This case study is about the attempts of Clyde Roper to find the giant squid. Roper conducted three major expeditions in deep-sea locations, one expedition was in the Azores Islands, while two searches were performed in the Kaikoura Canyon. The expeditions employed attaching cameras onto sperm whales, which are known to prey on giant squids.
Scientific terms
- Sperm whale – The sperm whale is the biggest whale species that is has been documented to carry teeth. This organism is also known as Physeter macrocephalus, due to its large head that carried a unique white area covered with wax (Harms 59).
- Deep rover – The deep rover is a submersible transporter that can fit a single individual. It can move under the sea to a maximum depth of 914 meters for approximately 6 hours. This transporter is equipped with a 360o viewing filed, allowing investigators to view the surroundings of deep-see expeditions (Marris 908).
- Azores Islands – The Azores islands, made up of approximately 9 land forms, are located in Atlantic Ocean. These islands are under the Portugese jurisdiction yet are close to the eastern coastal region of North America. Due to the remoteness of its location, these islands were not inhabited for several centuries and thus provide a historic and natural condition that is good for biological studies (Branco 65)
- Squid – Squids are marine mollusks that are morphologically characterized to have a large head, eight protruding arms and a pair of tentacles (Kubodera 2584). There are approximately 300 squid species that have been documented to date (Derby 276). Squids belong to the class Cephalopoda, wherein “cephalo” means head, and “poda” means feet.
- Kaikoura Canyon – The Kaikoura Canyon is located near the South Island of New Zealand. This canyon is known to be very deep and runs towards the Kermadec Trench which is also documented to be a very deep area of the Earth’s crust. The Kaikoura Canyon has been reported to support a big number of marine species, including sperm whales and possibly, the giant squid, which has been regarded as a legend until it is sighting by marine biologists.
Given the limited funding for research, I think it is better to investigate the juvenile giant squids that have been captured. The study of the genomes of these juvenile squids can be compared to the DNA of the preserved giant squid specimens to further verify their identity. In addition, the optimal conditions of growing the juvenile giant squids in the laboratory can also help in the study of this intriguing species. Once the correct living conditions are reached in the laboratory, more studies can be conducted on the giant squid, including the physiology, reproduction and life cycle of these marine organisms. The scientists should also consider that conducting three expeditions with no actual footage of the giant squid is proof enough that another approach should be taken in studying this animal, but this does not prove that the giant squids do not exist.
Works cited
Branco CC, Bento MS, Gomes CT, Cabral R, Pacheco PR, Mota-Vieira L. “Azores Islands: Genetic Origin, Gene Flow And Diversity Pattern.” Annales of Human Biology, 35(2008):65-74.
Derby CD. “Escape By Inking And Secreting: Marine Molluscs Avoid Predators Through A Rich Array Of Chemicals And Mechanisms.” Biological Bulletin, 213(2007):274-289.
Harms CA, Maggi RG, Breitschwerdt EB, Clemons-Chevis CL, Solangi M, Rotstein DS, Fair PA, Hansen LJ, Hohn AA, Lovewell GN, McLellan WA, Pabst DA, Rowles TK, Schwacke LH, Townsend FI, Wells RS. “Bartonella Species Detection In Captive, Stranded And Free-ranging Cetaceans.” Veterinary Research, 39(2008):59.
Kubodera T and Mori K. “First-ever Observations Of A Live Giant Squid In The Wild.” Proceedings in the Biological Sciences, 23(2005):2583-2586.
Marris E. “Deep-sea Biology: The Life Aquatic.” Nature, 436(2005):908-909.