About Architeuthis dux

The giant squid Architeuthis dux is a species of deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae. The mantle of the giant squid is about 2 m long, and the length of the squid excluding its tentacles rarely exceeds 5 m. Claims of specimens measuring 20 m or more have not been scientifically documented. And it is dicovered by a Japanese research team in 2004.

Animalia (Kingdom); Mollusca (Phylum); Cephalopoda (Class); Coleoidea (Subclass); Decapodiformes (Superorder); Oegopsida (Order); Architeuthoidea (Superfamily); Architeuthidae (Family); Architeuthis (Genus); Architeuthis dux (Species)

Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857

1. Steenstrup J. Oplysninger om atlanterhavets colossale blaeksprutter[J]. Forhandlinger ved de Skandinaviske Naturforskeres, 1857, 7: 182-185. (Steenstrup et al., 1857)

The giant squid is a species of deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae. It can grow to a tremendous size, offering an example of abyssal gigantism: recent estimates put the maximum body size at around 5 m (16 ft) for females, with males slightly shorter, from the posterior fins to the tip of its long arms. This makes it longer than the colossal squid at an estimated 4.2 m (14 ft), but substantially lighter, as it is less robust and its arms make up much of the length. The mantle of the giant squid is about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long (longer for females, shorter for males), and the feeding tentacles of the giant squid, concealed in life, are 10 m (33 ft). Claims of specimens measuring 20 m (66 ft) or more have not been scientifically documented (from Wikipedia)

The giant squid is widespread, occurring in all of the world's oceans. It is usually found near continental and island slopes from the North Atlantic Ocean, especially Newfoundland, Norway, the northern British Isles, Spain and the oceanic islands of the Azores and Madeira, to the South Atlantic around southern Africa, the North Pacific around Japan, and the southwestern Pacific around New Zealand and Australia. Specimens are rare in tropical and polar latitudes.