Giant squid
Giant squid are a type of squid that can grow up to great sizes. Of the family Architeuthidae, they can grow up to 40 feet in length (although the tentacles usually make up over three quarters of this length). They have very large eyes and tentacles lined with suction cups to grasp prey. Giant squid live deep underwater, hunting deep-sea fish and other squid. They rarely come near the surface and so, sightings of giant squid are very scarce. Due in part to this elusiveness, giant squid are popular creatures in mythology, one example being the mighty kraken.
| Giant squid | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Mollusca |
| Class Information | |
| Class | Cephalopoda |
| Order Information | |
| Order | Teuthida |
| Sub-order | Oegopsina |
| Family Information | |
| Family | Architeuthidae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Architeuthis |
| Species Information | |
| Species | A. dux (Steenstrup, 1857) A. hartingii (Verrill, 1875) A. japonica (Pfeffer, 1912) A. kirkii (Robson, 1887) A. martensi (Hilgendorf, 1880) A. physeteris (Joubin, 1900) A. sanctipauli (Velain, 1877) A. stockii (Kirk, 1882) |
| Population statistics | |
Although the term "giant squid" is often used to refer to any large species of squid, giant squid are actually one specific family of squid, seperate from, for example, the even larger Collosal Squid.