1989:34); Hoving et al. (2006:158) Caught in 5 m deep bay; dying at time of capture. Blood study by Brix et al. (1989).
September 1982 Fladen Ground, northern North Sea, c. 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland (c. 59°00′N 0°30′E / 59°N 0.5°E / 59; 0.5 (Giant squid specimen)), depth unknown but 100–150 m in area NEA By trawl Architeuthis spec. Entire; most of viscera missing, posterior tail and fins cut off, small piece of testis present, fragments of reddish membrane (which normally covers viscera) present, spermatangia deeply implanted in left arm IV (180–350 mm from base) Entire Male (mature?) ML: 900 mm; MT(max.): 22 mm; WT: ≥18 kg (much lower than fresh mass); AL(I): 700+/750+ mm; AL(II): 610+/870+ mm; AL(III): 980+/790+ mm; AL(IV): 830+/940+ mm; TL: 810+/1040+ mm; EyD: 80 mm; GiL: 250 mm; FuD: 55 mm; FuCL: 115 mm; ASD(largest): 15 mm [measurements taken after almost 25 years of preservation in formalin] National Museum of Natural History, Leiden (public galleries) Hoving et al. (2006:153) Caught by beam trawler Urk 56, operating from IJmuiden harbour. First giant squid caught by Dutch fishermen. Probably mature, having spermatangia (inverted spermatophores) implanted in ventral arm.
241 30 October 1982 Sandy Cove, Fogo Island, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland NWA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire, in poor condition Entire? Female ML: 169 cm; additional measurements NMSJ; catalog no. MO-1693. Aldrich specimen No. 15 Aldrich (1992:474, fig. 10) "Had engaged in battle with what apparently was another cephalopod".
242 30 December 1982 Kuzuareyama coast of Noh-machi, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Entire Undetermined WL?: 3.98 m; WT: 120 kg Honma et al. (1983:23, fig. 1)
1983 Las Tiberas, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux WT(dead): 150 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258) Collected by "El Dioni" of Avilés.
243 19 August 1983 west coast of North Island, New Zealand (39°03′S 174°04′E / 39.050°S 174.067°E / -39.050; 174.067 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire None; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 1 ML: 2035 mm; HL: ~0.5 m; WT: >200 kg; ASD: 23 mm NMNZ; NMNZ M79971. Gauldie et al. specimen No. 1 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1983:6, fig.); Förch (1998:specimen 1) Found in New Plymouth power station cooling water intake.
244 8–9 January 1984 Cove Bay (near Aberdeen), Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis cf. dux Entire Undetermined Female WL: ~4.23 m; ML: ~1.75 m; GL: 1.57 m; BC: 1.40 m; HC: 0.88 m; WT: ~168 kg; ED: <1.0-<0.5 mm Nixon (1984:4); Boyle (1986:81) Boyle (1984:12); Collins (1998:489) Tested for buoyancy. Egg count estimated at >10×106.
245 8 March 1984 Auckland Islands (51°16′S 166°52′E / 51.267°S 166.867°E / -51.267; 166.867 (Giant squid specimen)) at 533 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 2 Female ML: 1930 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 2 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998: specimen 2) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Shinkai Maru.
246 12 April 1984 southeast coast of North Island, New Zealand (41°11′S 176°44′E / 41.183°S 176.733°E / -41.183; 176.733 (Giant squid specimen)) at 870–1100 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 3 Female ML: 930 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 3 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 5) O'Shea (2007)
April 1984 3 miles (4.8 km) from Tazones, Asturias, Spain NEA By trawl Architeuthis dux Entire? WL: 3–4 m Guerra et al. (2006:258) Captured by Antonio Coro.
247 3 May 1984 west coast of North Island, New Zealand (40°54′S 176°14′E / 40.900°S 176.233°E / -40.900; 176.233 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Found floating Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 4 Female ML: 1770 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 4 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 3)
248 9 May 1984 Cape Palliser, Wellington, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire? Undetermined None Stevens (1988:150)
249 12 May 1984 south coast of North Island, New Zealand (41°17′S 174°47′E / 41.283°S 174.783°E / -41.283; 174.783 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 5 Female ML: 1825 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 5 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 4) Stevens (1988:150, fig. 3)
250 May 1984 Namibia, South African waters SEA By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined ML: 1250 mm[?]; WT: 38 kg; MW: 390 mm; HW: 250 mm; FL: 570 mm; FW: 280 mm[?]; TL: 4750 mm Pérez-Gándaras & Guerra (1989:115) Taken by fisheries vessel.
251 June 1984 west coast hoki grounds, South Island, New Zealand SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Förch (1998:106) Caught by F/V Arrow.
1984 Cal. Sierra d Oviedo, Asturias, Spain NEA From shark stomach Architeuthis dux Severed tentacle TC: >10 cm Guerra et al. (2006:258)
252 25 July 1984 northwest coast of South Island, New Zealand (41°05′S 170°52′E / 41.083°S 170.867°E / -41.083; 170.867 (Giant squid specimen)) at 475 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Entire Female ML: 1560 mm; TL(R): 7500 mm; CSC(R): 250; additional indices and counts NMNZ; NMNZ M.86826; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 6 [specimen NZ-6 of Roeleveld (2002)] Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 6); Roeleveld (2002:727) O'Shea (2007) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
253 24 September 1984 southwest coast of South Island, New Zealand (46°18′S 166°30′E / 46.300°S 166.500°E / -46.300; 166.500 (Giant squid specimen)) at 365 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Entire Female ML: 2020 mm; TL: 6325/7250 mm; CL: 925/925 mm; CSC: 287/287; TSC: 310/310; additional indices and counts NMNZ; NMNZ M.79976; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 7 [specimen NZ-7 of Roeleveld (2002)] Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 7); Roeleveld (2002:727) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Tengawai. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
254 Unknown (sampled during 1984–1990) San Miguel Island, California, United States NEP From northern elephant seal stomach, Mirounga angustirostris Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks Undetermined None Antonelis et al. (1994:214) From three northern elephant seals, sampled during 1984–1990.
255 6 June 1985 New Zealand (47°04′S 169°32′E / 47.067°S 169.533°E / -47.067; 169.533 (Giant squid specimen)) at 310 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Female ML: ~2000 mm Förch (1998:106) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 23.
256 23 July 1985 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
257 31 July 1985 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
258 26 August 1985 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
259 28 August 1985 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
260 29 August 1985 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
261 1 September 1985 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
262 Unknown (reported 1986) Unknown ? From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Buccal mass and beak Beak LRL: 18.8 mm Undetermined Clarke (1986:fig. 22a) From sperm whale stomach (G17A65).
263 Unknown (reported 1986) South Africa SEA From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Lower beak Beak LRL: 17.2 mm Undetermined Clarke (1986:fig. 23)
264 Unknown (reported 1986) Azores Islands NEA Not stated Architeuthis sp. Lower beak Lower beak ML: 1980 mm; LRL: 19.4 mm Undetermined Clarke (1986:fig. 24a)
265 29 January 1986 off Aberdeen, Scotland NEA By trawl Architeuthis cf. dux Entire None; sold commercially WL: 2.98 m; ML: 1.45 m; BC: 1.10 m; AC: 0.22 m; WT: ~90 kg Boyle (1986:82) Collins (1998:489) Caught by fishing vessel; measurements by Mr. G. Howard.
266 March 1986 near mouth of Orange River, South Africa (27°52′S 14°40′E / 27.867°S 14.667°E / -27.867; 14.667 (Giant squid specimen)) at 510–550 m depth SEA By bottom trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female (maturing) ML: 1680 mm; LRL: 17.4 mm; URL: 17.1 mm; extensive measurements, illustrations, and description SAM; catalog no. S1681 [specimen SA-3 of Roeleveld (2000)] Compagno Roeleveld & Lipinski (1991:433, pls.); Roeleveld (2000:185) Taken by MT Pardelhas. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
267 31 March 1986 Auckland Islands (50°50′S 166°51′E / 50.833°S 166.850°E / -50.833; 166.850 (Giant squid specimen)) at 296 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 8 Female ML: 1720 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 8 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 11) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Akebono Maru 73.
268 11 April 1986 northeast coast of North Island, New Zealand (35°43′S 174°20′E / 35.717°S 174.333°E / -35.717; 174.333 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Found floating Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 9 Male ML: 1260 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 9 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 9)
269 17 April 1986 east coast of South Island, New Zealand (43°38′S 174°43′E / 43.633°S 174.717°E / -43.633; 174.717 (Giant squid specimen)) at 470 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Entire Female ML: 1815 mm; TL: 3150/3110 mm; CSC: 257/248; TSC(R): 279; additional indices and counts NMNZ; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 10 [specimen NZ-12 of Roeleveld (2002)] Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 12); Roeleveld (2002:727) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Banshu Maru 8. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
270 27 May 1986 southwest coast of South Island, New Zealand (46°32′S 166°11′E / 46.533°S 166.183°E / -46.533; 166.183 (Giant squid specimen)) at 604 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Entire Female ML: 1830 mm; CL: 840 mm; additional indices and counts NMNZ; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 11 [specimen NZ-13 of Roeleveld (2002)] Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 13); Roeleveld (2002:727) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 28. O'Shea (2007) gives date as 27 April. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
271 18 July 1986 west coast of South Island, New Zealand (42°03′S 170°26′E / 42.050°S 170.433°E / -42.050; 170.433 (Giant squid specimen)) at 450/500 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 12 ML: 1380 mm; WT: 43.5 kg; see Förch (1998:110) None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 12 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:107) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Dolomit.
19 July 1986 east coast of Tasmania SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis [Anonymous] (2007b) Trivedi (2002)
272 8 September 1986 east coast of South Island, New Zealand (43°43′S 174°56′E / 43.717°S 174.933°E / -43.717; 174.933 (Giant squid specimen)) at 480 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 13 Female ML: 2140 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 13 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch 1998:specimen 14) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Banshu Maru 8.
273 26 February 1987 east coast of South Island, New Zealand (44°09′S 173°44′E / 44.150°S 173.733°E / -44.150; 173.733 (Giant squid specimen)) at 350 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Entire Male [female? fide Roeleveld (2002:727)] ML: 1900 mm; CL: 755 mm; CSC: 222; additional indices and counts NMNZ; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 14 [specimen NZ-8 of Roeleveld (2002)] Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 8); Roeleveld (2002:727) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 22. Roeleveld (2002) and O'Shea (2007) give coordinates of 44°09′S 173°35′E / 44.150°S 173.583°E / -44.150; 173.583 (Giant squid specimen) and O'Shea (2007) gives depth of 312–356 m. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
274 5 March 1987 off Shetland Islands NEA By trawl Architeuthis sp. Undetermined ML: 1100 mm Collins (1998:489)
275 April–July 1987 approximately 40°S 120°W / 40°S 120°W / -40; -120 (Giant squid specimen), South Pacific SEP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Eight juveniles Undetermined (juveniles) None Alexeyev (1994:156, map) Taken in subantarctic waters by R/V Vozrozhdeniye, cruise XI.
276 3 May 1987 southeast coast of North Island, New Zealand (41°31′S 176°43′E / 41.517°S 176.717°E / -41.517; 176.717 (Giant squid specimen)) at 360 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 15 Female ML: 1610 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 15 Gauldie et al. (1994:94) Förch (1998:107); O'Shea (2007) Listed in table as 3 April. Used for statolith study.
277 9 May 1987 east coast of South Island, New Zealand (43°38′S 174°14′E / 43.633°S 174.233°E / -43.633; 174.233 (Giant squid specimen)) at 506 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 16 Female ML: 2135 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 16 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:specimen 15) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 28.
278 1987 near Sydney, Australia SWP By trawl? Architeuthis sp. Entire? Undetermined WT: 150 kg Gannon (1996) "150 kg monster landed near Sydney in 1987"
279 19 July 1987 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
280 20 July 1987 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
281 26 July 1987 west coast of South Island, New Zealand (42°35′S 170°23′E / 42.583°S 170.383°E / -42.583; 170.383 (Giant squid specimen)) at 503 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 17 ML: 1300 mm; see Förch (1998:110) None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 17 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:107) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Zuiyo 3.
282 26 July 1987 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
283 28 July 1987 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
284 16 August 1987 west coast of South Island, New Zealand (41°21′S 170°30′E / 41.350°S 170.500°E / -41.350; 170.500 (Giant squid specimen)) at 464 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 18 ML: 1370 mm; WT: 70 kg; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 18 Gauldie et al. (1994:94) Förch (1998:108); O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Zuiyo 3.
285 25 August 1987 west coast of South Island, New Zealand (41°31′S 170°34′E / 41.517°S 170.567°E / -41.517; 170.567 (Giant squid specimen)) at 410–608 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 19 Female ML: 1230 mm; see Förch (1998:110) None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 19 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:108) O'Shea (2007)
286 2 September 1987 east of Auckland Islands (51°18′S 170°23′E / 51.300°S 170.383°E / -51.300; 170.383 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 20 ML: 1780 mm; see Förch (1998:110) None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 20 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:108) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Mys Kronotsky.
287 13 October 1987 south coast of South Island, New Zealand (46°24′S 166°23′E / 46.400°S 166.383°E / -46.400; 166.383 (Giant squid specimen)) at 487 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 21 ML: 1770 mm; see Förch (1998:110) None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 21 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:108) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
288 October 1987 South African waters (29°46′S 14°43′E / 29.767°S 14.717°E / -29.767; 14.717 (Giant squid specimen)) SEA By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined ML: 1790 mm[?]; WT: 130 kg; MW: 485 mm; HW: 240 mm; FL: 720 mm; FW: 360 mm Pérez-Gándaras & Guerra (1989:115) Taken by fisheries vessel.
289 4 November 1987 south coast of South Island, New Zealand (47°32′S 169°10′E / 47.533°S 169.167°E / -47.533; 169.167 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 22 ML: 2010 mm; see Förch (1998:110) None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 22 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:108) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru.
290 5 November 1987 southwest coast of South Island, New Zealand (46°31′S 166°30′E / 46.517°S 166.500°E / -46.517; 166.500 (Giant squid specimen)) at 550 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 23 ML: 1770 mm; no other measurements None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 23 Gauldie et al. (1994:94) Förch (1998:108); O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
26 November 1987 off New Zealand (47°29′S 169°35′E / 47.483°S 169.583°E / -47.483; 169.583 (Giant squid specimen)) at 540 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
291 5 December 1987 New Zealand (47°28′S 169°35′E / 47.467°S 169.583°E / -47.467; 169.583 (Giant squid specimen)) at 540 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire WT: ~80 kg Förch (1998:108) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
292 6 December 1987 New Zealand (47°30′S 169°19′E / 47.500°S 169.317°E / -47.500; 169.317 (Giant squid specimen)) at 550 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire WT: ~20 kg Förch (1998:108) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
293 late 1987 hoki grounds, South Island, New Zealand SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined; Förch specimen No. 10 Female ML: 1830 mm; no other measurements None?; Förch specimen No. 10 Förch (1998:107)
294 25 January 1988 Auckland Islands (51°00′S 166°42′E / 51.000°S 166.700°E / -51.000; 166.700 (Giant squid specimen)) at 495 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire Undetermined; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 24 ML: 1880 mm; WT: ~150 kg; see Förch (1998:110) None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 24 Gauldie et al. (1994:94); Förch (1998:108) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Nikolaevskiy Korabel. O'Shea (2007) gives date as 25 December.
295 16 April 1988 Shirohara, Iwamicho, Tottori Prefecture, Japan NWP Found washed ashore, alive [fide Sweeney & Roper (2001:74)]; found in shallow water [fide [Anonymous] (2006b)] Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire? TL: 7 m; ML: 1.3 m; WT: 80 kg Tottori Prefectural Museum [fide Sweeney & Roper (2001:74); "T. Kubodera (pers. comm.)"] Nomura (1988:26); [Anonymous] (2006b) On public display. Formed part of ground floor exhibit at Misawa Airport between July 15 and July 30, 2006. Specimen photographed with diver [fide [Anonymous] (2006b)].
296 28 July 1988 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
297 29 July 1988 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
298 31 July 1988 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
299 12 March 1989 Namibia (26°07′S 13°41′E / 26.117°S 13.683°E / -26.117; 13.683 (Giant squid specimen)) SEA By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Only tentacle clubs, hectocotylus, genitalia, beaks, and statolith Male (mature) ML(fresh): 1220 mm; FL(thawed): 540 mm; FW(thawed): 460 mm; MW(thawed): 460 mm; TL(thawed): 5060 + 4510 mm[?]; WT(thawed): 41,350 g; other measurements ICM? Villanueva & Sánchez (1993:33)
300 September 1989 Santa Catarina State, Brazil (27°24′S 45°37′W / 27.400°S 45.617°W / -27.400; -45.617 (Giant squid specimen)) SWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis sp. Female ML: 151 cm Instituto de Pesca, Santos, Brazil Arfelli et al. (1991:83, figs. 2–3) Ré et al. (1998:109)
301 7 February 1990 Poipu, Kauai, Hawaiian Islands NEP From sperm whale stomach Architeuthis sp. Lower beaks Undetermined Clarke & Young (1998:625) From stranded 7250 kg male sperm whale.
302 10 February 1990 Long Rock, Penzance, Cornwall, England NEA From stomach of stranded sperm whale Architeuthis spp. 47 beaks Beaks? Undetermined Clarke & Pascoe (1997:1256) Roper & Shea (2013:112) From 46 ft (14 m) male sperm whale. Giant squid accounted for 43% by number and estimated 80% by weight of total stomach contents. Possibly largest number of giant squid beaks found in a single whale stomach; see Roper & Shea (2013:112).
303 19 July 1990 West Cove, San Miguel Island, California, United States NEP From northern elephant seal stomach, Mirounga angustirostris Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912 Beaks One lower beak None NMML; catalog no. 486 Fiscus (1993:94) From male northern elephant seal (specimen no. Y1991/1992).
304 14 March 1991 Soetwater, Kommetjie (Cape Peninsula), South Africa SEA Undetermined Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female (mature) ML: 1850 mm; statolith; LRL(estimate): 16.2 mm; URL: 16.5 mm; additional beak measurements SAM; catalog no. S2486 [specimen SA-4 of Roeleveld (2000)] Lipinski (1997:299); Roeleveld (2000:185) Natal Mercury (1996) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
305 15 June 1991 South Africa (34°47′S 18°14′E / 34.783°S 18.233°E / -34.783; 18.233 (Giant squid specimen)) SEA Undetermined Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female (maturing) ML: 1400 mm; statolith; LRL: 18.1 mm; URL: 17.6 mm; additional beak measurements SAM; catalog no. S2546 [specimen SA-5 of Roeleveld (2000)] Roeleveld (1996); Lipinski (1997:299); Roeleveld (2000:185) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
20 July 1991 east coast of Tasmania SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis [Anonymous] (2007b) Trivedi (2002)
?, 1992 Playa de Xagó, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified; found floating at surface? Architeuthis dux Mantle and head at least Guerra et al. (2006:258) Rest of mantle and head wrapped in a cloth of "volanta". Found by Guardia Civil.
1992 El Musel, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux Entire? EL?: 5 m Guerra et al. (2006:258)
306 7 May 1992 Kommetjie (Cape Peninsula), South Africa SEA Undetermined Architeuthis sp. Head only Head Female ML(estimate): 1600 mm; statolith; LRL: 17.1 mm; URL: 17.3 mm; additional beak measurements SAM; catalog no. S2556 [specimen SA-6 of Roeleveld (2000)] Roeleveld (1996); Lipinski (1997:299); Roeleveld (2000:185) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
307 10 June 1992 west of Cape Columbine (32°53'S), South Africa SEA Undetermined Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female (?maturing–mature) ML: 1770 mm; statolith; LRL: 17.5 mm; URL: 18.8 mm; additional beak measurements SAM; catalog no. S2562 [specimen SA-7 of Roeleveld (2000)] Roeleveld (1996); Lipinski (1997:299); Roeleveld (2000:185) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
308 15–16 July 1992 northwest of Chatham Islands; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
* Unknown (reported 1993) southern Japan NWP Sick/dying animal photographed in shallow water Architeuthis dux; Moroteuthis robusta [fide Ellis (1998:210); Norman (2000:174); Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas (2004:66)] (now known as Onykia robusta; see Bolstad (2008:106); Bolstad (2010)) Entire; alive None None Poppe & Goto (1993); Japanese made-for-television film Ellis (1998:210); Norman (2000:174) Non-architeuthid. Photograph of sick/dying Onykia robusta taken by H. Kubota in shallow water. Squid is shown with diver, although wide-angle photography exaggerates animal's size. A video of the same squid appears in a Japanese made-for-television film [fide Ellis (1998:211)].
Unknown (reported 1993) Flowers Cove, Newfoundland NWA Architeuthidae sp. Entire? EL: 21.95 m Kilias (1993:610) Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas (2004:64) Kilias (1993:610) gives 6–7 m as typical length for "species" of Architeuthidae, with large specimens supposedly reaching 10–17 m.
14 May 1993 Morne Brabant, Mauritius SIO Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined ML: 4.5 m; WT: 240 kg Staub (1993:141, pl. 1a,b)
21 April 1994 Izu-Ogasawara Islands, off central Honshū, Japan (35°20.1′N 143°00.1′E / 35.3350°N 143.0017°E / 35.3350; 143.0017 (Giant squid specimen)) from surface to 140 m depth NWP By trawl (obliquely-towed plankton net) Architeuthis sp. Entire; "not in good condition" Entire (juvenile) ML: 19.8 mm; FL: 4.5 mm; HL: 6.4 mm, etc. Not stated Tsuchiya & Mori (1998:225) Roper & Shea (2013:116)
May 1994 New Zealand (43°55′S 176°50′E / 43.917°S 176.833°E / -43.917; 176.833 (Giant squid specimen)) at 515 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire In pieces ML: 1850 mm; FL: 760 mm NMNZ; NMNZ M18019 Förch (1998:109) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Dalmor.
May 1994 New Zealand (43°48′S 177°35′E / 43.800°S 177.583°E / -43.800; 177.583 (Giant squid specimen)) at 514 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Incomplete ML: 1110 mm; FL: 490 mm NMNZ; NMNZ M18020 Förch (1998:109) O'Shea (2007) Caught by F/V Dalmor.
January 1995 off King Island, Bass Strait SWP By trawl Architeuthis "slightly larger" than specimen of 9 March 1995 Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes (1996:85)
January 1995 500 km off South Island, New Zealand SWP By trawl Architeuthis "even larger" than January 1995 specimen from King Island Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes (1996:85)
9 March 1995 ~3.2 nm SSE of Cape Banks, Australia (37°56.32′S 140°20.79′E / 37.93867°S 140.34650°E / -37.93867; 140.34650 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Found floating at surface, recently dead Architeuthis sp. Entire, tail damaged, all arms damaged (with most tips missing), tentacles damaged (left missing club, right with detached club portion), eyes missing, head detached Entire Female ML: 1530 mm; VML: 1400 mm; MW: 440 mm; MT(max.): 40 mm; HL: 320 mm; HW: 270 mm; WT: 48 kg (mantle) + 38 kg (head with limbs); SAMA; SAMA D18936 (main specimen) + B80 (frozen sample) + XD0040 (alcohol-fixed sample) Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes (1996:85) Caught by Martin Von Stanke on F/V Ocean Lady over ~25 m bottom depth. Stored on ice and transported to museum (with assistance of Thierry Laperousaz) after 1 day without prior freezing. Tissue samples from digestive gland and arm (SAMA B80) saved at −80 °C, muscle samples from mantle and tentacle (SAMA XD0040) preserved in 100% alcohol.
2 April 1995 Golfo San Jorge, Argentina (46°30′S 66°00′W / 46.500°S 66.000°W / -46.500; -66.000 (Giant squid specimen)) at 70 m depth SWA By trawl Architeuthis Female (mature) ML: 1625 mm Museo de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Buenos Aires Brunetti et al. (1998:xxx) Ré et al. (1998:109)
26 April 1995 west of Aran Islands, Ireland (53°00′N 12°20′W / 53.000°N 12.333°W / 53.000; -12.333 (Giant squid specimen)) at 287 m depth NEA By 80 mm mesh benthic trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined Male (mature) ML: 1028 mm; MW: 379 mm; TL: 4555 mm; EL: 5970 mm; WT: 26.9 kg; NMI; catalog no. 14-1995 Collins et al. (1997:562); Guerra et al. (2004b:8) Lordan et al. (1998:905); Collins (1998:489) Taken by trawler Sionnainn.
24 June 1995 Porcupine Bank, Ireland (52°25′N 13°45′W / 52.417°N 13.750°W / 52.417; -13.750 (Giant squid specimen)) at 300 m depth NEA By 80 mm mesh benthic trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undeterminded Male (mature) ML: 975 mm; MW: 335 mm; EL: 5950 mm; WT: 22.45 kg; NMI; catalog no. 44-1995 Collins et al. (1997:562); Guerra et al. (2004b:8) Lordan et al. (1998:905); Collins (1998:489) Taken by trawler Sionnainn.
25 June 1995 southwest Aran Islands, Ireland (52°50′N 10°20′W / 52.833°N 10.333°W / 52.833; -10.333 (Giant squid specimen)) at 110 m depth NEA By 80 mm mesh benthic trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Undetermined Male (mature) ML: 1084 mm; MW: 335 mm; WT: 26.5 kg; NMI; catalog no. 43-1995 Collins et al. (1997:562); Guerra et al. (2004b:8) Lordan et al. (1998:905); Collins (1998:489) Taken by trawler Galway.
10 July 1995 South Africa (32°50′S 16°40′E / 32.833°S 16.667°E / -32.833; 16.667 (Giant squid specimen)) SEA Undetermined Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Male (mature) ML: 1180 mm; statolith; LRL: 14.1 mm; URL: 15.4 mm; additional beak measurements SAM; catalog no. S3353 [specimen SA-10 of Roeleveld (2000)] Lipinski (1997:299); Roeleveld (2000:185) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000).
15 July 1995 Golfo San Jorge, Bahía Bustamante, Argentina (45°12′S 66°30′W / 45.200°S 66.500°W / -45.200; -66.500 (Giant squid specimen)) SWA Found washed ashore on mat of seaweed Female (immature) ML: 1300 mm Ruiz & Fondacaro (1996) Ré et al. (1998:109)
27 September 1995 Playa de los Pozos, Asturias, Spain NEA By seine fishing Architeuthis dux Entire? WT: 160 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258) Caught by the boats Nuevo Juanito and Hermanos of Avilés using a seine.
1 December 1995 off South Island, New Zealand (43°24'–43°31'S 169°20'–169°10'E) at 305 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire NIWA Puente (1996); O'Shea (2007) Collected by T. Devlin on F/V J. Elaine. O'Shea (2007) gives coordinates as 43°24.31′S 169°20.10′E / 43.40517°S 169.33500°E / -43.40517; 169.33500 (Giant squid specimen).
December 1995 off New Zealand (43°26′S 176°23′E / 43.433°S 176.383°E / -43.433; 176.383 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Architeuthis Entire? Entire?, left tentacle loose Male (mature) ML: 1200 mm; TL(L): 2757+ mm; CL(L): 552 mm; CSC(L): 247; TSC(L): 278; additional indices and counts NMNZ; NMNZ Z.8900 [specimen NZ-36 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:727) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
31 December 1995 off South Island, New Zealand (43°12.3′S 178°19.9′W / 43.2050°S 178.3317°W / -43.2050; -178.3317 (Giant squid specimen)) at 425 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire, both tentacles loose Female (maturing?) ML: 2000 mm; WT: ~600 lb (270 kg); TL: 7300 mm [TL: 5702/4813 mm fide Roeleveld (2002:729)]; CL: 850 mm [812/753 mm fide Roeleveld (2002:735)]; CSC: 243/242; TSC: 273/268; additional indices and counts NMNZ; NMNZ Z.8436 [specimen NZ-16 of Roeleveld (2002)] Ellis (1997:1); Förch (1998:specimen 16); Roeleveld (2002:727, figs. 2–3) Puente (1996); [Anonymous] (1996a); O'Shea (2007) Collected by FRV Tangaroa. Originally deposited at NIWA. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
31 December 1995 off New Zealand (43°12′S 178°20′W / 43.200°S 178.333°W / -43.200; -178.333 (Giant squid specimen)) at 425 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007) Listed as separate record by O'Shea (2007).
Unknown (reported 1996) near Mt Gambier, off Cape Banks, South Australia SWP Found floating at surface Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female WT: 86 kg; BL+HL: 1.85 m; AL: 1.75 m (longest); TL: 7.39 m (longest); EyOD: 17 cm; EL: >9 m SAMA Zeidler (1996:7, fig.) Female with fully formed ovaries and small white eggs.
"very early" January 1996 [16 January fide O'Shea (2007)] off South Island, New Zealand (43°26.47′S 176°23.17′E / 43.44117°S 176.38617°E / -43.44117; 176.38617 (Giant squid specimen)) at 310 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Male TL: 21 ft (6.4 m) NIWA Ellis (1997:9) Förch (1998:109); Puente (1996); [Anonymous] (1996a); O'Shea (2007) Caught by FRV Tangaroa.
February 1996 off New Zealand (43°26′S 176°23′E / 43.433°S 176.383°E / -43.433; 176.383 (Giant squid specimen)) at 310 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
February 1996 Perlora, Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis dux Mantle severed in its first third, missing arms and tentacles Guerra et al. (2006:258)
14 March 1996 off west coast of Tasmania, Australia (42°15′S 144°41′E / 42.250°S 144.683°E / -42.250; 144.683 (Giant squid specimen)–42°00′S 144°35′E / 42.000°S 144.583°E / -42.000; 144.583 (Giant squid specimen)) at 840–1000 m depth SWP Captured live by commercial trawl fishing for orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus), but likely died under weight of fish during haul to surface Architeuthis sanctipauli Velain, 1877 Entire, missing majority of skin Entire Female (subadult) ML: 191 cm; EL(estimate): 12 m NMV 74479 Norman & Lu (1997:683); Norman (2000:152, fig.); Landman et al. (2004:685) Isotopic analysis of statolith carried out by Landman et al. (2004) to determine age and habitat. Photographed by David Paul.
21 March 1996 off New Zealand (50°50′S 166°55′E / 50.833°S 166.917°E / -50.833; 166.917 (Giant squid specimen)) at 420 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
22 March 1996 off west coast of Tasmania, Australia (42°54′S 145°0′E / 42.900°S 145.000°E / -42.900; 145.000 (Giant squid specimen)) at 460 m depth SWP Captured live in commercial fishing trawl Architeuthis sanctipauli Velain, 1877 Entire, skin largely intact Entire Female (submature) ML: 2.4 m; EL(intact estimate): 15 m; WT: 220 kg; ovary: ~3 kg ("small") NMV F74482 Norman & Lu (1997:683); Norman (2000:154, 4 figs.); Landman et al. (2004:685) [Anonymous] (2003c, fig.); Roper & Shea (2013:116) Mated female with spermatophores embedded in epidermis of both ventral arms, around 1 m from mouth. Ovary occupying <20% of mantle cavity contained "hundreds of thousands of undeveloped eggs". Adult specimen according to Landman et al. (2004:686). Isotopic analysis of statolith carried out by Landman et al. (2004) to determine age and habitat. Photographed by David Paul.
24 May 1996 Golfo San Jorge, Bahía Bustamante, Argentina (45°08′S 66°31′W / 45.133°S 66.517°W / -45.133; -66.517 (Giant squid specimen)) SWA Found washed ashore, dead Architeuthis sp. Entire Female (immature) ML: 1940 mm; TL?: 4.2 m; WT: 180 kg; see Ré et al. MCNOPM Ré et al. (1998:109) Displayed at the museum of Puerto Madryn. Photographed with two children; see [10]
10 June 1996 off King Island, Tasmania, Australia, at 1000 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire WT: >200 kg; TL?: 8 m NMV Gannon (1996); [Anonymous] (1996b) Captured by D. McNamara and R. Bradshaw on trawler Empress Pearl.
1 October 1996 off King Island, northwest of Tasmania, Australia (40°S 143°9′E–40°15′S 143°15′E / 40.250°S 143.250°E / -40.250; 143.250 (Giant squid specimen)) at 980–1000 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis sanctipauli Velain, 1877 Entire? Entire Female (subadult) ML: 159 cm (without fins) NMV 78297 Landman et al. (2004:685) Isotopic analysis of statolith carried out by Landman et al. (2004) to determine age and habitat.
19 November 1996 off Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico NEP Found in stomach contents of blue shark (Prionace glauca) Architeuthis sp. Pair of beaks (from a single specimen) Entire LRL: 13.44 mm; ML(estimate): 741.5 mm; WT(estimate): 24365.0 g Markaida & Sosa-Nishizaki (2010) Live weight constituted an estimated 7.27% of total prey weight from 893 blue sharks sampled. First giant squid record from Mexican waters and southernmost record in the California Current.
1996 Chatham Rise, New Zealand SWP Architeuthis EL?: 26 ft (7.9 m) O'Shea (1997) Ellis (1998:264)
1996 Chatham Rise, New Zealand SWP Architeuthis EL?: 13 ft (4.0 m) O'Shea (1997) Ellis (1998:264)
1996 New Zealand SWP Architeuthis EL?: 22–26 ft (6.7–7.9 m) O'Shea (1997) Ellis (1998:264)
1996 Tottori, Japan NWP Architethis TL: 14.4 ft (4.4 m) Japan Times (1996) Ellis (1998:264)
December 1997 – April 1998 Chatham Rise, New Zealand SWP "Captured" Architeuthis Seven specimens (5 mature males and 2 mature females) Landman et al. (1999:72)
late December 1997 Chatham Rise, New Zealand at 672 m depth SWP By trawl Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887 Entire, tentacles broken off, minor damage to fins and one arm Entire Male (mature) ML: 1.24 m; EL: 8 m; WT: ~200 lb (91 kg) AMNH Landman & Ellis (1998:150, fig.); Cordeiro & Hussaini (1999:25); Landman et al. (1999:72); Dussling & Johnson (1999); [AMNH] (N.d.) Offered as gift to AMNH by Steve O'Shea of NIWA, who contacted Neil Landman in March 1998. Transported from Wellington to New York City by combination of refrigerated trucks and air cargo (with unscheduled delay in Los Angeles). Received by AMNH still frozen on 10 June 1998, as first specimen in its history.
1997 off Sergipe, Brazil SWA "found" Architeuthis Martins & Perez (2009) Unreported prior to Martins & Perez (2009).
18 January 1998 Newburgh, Scotland NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female ML: 1230 mm; see Collins (1998:491) NMSZ Collins (1998:491)
13 March 1998 off New Zealand (42°50.9–49.8'S 177°16.6'–176°55.3'E) at 489–475 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
9 April 1998 South Patagonian shelf (50°39.0′S 66°35.3′W / 50.6500°S 66.5883°W / -50.6500; -66.5883 (Giant squid specimen)) at 105 m depth (bottom depth also 105 m) SWA By bottom trawl Architeuthis Brunetti et al. (2002) Taken by the vessel Kasuga Maru of the Pespasa fishing company. Collected by fishery inspector. Surface water temperature recorded as 9.1 °C and air temperature as 14 °C.
9 April 1998 off New Zealand (44°00′S 177°35′W / 44.000°S 177.583°W / -44.000; -177.583 (Giant squid specimen)) at 500 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
10 April 1998 off New Zealand (43°56.8'–44°03.8'S 175°51.6–30.1'E) at 519–523 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
18 April 1998 about ten miles (16 km) from Saint Paul, La Réunion Island (21°00′S 55°45′E / 21.000°S 55.750°E / -21.000; 55.750 (Giant squid specimen)) SIO Found floating at surface Architeuthis dux "big chunk of flesh ... including the base of the arms, head and the upper part of the mantle" Buccal mass, beak; tip of rostrum of lower beak broken LRL(estimate): 17.0–17.5 mm; ML(estimate): 174–193 cm Cherel (2003:1295) Fishermen reported rapid skin colour change, suggesting chromatophores were still active and specimen was freshly dead. Other remains of large squid were observed. Sperm whales said to have occurred in the area at the time.
mid-1998 beach near Fuengirola, Andalusia, Spain MED Found washed ashore dead but relatively fresh Architeuthis Entire? Female (immature) ML: ~125 cm Aula del Mar de CREMA, Málaga, Spain Guerra et al. (2006:89) First known giant squid specimen from the Mediterranean Sea. Preserved in formaldehyde.
28 July 1998 off New Zealand (42°32.2′S 170°24.1′E / 42.5367°S 170.4017°E / -42.5367; 170.4017 (Giant squid specimen)) at 500–575 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
29 July 1998 off New Zealand (41°59'–42°10'S 170°32–33'E) at 405 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
31 July 1998 off New Zealand (41°05′S 170°50′E / 41.083°S 170.833°E / -41.083; 170.833 (Giant squid specimen)) at 452–526 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
20 August 1998 off New Zealand (42°00′S 170°30′E / 42.000°S 170.500°E / -42.000; 170.500 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
13 November 1998 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (47°14′S 69°23′E / 47.233°S 69.383°E / -47.233; 69.383 (Giant squid specimen)) at 630–710 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower and upper beak Entire LRL: 15.51 mm; ML(estimate): 128 cm Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004) Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld (2000).
19 December 1998 off New Zealand (43°18.5–32.6'S 174°10.5–17.7'E) at 567 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
between 26 December 1998 and 9 February 1999 off New Zealand (44°11.2′S 178°15.7′W / 44.1867°S 178.2617°W / -44.1867; -178.2617 (Giant squid specimen)) at 500 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
* 1999 (reported) New Zealand SWP Architeuthis; Asperoteuthis lui Salcedo-Vargas, 1999 Salcedo-Vargas (1999) Non-architeuthid.
7 January 1999 off New Zealand (43°51.34'S 173°20'–174°37'E) SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
22 January 1999 off New Zealand (43°33′S 174°18′E / 43.550°S 174.300°E / -43.550; 174.300 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
22 January 1999 off New Zealand (44°08.2'–43°58.5'S 175°20.3'–174°45.5'E) SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
27 January 1999 off New Zealand (44°20.5′S 177°08.8′W / 44.3417°S 177.1467°W / -44.3417; -177.1467 (Giant squid specimen)) at 504 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
12 February 1999 off New Zealand (44°16.0′S 179°16.7′W / 44.2667°S 179.2783°W / -44.2667; -179.2783 (Giant squid specimen)) at 545 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
15 February 1999 South Patagonian shelf (53°54.6′S 63°45.9′W / 53.9100°S 63.7650°W / -53.9100; -63.7650 (Giant squid specimen)) at 316–360 m depth (bottom depth 450 m) SWA By midwater trawl Architeuthis Brunetti et al. (2002) Taken by the vessel Rikusen of the Pesantar SA fishing company. Collected by scientific observer.
16 February 1999 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (48°11′S 71°15′E / 48.183°S 71.250°E / -48.183; 71.250 (Giant squid specimen)) at 550–870 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower and upper beak Entire LRL: 16.33 mm; ML(estimate): 152 cm Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004) Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld (2000).
9 March 1999 off New Zealand (48°50.2′S 167°12.3′E / 48.8367°S 167.2050°E / -48.8367; 167.2050 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
15 March 1999 off New Zealand (48º36.1–54.2'S 166º15.2–24.4'E) at 798 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
16 March 1999 off New Zealand (48º49.55'S 166º53'–167º16'E) SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
April 1999 Northeast Providence Channel, Bahamas NWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis sp. Entire; distal half of tentacles missing Entire, in two pieces Male (mature) EL: 11 ft (3.4 m) RSMAS [Anonymous] (1999:1)
14 May 1999 off New Zealand (43°28.35′S 174°14′E / 43.47250°S 174.233°E / -43.47250; 174.233 (Giant squid specimen)) at 515 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
3 June 1999 Gulf Stream off the Florida Keys NWA "Collected dead" Architeuthis sp. Entire in "fresh" condition; missing distal third of mantle (incl. fins), tentacles, and ends of all arms but arm I(R) Entire ML: 700 mm; ML(intact estimate): 1000 mm; WT(intact estimate): ~20 kg RSMAS; UMML31.312b Seibel et al. (2000:286) Collected by charter-boat Top Dog (Capt. Phil Slaga and Mate Bo Spieler). Taken to RSMAS where kept on ice or in refrigerated cold room for ~3 days prior to dissection. Wet weight estimated using mass–length relationship of O'Dor (1988) for ommastrephid squids. Mantle tissue used in study of enzymatic activity by Seibel et al. (2000), providing first estimates of giant squid metabolism and locomotory ability.
14 June 1999 off the west coast of Tasmania at 500–700 m depth SWP Caught by trawler fishing for blue grenadier Architeuthis sp. Entire? Entire? Male WT: 190 kg Deagle et al. (2005:417) Specimen was kept frozen in storage until dissection in September 2002. Gut contents underwent genetic screening for prey.
13 July 1999 off New Zealand (41°03.1′S 170°42.4′E / 41.0517°S 170.7067°E / -41.0517; 170.7067 (Giant squid specimen)) at 530 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
15 July 1999 off New Zealand (42°33′S 170°31′E / 42.550°S 170.517°E / -42.550; 170.517 (Giant squid specimen)) at 460 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
17 July 1999 off New Zealand (42°31.32′S 170°21.09′E / 42.52200°S 170.35150°E / -42.52200; 170.35150 (Giant squid specimen)) at 535 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007) Temperature (BT) recorded as 11.5 °C.
21 July 1999 off New Zealand (42°27.32′S 170°28.10′E / 42.45533°S 170.46833°E / -42.45533; 170.46833 (Giant squid specimen)) at 442 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
5 August 1999 off New Zealand (41°56′S 170°26′E / 41.933°S 170.433°E / -41.933; 170.433 (Giant squid specimen)) at 500 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
29 August 1999 nearly 175 miles (282 km) off Santa Catarina, Brazil (28°05′S 45°35′W / 28.083°S 45.583°W / -28.083; -45.583 (Giant squid specimen)) over 2,400 m deep waters SWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis Entire; arm pairs I, II, III half-missing, arm pair IV complete, tentacles missing, reproductive system virtually missing Entire Female (mature) ML: 1160 mm; WT: 50 kg; WL: 2480 mm; MW: 460 mm; HL: 270 mm; HW: 360 mm; FL: 460 mm; FW: 380 mm; FuL(ventral): 450 mm; FuCL: 125 mm; FuCW: 61 mm; AL(I): 520/510 mm; AL(II): 620/560 mm; AL(III): 750/550 mm; AL(IV): 960/800 mm; ASD(max.): 18 mm; GiL: 280 mm; LRL: 15 mm; URL: 20 mm; other measurements Museu Nacional-RJ (MNRJ 10761) Martins & Perez (2009, figs. 1–14) Spotted by crew of Brazilian long-liner Macedo V. Spermatophores embedded in left ventral arm, around 60 cm from mouth. Small number of eggs present (~2.0 mm wide). Authors found "a few peculiarities [...] [i]n the shape of the fins, head and the cross-section and length of ventral arms".
November 1999 Carrandi, Asturias, Spain NEA By trawl Architeuthis dux WT(dead): 107 kg Guerra et al. (2006:258) Collected by the trawler Minchos VI.
9 December 1999 approximately 34 miles (55 km) from Gijón, off coast of Asturias, Spain (43°52.54′N 05°18.74′W / 43.87567°N 5.31233°W / 43.87567; -5.31233 (Giant squid specimen)) at 300–600 m depth NEA By trawl; caught alive Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire; missing tentacles and arms I, II, III; arm IV(R) not intact Entire Female (immature) ML: 1800 mm; MW: 560 mm; WT: 148 kg; CEPESMA González et al. (2002); Guerra et al. (2004b:4); Guerra et al. (2006:258) First record of a living specimen collected in Spanish Atlantic waters. Caught by Spanish pair trawlers Minchos V and Minchos VI based in Cillero, Lugo.
Unknown (between 1954 and 2000) off New Zealand (42°35.41′S 170°15.03′E / 42.59017°S 170.25050°E / -42.59017; 170.25050 (Giant squid specimen)) at 400 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007) Date not recorded.
Unknown (between 1954 and 2000) off New Zealand (42°31.9′S 170°16.6′E / 42.5317°S 170.2767°E / -42.5317; 170.2767 (Giant squid specimen)) SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007) MFish SOP Trip 1247/7.
Unknown (reported 2000) North Atlantic (otherwise "no data") ? Architeuthis Female (maturing) ML: 1180 mm; TL: 4395/4320 mm; CL: 785/680 mm; CSC: 260/243; TSC: 286/272; LRL: 15.7 mm; URL: 14.9 mm; additional beak measurements, indices, and counts VSM [specimen NA-22 of Roeleveld (2000) and Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2000:185); Roeleveld (2002:727) Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld (2000). Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
25 January 2000 off New Zealand (43°48.47′S 174°47.46′E / 43.80783°S 174.79100°E / -43.80783; 174.79100 (Giant squid specimen)) at 476 m depth SWP Architeuthis O'Shea (2007)
27 January 2000 off New Zealand (44°21.19'S 175°05'–174°34'E) at 615 m depth SWP "Hauled up" by fishermen Architeuthis sanctipauli Entire? Entire? EL: 6.5 m ["lost 2.5 metres (seven feet) of its length through drying out"] MNHN [Anonymous] (2008c); [Anonymous] (2008d) O'Shea (2007) Named "Wheke" after a sea monster of Māori mythology. Donated by New Zealand to the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris. Became the first giant squid specimen to be plastinated. On display at the Great Gallery of Evolution.
22 March 2000 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (47°10′S 69°23′E / 47.167°S 69.383°E / -47.167; 69.383 (Giant squid specimen)) at 490–620 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower and upper beak LRL: 11.78 mm; ML(estimate): 60 cm Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004) Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld (2000).
2 April 2000 Asturias, Spain NEA Found in stomach contents of shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) Architeuthis Tentacle TL: 2 m Guerra et al. (2006:258) Caught by Spanish vessel Teresa José from Luarca.
24 April 2000 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (48°26′S 70°58′E / 48.433°S 70.967°E / -48.433; 70.967 (Giant squid specimen)) at 680–755 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower beak only LRL: 11.33 mm; ML(estimate): 54 cm Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004) Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld (2000).
10 May 2000 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (47°25′S 69°14′E / 47.417°S 69.233°E / -47.417; 69.233 (Giant squid specimen)) at 420 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower and upper beak; broken Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004)
9 August 2000 off New Zealand; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
28 September 2000 south of Wellington, North Island; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
15 December 2000 in the vicinity of Amsterdam Island (37°50′S 77°33′E / 37.833°S 77.550°E / -37.833; 77.550 (Giant squid specimen)) SIO Found floating at surface Architeuthis dux "large mantle"; head and gladius missing Two funnel locking cartilages and one nuchal cartilage Funnel locking cartilages: 146/148 mm; Nuchal cartilage: "large" Cherel (2003:1295) Collected by French trawler Austral. Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross (Diomedea chlororhynchos) observed feeding on corpse. Fishermen reported two other specimens of large squid observed in previous weeks.
Unknown east of Palmerston North, North Island; see [9] SWP Sighting Architeuthis sp. Larva(e) Larva(e) O'Shea (N.d.)
12 January 2001 approximately 34 miles (55 km) from Gijón, off coast of Asturias, Spain (43°52.54′N 05°18.74′W / 43.87567°N 5.31233°W / 43.87567; -5.31233 (Giant squid specimen)) at 300–600 m depth NEA By trawl; caught alive Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire; missing arms III; arm II (L) not intact Entire Female (immature) ML: 1350 mm; MW: 400 mm; EL: 8010 mm; WT: 81 kg; CEPESMA González et al. (2002); Guerra et al. (2004b:4); Guerra et al. (2006:259) Second record of a living specimen collected in Spanish Atlantic waters.
7 February 2001 (reported; caught prior week) off south-west Australia SWP "Caught by commercial fishermen" "giant squid" Entire; "near-perfect specimen" Entire? WT: 200 kg "Australian museum" [Anonymous] (2001) Placed in preservative fluid. Mark Norman interviewed about find.
May 2001 Caladero Lastres, Asturias, Spain NEA Architeuthis EL?: 9 m; WT: 90 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259)
27 June 2001 beach in Fuengirola, Andalusia, Spain MED Found washed ashore dead but relatively fresh Architeuthis Entire? Female (immature) ML: 125 cm; EL: 750 cm; WT: 65 kg Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain Guerra et al. (2006:89) Second known giant squid specimen from the Mediterranean Sea.
2 July 2001 west of Carrandi, Asturias, Spain NEA Caught Architeuthis EL?: 7.10 m; WT: 60 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259) Caught by the Spanish vessels Elena María and Bautista Pino from Cillero.
12 September 2001 Playa de Rodiles (Villaviciosa), Asturias, Spain [off Luarca fide Bustamante et al. (2008)] NEA Found washed ashore [by trawl fide Bustamante et al. (2008)] Architeuthis dux Entire?, missing tentacles Entire? Female (immature) ML: 127 cm; EL: 710 cm; WT: 90 kg [WT: 60 kg fide Guerra et al. (2006:259)] Guerra et al. (2006:259); Bustamante et al. (2008) Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study.
20 September 2001 Playa de Torimbia (Llanes), Asturias, Spain NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis EL?: 10 m; WT: 104 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259) On display at the Museo del Mar de Biarritz.
23 September 2001 Caladero de El Corbiro, Asturias, Spain NEA By trawl Architeuthis Female (immature) WT: 73.5 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259)
8 October 2001 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (47°19′S 69°11′E / 47.317°S 69.183°E / -47.317; 69.183 (Giant squid specimen)) at 600 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower and upper beak Entire LRL: 18.13 mm; ML(estimate): 220 cm Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004) Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld (2000).
8 October 2001 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (47°19′S 69°11′E / 47.317°S 69.183°E / -47.317; 69.183 (Giant squid specimen)) at 600 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower and upper beak; broken Entire Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004)
23 October 2001 Playa de S. Cosme de Barreiros (Lugo), Asturias, Spain [Ribadesella fide Bustamante et al. (2008)] NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire? Entire? Female (maturing) ML: 150 cm; EL: 800 cm; WT: 104 kg [EL: 9.5 m; WT: 90 kg fide Guerra et al. (2006:259)] Guerra et al. (2006:259); Bustamante et al. (2008) Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study.
21 November 2001 Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone (48°06′S 71°18′E / 48.100°S 71.300°E / -48.100; 71.300 (Giant squid specimen)) at 453–575 m depth SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower beak only Entire LRL: 10.43 mm; ML(estimate): 45 cm Cherel (2003:1296); Cherel & Duhamel (2004:25) Rincon (2004) Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld (2000).
Unknown (reported 2002) North Atlantic (otherwise "no data") ? Architeuthis Female (maturing) ML: 1480 mm; TL(R): 5910 mm; CL(R): 830 mm; CSC(R): 255; TSC(R): 279; additional indices and counts VSM [specimen NA-21 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:727) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
Unknown (reported 2002) North Atlantic (otherwise "no data") ? Architeuthis Right club TL: 1490+ mm; CL: 880 mm; CSC: 277; TSC: >288; additional indices and counts VSM [specimen NA-26 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:727) Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld (2002).
Unknown (reported 2002) North Atlantic (otherwise "no locality data") ? Architeuthis Left club at least Male (mature) ML: 1180 mm VSM [specimen NA-20 of Roeleveld (2002)] Roeleveld (2002:726, fig. 1) Only referred to in single caption; not included in main study of Roeleveld (2002).
2002 off Santa Catarina, Brazil SWA "found" Architeuthis Martins & Perez (2009) Unreported prior to Martins & Perez (2009).
2002 off Nishiizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Photographed by diver Architeuthis Entire? None? (larva) EL?: ~2 cm Yoshikawa (2014) First time "baby" giant squid photographed by diver, according to Yoshikawa (2014).
14 January 2002 (reported) off Scotland coast NEA Caught by an Aberdeen-based trawler Architeuthis Entire, missing tentacles Entire Female WL: 3.15 m; EL(estimate): 5.5 m National Marine Aquarium [Anonymous] (2002a) [Anonymous] (2003a) Specimen preserved in formaldehyde and displayed in custom-made tank at the National Marine Aquarium.
15 January 2002 Goshiki beach, seashore of Amino Cho, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan NWP Found alive near surface; tied to quay with rope; later died Architeuthis Entire; outer mantle layer damaged/missing Entire; preserved ML?: 2 m; EL?: 4 m National Museum of Nature and Science (Tokyo) [Anonymous] (2002b); [Anonymous] (2006d); [Anonymous] (2008a); [Anonymous] (2008b) First images of live giant squid. Identified by Koutarou Tsuchiya of the Tokyo University of Fisheries. On display at the National Museum of Nature and Science.
11 March 2002 Playa del Gayo (Luanco, Gozón), Asturias, Spain NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis Female (immature) WT: 70 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259)
20 July 2002 Seven Mile Beach, Hobart, Tasmania SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis sp.; initially speculated to be a new species Entire, in two pieces, missing tentacles Entire Female (adult) EL(estimate): 50 ft (15 m); WT: ~250 kg Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery [Anonymous] (2002c, 2 figs.); Trivedi (2002) [Anonymous] (2003a, fig.); [Anonymous] (2007b) Reported as a possible new species: "Experts found several characteristics which they say they have never encountered before – including long, thin flaps of muscle attached to each of the squid's eight arms." Spermatophores found around mantle. Study supervised by David Pemberton, senior curator of zoology at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Sucker marks and scar on head point to likely encounter with male.
24 August 2002 near beach between Praia da Galé and Melides lagoon, west coast of Portugal (approximately 38°11′N 08°46′W / 38.183°N 8.767°W / 38.183; -8.767 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA Found floating at surface Architeuthis sp. Entire; "fresh" condition Male (mature) ML: 111 cm; EL: 619.5 cm; WL?: 188.5 cm ["total length without tentacles"]; WT: 60 kg (fresh weight) Marques (2002); Rosa et al. (2005:740) First recorded specimen from Portuguese coast. Found during upwelling when surface water temperatures in region were 10–17 °C. Collected by technicians of Sado Estuary Natural Reserve and taken to Museu Oceanográfico do Portinho da Arrábida where it was deep-frozen. Studied for biochemical composition by Rosa et al. (2005).
13 September 2002 in the proximity of "Pozo de la Vaca", off coast of Asturias, Spain (43°54.26′N 5°29.38′W / 43.90433°N 5.48967°W / 43.90433; -5.48967 (Giant squid specimen)) at c. 450–475 m depth NEA By trawl Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire Entire Male (mature) ML: 98/100 cm; MW: 33 cm; WT: 42/43 kg; EL: 600 cm; CEPESMA Guerra et al. (2004a); Guerra et al. (2004b:8) Guerra et al. (2006:259) Captured by Spanish pair trawlers Helena María and Bautista Pino. Spermatophores embedded in skin.
10 October 2002 El Agudo, Asturias, Spain NEA Caught by ships Architeuthis WT: 87 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259) Caught by ships Luscinda and Peña la Deva.
23 December 2002 off Motobu Peninsula, Okinawa, Japan at c. 500 m depth NWP Caught by vertical long-line squid jig Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female ML: 1410 mm Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Kubodera & Horikawa (2005:206, pl. 1A); Kubodera (2007, fig. 1) Donated to aquarium by local fisherman. According to Kubodera & Horikawa (2005), specimen belongs to morphological type with thick arms of medium length and longest arm IV measuring 1.2–1.3 times mantle length. Photographed lying alongside Ryukyu woman for size comparison.
Unknown (reported 2003) Japan NWP Observed at surface of water, alive; attracted with jig-caught Thysanoteuthis Architeuthis Entire; alive None? [11][12] (possibly same specimen as [13]) Possibly first observation of live giant squid in its natural habitat; first observation of healthy[?] giant squid at surface.
Unknown (reported 2003) Japan NWP Observed at surface of water with Megalocranchia Architeuthis Entire; alive None? [11][12] Possibly first observation of live giant squid in its natural habitat; first observation of healthy[?] giant squid at surface. Countershading observed in Architeuthis for the first time.
Unknown (reported 2003) Tonga SWP Found floating at surface Architeuthis? Entire, large gash in mantle near fins None ML(estimate): 2 m [14][15] Unsuccessful attempt made to haul specimen onto boat deck. Carcass was probably attacked by an animal, but was very fresh upon discovery. Photographs taken of floating carcass and severed arm.
11 January 2003 off Madeira NEA Seen clinging onto boat hull Architeuthis dux Entire None EL?(estimate): 7–8 m; "tentacle [...] thicker than [...] leg" [Anonymous] (2003a) Crew of yacht competing in round-the-world Jules Verne Trophy reported being "attacked" by giant squid several hours after departing from Brittany, France. Squid purportedly latched onto boat and blocked rudder with two of its "tentacles". Captain Olivier de Kersauson then stopped boat, causing squid to let go.
January 2003 off Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan NWP Caught in net giant squid [Anonymous] (2008a); [Anonymous] (2008b)
around 20 July 2003 Pringle Bay, Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa SEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis Entire, missing tentacles Several pieces of bait, buccal mass, beak; remainder cut up for bait WL?(estimate): 4 m; WT(estimate): 200 kg Merwe (2003); [16] Found in shallows by four fishermen. Length estimated by fisherman Anton Barnard. Remains in possession of Hermanus squid enthusiast Jean Francis Avenier.
13 September 2003 La Griega (Colunga), Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis EL?: 11 m; WT: 140 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259) [Anonymous] (2003b)
15 September 2003 La Isla (Colunga), Asturias, Spain NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire? Entire? Female (immature) ML: 152 cm; EL: 1200 cm; WT: 80 kg [EL: 10 m fide Guerra et al. (2006:259)] Guerra et al. (2006:259); Bustamante et al. (2008) [Anonymous] (2003b) Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study.
16 September 2003 Gozón, Asturias, Spain [off Gijón fide Bustamante et al. (2008)] NEA Found floating at surface, dying Architeuthis dux Entire? Entire? Male (mature) ML: 122 cm; EL: 620 cm; WT: 66 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259); Bustamante et al. (2008) [Anonymous] (2003b) Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study.
23 September 2003 Bañugues (Gozón), Asturias, Spain NEA Found stranded Architeuthis Male (mature) WT: 60 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259)
10 October 2003 Pozos- Carrandi, Asturias, Spain NEA Caught by ships Architeuthis EL?: 10 m; WT: 67.5 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259) Caught by ships Travesía and Valdés Vega of Avilés.
16 October 2003 off Gijón, off coast of Asturias, Spain (43°53.23′N 5°32.15′W / 43.88717°N 5.53583°W / 43.88717; -5.53583 (Giant squid specimen)) NEA Found moribund and floating at the surface Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire, missing tentacles Entire Male (mature) ML: 122 cm; MW: 38 cm; WT: 66 kg; CEPESMA Guerra et al. (2004a); Guerra et al. (2004b:8) Guerra et al. (2004a) give capture date as 16 September 2003.
18 October 2003 La Griega (Colunga), Asturias, Spain NEA Not specified Architeuthis Entire?, missing tentacles Female WT: 70 kg Guerra et al. (2006:259)
Unknown (reported 2004) off New Zealand, probably at 400–600 m depth SWP By hoki trawl Architeuthis dux Mantle only; caecum distended with prey, including fragments of an Architeuthis tentacular club (carpus, manus, and dactylus suckers, and the dactylic pouch) Female (mature) ML: 1.6 m; additional measurements of Architeuthis remains found in caecum Stomach contents accessioned into the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Earth & Oceanic Sciences (EOS) Research Institute, accession # AUT G.22 Bolstad & O'Shea (2004:16) Caught in one of two locations: either off the west coast of South Island, near Hokitika Canyon, between July and August; or off Banks Peninsula, on the east coast of South Island, between December and February.
15 March 2004 15.6 km NW of Port Stephens Settlement, Falkland Islands (~2 km from coast; 52°02′S 61°25′W / 52.03°S 61.41°W / -52.03; -61.41 (Giant squid specimen)) at 200/220 m depth SWA By bottom trawl, caught alive Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire, almost complete Entire Female? EL: 8.62 m BMNH; reg. no. 20040669 [Anonymous] (2006a); Morelle (2006); see image; [17] Nicknamed 'Archie'. Caught by Falkland-registered trawler John Cheek (Fortuna Ltd.). Donated by Alexander Arkhipkin of Falkland Islands Fisheries Department. Preservation overseen by mollusc curator Jonathan Ablett. DNA samples taken.
23 August 2004 (morning) 3 km from lighthouse, Ocean Beach, Farewell Spit, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis Entire Entire WL?: 5.7 m; WT: "near" 300 kg Auckland University of Technology [Anonymous] (2004a); [Anonymous] (2004b); [Anonymous] (2004c) [Anonymous] (2007d) Reportedly largest known giant squid specimen. Found by British tourists Nick and Rosemary Pinfield on Farewell Spit Tours trip. Transferred to Steve O'Shea of Auckland University of Technology on August 25. Available for public viewing at university on October 11.
30 September 2004 off Ogasawara Islands, c. 600 miles (970 km) south of Tokyo, Japan (26°57.3′N 142°16.8′E / 26.9550°N 142.2800°E / 26.9550; 142.2800 (Giant squid specimen)) at 900 m depth NWP Sighted in natural habitat; line baited with squid and shrimp Architeuthis Entire; live animal sighted and photographed 5.5 m long portion of tentacle attached to line; squid broke free and swam away Recovered tentacle: 5.5 m long; TCL: 720 mm; LSD: 28 mm; ML(estimate based on TCL): 1615 mm; ML(estimate based on LSD): 1709 mm; WL(estimate): ~4.7 m; EL(estimate): >8 m Kubodera & Mori (2005); [Anonymous] (2005, 3 figs.); Kubodera (2007) Numerous media sources First widely reported images of live giant squid in its natural habitat. Feeding behaviour observed; "Architeuthis appears to be a much more active predator than previously suspected, using its elongate feeding tentacles to strike and tangle prey."[18] Distal tentacle portion was still functioning upon retrieval at surface, with club suckers "repeatedly gripping the boat deck and any offered fingers".
Unknown (reported 2005) Hawaii NEP Found floating at surface after having "had a tangle with a shark" Architeuthis Entire, bearing bite marks Not specified WT(estimate): 175 lb (79 kg) [19][20] Found by crew of the Illusions charter boat "while filming a TV show with Capt. Norm Issacs for ESPN".
2005 off South Island, New Zealand SWP Caught by commercial fishermen Architeuthis Entire? Entire EL: 7 m; WT: 250 kg Melbourne Aquarium Holroyd (2005) Purchased by Melbourne Aquarium curator Nick Kirby for more than A$100,000. Displayed in 3.5 tonne block of ice.
2005 (summer) Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, near Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada (49°04.185′N 125°45.679′W / 49.069750°N 125.761317°W / 49.069750; -125.761317 (Giant squid specimen)) NEP Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire; "poor condition"; all arms and tentacles damaged and incomplete (both tentacular clubs missing), mantle torn open and bearing row of sperm whale teeth holes, most internal organs missing Entire (juvenile) ML: 960 mm; EL: 2340 mm; WT(wet): 22,600 g; MW: 780 mm; HL: 410 mm; HW(across eyes): 360 mm; EyD: 40 mm; TL: 1270/1105 mm; AL(I): 1165/1430 mm; AL(II): 940/810 mm; AL(III): 805/710 mm; AL(IV): 745/700 mm; AD(I): 180/200 mm; AD(II): 180/180 mm; AD(III): 195/180 mm; AD(IV): 150/140 mm; BAC: 280 mm; BAL: 135 mm Royal British Columbia Museum (RBCM 006-00085-001) Cosgrove & Sendall (N.d.); Horner (2009) Found by Parks Canada staff. Photographed on beach by Heather Holmes. Beak and radula extracted for identification. Identification of specimen as A. dux confirmed by Steve O'Shea. Apparently attacked and killed by a sperm whale.
19 July 2005 12 mi (19 km) off Gandia, Valencia, western Mediterranean Sea MED By trawl Architeuthis dux Entire? Entire? Male (mature) ML: 107 cm; EL: 600 cm; WT: 50 kg CEPESMA Bustamante et al. (2008); [Anonymous] (2014c); [Anonymous] (2014d) [Anonymous] (2013b) First male specimen from Mediterranean. Caught by fishing boat Nova Emi. Taken to Grau de Gandia fish market off Playa de Piles and auctioned to fishmonger Jesús Caudeli for 37 euros. Initially offered to University of Valencia, who rejected it; donated to CEPESMA. Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study. One of few CEPESMA specimens not destroyed during storm of 2 February 2014. On temporary display in Biarritz from June 2014.
22 July 2005 off Gijón, Asturias, North Spain NEA By trawl Architeuthis dux Entire? Entire? Female (maturing) ML: 146 cm; EL: 820 cm; WT: 139 kg Bustamante et al. (2008) Tissues studied for concentrations of 14 trace elements. Digestive gland, gills, ink sac, branchial hearts, appendages, systemic heart, and brain removed during study.
11 August 2006 about eight miles (13 km) off Santa Cruz Island NEP Found floating at surface "giant squid" "a tentacle and two arms" Entire?; stored in cooler after being found TL: ~13 ft (4.0 m); TD: "about the diameter of a broomstick"; AL: ~4 ft (1.2 m); ASD: "about the size of a nickel" Not stated [Anonymous] (2006c) Found by sport fisherman Bennett Salvay from the Los Angeles suburb of Tarzana. "Eric Hochberg, a squid expert at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, said the rest of the squid might have ended up in the stomach of a sperm whale or orca."
October? 2006 (caught "two months" prior to being reported on December 21) Pacific Ocean, about 900 nautical miles (1,700 km) northwest of Midway (35°30′N 168°20′W / 35.500°N 168.333°W / 35.500; -168.333 (Giant squid specimen)) NWP Found floating on surface; caught with fishing spear Architeuthis Entire Entire WT: 211 kg; BC: 1.5 m; BL+HL?: 3 m; EL?: 6 m [7 m fide [Anonymous] (2013g)] China Times December 21, 2006; [Anonymous] (2006e) [Anonymous] (2013g) Caught by skipper Hong Jeh Shan and mechanic Hong Shih Cheng. Sold for around $530 USD at Tong Goang fish market (東港). Kept in freezer for 2 months prior to being reported. Identified as giant squid by C.C. Wu of the Taiwan Department of Fish and Game. Photographed with kindergarten children.
4 December 2006 Chichi-jima, about 960 kilometers (600 mi) southeast of Tokyo, Japan, at 650 m depth NWP Caught on baited hook; videotaped alive at surface; brought aboard research vessel "after putting up quite a fight"; died in the process Architeuthis sp. Entire Entire Female (immature?) ML: 1.43 m; EL?: ~7 m; BL+HL?: 3.5 m; WT: 50 kg Reuters December 22, 2006; The Associated Press December 22, 2006 [via the International Herald Tribune];[21] Nilsson et al. (2012:Supplemental Information) Numerous media sources First video of live giant squid. Carcass preserved in formalin displayed at a news conference at the National Science Museum in Tokyo on December 22. Giant squid was hooked when it attempted to eat a smaller squid, "about 55 cm in length", which was attracted by the bait. Eye preserved in 4% formalin; sections of retina embedded in histological Araldite used by Nilsson et al. (2012) to measure rhabdom diameter (5–6 µm).
24 January 2007 off Ine, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan NWP Caught in net, escaped giant squid Entire None [Anonymous] (2008a)
10 July 2007 Ocean Beach, near Strahan, Tasmania SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis Entire, missing tentacles ML: ~1.7 m; EL(estimate): ~6–8 m; BD: ~1 m; WT: ~250 kg Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery [Anonymous] (2007a); [Anonymous] (2007b); [Anonymous] (2007e) Kept in formalin for a month before being preserved in ethanol. Photographed in situ with Ritchie Bauer of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
22 or 23 July 2007 (morning) ~6 km from base of spit, Ocean Beach, Farewell Spit, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis Entire? EL?: 4.2 m [Anonymous] (2007c); [Anonymous] (2007d) Found by members of Farewell Spit Eco Tours.
8 August 2007 Marathon Hump, south of Marathon, Florida Keys, Florida, United States NWA Found floating at surface Architeuthis? Entire; both eyes and all arms and tentacles intact EL: 6.79 ft (2.07 m); WT: 2.7 lb (1.2 kg) Mote Marine Laboratory Lollar (2007) Possibly the smallest and most intact giant squid found in the region. Recovered by David Stout of North Fort Myers while dolphin fishing aboard Concrete Gringo in 1,200 ft (370 m) of water. Examined by Debi Ingrao of Mote Marine Laboratory.
21 August 2007 (reported) New Zealand SWP By trawl Architeuthis Entire, missing tentacles EL(estimate): ~10 m Submerged in and injected with 5% formalin. Eyes in very good condition.
* 23 August 2007 (reported) off Elba, Italy MED Caught in a deep sea net by fisherman Architeuthis; Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857 Entire, with mature eggs Female EL: 1.7 m; WT: 17.6 kg Marine Biology Laboratory, Livorno, Italy [Anonymous] (2007f); [Anonymous] (2007g); [Anonymous] (2007h) Non-architeuthid. Identified by Paolo Sartor. Specimen retrieved in "excellent condition".
29 August 2007 (reported) beach in Port Underwood, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore; likely discarded by a trawler Architeuthis Entire, missing tentacles WL?: ~3 m; EL(estimate): ~4 m Johnston (2007) Found by retired whaler Ted Perano.
25 October 2007 off Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil SWA Caught by fishermen Architeuthis Entire ? EL?: ~4 m; WT: 130 kg [Anonymous] (2007i) Martins & Perez (2009) Specimen was taken to Niterói, where it was purchased by Alessandro Mello. Martins & Perez (2009) write "the fate of this specimen is currently unknown".
27 December 2007 beach near mouth of Yura River, Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan NWP Found washed ashore giant squid Entire? Female (mature) EL?: 3.3–3.7 m; ML: ~1.8 m; WT(estimate): 100 kg National Museum of Nature and Science (Tokyo) [Anonymous] (2008a); [Anonymous] (2008b) Initially frozen at the Kyoto Prefectural Marine Center. Dissection carried out on 4 February 2008.
February 2008 off Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP captured giant squid ("ダイオウイカ") [Anonymous] (2014l)
28 April 2008 (reported) off Tenerife, Canary Islands NEA Found floating at surface Architeuthis Piece of "fresh" arm Soto et al. (2008); Walker (2008) Found near diving pilot whales, leading scientists to suggest that pilot whales may feed on giant squid.
28 April 2008 (reported) off Tenerife, Canary Islands NEA Pilot whale photographed at surface with a tentacle in its mouth Architeuthis? Tentacle None EL(estimate): 4–5 m; TL(estimate): >2 m; WT(estimate): 180 kg Soto et al. (2008); Walker (2008) Led scientists to suggest that pilot whales may feed on giant squid. Size estimates by teuthologist Angel Guerra.
9 May 2008 (reported) 40 km off Hickory Bay, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand, at 112 m depth SWP Caught by trawler Austro Carina "giant squid" Mantle and tentacles, head missing ML: 2 m; TL: 4 m Brown (2008) Head lost when caught in net. Capture of squid described by Lyttelton skipper Dale Robertson.
25 May 2008 about 40 km off Portland, Victoria, Australia, at 556 m depth SWP Caught by trawler Zeehaan "giant squid" Entire; eyes, skin and fins intact Entire Female EL(intact estimate): >12 m; EL?: 5.5–6 m; WT: 245 kg Melbourne Museum, Museum Victoria Burgess (2008); [Anonymous] (2008e); [Anonymous] (2008f); McNamara (2008); [Anonymous] (2008g); [Anonymous] (2008i) Largest recorded specimen from Australian waters. Capture of squid described by skipper Rangi Pene. Identified as a "colossal squid" in some media reports. Public dissection took place at Melbourne Museum on 17 July 2008, carried out by team of experts led by Mark Norman.
25 June 2008 about 20 miles (32 km) off Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay, California NEP Found floating at surface with gulls feeding on remains Architeuthis Entire; missing parts of mantle, most of one tentacle, eyes, sex organs, stomach, ink sac, and heart Entire EL(estimate): ~25 ft (7.6 m); WL?: 16 ft (4.9 m); BC: 4 ft (1.2 m); WT: ~170 lb (77 kg); WT(intact estimate): 225–390 lb Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Alexander (2008); Rusk (2008); Hirschmann (2008); [Anonymous] (2008h); Kettmann (2008); Meyers (2011); Williams (2011);[22] Found by Santa Cruz researcher Sean Van Sommeran and other crew of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. Possibly died as a result of shark attack.
16 October 2008 "beginning" of Farewell Spit, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis Entire Entire? Female? EL?: 5 m; WT: ~200 kg Auckland University of Technology Holst (2008); Rowe (2008) Gale (2011) Found by team including Chris Pomeroy and Tim Rowe of Farewell Spit Eco Tours. Transferred in refrigerated truck by Department of Conservation to Steve O'Shea at Auckland University of Technology. Viewed by children from three local primary schools prior to transfer.
2009 (reported) Kerguelen waters SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower beak Entire (adult) LRL: 16.2 mm Xavier & Cherel (2009:51, fig. 5)
2009 (reported) Kerguelen waters SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Lower beak Entire (juvenile) LRL: 10.1 mm Xavier & Cherel (2009:51, fig. 5)
2009 (reported) Kerguelen waters SIO Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark (Somniosus sp.) Architeuthis dux Upper beak Entire URL: 18.1 mm Xavier & Cherel (2009:82, fig. 5)
2 April 2009 Island Bay beach, New Zealand SWP Found in shallow water; dragged onto beach "giant squid" Entire; "fantastic condition" Entire Male? EL?: 3 m NMNZ Paulin (2009); Wood & Easton (2009) Found by Alana Spragg and Bella Spragg. Probably died only a few hours before being found. Thought to be either a male or a juvenile due to small size.
30 July 2009 off Louisiana, United States, at >1,500 ft (460 m) depth NWA Caught in trawl net of research vessel Architeuthis Entire Entire Female EL?: 19.5 ft (5.9 m); WT: 103 lb (46.7 kg) NMNH Melvin (2009); Schleifstein (2009) Roper & Shea (2013:115, figs. 5a–c, 8) Capture announced by Interior Department on September 21. Stomach contents examined and found to contain mostly fluid with few solid remains.
15 August 2009 near a small bay just west of Beaver Point on Saltspring Island, Canada NEP Found floating at surface Architeuthis dux Entire Entire; "badly decomposed" (juvenile) EL?: 11 ft (3.4 m) Horner (2009) Found by Saanich residents Karia Leschke and Ron Lysek on their boat Stealaway. Identified by invertebrate research biologist Graham Gillespie. Reported on October 5.
14 October 2009 off Bonin Islands, Japan NWP Found floating at surface Architeuthis Single tentacle TL: 3.5 m Hansford (2009); Wu (2009a); Wu (2009b) Found and measured by Tony Wu.
15 October 2009 off Bonin Islands, Japan NWP Female sperm whale photographed near surface carrying giant squid remains in its jaws Architeuthis Remains None EL?(estimate): 9 m Hansford (2009) Group of five adult sperm whales and one calf photographed by Tony Wu. Steve O'Shea suggested adult whales may use remains of giant squid to teach calves about hunting.
2010 Fosa de Hércules, off Province of A Coruña, Spain NEA By trawl Architeuthis Entire? Not stated [Anonymous] (2011a); [Anonymous] (2011b) Caught by the trawler Minchos VI. Both this specimen and another caught by Minchos VI in April 2011 were noted for differing anatomically from other Spanish giant squid specimens.
20 February 2010 off Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan NWP Found washed ashore, dead Architeuthis sp. Entire?, good condition Entire? ML: 1.7 m; WL: 3.4 m; WT: 109.2 kg National Museum of Nature and Science (Tokyo) [Anonymous] (2010a); [Anonymous] (2010b) Local newspapers Identified by Niigata City Aquarium based on fin shape.
4 July 2010 near southern seamount off continental shelf out from Narooma, Australia SWP Found floating at surface "giant squid" Parts of head, arms, and tentacles[?]; partially eaten None; discarded into ocean TL[AL?]: "close to" 3 m; EL?(estimate): 5 m Gorton (2010) Found by Narooma fisherman Tony Lawson and his crew while chasing bluefin tuna.
7 August 2010 (morning) Houghton Bay, Wellington, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore in stormwater channel, dead "giant squid" Entire; "in bad shape" Beak; other remains left to the elements, washed out to sea around 3 pm EL?(estimate): 3.5–4 m ("small") NMNZ Harvey (2010); [Anonymous] (2010c) Probably attacked at sea. Initially identified as a colossal squid by Department of Conservation Wellington area manager, Rob Stone. Correct identification by Te Papa communications manager, Jane Kieg. Te Papa only interested in beak for examination due to poor condition of specimen.
early April 2011 Fosa de Hércules, off Province of A Coruña, Spain, at 600 m depth NEA By trawl Architeuthis Entire, missing one tentacle Entire Female EL: 6 m; WT: 48 kg CEPESMA [Anonymous] (2011a); [Anonymous] (2011b) Caught by the trawler Minchos VI. Reported 11 April 2011; captured week prior. Both this specimen and another caught by Minchos VI the previous year were noted for differing anatomically from other Spanish giant squid specimens. Transferred to CEPESMA in Luarca for planned necropsy.
26 June 2011 (morning) 12 miles (19 km) off Jensen Beach, Florida, United States, over 170 ft (52 m) deep waters NWA Found floating at surface, dead [fide Mayfield (2011)] or "barely alive" [fide Torrent (2011)] Architeuthis dux Entire, missing one tentacle, patches of red skin intact; "extremely well-preserved" Entire EL?: 23–25 ft (7.0–7.6 m); WL?: 11 ft (3.4 m); WT: 200 lb (91 kg) Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida Crabbe (2011); Mayfield (2011); Than (2011); Torrent (2011); Thomas (2011, 2 figs.) May have died shortly after mating. Found by Stuart fishermen Robert Benz, Paul Peroulakis, and Joey Asaro. Transferred to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission field laboratory in Tequesta on June 27, 2011, and to University of Florida later that day. Genetic samples taken. Mantle injected with formalin and specimen submerged in 10% formalin as part of two-week preservation process.
July 2011 (reported 24 August 2011) around 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Los Gigantes cliff, Tenerife, Canary Islands, over 800–1200 m deep waters NEA Found floating at/just below surface, dead Architeuthis Entire, missing tentacles, eyes, ends of arms, patches of red skin intact; "in good general condition" Beak and sucker samples Female? EL(estimate with intact tentacles): ~8 m Association for the Study of Cetaceans in the Canary Islands (SECAC) Corniola (2011); Lamar (2011) Found by Aquawork film crew during filming of documentary on local cetaceans. Floating specimen filmed with diver. Several shearwaters observed in area prior to discovery of carcass.
23 August 2011 (reported) Ocean Beach, entrance to Farewell Spit, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis Entire None; left to the elements EL?: "nearly four metres" Gale (2011) Found by Paddy Gillooly of Farewell Spit Eco Tours.
31 March 2012 (afternoon) Kaikoura Canyon, New Zealand SWP Male sperm whale photographed at surface with severed giant squid arm attached to side of head "giant squid" Single arm None; seen to have detached by following day None Nicoll (2012) Observed by Whale Watch Kaikoura tour group, including tour guide Sarah Rousseaux. Sperm whale (nicknamed MatiMati) had been diving for around 45 minutes prior to observation.
1 June 2012 about 50 km off Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia SWP Found floating at surface, dead Architeuthis Entire, portions of arms and tentacles missing, orange skin intact, not foul-smelling; likely very fresh Beak and tissue samples; carcass too heavy to bring aboard WL/EL?: 3 m (estimate) Holland (2012); Smith (2012); Thomas (2012); numerous media sources Found by The Daily Telegraph columnist Al McGlashan during tuna and swordfish fishing expedition, after spotting albatross sitting on carcass. Blue shark measuring 2.5 m filmed feeding on remains. Others on board included "McGlashan's fishing partner, Justin Lewis, a film crew and Phil Bolton, who works for the regional fisheries department" (Thomas, 2012).
July 2012 ~15 km east of Chichi Island, Japan, initially at 630 m depth; later followed to ~900 m depth NWP Filmed and photographed from submersible, alive Architeuthis Entire, missing both tentacles None WL: 3 m; EL: 8 m (estimate) Robey (2012); Ito (2013); [Anonymous] (2013a); Johnston (2013); Widder (2013); [NHK] (2013a); [NHK] (2013b); [NHK] (2013c); Kubodera (2013a); Kubodera (2013b); Sakamoto (2013); [NHK] (2014) Numerous media sources Filmed by three-man crew from Japan's National Museum of Nature and Science in collaboration with NHK and the Discovery Channel, after around 100 missions and 400 hours. Team included Tsunemi Kubodera, Steve O'Shea, and Edith Widder. Widely reported as first video of giant squid in natural habitat. Observed swimming against current and holding bait squid in arms. Footage officially announced on 10 December 2012, by Robey (2012).
10 October 2012 (afternoon) Playa de Getares, Punta Carnero, Algeciras, Andalusia, Spain MED Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire Entire Female (immature) EL: 6.45/7.5 m; WL?: 3.6 m; WT: 70 kg El Estrecho Natural Park [Anonymous] (2012a); [Anonymous] (2012b); [Anonymous] (2013b); [Anonymous] (2013c); [Anonymous] (2013d); Muñoz (2013); Prieto (2013); [Anonymous] (2013h) Numerous media sources Largest known specimen from Mediterranean. Found by volunteers who moved it to Cala Arenas, then handed over to CEGMA who transferred it to Algeciras for freezing. Dissected in front of TV cameras on 1 February 2013 by staff from CEPESMA, CSIC, and CEGMA, including Ángel Guerra and Luis Laria. Internal organs examined and tissues sampled for heavy metals and genetic analysis. Specimen found to be extremely thin, with changes in digestive gland and hematopoietic organs. Placed in methacrylate container, first in preservative fluid for 1.5–2 months, then formalin. On public display at El Estrecho Natural Park information point from 22 May through October 2013.
3 February 2013 (morning) off Shark's Tooth point, South Bay, Kaikoura, New Zealand SWP Found floating at surface, dead but fresh "giant squid" Entire, posterior end of mantle missing (otherwise in "perfect" condition) Entire Female EL: ~8 m [estimated ~11 m if complete]; TL: ~6.5 m; WT(estimate?): >140/150 kg Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium / NMNZ (one tentacle) [Anonymous] (2013e); Dangerfield (2013a); Dangerfield (2013b); Williams (2013) Hill (2015); numerous media sources Found by Christchurch recreational fishermen Jack and Sharon Osikai around 8 am while returning from fishing trip; towed ashore behind boat. Marine biologist Megan Bosch of Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium speculated bite marks on mantle might have resulted from attack by larger squid. Bosch dissected specimen live on TV3's Campbell Live on 4 February 2013. Stomach contents found to be "well-digested". Specimen on display at aquarium from March 2013 in five custom-made glass containers each holding different parts.
28 April 2013 near Cape Campbell Lighthouse, Marlborough, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire, missing tentacles and arm tips, bite damage (otherwise in good condition; eye(s) and red skin intact) None; left to decompose on beach WL: 1.5 m; AL: ~0.5 m Kirk (2013); [Anonymous] (2013f) Found by Marlborough resident Jason Gluer while quad biking. Inspected by ranger and photographs sent to Te Papa for research purposes. Measurements provided by Department of Conservation spokesperson Clare Duston.
16 August 2013 (afternoon) ~0.5 mi (0.80 km) off Merón beach, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain NEA Found floating at surface, dead Architeuthis dux Entire, fresh; with multiple bite marks, missing ends of arms and tentacles, eyes intact Entire Female WT: >70/80 kg; EL(estimate): 8 m CEPESMA Ramos (2013); [Anonymous] (2013i); [Anonymous] (2013j); [Anonymous] (2013k); [Anonymous] (2013l); Salas (2013) Likely carried from Carrandi Trench by strong northeast winds. Found by Gijón fishermen Caesar Ceñal and Pachi Sánchez. Brought to Gijón port and there examined by Luis Laria. Transferred by CEPESMA to Museo del Calamar Gigante in Luarca and frozen for necropsy. Necropsied on 29 September 2013 with male specimen from Palombina. Cause of death determined to be asphyxiation by larger female of possibly more than twice its weight, according to Luis Laria.
mid-September 2013 [recovered just over 10 days prior to 1 October] Palombina beach, Llanes, Asturias, Spain NEA Not stated Architeuthis Entire; poor condition Entire Male WT: 55 kg CEPESMA Salas (2013); [Anonymous] (2013l); del Castillo (2013) Necropsied on 29 September 2013 with female specimen from Merón.
1 October 2013 (morning) by mouth of Deva River, La Arena beach, near Pechón, Val de San Vicente, Cantabria, Spain NEA Found washed ashore Architeuthis dux Entire, missing skin and part of one tentacle, eyes present though burst; good condition with no external signs of bites or attacks Entire Female (adult) EL: 8.08 m; ML: 1.68 m; HL: 40 cm; AL: 2.3 m; TL: 6 m; WT: 150 kg Maritime Museum of Cantabria del Castillo (2013); Chato (2013); San José (2013); [Anonymous] (2013m); [Anonymous] (2013n); [Anonymous] (2013o); Thomas (2013); Bryner (2013) Bolívar (2015); numerous media sources Found and documented by underwater photographer Enrique Talledo. Moved to Maritime Museum of Cantabria in Santander where specimen was cleaned, sampled for analysis, and placed in cold storage (initial cold shock at −20 °C followed by −18 °C) under direction of Gerardo García-Castrillo. On morning of 2 October specimen was injected with alcohol, covered with paper moistened with 10% formalin, and finally covered with transparent film; may eventually be put on display. Entire length initially reported as >10 m and weight as 170, 174, or 180 kg.
4 January 2014 Himi fishing port, Toyama Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Not stated Architeuthis Entire? Not stated EL?: 3–4 m Yoshikawa (2014); Saul (2014) [Anonymous] (2014g)
8 January 2014 (morning) ~1 km from nearest port, off Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Found in stationary net; filmed alive at surface; died during retrieval Architeuthis Entire Entire, missing tentacles and most of red skin Male WL: 411.4 cm; EL(estimate): ~8 m; WT: 163 kg Fisheries Ocean Research Institute, Niigata Prefecture Yamamoto (2014); Thomas (2014); [Anonymous] (2014a); Hofilena (2014); Krishnan (2014); Saijo (2014); Yoshikawa (2014); Saul (2014) Numerous media sources Caught by fisherman Shigenori Goto, who also caught specimen on 11 February 2014. Found in net for Japanese amberjacks (Seriola quinqueradiata) at 70 m depth at around 7 am local time. Animal died shortly after being brought to surface.
19 January 2014 Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Found washed ashore Architeuthis? Arms and tentacles only Not stated None Yoshikawa (2014) Yoshikawa (2014) states remains were "believed to be from a giant squid".
21 January 2014 off Ajiro port, Iwami, Tottori Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Caught in net Architeuthis Entire?, missing tentacles Not stated EL(estimate): ~8 m Yoshikawa (2014); Saul (2014) Described as a "monster squid" on account of its size. Photographed next to person (see Yoshikawa, 2014).
11 February 2014 off Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Caught in net Architeuthis Entire? Not stated EL?: 3–4 m Yoshikawa (2014) Caught by fisherman Shigenori Goto, who also caught specimen on 8 January 2014.
25 February 2014 (morning) ~5 km from Moroyose fishing port, Shinonsen, Hyogo Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Photographed alive at surface; snared with rope; died during retrieval "giant squid" Entire, missing tentacles Not stated WL: 4.13 m; EL(estimate): 8–9 m; WT: 150–200 kg [Anonymous] (2014e) Spotted by fisherman Tetsuo Okamoto while diving for turban shells at around 10:30 am local time. Squid swam above Okamoto when he was at depth of ~8 m. Squid was secured to boat with a rope and taken to port.
12 March 2014 Tokyo Bay, off Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan NWP Found floating at surface, captured alive, "died several hours after being caught" Architeuthis Entire Entire; tentacles intact, red skin partly intact Female EL: 4.38 m [initially reported as 3.6 m]; WT: ~24 kg Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park Aquarium [Anonymous] (2014f); [Anonymous] (2014r); [Anonymous] (2014s); [Anonymous] (2014t); [Anonymous] (2014u) Caught by local fisherman. Public dissection carried out by Tsunemi Kubodera at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park Aquarium, Miura, on 8 August 2014 (covered by TV Tokyo). Dissection took 2 hours and involved removal of internal organs, sex determination, and measurements. Small fish bones found in stomach and scales (likely from sardine) in buccal area. Specimen estimated to be 1–2 years old. Planned to go on display at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park Aquarium, preserved in formalin, from 13 September 2014.
26 March 2014 (early morning) 200 m off Hayoshi Port, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan, at ~20 m depth NWP Caught in fixed fishing net "giant squid" Entire Entire; tentacles intact, red skin missing Female EL: 4.48 m; WT: 33.2 kg National Museum of Nature and Science facility (Tsukuba) Kakuno (2014) Caught by local fisherman Yuji Kawaguchi.
26 March 2014 off Ryotsu Port, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP "captured" "giant squid" Entire Entire; tentacles, eye(s) and red skin intact Male EL: 4.35 m; WT: 37.7 kg National Museum of Nature and Science facility (Tsukuba) Kakuno (2014) Caught later the same day as Hayoshi Port specimen, by different local fisherman.
7 April 2014 ~1 km offshore, Toyama Bay, Toyama Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Caught in fixed net giant squid ("ダイオウイカ") Entire, missing ends of tentacle(s) Not stated Male ML: ~1.5 m; WL?: ~3.5 m; EL(estimate): 7 m [Anonymous] (2014g) [Anonymous] (2014h); [Anonymous] (2014k) Caught in fixed net for squid. Alive at time of capture, dead when landed. Examined and measured by expert(s) from Uozu Aquarium.
8 April 2014 (morning) Toyama Bay, Shinminato, Imizu, Toyama Prefecture, Sea of Japan, at ~300 m depth NWP Caught in net giant squid ("ダイオウイカ") Entire, tentacles intact Not stated ML: ~1.1 m; EL: 5.1 m [Anonymous] (2014h) [Anonymous] (2014k) Second specimen from Toyama Bay in two days. Caught in net for Metapenaeopsis lata (broad velvet shrimp). Tasted by Kazuhisa Hagiwara of Shinminato Fisheries Cooperative Association who described it as very salty. Osamu Inamura, director of Uozu Aquarium, suggested global warming might be responsible for influx of specimens as giant squid's range is pushed northward.
12 April 2014 (morning) Aika Town, Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Found floating at water's edge, alive giant squid ("ダイオウイカ") Entire Not stated EL: ~5 m [Anonymous] (2014i) Found by Etsuo Harada and others at 9 am. Pulled to land and died soon afterwards.
18 April 2014 (morning) 3 km off Nanao, Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Caught in fixed net giant squid ("ダイオウイカ") Entire, tentacles intact Not stated ML: 0.78 m; EL: 4.7/4.8 m; WT: ~30/50 kg [Anonymous] (2014j); [Anonymous] (2014k); [Anonymous] (2014l); Shinya (2014) [Anonymous] (2014o); [Anonymous] (2014p); [Anonymous] (2014q) Became entangled in fixed net around 5:30 am. Taken in Styrofoam box to supermarket in Shinbohon, Kanazawa, and there displayed on ice between 18 and 19 April. Identification confirmed by Shinichiro Ikeguchi, assistant director of Notojima Aquarium, based on size and fin shape.
20 April 2014 ~130 km off Kitadaito, [Daitō Islands], Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, at 500 m depth NWP Caught giant squid ("ダイオウイカ") Entire, fresh; missing ends of tentacles and some arms Entire WL: ~2.7 m; WT: ~32 kg Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium? [Anonymous] (2014m) Caught by fishermen targeting Thysanoteuthis rhombus (ソデイカ). Transferred to Okinawa Churashima Foundation in Motobu, where specimen was examined beginning on 25 April. Photographed being measured, later fixed in formalin.
27 April 2014 (morning) ~1 km off Shika, Ishikawa Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Caught in fixed net, alive giant squid ("ダイオウイカ") Entire, good condition; eyes, tentacles and some red skin intact Entire Male EL: 5.02 m; WT: ~60 kg Notojima Aquarium [Anonymous] (2014n); [Anonymous] (2014o); [Anonymous] (2014p); [Anonymous] (2014q) Caught around 4:30 am by fishermen including deputy helmsman Isamu Mukai and landed in Togi fishing port. Still alive, specimen was transported in container to Notojima Aquarium in Nanao, but died 3 hours after capture. During transport, specimen was observed opening and closing its eyes and clinging to container with its suckers. Measured at aquarium and displayed there between 3 and 5 May (Golden Week).
7 September 2014 ~100 mi (160 km) off Matagorda coast, Texas, United States (Gulf of Mexico) NWA Found floating at surface, dead "giant squid" Entire; missing red skin and posterior end of mantle (bite marks) Not stated EL?: 10 ft (3.0 m); WT: 200 lb (91 kg) "donated to researchers" Azad (2014) Found by fisherman Michael Belvin when returning from fishing trip with friends. Identification confirmed by Houston Zoo aquarium supervisor Mike Concannon. Belvin speculated it might have been attacked by a mako shark, based on bite marks. Find covered by KTRK-TV.
13 May 2015 (morning) South Bay beach, Kaikoura, New Zealand SWP Found washed ashore "giant squid" Entire Entire BL: ~2 m; TL: >5 m; EyD: 19 cm Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium Hill (2015) Numerous media sources Found by Bruce Bennett at 8:30 am while walking dog. Moved to Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium and stored there in freezer.
6 August 2015 (morning) ~50 mi (80 km) north of Getaria and Zumaia, opposite Lekeitio, Basque Country, Spain NEA By trawl Architeuthis Entire Entire WL: <8 m; WL?: ~4.5 m; WT: >80 kg CEPESMA (Parque de la Vida, Valdés) Bolívar (2015); Gómez & Bolívar (2015) [Anonymous] (2015a); Del Gallo (2015) Caught by fisherman Antonio Do Veriño. Landed in port of Santander where it was auctioned and won by BM supermarkets, which placed it on display at their store on Rubén Darío street, Sardinero, Santander. Later handed over to Instituto Español de Oceanografía, who passed it on to CEPESMA in Luarca.
23 November 2015 (night) El Cudillo fishing ground (#202 on map), near Cañón de Lastres, Gijón, Spain, at 300–400 m depth NEA By trawl Architeuthis dux Entire Entire Female (immature?) EL: 10 m; WT: 150 kg CEPESMA (Parque de la Vida, Valdés) [Anonymous] (2015a); Del Gallo (2015); [Anonymous] (2015b); Peláez (2015) Numerous media sources Caught by the trawler Minchos VI around 21:30 pm local time, in waters 300 fathoms (550 m) deep. Landed in Muelle del Rendiello, El Musel, Gijón. Frozen in Gijón fish market before being transferred to CEPESMA in Luarca. Planned to be dissected later that year before going on display.
24 December 2015 Toyama Bay, Toyama Prefecture, Sea of Japan NWP Filmed alive near surface "giant squid" Entire None WL: 3.7 m None [Anonymous] (2015c) Numerous media sources Spent several hours in Toyama Bay harbour where it was filmed by local divers, including professional underwater cameraman Takayoshi Kojima, who swam alongside it. Kojima "helped guide" it out to sea.

Type specimens

The following table lists the nominal species-level taxa associated with the genus Architeuthis, together with their corresponding type specimens, type localities, and type repositories (after Sweeney & Young, 2003).

Binomial name and author citation Systematic status Type locality Type specimen and type repository
Loligo bouyeri Crosse & Fischer, 1862:138 Architeuthid? [fide Gervais (1875:93)] Canary Islands? Unresolved
Architeuthis clarkei Robson, 1933:682, text-figs. 1–7, pl. 1. Undetermined Scarborough Beach, Yorkshire, England BMNH Holotype 1933.1.30.5 + 1926.3.31.24 (radula and beak) [fide Lipinski et al. (2000:106)]
Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857:183 Nomen tantum
Architeuthis dux Steenstrup in Harting, 1860:11, pl. 1 fig. 1A. Valid species [fide Nesis (1987:218)] 31°N 76°W / 31°N 76°W / 31; -76 (Giant squid specimen) (Atlantic Ocean) ZMUC Holotype [fide Kristensen & Knudsen (1983:222)]
Plectoteuthis grandis Owen, 1881:156, pls. 34–35. Architeuthis sp. [fide Pfeffer (1912:2)] Not indicated BMNH Holotype [fide Owen (1881:156)] [not traced by Lipinski et al. (2000)]
Loligo hartingii Verrill, 1875b:86, fig. 28. Valid species; Architeuthis hartingii [fide Verrill (1879–1880a:240)] Not indicated University of Utrecht as Architeuthis dux, identification by Harting
Megaloteuthis harveyi Kent, 1874:181. Architeuthis sp. Conception Bay, Newfoundland YPM Type 12600y [fide S.S. Berry unpublished notes at NMNH]
Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912:27. Undetermined Tokyo Bay, Japan Undetermined; Holotype [=Mitsukuri & Ikeda (1895:39–50, pl. 10)]
Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887:155. Architeuthis stockii (Kirk, 1882) [fide Förch (1998:89)] Cape Campbell, New Zealand NMNZ Holotype M.125404 + ?M.125406 [fide Marshall (1996:45)]
Architeuthis longimanus Kirk, 1888:34, pls. 7–9. Architeuthis stockii (Kirk, 1882) [fide Förch (1998:89)] Lyall Bay, New Zealand NMNZ Holotype; specimen not located [fide Marshall (1996:46)]
Megateuthis martensii Hilgendorf, 1880 Valid species; Architeuthis martensii [fide Undetermined] Yedo Japan fish market, Japan ZMB Moll. 34716 + 38980
Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878 Nova Scotia, Canada NSMC 1870–Z-2
Architeuthis? monachus Steenstrup, 1857:184. Nomen tantum
Architeuthis monachus Steenstrup in Harting, 1860:11. Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 [fide Stephen (1962:154)] Raabjerg Strand; Northwest coast of Jutland, Denmark [fide Kristensen & Knudsen (1983:223)] ZMUC Holotype [fide Kristensen & Knudsen (1983:223)]
Architeuthis mouchezi Velain, 1875:1002. Nomen nudum; see Mouchezis sanctipauli
Architeuthis nawaji Cadenat, 1935:513. Undetermined Île d'Yeu, Bay of Biscay, France Unresolved
Dubioteuthis physeteris Joubin, 1900:102, pl. 15. Valid species; Architeuthis physeteris [fide Voss (1956:136)] Azores (38°34'45"N 29°37'W); from sperm whale stomach MOM Holotype [station 588] [fide Belloc (1950:6); listed incorrectly as station 558]
Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875a:22. Nomen nudum
Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875b:79, figs. 25–27. Undetermined a) Grand Banks, Newfoundland; b) North Atlantic (sperm whale stomach) NMNH? [not found in collections to date]; Syntypes (a) Verrill specimen No. 1, lower beak; b) Verrill specimen No. 10, upper and lower beak)
Dinoteuthis proboscideus More, 1875:4527. Architeuthis sp. [fide Pfeffer (1912:2)] Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland Unresolved
Mouchezis sanctipauli Velain, 1877:81, text-fig. 8. Valid species; Architeuthis sanctipauli [fide Undetermined] on beach, St. Paul Island (38°43′S 77°32′E / 38.717°S 77.533°E / -38.717; 77.533 (Giant squid specimen)), South Indian Ocean MNHN Holotype 3-2-658 and 3-2-659 (tentacular clubs only) [fide Lu et al. (1995:324)]
Steenstrupia stockii Kirk, 1882:286, pl. 36 figs. 2–4. Valid species; Architeuthis stockii [fide Förch (1998:89)][Architeuthid fide Pfeffer (1912:2)] Cook Strait, New Zealand NMNZ Holotype M.125405 + M.125403 [fide Marshall (1996:45)]
Architeuthis titan Steenstrup in Verrill, 1875b:84. [in Verrill (1881:238, footnote)] Nomen nudum
Architeuthis verrilli Kirk, 1882:284, pl. 36 fig. 1. Species dubium [fide Förch (1998:89)] Island Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand NMNZ Holotype; [see Förch (1998:89)]

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are used in the List of giant squid table.

Oceanic sectors

Worldwide giant squid distribution based on recovered specimens

The genus Architeuthis has a cosmopolitan (Okutani, 2015) or bi-subtropical distribution (Nesis, 2003). The following abbreviations for oceanic sectors are used in the main table. The Atlantic Ocean is divided into sectors at the equator and 30°W, the Pacific Ocean is divided at the equator and 180°, and the Indian Ocean is defined as the range 20°E – 115°E.

Measurements

Measuring mantle width
Measuring beak dimensions
Taking sucker counts

Abbreviations used for measurements and counts are based on standardised acronyms in teuthology, primarily those defined by Roper & Voss (1983), with the exception of several found in older references.

Repositories

Institutional acronyms are primarily those defined by Leviton et al. (1985) and Leviton & Gibbs (1988). Where the acronym is unknown, the full repository name is listed.

Specimen images

The number below each image corresponds to the specimen or sighting in the List of giant squid that the image depicts. The date on which the specimen was first captured, found, or observed is also given.

#18 (30/11/1861)
The Alecton attempts to capture a giant squid on 30 November 1861 
#18 (30/11/1861)
Reproduction of the original watercolour by officers of the Alecton 
#18 (30/11/1861)
Another depiction of the Alecton encounter 
#28 (26/10/1873)
The 19-foot (5.8 m) tentacle of the first Architeuthis ever examined on land, hacked off a living animal on 26 October 1873 
#29 (25/11?/1873)
Giant squid from Logy Bay, Newfoundland in Reverend Moses Harvey's bathtub, November or December 1873 
#29 (25/11?/1873)
A.E. Verrill's reconstruction of "Architeuthis Harveyi", the Logy Bay giant squid 
#33 (2/11/1874)
The "calmar gigantesque" that washed ashore on Île Saint-Paul on 2 November 1874 
#34 (?/12/1874)
Drawing by A.E. Verrill, from specimen obtained at Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, in December 1874 
#43 (24/9/1877)
The "nearly perfect specimen" that was beached alive in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, on 24 September 1877 
#43 (24/9/1877)
Another depiction of the Trinity Bay specimen, showing the animal after it had died 
#43 (24/9/1877)
J. H. Emerton's drawing of the Trinity Bay giant squid 
#67 (18/7/1895)
Mantle measuring 46 cm originally recovered from sperm whale vomit, from a 1900 work by Louis Joubin. This specimen is the holotype of Dubioteuthis physeteris. 
#68 (10/4/1896) and #69 (27/9/1896)
The two largest Norwegian giant squid specimens, measuring 10 and 12 m in total length, were both found washed ashore at Kyrksæterøra in 1896. 
#68 (10/4/1896) or #69 (27/9/1896)
One of the two giant specimens from Kyrksæterøra, stretched out for measurement 
#92 (?/2/1920)?
Giant squid that "came ashore on the Scottish west coast"; possibly the specimen reported from February 1920 
#101 (4/3/1928)
Specimen found washed ashore in Ranheim, Norway, measuring around 7.9 m in total length 
#136 (2/10/1954)
Specimen measuring 9.24 m in total length found in Trondheimsfjord, Norway 
#225 (?/2/1980)
Specimen that washed ashore on Plum Island, Massachusetts, in early February 1980, exhibited at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. 
#225 (?/2/1980)
Michael J. Sweeney (left), Clyde Roper (center) and forklift operator Charles Beggs with a giant squid specimen being prepared for display at the National Museum of Natural History in 1983 
Giant squid during dissection at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. This specimen was recovered in Bonavista North, Newfoundland, sometime in the 1980s. 
(24/12/1996)
Specimen on display at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan 
(20/2/1999)
Giant squid at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand 
(27/1/2000)
The world's first plastinated giant squid, displayed at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris 
(3/1/2002)
Giant squid caught around 160 km off the Hebrides, preserved at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, England 
(15/3/2004)
Specimen nicknamed "Archie" preserved in a 9.45 m-long acrylic tank at London's Natural History Museum 
(?/7/2005)
Male specimen caught in Spanish waters in July 2005 
(?/7/2005)
Same specimen on display at the Sant Ocean Hall of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. 
(?/7/2005)
Large female caught off northern Spain 
(?/7/2005)
Same specimen on display at the NMNH's Sant Ocean Hall, preserved in 3M Novec fluid 
(?/?/2005)
Giant squid measuring 7 m encased in ice at the Melbourne Aquarium 
Giant squid preserved in the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid 
Specimen on display at the Melbourne Museum 
Giant squid at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the Netherlands 
Several giant squid specimens from the NTNU Museum of Natural History and Archaeology in Trondheim, Norway. The oldest specimen (#69), found in 1896, is also the largest at 12 m in total length. 
Giant squid preserved in a tank at Mote Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida 
Specimen exhibited at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Japan 
Preserved giant squid at Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta 
Giant squid display at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland, New Zealand 
Giant squid head recovered from a sperm whale stomach, at the London Natural History Museum's Darwin Centre 
Giant squid dissection performed by Clyde Roper (top left) and scientists from NOAA and the Delaware Museum of Natural History 
Giant squid on display at the Faculty of Marine Sciences, University of Vigo 
Specimen identified as Architeuthis sanctipauli, at the National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung, Taiwan 
Originating from New Zealand, this giant squid specimen measures 27 feet (8.2 m) in total length and is preserved at Mote Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida. Nicknamed "Molly the Mollusk", it is one of only a handful of giant squid specimens on public display in the United States.

Notes

  1. ↑ Newfoundland's Grand Banks – Ferryland. chebucto.org.
  2. ↑ Holyrood Architeuthis (1935). Tonmo.com. December 17, 2004.
  3. ↑ Squid Body From Whale Stomach. Tonmo.com. March 23, 2005.
  4. ↑ Photograph of Giant Squid Used in F. O. Schmitt's Nerve Research, 1965: Exhibits: Institute Archives & Special Collections: MIT. mit.edu.
  5. ↑ Aquário Vasco da Gama. Museu de Marinha. (Portuguese)
  6. ↑ Map from NASA.gov.
  7. ↑ Ocean Planet: In Search of Giant Squid – Architeuthis dux. Seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved on 2013-09-10.
  8. 1 2 Mike Sweeney and Clyde F. E. Roper Examining Giant Squid Specimen. Smithsonian Institution Archives.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Architeuthis (Giant Squid) Distribution Map. Tonmo.com. Retrieved on 2013-09-10.
  10. ↑ Geocities.com. Webcitation.org. Retrieved on 2013-09-10.
  11. 1 2 Nifty.com
  12. 1 2 Living Architeuthis Photo. Tonmo.com. March 8, 2004.
  13. ↑ Nifty.com
  14. ↑ Mystery squid 2. Tonmo.com. March 15, 2003.
  15. ↑ Re:Living Architeuthis Photo. Tonmo.com. April 11, 2007.
  16. ↑ New South African Architeuthis. Tonmo.com. August 15, 2003.
  17. ↑ Giant squid search results. Natural History Museum Picture Library.
  18. ↑ Kubodera, T. & K. Mori (2005). First-ever observations of a live giant squid in the wild. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 272(1581): 2583–2586. doi:10.1098/rspb.2005.3158
  19. ↑ Illusions – Kona, Hawaii Sportfishing, Deep Sea Marlin Fishing
  20. ↑ Mystery squid 2. Tonmo.com. March 18, 2005.
  21. ↑ Japanese researchers film live giant squid, say numbers may be plentiful. Associated Press. December 22, 2006.
  22. ↑ pelagic.org archive pics - June 24, 2008 - Giant Squid. Pelagic.org.

References

General references
Giant squid literature
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