New records of the giant squid Architeuthis dux in the southern Indian Ocean

• Main Author: Cherel, Yves
• Other Authors: Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2003
• Subjects: [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; [SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environment and Society; Kerguelen; Indian; Union Island; Amsterdam Island
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00189568

International audience Only one specimen of Architeuthis dux was previously reported from the southern Indian Ocean. The present work adds ten new records of giant squid in the area. Two remains of fresh specimens have been collected from La Re¤ union Island (218S) and Amsterdam Island (388S) in tropical and subtropical waters, respectively. Eight other squid were identi¢ed from beaks found in stomach contents of sleeper sharks caught in Kerguelen waters (47 to 488S) located in the southern Polar Frontal Zone. These new data together with published and unpublished information on the food of seabirds and marine mammals indicate that giant squid have a wide distribution throughout the southern Indian Ocean.