Nature & Environment

Giant squid are all one species

By T.K. Randall
March 26, 2013 ·  4 comments

Image Credit: PD Much mystery surrounds the giant squid, their tendency to live deep down in the ocean's depths makes them extremely difficult to observe and it was only recently that the first footage of one in it's native habitat was recorded. Most of what we know comes from dead squid washed up on beaches or found inside the stomach of whales.

To learn more about the species scientists took samples from several specimens and analyzed them. What they found was that despite the fact that the squid are located all over the world they showed very little genetic diversity and are all effectively the same species. "It's very, very hard to explain," said researcher Tom Gilbert. "There are huge unexplored questions."

Source: Live Science | Comments (4)

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