List of giant squid specimens and sightings

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 washed ashore, recovered from sperm whales and other predatory species, as well as those reliably sighted at sea. The list also covers specimens incorrectly assigned to the genus Architeuthis in original descriptions or later publications.

Background

History of discovery

Tales of giant squid have been common among mariners since ancient times, but the animals were long considered mythical and often associated with the kraken of Nordic legend. The giant squid did not gain widespread scientific acceptance until specimens became available to zoologists in the second half of the 19th century, beginning with the formal naming of Architeuthis dux by Japetus Steenstrup in 1857, from fragmentary Bahamian material collected two years earlier. The giant squid came to public prominence in 1861 when the French corvette Alecton encountered a live animal at the surface while navigating near Tenerife. A report of the incident filed by the ship's captain was almost certainly seen by Jules Verne and adapted by him for the description of the monstrous squid in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
The giant squid's existence was established beyond doubt only in the 1870s, with the appearance of an extraordinary number of complete specimens—both dead and alive—in Newfoundland waters. These were meticulously documented in a series of papers by Yale zoologist Addison Emery Verrill. Among the earliest known photographs of the giant squid were of two of these Newfoundland specimens, both from 1873: first a single severed tentacle—hacked off a live animal as it "attacked" a fishing boat —and weeks later an intact animal in two parts ; the head and limbs of this latter specimen were famously shown draped over the sponge bath of Moses Harvey, a local clergyman, essayist, and amateur naturalist. Harvey secured and reported widely on both of these important specimens—as well as numerous others —and it was largely through his efforts that giant squid became known to North American and British zoologists. Recognition of Architeuthis as a real animal led to the reappraisal of earlier reports of gigantic tentacled sea creatures, with some of these subsequently being accepted as records of giant squid, the earliest stretching back to at least the 17th century.
For a time in the late 19th century almost every major specimen of which material was saved was described as a new species. In all, [|some twenty species names] were coined. However, there is no widely agreed basis for distinguishing between the named species, and both morphological and genetic data point to the existence of a single, globally distributed species, which according to the principle of priority must be known by the earliest available name: Architeuthis dux.
It is not known why giant squid become stranded on shore, but it may be because the distribution of deep, cold water where they live is temporarily altered. Marine biologist and Architeuthis specialist Frederick Aldrich proposed that there may be a periodicity to the strandings around Newfoundland, and based on historical data suggested an average interval between mass strandings of some 30 years. Aldrich used this value to correctly predict a relatively small stranding event between 1964 and 1966. Although strandings continue to occur sporadically throughout the world, few have been as frequent as those in Newfoundland in the late 19th century. A notable exception was a 15-month period between 2014 and 2015, during which an unprecedented 57 specimens were recorded from Japanese coastal waters of the Sea of Japan.
Though the total number of recorded giant squid specimens now runs [|into the hundreds], the species remains notoriously elusive and little known. Attempts to capture a glimpse of a live giant squid—described as "the most elusive image in natural history" —were mooted since at least the 1960s. Efforts intensified significantly towards the end of the century, with the launch of several multi-million-dollar expeditions in the late 1990s, though these were all unsuccessful. The first years of the 21st century saw a number of breakthroughs in live giant squid imaging that ultimately culminated in the first recordings of live animals in their natural deep-water habitat—from both a remote camera system and a manned submersible—in July 2012. Despite these recent advances and the growing number of both specimens and recordings of live animals, the species continues to occupy a unique place in the public imagination. As Roper et al. wrote: "Few events in the natural world stimulate more excitement and curiosity among scientists and laymen alike than the discovery of a specimen of Architeuthis."

Distribution patterns

The genus Architeuthis has a cosmopolitan or bi-subtropical distribution. The greatest numbers of specimens have been recorded in the North Atlantic around Newfoundland and the Iberian Peninsula, in the South Atlantic off South Africa and Namibia, in the northwestern Pacific off Japan, and in the southwestern Pacific around New Zealand and Australia. The vast majority of specimens are of oceanic origin, including marginal seas broadly open to adjacent ocean, especially the Tasman Sea and Sea of Japan, but also the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, among others. A handful are known from the far western Mediterranean Sea, but these records do not necessarily indicate that the Mediterranean falls within the natural range of the giant squid, as the specimens may have been transported there by inflowing Atlantic water. Similarly, giant squid are unlikely to naturally occur in the North Sea owing to its shallow depth. They are generally absent from equatorial and high polar latitudes.

Total number of specimens

According to Guerra et al., 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: 148 in the northeastern Atlantic, 126 in the northwestern Atlantic, [|26] in the southeastern Atlantic, 6 in the southwestern Atlantic, 43 in the northeastern Pacific, 28 in the northwestern Pacific, 10 in the southeastern Pacific, and 183 in the southwestern Pacific.
Guerra & González reported that the total number of recorded giant squid specimens stood at 624. Guerra et al. gave an updated figure of 677 specimens. Paxton put the total at around 700 as of 2015, of which 460 had been measured in some way. This number has increased substantially in recent years, with 57 specimens recorded from the Sea of Japan over an extraordinary 15-month period in 2014–2015. The giant squid nevertheless remains a rarely encountered animal, especially considering its large size, with Ellis writing that "each giant squid that washes up or is taken from the stomach of a sperm whale is still an occasion for a teuthological celebration".
.

Region	Number of specimens	% of total	Found stranded or floating	From fishing	From predators	Method of capture unknown
NE Atlantic	152	22.5	49	31	15	5
NW Atlantic	148	21.9	61	30	1	8
SE Atlantic	60*	8.9	10	60	17	13
SW Atlantic	6	0.9	50	16	1	33
NE Pacific	43	6.4	7	56	30	7
NW Pacific	30*	4.4	30	35	30	5
SE Pacific	10	1.5	90	10	0	0
SW Pacific	183	27.0	12	41	42	5
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

Procurement and display

Preserved giant squid specimens are much sought after for display. Guerra et al. estimated that around 30 were exhibited at museums and aquaria worldwide, while Guerra & Segonzac provided an updated list of 35. The purpose-built Centro del Calamar Gigante in Luarca, Spain, had by far the largest collection on public display, but many of the museum's 14 or so total specimens were destroyed during a storm on 2 February 2014. At least 13 specimens were exhibited in Japan as of February 2017, of which 10 had been acquired since 2013.
in Washington, D.C., as it appeared in 2008. Caught in Spanish waters in July 2005, it is one of two giant squid on display at the museum and one of the few publicly exhibited male specimens.

Institution	Location	Country	Type	Specimen
American Museum of Natural History	New York City, New York	United States	national museum	1 female
Auckland University of Technology	Auckland, North Island	New Zealand	private	1 female
Aula del Mar Málaga / Museo Alborania	Málaga, Andalusia	Spain	private	1 female
Centro de Gestión del Medio Marino del Estrecho	Algeciras, Andalusia	Spain	private	1 female
Centro del Calamar Gigante	Luarca, Asturias	Spain	national museum	4 females; 1 male
Deep Sea World	North Queensferry, Scotland	United Kingdom	private	1 female
Florida Museum of Natural History	Gainesville, Florida	United States	national museum	1 female
Georgia Aquarium	Atlanta, Georgia	United States	private	1 female
Iziko South African Museum	Cape Town, Western Cape	South Africa	national museum	1 female
Kaikoura Marine Centre and Aquarium	Kaikoura, South Island	New Zealand	private	1 female
Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium	Auckland, North Island	New Zealand	private	1 female
Melbourne Museum	Melbourne, Victoria	Australia	national museum	1 female
Mote Aquarium	Sarasota, Florida	United States	private	1 female
Museo de Historia Natural	Ferrol, Galicia	Spain	national museum	1 female
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales	Madrid, Community of Madrid	Spain	national museum	1 female
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle	Paris, Île-de-France	France	national museum	1 female
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa	Wellington, North Island	New Zealand	national museum	1 female
Museu Oceanográfico do Portinho da Arrábida	Setúbal, Lisboa Region	Portugal	national museum	1 male
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research	Auckland, North Island	New Zealand	private	1 female
National Marine Aquarium	Plymouth, England	United Kingdom	private	1 female
National Museum of Natural History	Washington, D.C.	United States	national museum	1 female ; 1 male
National Museum of Nature and Science	Taito City, Tokyo	Japan	national museum	1 female
National Museum of Scotland	Edinburgh, Scotland	United Kingdom	national museum	1 female
Natural History Museum	London, England	United Kingdom	national museum	1 female
Naturalis Biodiversity Center	Leiden, South Holland	Netherlands	private	1 male
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium	Motobu, Okinawa Prefecture	Japan	private	1 female
Queensland Museum	Melbourne, Victoria	Australia	private	1 female
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery	Hobart, Tasmania	Australia	national museum	2 females
The Rooms	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada	private	1 female

Reported sizes

Giant squid size—long a subject of both popular debate and academic inquiry —has often been misreported and exaggerated. Reports of specimens reaching or even exceeding in total length are widespread, but no animals approaching this size have been scientifically documented in recent times, despite the hundreds of specimens available for study. The "Thimble Tickle specimen" reported by Verrill is often cited as the largest giant squid ever recorded, and the specimen described by Kirk as Architeuthis longimanus —a strangely proportioned animal that has been much commented on—is sometimes cited as the longest. 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 inadequate measurement methods such as pacing.
Based on a 40-year data set of more than 50 giant squid specimens, Roper & Shea suggest an average total length at maturity of and a "rarely encountered maximum length" of. Of the nearly 100 specimens examined by Clyde Roper, the largest was "46 feet long". Yukhov gives a maximum total length of based on records from the southern hemisphere; Remeslo gives. O'Shea & Bolstad give a maximum total length of for females based on the examination of more than 130 specimens, measured post mortem and relaxed, as well as beaks recovered from sperm whales. Steve O'Shea estimated the maximum total length for males at . Charles G. M. Paxton performed a statistical analysis using literature records of giant squid specimens and concluded that "squid with a conservative TL of would seem likely based on current data", but the study has been heavily criticised by experts in the field.
of total length, mantle length, and mass in Architeuthis dux, from McClain et al.. The extreme outlier is sourced from Verrill and is unlikely to be accurate; the next most massive individual in the data set was only, and 95% of specimens were below .
O'Shea & Bolstad give a maximum mantle length of based on the examination of more than 130 specimens, as well as beaks recovered from sperm whales, though there are recent scientific records of specimens that slightly exceed this size. Remeslo and Yukhov give a maximum mantle length of for females from southern waters. Questionable records of up to ML can be found in older literature. Paxton accepts a maximum recorded ML of, based on the Lyall Bay specimen reported by Kirk, but this record has been called into question as the gladius of this specimen was said to be only long.
Including the head and arms but excluding the tentacles, the species very rarely exceeds according to O'Shea & Bolstad. Paxton considers to be the greatest reliably measured SL, based on a specimen reported by Verrill, and considers specimens of SL or more to be "very probable", but these conclusions have been criticised by giant squid experts.
O'Shea put the maximum weight of female giant squid at, based on the examination of some 105 specimens as well as beaks recovered from sperm whales. Giant squid are sexually size dimorphic, with the maximum weight for males estimated at , though heavier specimens have occasionally been reported. Similarly, Remeslo and Yukhov give maximum masses of and for females and males, respectively, based on records from southern latitudes. Roper & Jereb give a maximum weight of up to, and "possibly greater". Discredited weights of as much as a tonne or more are not uncommon in older literature.

Species identifications

The taxonomy of the giant squid genus Architeuthis has not been entirely resolved. Lumpers and splitters may propose as many as eight species or as few as one, with most authors recognising either one cosmopolitan species or three geographically disparate species: A. dux from the Atlantic, A. martensi from the North Pacific, and A. sanctipauli from the Southern Ocean. Historically, some twenty species names and eight genus names have been applied to architeuthids. No genetic or physical basis for distinguishing between the named species has been proposed, though specimens from the North Pacific do not appear to reach the maximum dimensions seen in giant squid from other areas. There may also be regional differences in the relative proportions of the tentacles and their sucker counts. The mitogenomic analysis of Winkelmann et al. supports the existence of a single, globally distributed species. The same conclusion was reached by Förch on the basis of morphological data.
The literature on giant squid has been further muddied by the frequent misattribution of various squid specimens to the genus Architeuthis, often based solely on their large size. In the academic literature alone, such misidentifications encompass at least the oegopsid families Chiroteuthidae, Cranchiidae #Mhamiltoni1|# and List of giant squid specimens and sightings, Ommastrephidae, Onychoteuthidae #Orobusta1|# and List of giant squid specimens and sightings, and Psychroteuthidae . Many more misidentifications have been propagated in the popular press, involving—among others—Megalocranchia cf. fisheri, Thysanoteuthis rhombus, and an egg mass of Nototodarus gouldi. This situation is further confused by the occasional usage of the common name 'giant squid' in reference to large squids of other genera.

List of giant squid

Sourcing and progenitors

The present list generally follows "Records of Architeuthis Specimens from Published Reports", compiled by zoologist Michael J. Sweeney of the Smithsonian Institution and including records through 1999, with additional information taken from other sources. While Sweeney's list is sourced almost entirely from the scientific literature, many of the more recent specimens are supported by reports from the news media, including newspapers and magazines, radio and television broadcasts, and online sources.
Earlier efforts to compile a list of all known giant squid encounters throughout history include those of marine writer and artist Richard Ellis. Ellis's second list, published as an appendix to his 1998 book The Search for the Giant Squid, comprises 166 entries spanning four and a half centuries, from 1545 to 1996. Records which appear in Ellis's 1998 list but are not found in Sweeney & Roper's 2001 list have a citation to Ellis —in the page range 257–265—in the 'Additional references' column of the main table.
In addition to these global specimen lists, a number of regional compilations have been published, including Aldrich for Newfoundland, Okiyama for the Sea of Japan, Förch for New Zealand, Guerra et al. for Asturias, Spain, and Roper et al. for the western North Atlantic. Works exhaustively enumerating all recorded specimens from a particular mass appearance event include those of Verrill for Newfoundland in 1870–1881 and Kubodera et al. for the Sea of Japan in 2014–2015. Though the number of authenticated giant squid records now runs into the hundreds, individual specimens still generate considerable scientific interest and continue to have scholarly papers unto themselves.

Scope and inclusion criteria

The list includes records of giant squid either supported by a physical specimen or—in the absence of any saved material—where at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: the specimen was examined by an expert prior to disposal and thereby positively identified as a giant squid; a photograph or video recording of the specimen was taken, on the basis of which it was assigned to the genus Architeuthis by a recognised authority; or the record was accepted as being that of a giant squid by a contemporary expert or later authority.
by W. A. Cranston of a giant squid attacking a boat. Only sightings deemed authentic by published experts are included in the list.
Purported sightings of giant squid lacking both physical and documentary evidence and expert appraisal are generally excluded, with the exception of those appearing in the lists of Ellis, Ellis, or Sweeney & Roper . In particular, "sea monster" sightings—many of which have been attributed to giant squid by various authors—fall short of this standard.
The earliest records of very large squid date to classical antiquity and the writings of Aristotle and Pliny the Elder. But in the absence of detailed descriptions or surviving remains, it is not possible to assign these to the giant squid genus Architeuthis with any confidence, and they are therefore not included in this list. Basque and Portuguese cod fishermen observed what were likely giant squid carcasses in the waters of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland as early as the 16th century, but conclusive evidence is similarly lacking. The earliest specimens identifiable as true giant squid are generally accepted to be ones from the early modern period in the 17th and 18th centuries, and possibly as far back as the 16th century.
All developmental stages from hatchling to mature adult are included. In the literature there is a single anecdotal account of a giant squid "egg case", but this is excluded due to a lack of substantiating evidence. Indirect evidence of giant squid—such as sucker scars found on sperm whales—falls outside the scope of this list.
Specimens misassigned to the genus Architeuthis in print publications or news reports are also included, but are [|clearly highlighted as misidentifications].

List of specimens

Records are listed chronologically in ascending order and numbered accordingly. This numbering is not meant to be definitive but rather to provide a convenient means of referring to individual records. Specimens incorrectly assigned to the genus Architeuthis are counted separately, their numbers enclosed in square brackets, and are highlighted in pink. Records that cover multiple giant squid specimens, or remains of more than a single animal, have the 'Material cited' cell highlighted in grey. Animals that were photographed or filmed while alive are highlighted in yellow. Where a record falls into more than one of these categories, a combination of shadings is used. Where an image of a specimen is available this is indicated by a camera symbol that links to the image.
, showing the exceptionally long feeding tentacles, which are often missing or damaged in recovered specimens. Some of the more extreme published giant squid measurements have been attributed to artificial lengthening of these tentacles. Almost the entire bulk of the animal—that is, the mantle, head, and arms—takes up less than half of its total length; the absence of the tentacles, therefore, has a great effect on the animal's total length but very little on its mass.

Date – Date on which the specimen was first captured, found, or observed. Where this is unknown, the date on which the specimen was first reported is listed instead and noted as such. All times are local.
Location – Area where the specimen was encountered, including coordinates and depth information where available. Given as it appears in the cited reference, except where additional information is provided in square brackets. The quadrant of a major ocean in which the specimen was found is given in curly brackets.
Nature of encounter – Circumstances in which the specimen was recovered or observed. Given as they appear in the cited reference, although "washed ashore" encompasses all stranded animals.
Identification – Species- or genus-level taxon to which the specimen was assigned. Given as it appears in the cited reference. Listed chronologically if specimen was re-identified. These designations are primarily of historical interest as most authorities now recognise a single species of giant squid: Architeuthis dux. Where only a vernacular name has been applied to the specimen, this is given instead.
' – Original specimen material that was recovered or observed. "Entire" encompasses all more-or-less complete specimens. Names of anatomical features are retained from original sources. The specimen's state of preservation is also given, where known, and any missing parts enumerated.
Material saved – Material that was kept after examination and not discarded. Information may be derived from outdated sources; material may no longer be extant even if stated as such.
Sex – Sex and sexual maturity of the specimen.
Size and measurements – Data relating to measurements and counts. Abbreviations used are based on standardised acronyms in teuthology, with the exception of several found in older references. Measurements are given as they appear in the cited reference, with both arithmetic precision and original units preserved, though some of the more extreme lengths and weights found in older literature [|have since been discredited].
Repository – Institution in which the specimen material is deposited, including accession numbers where available. Institutional acronyms are those defined by Leviton et al. and Leviton & Gibbs . Where the acronym is unknown, the full repository name is listed. [|Type specimens], such as holotypes or syntypes, are identified as such in boldface. If an author has given a specimen a unique identifying number, this is included as well, whether or not the specimen is extant.
Main references – The most important sources, typically ones that provide extensive data and/or analysis on a particular specimen. Presented in author–date parenthetical referencing style, with page numbers included where applicable. Only the first page of relevant coverage is given, except where this is discontinuous. Any relevant figures and plates are enumerated.
' – References of lesser importance or primacy, either because they provide less substantive information on a given record, or else because they are not easily obtainable or possibly even extant but nonetheless mentioned in more readily accessible published works.
Notes – Miscellaneous information, often including individuals and vessels involved in the specimen's recovery and subsequent handling, and any dissections, preservation work or scientific analyses carried out on the specimen. Where animals have been recorded while alive this is also noted. Material not referable to the genus Architeuthis, as well as specimens on public display, are both highlighted in bold, though the latter information may no longer be current.

Date

Location

Nature of encounter

Identification

Material cited

Material saved

Sex

Size and measurements

Repository

Main references

Additional references

Notes

1546

Øresund, near Malmö, Denmark–Norway [since 1658 Malmö has been part of Sweden]

Found washed ashore; "caught live"

"Japetus Steenstrup delivered a lecture in 1854 with a strong suggestion that the 'soemunk' was an Architeuthis." ; Architeuthis monachus Steenstrup in Harting, 1860; Squatina squatina

Entire?

Undetermined

?WL: ~3 m

Belon ; Belon ; Gessner ; Steenstrup ; Lönnberg ; Roeleveld & Knudsen ; Ellis ; Paxton & Holland

Nordgård ; Muus ; Russell & Russell ; Aldrich

Drawings of animal sent by Christian III of Denmark to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V sometime between 1545 and 1550. Mentioned in the writings of 16th century naturalists Pierre Belon, Guillaume Rondelet, and Conrad Gesner, though giant squid identity first proposed by Japetus Steenstrup in lecture on 26 November 1854. Muus wrote: "From contemporary descriptions with accompanying woodcuts it appears that the animal was regarded as a 'soemunk'." Paxton & Holland concluded that the specimen "was unlikely to have been a giant squid The most likely alternative suspect would be the angelshark Squatina squatina". The similar sea bishop has also been interpreted as a giant squid carcass, or a Jenny Haniver made from a skate.

Autumn 1639

"Thingøre Sand, Nordresyssel" or "Thingøresand, Hunevandsyssel", Iceland

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis sp.

Entire

One arm

BL+HL: ~; AL: ~; TL: ~; BC: ~

Thingøre monastery; "museum at Copenhagen"

Jónsson ; Ólafsson ; #Steenstrup1849|Steenstrup ; #Steenstrup1898|Steenstrup ; Ellis

Packard ; Verrill ; Robson ; Muus

~15 October 1673

Dingle-I-cosh, Kerry, Ireland

Found floating at surface, in process of washing ashore, alive

Dinoteuthis proboscideus More, 1875; Architeuthis monachus ; Ommastrephes monachus

Entire

Two arms, buccal mass, and suckers taken to Dublin

TL: ~ + ; AL: ~; "liver":

Undetermined ; holotype of Dinoteuthis proboscideus More, 1875

#Anonc1673| ; #Hookeetalc1674|Hooke et al. ; More ; Verrill ; Tryon ; Ellis ; Sueur-Hermel

More ; Massy ; Ritchie ; Robson ; Rees ; Hardy ; Collins

Found by James Steward. Original material relating to this specimen consists of: a broadsheet printed in London with three letters together with a description and illustration ; a fourth letter in manuscript ; a broadsheet printed in Dublin to be distributed as a handbill ; and an eight-page booklet printed in London with a woodcut reproduction of the illustration in the broadsheet.

1680

Ulvangen Fjord, Alstadhoug parish, Norway

Not stated

Entire?

Pontoppidan

#Steenstrup1857|Steenstrup ; Grieg

1770

Jutland, Denmark

Unknown

Muss

Ellis

27 May 1785

Grand Banks, Newfoundland

Found floating dead

Architeuthis sp.

BL:

Thomas ; Aldrich

Data from Capt. G. Cartwright.

November or December 1790

Arnarnaesvik, Modruvalle, Iceland

Found washed ashore

Entire

None; used for cod bait

"longest tentacula": >; "body right from the head": ; "so thick that a fullgrown man could hardly embrace it with his arms"

#Steenstrup1849|Steenstrup ; #Steenstrup1898|Steenstrup ; Ellis

February 1792 diary of Sveinn Pálsson ; Verrill ; Robson

Called Kolkrabbe by local people.

17--

Freshwater Bay, near mouth of St. John's harbour, Newfoundland

Unknown

Architeuthis sp.

Thomas ; Aldrich

17--

Grand Banks, Newfoundland

Unknown

Architeuthis sp.

Aldrich

1798

north coast of Denmark

Not stated

"gigantic squid"

Unknown

"museum at Copenhagen"

Packard

Ellis

9 January 1802

off Tasmania, Australia

Found at surface, alive

?Loligo "]

"size of a barrel" ; AL: 1.9–2.2 m; AD: 18–21 cm

Péron

Quoy & Gaimard ; Ellis

Péron wrote: "it rolled with noise in the midst of the waves, and its long arms, stretched out on their surface, stirred like so many enormous reptiles".

1817–1820

Atlantic Ocean, near equator

Found floating at surface

"énorme calmar"

Partial remains; "tentacles" missing

WT: 100 "livres" ; WT: 200 "livres"

Quoy & Gaimard

Packard ; Ellis

Found at surface in calm weather. Quoy & Gaimard opined: "it is easy to imagine that one of these terrible molluscs could readily remove a man from a fairly large boat, but not a medium-tonnage vessel, still less tilting this vessel and endangering it, as some would like to believe".

December 1853

Raabjerg beach, North Jutland, coast of Skagerack, Denmark

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

WT: 80–85 kg; jaw measurements #Steenstrup1898|Steenstrup

ZMUC; holotype of Architeuthis monachus Steenstrup, 1857

#Steenstrup1855b|Steenstrup ; Harting ; #Steenstrup1898|Steenstrup ; Kristensen & Knudsen

#Steenstrup1857|Steenstrup ; Packard ; Gervais ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Posselt ; Nordgård

"Architeuthis monachus" Steenstrup = nomen nudum .

5 November 1855

western Atlantic Ocean, near Bahamas

Not stated; presumably found floating at surface

Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857; Architeuthis titan

Arm, suckers, and gladius

Male

WL: 377 cm; AL: 1/2 whole length ; beak measurements; GL:

ZMUC; holotype of Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 ; ZMB Moll. 34798

#Steenstrup1857|Steenstrup ; #Steenstrup1882|Steenstrup ; #Steenstrup1898|Steenstrup ; Tryon ; Kristensen & Knudsen ; Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas

Packard ; Verrill ; Posselt ; Toll & Hess

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.

December 1855

Aalbaekbugten, Denmark

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis sp.

Entire?

Undetermined

Muus

Posselt

Unknown

Not stated

Architeuthis dux ; ?Ommastrephes hartingii ; Architeuthis hartingii ; nomen nudum

Jaws, buccal mass, detached arm suckers

ASD:

Utrecht University Natural History Museum; holotype of Loligo hartingii Verrill, 1875. Harting specimen No. 1

Harting ; Kent ; Verrill ; Tryon ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Pfeffer

Dell

1860

between Hillswick and Scalloway, Shetland, Scotland

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis monachus Steenstrup, 1857; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857

Undetermined

TL: ; AL: ~; BL: ~

Jeffreys ; Stephen

More ; Pfeffer ; Rees ; Collins

30 November ?1861

about northeast of Teneriffe, Canary Islands

Found floating at surface

Loligo bouyeri ; ?Ommastrephes bouyeri

Entire, decomposed

BL:

Bouyer ; Crosse & Fischer ; Bouyer ; Kent ; Verrill ; Tryon ; Heuvelmans

Frédol ; Figuier ; Frédol ; Mangin ; Meunier ; Kent ; Gervais ; Lee ; Rees & Maul ; Muntz ; Lagrange

Observed only by officers of the French gunboat Alecton; sketch made. A report of the incident filed by the ship's lieutenant was almost certainly seen by Jules Verne and adapted by him for the description of the monstrous squid in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Iconography discussed by Lagrange.

1862

North Atlantic

Unknown

Crosse & Fischer

Ellis

Unknown; 1870?

Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, Canada

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878

Entire

BL: ; BL+HL: ; EL: ; TL: ; AL: ; FW: ; FL: ; extensive additional measurements

NSMC; catalog no. 1870-Z-2. YPM; catalog nos. , ; holotype of Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878 ; Verrill specimen No. 21

Verrill ; Tryon ; Verrill ; Verrill

Non-architeuthid. Collected by J.M. Jones.

September 1870

Waimarama, east coast of Wellington, New Zealand

Found washed ashore

Entire

Beak

BL+HL: ; BC: ; AL:

In Kirk's possession; Kirk specimen No. 1

Kirk ; Verrill

Meinertzhagen letter 27 June 1879 to Kirk; Pfeffer ; Dell

Mr. Meinertzhagen sent beak, saved by third party, to Kirk. Natives called specimen a "taniwha".

1870

Lamaline, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup

Two specimens; entire?

Two; EL: and EL:

Unknown; Verrill specimen Nos. 8 & 9

Murray ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Harvey ; Kent ; Frost

Data from Mr. Harvey letter citing Rev. M. Gabriel's statement to Harvey.

October 1871

Grand Banks, Newfoundland

Found floating at surface

Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875

Entire; part used as bait

Jaws obtained from Baird for examination by Verrill

BL: ~; BD: ; AL: ~ ; AD: ; AC: ; beak; BC: ; WT:

Jaws at NMNH ; lower jaw is syntype of Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875b; Verrill specimen No. 1

Packard ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Pfeffer ; Frost

Taken by Capt. Campbell, Schooner B.D. Haskins.

1871

Wellington, New Zealand

?EL:

Dell

Ellis

1872

Coomb's Cove, Newfoundland

Found alive in shallow water, having been driven ashore in heavy sea

Entire; "one long arm missing"

BL: ; BD: ; TL: ; AL: ~; AD: ; skin + flesh: thick; EL:

Unknown; Verrill specimen No. 3

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Owen ; Frost

Specimen had a reddish colour. Verrill's data taken from newspaper accounts and 15/VI/1873 T.R. Bennett letter to Prof. Baird. Verrill states his No. 6 is same specimen as No. 3; this cannot be correct, since capture date for No. 6 is clearly stated as December 1874 by Verrill .

December 1872

Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

?Architeuthis dux ; ?Architeuthis harveyi

Entire

Pair of jaws and two suckers

TL: ; AL: ~; BL: ~ ; BC:

NMNH. YPM; catalog no. . Verrill specimen No. 4 ; and possibly also Verrill specimen No. 11

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Pfeffer ; Frost

Material from Rev. A. Munn, through Prof. Baird to Verrill.

Unknown

North Atlantic Ocean

From sperm whale stomach

Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875; Ommastrephes princeps

Upper and lower jaws

Beak measurements

Presented by Capt. N.E. Atwood of Provincetown, Massachusetts to EI ; PASS ; syntype of Architeuthis princeps Verrill, 1875b; Verrill specimen No. 10

Packard ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Tryon ; Verrill ; Verrill

Frost

Verrill states Packard's illustration is inaccurate.

1873

Yedo fishmarket, Japan

Purchased

Megateuthis martensii Hilgendorf, 1880; Nomen spurium

'Entire', missing head, "abdominal sac", ends of tentacles and arms

Not specified

ML: 186 cm; WL: 414 cm; HL: 41 cm; AL: 197 cm ; ASD: 1.5 cm ; EyD: 200 mm

ZMB Moll. 34716 + 38980; holotype of Megateuthis martensii Hilgendorf, 1880

Hilgendorf ; Pfeffer ; Sasaki ; Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas

Owen ; Sasaki

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". Model of specimen placed in Exhibition of Fishery in Berlin.

26 October 1873

off Portugal Cove, Conception Bay, Newfoundland

Found floating at surface, alive

Megaloteuthis harveyi Kent, 1874; Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup ; ?Architeuthis harveyi

Entire

One tentacle; one arm discarded

TL: ; TSD: ; TC: ; additional measurements based on photograph ; additional club measurement from Harvey letter ; BL: ~; EL: ~

YPM?; holotype of Megaloteuthis harveyi Kent, 1874; Verrill specimen No. 2

Harvey ; Harvey ; Harvey ; Harvey ; Murray ; Murray ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Kent ; Kent ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Haslam

"13 December Field"; #Anon1873| ; Harvey ; #Anon1874| ; Rathbun ; Owen ; Lee ; #Anon1902b| ; Pfeffer ; Frost ; Aldrich ; Dery

Found floating at surface; struck by Theophilus Picot from boat; attacked boat. Considered by Paxton as the "longest visually estimated" total length of any giant squid specimen. Dery wrote: "contemporary teuthologists dismiss the "attack" as the death throes of a moribund animal, pointing out that virtually all giant squid encountered on the ocean’s surface are dead or dying. "There is not a single corroborated story of a squid attacking a man, a boat, or a submersible", asserts Ellis."

25 November? 1873

Logy Bay, Newfoundland

In herring net

?Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup ; Ommastrephes monachus ; Architeuthis harveyi

Entire

Miscellaneous parts obtained from Rev. M. Harvey

BL: ~; BC: ; caudal fin: broad; TL: ; TC: ; AL: ; AC:,,, ; ASC: ~100; CSC: ~160; club description; extensive description of reconstructed parts

YPM; catalog nos. , , , , . Verrill specimen No. 5

Harvey ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Kent ; Kent ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Tryon ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Pfeffer ; Aldrich ; Haslam

Harvey in Morning Chronicle of St. John's; Maritime Monthly Magazine of St. John's, March 1874; several other newspapers; #Anon1874| ; Lee ; #Anon1902b| ; Frost entire body, somewhat mutilated anteriorly; b) head and 10 limbs. Poorly preserved; first in brine, then in alcohol. Capture date given as December several times, then as November several times and as 25 November by Aldrich. Verrill's description served as the basis for a number of life-sized models, including the one that now hangs at the Peabody Museum of Natural History, built in 1966, though it was also based on several Newfoundland specimens from the 1960s. Matthew Gavin Frank wrote a work of creative nonfiction on this specimen and the famous photograph of it draped over Harvey's shower curtain rod.

Unknown

Unknown; South-American coast
?

Not stated

Architeuthis monachus ; Plectoteuthis grandis Owen, 1881; Architeuthis sp.? ; nomen nudum

Sessile arm

Arm

AL: ; AC:

BMNH; holotype of Plectoteuthis grandis Owen, 1881

Kent ; Kent ; Verrill ; Owen ; Verrill ; Verrill ; #Steenstrup1882|Steenstrup ; Pfeffer

Dell

1874

Buøy, Foldenfjord, Norway

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis dux

Entire

WL: ~4 m

Grieg

Nordgård

10 May 1874

off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

Reportedly seen sinking ship

Unknown

The Times, 4 July 1874; Mystic Press, 31 July 1874; Lane ; Ellis ; Boyle ; Uragoda

Ellis

Schooner Pearl with crew of six, including captain James Floyd, supposedly sunk by giant squid. Incident reportedly seen from passenger steamer Strathowen, bound from Colombo to Madras, which rescued five of the crew. Veracity of account has been questioned.

2 November 1874

on beach, St. Paul Island, Indian Ocean

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis mouchezi Vélain ; Mouchezis sancti-pauli Vélain ; Ommastrephes mouchezi

Entire; found in advanced state of decay

Tentacle and buccal mass

EL: 7.15 m

MNHN; catalog nos. 3-2-658 + 3-2-659 ; holotype of Mouchezis sancti-pauli Vélain, 1877

Vélain ; Vélain ; Vélain ; Tryon ; Owen ; Pfeffer

Gervais ; Verrill ; Wright

Recorded by geologist Charles Vélain during French astronomical mission to Île Saint-Paul to observe the transit of Venus. Specimen was photographed.

December 1874

Grand Bank, Fortune Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis princeps

Entire, except for tail

Jaws, one tentacular sucker

EL: ; HL+BL: ; ?TL: ; TL: ; TC: ; BL: ; jaws

YPM; catalog nos. , . Verrill specimen No. 6 and Verrill specimen No. 13

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Simms letter 27/X/1875 to Verrill; Frost

Data from 10/XII/1873 letter from Mr. Harvey to unknown individual citing measurements taken by G. Simms; Pfeffer. Measurements are given differently in different papers. Verrill and Verrill states his No. 6 is same specimen as No. 3; this cannot be correct, as capture date for No. 6 is clearly stated as December 1874 by Verrill . Verrill repeats record as his No. 13.

winter of 1874–1875

near Harbor Grace, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

Destroyed

None taken

None; Verrill specimen No. 12

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Frost

"destroyed before its value became known, and no measurements are given"

Unknown

west St. Modent, Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland

Found alive

Architeuthis princeps or Architeuthis monachus of Steenstrup

Entire

None; cut up, salted, and barrelled for dog meat

?TL: ; BL+HL: ; EL: ; SD: ~

None; Verrill specimen No. 7

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Dr. Honeyman article in Halifax newspaper; Frost

Data from unidentified third party cited in Halifax newspaper article.

25 April 1875

north-west of Boffin Island, Connemara, Ireland

Found immobile at surface; attacked and chased by fishermen; arms successively hacked off and eventually killed

Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857

Entire

Beak and buccal mass, one arm, portions of both tentacles ; head, eyes and second arm initially saved, but soon lost/destroyed

TL: ; TL: 14/17 ft ; CL: ; CSD: nearly ; SSD: ; AL: ; AC: ; beak: ~ × ; "trunk": "fully as long as the canoe"; EyD: ~; WT: ~ ; additional sucker measurements

NMI

O'Connor ; More ; More ; Verrill ; Massy

Galway Express 1875; Ritchie ; Massy ; Robson ; Rees ; Hardy ; Collins

On public display. Caught by three-man longline fishing crew of currach for use as bait for coarse fish. Found motionless at surface surrounded by gulls, becoming active upon being attacked by fishermen, swimming away "at a tremendous rate" and releasing ink. Progressively disabled with a knife as chased for 2 hours over, before head eventually severed; heavy mantle allowed to sink. Specimen secured and preserved by Sergeant Thomas O'Connor of the Royal Irish Constabulary and forwarded by him to the museum of the Royal Dublin Society, Dublin.

October 1875

Grand Banks , Atlantic Ocean

Found floating at surface; "mostly entirely dead" but small minority "not quite dead, but entirely disabled"

Architeuthis

Multiple; mutilated by birds and fishes to varying degrees, especially limbs; No. 25 missing parts of arms; No. 26 with intact arms and tentacles

None; cut up for cod bait

No. 25: Filled ~ tub; WT: nearly ; No. 26: TL: ; Howard specimens: BL+HL?: mostly ; BD: ~ ; AL: usually ; AD: "about as large as a man's thigh" ; Tragabigzanda specimens: BL+HL?:

None; included Verrill specimen No. 25 and Verrill specimen No. 26

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Frost

An unusual number of mostly dead giant squid found by Gloucester, Massachusetts fishermen, with similar number estimated to have been obtained by vessels from other areas. Data from Capt. J.W. Collins of the United States Fish Commission, who at the time of the incident commanded schooner Howard, which collected five specimens. Other involved vessels included schooner Sarah P. Ayer, which took 1–2 specimens; E. R. Nickerson, which harpooned one with intact arms that was "not entirely dead"; and schooner Tragabigzanda, which took three in one afternoon. Some fishermen stated that such "big squids" were also common at the Flemish Cap during the same season. Verrill conjectured that this mass mortality might have been due to an outbreak of disease or parasites, and/or related to their reproductive cycle.

~1876

Clifford Bay, Cape Campbell, New Zealand

Found washed ashore

Entire

Jaws

BL: ; EL: ~

Colonial Museum

Robson ; Kirk

Pfeffer ; Dell

20 November 1876

Hammer Cove, southwest arm of Green Bay, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

Partial specimen; devoured by foxes and seabirds

Piece of pen long

WH: ; FW:

In Harvey's possession; Verrill specimen No. 15

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

M. Harvey letter 25 August 1877 to Verrill; Frost

1877?

Norway

Not stated

Map location only

Sivertsen

24 September 1877

Catalina, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore, alive

Architeuthis princeps; Ommastrephes princeps

Entire; "nearly perfect specimen"

Loose suckers

HL+BL: ; BC: ; TL: ; AL: ; AC: ; beak; FW:

YPM; catalog nos. , , , . Verrill specimen No. 14

Harvey ; #Anon1877a| ; #Anon1877b| ; #Anon1877c| ; Verrill ; Tryon ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Owen ; Pfeffer ; Frost

Measured fresh by M. Harvey; examined preserved by Verrill at New York Aquarium. Later "prepared" for exhibition by taxidermist. Cast made for the AMNH.

October 1877

Trinity Bay, Newfoundland

Not stated

"big squid"

None taken

None; Verrill specimen No. 17

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

M. Harvey letter 17 November 1877 to Verrill citing reference to specimen by John Duffet; Frost

Specimen cut up and used for manure.

21 November 1877

Smith's Sound, Lance Cove, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore, alive

?Architeuthis princeps

Entire

None; carried off by tide

BL: ; TL: ; AL:

None; Verrill specimen No. 16

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

M. Harvey letter 27 November 1877 to Verrill citing measurements taken by John Duffet; Frost

Found still alive, having "ploughed up a trench or furrow about 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."

2 November 1878

near Little Bay Copper Mine, Thimble Tickle, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland

Found aground offshore, alive; secured to tree with grapnel and rope; died as tide receded

?Architeuthis princeps

Entire

None; cut up for dog food

BL+HL: ; TL:

None; Verrill specimen No. 18

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

M. Harvey letter 30 January 1879 to Boston Traveller; Holder ; Frost ; Hickey ; Paxton

Discovered by Stephen Sherring, fisherman. Often cited as the largest recorded giant squid specimen, and long treated as such by Guinness. The length of the "body from the beak to the extremity of the tail" was said to be, with "one of the arms" measuring, for a total length of . Considered by Paxton as candidate for "longest measured" total length of any giant squid specimen. Total length sometimes mistakenly cited as per Paxton. Giant Squid Interpretation Centre and "life-sized", 55-foot sculpture built near site of capture ; sculpture appeared on Canadian postage stamp issued in 2011.

2 December 1878

Three Arms, South Arm of Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

?Architeuthis princeps

Entire, mutilated and with arms missing

None; cut up for dog food

BL+HL: ; BC: ; AL: ; AD: "thicker than a man's thigh"

None; Verrill specimen No. 19

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

M. Harvey letter 30 January 1879 to Boston Traveller; Frost ; Paxton

Found dead by fisherman William Budgell after heavy gale. Considered by Paxton as the "longest measured" standard length of any giant squid specimen.

23 May 1879

Lyall Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand

Found washed ashore

Steenstrupia stockii Kirk, 1882

Entire, but somewhat mutilated

Pen, beak, tongue, some suckers

ML: ; BC: ; HL: ; BL+HL: ; HC: ; AL: ; AC: ; ASC: 36; FL: ; FW: ; GL: ; GW: ; other measurements

NMNZ; catalog no. M.125405 + M.125403 ; holotype of Steenstrupia stockii Kirk, 1882. Kirk specimen No. 3

Kirk ; Verrill ; Kirk

Verrill ; Kirk ; Pfeffer ; Suter ; Dell ; Dell ; Stevens ; Judd ; Paxton

Measurements taken by T.W. Kirk. Considered by Paxton as the longest reliably measured mantle length of any giant squid specimen.

1879

off Nova Scotia, Canada

From fish stomach, Alepisaurus ferox|Alepidosaurus ferox

?Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878; ?Architeuthis harveyi

Terminal part of tentacular arm

Portion of arm

long

NMNH; catalog no. 576962. Verrill specimen No. 20

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Frost

Lancetfish taken by Capt. J.W. Collins of schooner Marion on halibut trawl-line.

September 1879

Olafsfjord, Iceland

Architeuthis

Left tentacle

TL: 7680+ mm; CL: 1010 mm; CSC: 268; TSC: 290; additional indices and counts

ZMUC

Roeleveld

Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.

October 1879

near Brigus, Conception Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

Two arms with other mutilated parts

Undetermined

AL:

None?; Verrill specimen No. 22

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Frost

Found after storm. Information provided by Moses Harvey.

1 November 1879

James's Cove, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland

Found at surface, alive

Entire

None; cut up by fishermen

EL: ; BL: ; BC: ~; TL:

None; Verrill specimen No. 23

Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Morning Chronicle of St. John's 9 December 1879; Frost

Found alive and driven ashore.

Unknown

near Boulder Bank, Nelson, New Zealand

Not stated; hook and line?

Not indicated

Undetermined

long

None?; Kirk specimen No. 4

Kirk ; Verrill

Newspaper article

Caught by fishing party. No other data.

Unknown

near Flat Point, east coast, New Zealand

Not stated

Not indicated

Undetermined

None?; Kirk specimen No. 5

Kirk ; Verrill

Description sent to Mr. Beetham, M.H.R., by Mr. Moore

Found by Mr. Moore. No other data.

April 1880

Grand Banks, Newfoundland

Found dead at surface

Architeuthis harveyi

Head, tentacles, and arms only

Head, tentacles, and arms

TL: ; ASC: 330; extensive measurements and counts

YPM; catalog no. 12600y. Verrill specimen No. 24

Verrill ; Verrill

Pfeffer ; Frost

Found dead by Capt. O.A. Whitten of schooner Wm.H. Oakes. Arm and sucker regeneration documented by Verrill ; one of two published records of limb regeneration in architeuthids, the other being a case of tentacle regeneration in #170.

6 June 1880

Island Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis verrilli Kirk, 1882

Entire

Not specified

ML: ; BC: ; TL: ; AL: ; AC: ; AL: ; AC: ; ASC: 71; HC: ; HL: ; FL: ; FW: ; EyD: by

NMNZ; holotype of Architeuthis verrilli Kirk, 1882; specimen no longer extant

Kirk

Verrill ; Kirk ; Pfeffer ; Suter ; Dell ; Dell

Measurements taken by Kirk, except TL by James McColl. Beak and portions of gladius taken by Italian fishermen and not recovered.

~1880

Kvænangen, Norway

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857

Entire

Grieg

Sivertsen

~1880

Tønsvik, Tromsøysund, Norway

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857

Entire

Grieg

October 1880

Kilkee, County Clare, Ireland

Found washed ashore

"octopus"; Architeuthis sp.

O'Brien ; Ritchie

Rees ; Collins

Originally cited as an octopus.

first week of November 1881

on beach, Hennesey's Cove, Long Island, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis princeps?

Entire; "much mutilated by crows and other birds"

Not stated

"very large"; BL+HL:

Verrill specimen No. 28

Verrill

M. Harvey letter 19 December 1881 to Verrill

Found by Albert Butcher and George Wareham, "who cut a portion from the head", at uninhabited locality; Verrill considered their estimate of the specimen's length "probably too large". Moses Harvey learned of the specimen from C. D. Chambers, magistrate of Harbour Buffet, Placentia Bay. Only mentioned in Verrill ; overlooked by Ellis, Ellis, and Sweeney & Roper.

10 November 1881

Portugal Cove, near St. John's, Newfoundland

Found floating dead near shore

Architeuthis harveyi

Entire

Entire BL: ; HL: ; EL: ; BC: b) ML: ; BC: ; FL: ; FW: ; TL: ; CL: ; AL: ; TC: ; additional measurements

E.M. Worth Museum. Verrill specimen No. 27

#Anon1881| ; Verrill ; Verrill ; Verrill

Morris article in 25 November 1881 New York Herald; Pfeffer

Obtained by Mr. Morris, photographed by E. Lyons Inspector Murphy Verrill of fixed specimen. An 1881 specimen from Portugal Cove with a "body" reportedly long, mentioned in the Evening Telegram of St. John's and cited by Frost, presumably refers to the same animal.

30 June 1886

Cape Campbell, New Zealand

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887

Entire

Beak and club

ML: ; HL: ; AL: ; TL: ; EL: ; BC: ~

NMNZ; catalog no. M.125404 + ?M.125406 ; holotype of Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887. Kirk specimen No. 2

Kirk ; Verrill ; Robson

C.H. Robson letter 19 June 1879 to T.W. Kirk; Pfeffer ; Suter ; Dell ; Dell

Found by Mr. C.H. Robson; beak given to Mr. A. Hamilton.

"early" October 1887

Lyall Bay, New Zealand

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis longimanus Kirk, 1888

Entire

Beak and buccal-mass

Female

EL: ; ML: ; BC: ; extensive additional measurements and description

Dominion Museum ; holotype of Architeuthis longimanus Kirk, 1888. Specimen not found

Kirk ; Pfeffer

Suter ; Dell ; Dell ; Wood ; Ellis ; O'Shea & Bolstad ; Dery ; Paxton

Strangely proportioned animal that has been much commented on; sometimes cited as the longest giant squid specimen ever recorded. Considered by Paxton as candidate for "longest measured" total length of any giant squid specimen. Found by Mr. Smith, local fisherman. Measurements taken by T.W. Kirk. Date found listed incorrectly in Dell .

27 August 1888

between Pico and St. George, Azores Islands at 1266 m depth

By benthic trawl

Architeuthis? sp.?

Large beak

Undetermined

Joubin

1889

Norway

Not stated

Map location only

Sivertsen

Unknown

Sao Miguel Island, Azores Islands

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis princeps

Entire?

Jaws and tentacle club

Beak measurements

Museum in Lisbon

Girard

Pfeffer ; Robson

1892

Greenland

Not stated

Architeuthis monachus

Posselt

Unknown

Talcahuano, Chile

Unknown; collected and donated to ZMB by Ludwig Plate

Ommastrephes gigas ; Architeuthis ; Dosidicus gigas

Entire

Entire, internal parts missing, preserved in alcohol; "exceptionally good condition"

Female

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: 460 mm; AL: 450 mm; AL: 500 mm; AL: 440 mm; LSD: 20 mm ; LSD: 15 mm ; LSD: 14 mm ; EyD: 80 mm; Lens: 35 mm

ZMB Moll. 49.804

Martens ; Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas

Möbius ; Möbius ; #Anon1899| ; #Anon1902a| ; Kilias ; Wechsler

Non-architeuthid. On public display. 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 1945–50, when it was housed in main entrance hall in large glass cylinder on marble pedestal. From December 1975, displayed as part of "Meeresungeheuer" exhibit at German Maritime Museum in Stralsund, on loan from ZMB. Return to museum noted in February 1992, when it was placed in new purpose-built container and displayed in Malacological Collection. Incorrectly identified by Kilias as Architeuthis in figure legend, with total length given as ~2 m. Specimen cast in 1997–98 for creation of 8.5-m-long plastic "giant squid" model, exhibited since 1998 at Übersee-Museum Bremen with sperm whale skull. Re-identified as Dosidicus gigas in June 1998 by Mario Alejandro Salcedo-Vargas. Internal parts apparently removed when specimen originally dissected by Martens or prepared for exhibition.

4 February 1895

Bay of Tateyama [Tokyo Bay], Province of Awa, Japan

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 ; Pfeffer

Sasaki

Caught in net after 2–3-day storm.

18 July 1895

near Angra, Azores Islands

Caught at surface using shrimp net

Dubioteuthis physeteris Joubin, 1900

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

Joubin ; Pfeffer

Hardy ; Roper & Young ; Toll & Hess

18 July 1895

near Angra, Azores Islands

Caught at surface with shrimp net

Architeuthis sp.?; Non-architeuthid

Several jaws

Undetermined

Joubin

Pfeffer ; Clarke

Non-architeuthid.

10 April 1896

Kirkseteroren, Hevnefjord, Norway

Found washed ashore

Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857

Entire

Female

BL: 2.5 m; AL: 2.5 m; TL: 7.25 m

VSM

Storm ; Grieg

Brinkmann ; Nordgård ; Nordgård ; Sivertsen

27 September 1896

Kirkseteroren, Hevnefjord, Norway

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

Storm ; Grieg ; Roeleveld ; Roeleveld

Brinkmann ; Nordgård ; Nordgård ; Sivertsen ; Toll & Hess

Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.

Unknown

Iceland

Not stated

Architeuthis monachus''

Not specified

Undetermined

Posselt

Bardarson

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. Binomial names are listed alphabetically by specific epithet and presented in their original combinations.

Binomial name and author citation	Systematic status	Type locality	Type specimen and type repository
Loligo bouyeri Crosse & Fischer, 1862:138	Architeuthid?	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
Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857:183	Nomen tantum
Architeuthis dux Steenstrup in [\|Harting, 1860:11], pl. 1 fig. 1A	Valid species		ZMUC Holotype
Plectoteuthis grandis Owen, 1881:156, pls. 34–35	Architeuthis sp.	Not indicated	BMNH Holotype
Loligo hartingii Verrill, 1875b:86, fig. 28	Valid species; Architeuthis hartingii	Not indicated	University of Utrecht as Architeuthis dux, identification by Harting
Megaloteuthis harveyi Kent, 1874a:181	Architeuthis sp.	Conception Bay, Newfoundland	YPM Type 12600y
Architeuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912:27	Undetermined	Tokyo Bay, Japan	Undetermined; Holotype
Architeuthis kirkii Robson, 1887:155	Architeuthis stockii	Cape Campbell, New Zealand	NMNZ Holotype M.125404 + ?M.125406
Architeuthis longimanus Kirk, 1888:34, pls. 7–9	Architeuthis stockii	Lyall Bay, New Zealand	NMNZ Holotype; specimen not located
Megateuthis martensii Hilgendorf, 1880:67	Valid species; Architeuthis martensii	Yedo Japan fish market, Japan	ZMB Moll. 34716 + 38980
Architeuthis megaptera Verrill, 1878:207	Non-architeuthid; Sthenoteuthis pteropus	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	Raabjerg Strand; Northwest coast of Jutland, Denmark	ZMUC Holotype
Architeuthis mouchezi Vélain, 1875:1002	Nomen nudum; see Mouchezis sancti-pauli
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	Azores ; from sperm whale stomach	MOM Holotype ; Syntypes Verrill specimen No. 10, upper and lower beak)
Dinoteuthis proboscideus More, 1875a:4527	Architeuthis sp.	Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland	Unresolved
Mouchezis sancti-pauli Vélain, 1877:81, text-fig. 8	Valid species; Architeuthis sanctipauli	on beach, St. Paul Island, South Indian Ocean	MNHN Holotype 3-2-658 and 3-2-659
Steenstrupia stockii Kirk, 1882:286, pl. 36 figs. 2–4	Valid species; Architeuthis stockii	Cook Strait, New Zealand	NMNZ Holotype M.125405 + M.125403
Architeuthis titan Steenstrup in Verrill, 1875b:84	Nomen nudum
Architeuthis verrilli Kirk, 1882:284, pl. 36 fig. 1	Species dubium	Island Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand	NMNZ Holotype;

Abbreviations

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

Oceanic sectors

Oceanic sectors used in the main table follow Sweeney & Roper : 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 to 115°E. An additional category has been created to accommodate the handful of specimens recorded from the Mediterranean Sea.

NEA, Northeast Atlantic Ocean
NWA, Northwest Atlantic Ocean
SEA, Southeast Atlantic Ocean
SWA, Southwest Atlantic Ocean
NEP, Northeast Pacific Ocean
NWP, Northwest Pacific Ocean
SEP, Southeast Pacific Ocean
SWP, Southwest Pacific Ocean
NIO, Northern Indian Ocean
SIO, Southern Indian Ocean
MED, Mediterranean Sea
Measurements

Abbreviations used for measurements and counts follow Sweeney & Roper and are based on standardised acronyms in teuthology, primarily those defined by Roper & Voss, with the exception of several found in older references. Following Sweeney & Roper, the somewhat non-standard EL and WL are used in place of the more common TL and SL, respectively.

AC, arm circumference, AC, AC and AC
AD, arm diameter, AD, AD and AD
AF, arm formula
AL, arm length, AL, AL and AL
ASC, arm sucker count
ASD, arm sucker diameter
BAC, buccal apparatus circumference
BAL, buccal apparatus length
BC, body circumference
BD, body diameter
BL, body length
CaL, carpus length
CL, club length
CSC, club sucker count
CSD, club sucker diameter
CW, club width
DC, dactylus club length
EC, egg count
ED, egg diameter
EL, "entire" length
EyD, eye diameter
EyOD, eye orbit diameter
FL, fin length
FuCL, funnel cartilage length
FuCW, funnel cartilage width
FuD, funnel opening diameter
FuL, funnel length
FW, fin width
GiL, gill length
GL, gladius length
GW, gladius width
G, daily growth rate
HC, head circumference
HeL, hectocotylus length
HL, head length
HW, head width
LAL, longest arm length
LRL, lower rostral length of beak
LSD, largest sucker diameter
MaL, manus length
ML, dorsal mantle length
MT, mantle thickness
MW, maximum mantle width
NGL, nidamental gland length
PL, penis length
RaL, radula length
RaW, radula width
RL, rachis length
RW, rachis width
SInc, number of statolith increments
SL, spermatophore length
SoA, spermatophores on arms
SSD, stalk sucker diameter
SSL, spermatophore sac length
TaL, tail length
TC, tentacle circumference
TCL, tentacle club length
TD, tentacle diameter
TL, tentacle length
TSC, tentacle sucker count
TSD, tentacle sucker diameter
URL, upper rostral length of beak
VML, ventral mantle length
WL, "whole" length
WT, weight
Repositories

Institutional acronyms follow Sweeney & Roper and are primarily those defined by Leviton et al., Leviton & Gibbs, and Sabaj. Where the acronym is unknown, the full repository name is listed.

AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York, United States
AMS, Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
BAMZ, Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, Flatts Village, Bermuda
BMNH, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, England
CEPESMA, Museo-Aula del Mar, Coordinadora para el Estudio y la Protección de las Especies Marinas, Luarca, Spain
EI, Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, United States
FOSJ, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
ICM, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
MCNOPM, Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Puerto Madryn, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
MHNLR, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, La Rochelle, France
MHNN, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Nice, France
MMF, Museu Municipal do Funchal, Funchal, Madeira
MNHN, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France
MOM, Musée Océanographique, Monaco
MUDB, Department of Biology, Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada
NIWA, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
NMI, National Museum of Ireland – Natural History, Dublin, Ireland
NMML, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington, United States
NMNH, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
NMNZ, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand
NMSJ, Newfoundland Museum, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
NMSZ, National Museum of Scotland, Zoology Department, Edinburgh, Scotland
NMV, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
NSMC, Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax, Canada
PASS, Peabody Academy of Science, Salem, Massachusetts, United States
RSMAS, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, Florida, United States
SAM, Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa
SAMA, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
SBMNH, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California, United States
SMNH, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
VSM, NTNU Museum of Natural History and Archaeology, Trondheim, Norway
YPM, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
ZMB, Zoologisches Museum, Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
ZMMGU, Zoological Museum, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
ZMUB, Universitetet i Bergen, Bergen, Norway
ZMUC, Kobenhavns Universitet, Zoologisk Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark
Specimen images

The following images relate to pre–20th century giant squid specimens and sightings. The number below each image corresponds to that given in the List of giant squid table and is linked to the relevant record therein. The date on which the specimen was first documented is also given.

Explanatory footnotes

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List of giant squid specimens and sightings

Background

History of discovery

Distribution patterns

Total number of specimens

Procurement and display

Reported sizes

Species identifications

List of giant squid

Sourcing and progenitors

Scope and inclusion criteria

List of specimens

Type specimens

Abbreviations

Oceanic sectors

Measurements

Repositories

Specimen images

Explanatory footnotes

Full citations

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