Pesquisadores detected traces of a giant squid in the deep waters of Austrália Ocidental for the first time in more than 25 years. The creature’s genetic material was identified in six samples collected in two underwater canyons off Nyinggulu, using innovative environmental DNA methodology. The survey, led by Universidade Curtin and published in the magazine Environmental DNA, marks the first record of the species in Australian waters by genetic analysis and the most northerly of the entire Oceano Índico Oriental region.
The expedition aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s vessel Falkor collected more than a thousand water samples from canyons reaching depths exceeding 4,500 meters, located approximately 1,200 kilometers north of Perth. The canyons of Cape Range and Cloates represent one of the least explored areas on the planet, revealing discoveries that far exceed the singular presence of the giant squid.
Biodiversidade extraordinary in the Australian depths
The study identified 226 species distributed among 11 large groups of animals in Australian deep waters. Dezenas of them had never previously been recorded in the vicinity of Austrália Ocidental, significantly expanding knowledge about regional marine life. The research revealed organisms that range from large predators to creatures specialized in environments of extreme pressure and absence of sunlight.
- Tubarão-sleeper (Somniosus sp.)
- Enguia-faceless cusk (Typhlonus nasus)
- Peixe-sawtooth (Rhadinesthes decimus)
- Cachalote-Pygmy
- Baleia-de-cuvier
- Diversas species potentially unknown to science
The environmental DNA methodology captures genetic material involuntarily released by animals into the water column, allowing species identification without the need for capture or direct visualization. A single sample reveals information about hundreds of organisms simultaneously, offering efficiency inaccessible to conventional methods such as fishing nets or underwater cameras.
Características and rarity of Architeuthis dux
The giant squid is a cephalopod of extraordinary proportions that exceeds the length of a school bus. Seu weight can reach 275 kilograms and its eyes reach the size of a large pizza, representing the largest visual organs of any land or aquatic creature. Apenas Two previous confirmed records of the species existed in the waters of Austrália Ocidental, with no concrete evidence in the 25 years preceding the current study.
The Dra. Lisa Kirkendale, Chefe of Zoologia Aquática and Curadora of Moluscos of Museu of Austrália Ocidental confirmed the significance of the finding. “This is the first record of a giant squid detected off the coast of Austrália Ocidental using environmental DNA protocols and the northernmost record of A. dux in eastern Oceano Índico,” said the researcher.
Distribuição vertical and structure of deep ecosystems
The data revealed that biodiversity is not evenly distributed throughout the submarine canyons. Diferentes depths harbor biologically distinct communities, and geographically neighboring canyons support completely different ecosystems. The vertical stratification of life across more than four kilometers of water column represents a discovery of considerable importance for deep-sea ecology.
The Dra. Georgia Nester, lead author of the study and researcher at the Minderoo Oceanomic Center of Universidade of Austrália Ocidental, highlighted the breadth of the findings. “We found a large number of species that do not fit neatly into any current record, which strongly suggests that there is a vast amount of deep-sea biodiversity that we are just beginning to discover,” he noted. The researcher highlighted that the giant squid find, although notable, represents only a fraction of the much larger biological picture revealed by the investigation.
Impacto for marine conservation and protection
Deep-sea ecosystems face increasing pressures from climate change, fishing activities and the extraction of natural resources. The knowledge generated by environmental DNA studies offers scalable and non-invasive methodology essential for informed management and conservation. Biodiversity mapping allows you to guide the planning of marine parks, support environmental impact assessments and establish baselines necessary to detect longitudinal changes in ecosystems.
Professora Associada Zoe Richards, Escola of Ciências Moleculares and Vida of Curtin, emphasized the relevance of the findings. “You cannot protect what you don’t know exists. The enormous amount of discoveries makes it clear that we still have a lot to learn about marine life on Oceano Índico”, highlighted Richards. Até the conclusion of this research, no baseline had been established for submarine canyons which have remained largely unexplored due to operational difficulties at extreme depths.
