List of giant squid specimens and sightings (20th century)


This []list of giant squid specimens and sightings from the 20th century is a comprehensive timeline of 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

The frequency of documented giant squid encounters greatly increased throughout the 20th century, providing much insight into the species's biology and life history. It was found that giant squid are preyed upon not only by sperm whales but by a wide range of other animals including albacore, lancetfish, swordfish, blue sharks, Portuguese dogfish, shortfin mako sharks, sleeper sharks, and northern elephant seals. One specimen taken alive by troll was reportedly attacked by a false killer whale during retrieval.
Observations of live and freshly dead animals also revealed new aspects of giant squid behaviour, including rapid colour change and high-speed swimming at the surface, though the veracity of the latter observation has been questioned. Additionally, examinations of dead specimens and partial remains provided data on diet, longevity and habitat, depth of occurrence and buoyancy, metabolism and locomotory ability, as well as tentacle regeneration and internal parasites. New preservation methods, including plastination, were also trialled.
The large-scale commercial exploitation of sperm whales, particularly from the end of World War II to the 1970s, provided a rich source of giant squid remains for scientific study. The vast majority of these consisted of disarticulated beaks, though more substantial remains were occasionally recovered, including even whole adult specimens, with one reportedly showing signs of life after being vomited.
Following the flurry of new giant squid species descriptions that characterised the latter half of the 19th century, the 20th century saw only three newly erected species: Architeuthis japonica by Pfeffer, based on a specimen caught in Tokyo Bay in 1895 ; Architeuthis clarkei by Robson, based on a carcass that washed ashore in Scarborough, England, earlier that year ; and Architeuthis nawaji by Cadenat, based on a specimen caught in the Bay of Biscay the same year. The consensus today is that there exists only a single, globally distributed species of giant squid: Architeuthis dux.
The second half of the 20th century saw the first serious efforts to photograph or film a live giant squid, but it would not be until the first years of the 21st century that this milestone was finally achieved.

[|List of giant squid]

#DateLocationNature of encounterIdentificationMaterial citedMaterial savedSexSize and measurementsRepositoryMain referencesAdditional referencesNotes
731902north of Faroe Islands, Atlantic Ocean
Found floating at surface, dead?Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire, very bad conditionEntireBL+HL: 76 cm; ML: 63 cm; MW: 15 cm; FL: 26.7 cm; FW: 8 cm; TL: 214 cm; ASD: 8 mm; TSD: 11 mmBergen Museum Murray & Hjort ; Grieg Broch Young specimen taken by Michael Sars.
7415 August 1903Mjofjord, Iceland
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Tentacle, armTentacle TD: 17 cm; ?AL: 6 mBergen Museum Murray & Hjort ; Grieg Length of arm given by whalers.
75July 1906?, Norway
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Collett
761907?, Norway
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Collett
77March 1909off Highland Light, Truro, Massachusetts
Not stated; floating at surface?Architeuthis sp.Entire-AL: ; ?WL: ~; AD: -Blake Found by schooner Annie Perry; attempted to be hoisted aboard but cut in half by rope; tentacle saved but later discarded.
78July 1909?, Norway
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Collett
79September 1910off coast of Mayo, Ireland
From two sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.Two upper beaks and eye lensEntire?-NMI; catalog no. 1912.75.1 Massy ; Sigwart & Leonard Collected by Captain Bruun from two sperm whale stomachs per Massy, but specimen label indicates a single sperm whale and gives donor name as E.W.L. Holt. A second Architeuthis accession, which lacks an acquisition date but is labelled "Beak and eye of Cuttlefish from stomach of sperm whale. Blacksod Bay . Given by H.C. Hartnell.", may represent the remains from the second sperm whale stomach reported by Massy ; based on its label this specimen appears to date from the late 19th to early 20th century.
801910/1911? Lundenes, Grytøya, Senjen, Norway
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire-WL: 1.2 mBrinkmann ; Grieg Nordgård ; Sivertsen
81June 1911Monterey Bay, California, United States
Floating at surface, deadUnidentified; Architeuthis?Entire; "in very bad condition, there was no color left, and the epidermis had all sloughed off"-EL: >Berry

February 1912Veiholmen, Smøla, Norway
Found in shallow waterArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireEntireBL: 1.9 m; TL: 6.7 mKristiansund MuseumBrinkmann ; Grieg Nordgård ; Sivertsen
831912Japan
UnknownPfeffer Ellis
8412 October 1912Monterey Bay, California, United States
Not indicatedUnidentified; Architeuthis?Entire-WT: ~Berry Observed by Mr. K. Hovden. Eaten raw by Italian fishermen who "captured" it.
June–September 1913Belmullet whaling station, Ireland
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis harveyi Entire, plus other partsTip of tentacle; beak and radula; other dry beaks plus portion of gladiusML: ; BC: ; AL: ; TL: ; FL: ; FW: Undetermined; University of Liverpool?Hamilton ; Hardy ; Collins Rees From male sperm whale examined by J.E. Hamilton.

22 November 1915 Lerøya, Austrheim, north of Bergen, Norway
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireInitially entire Male ML+HL: 1550 mm; ML: 1310 mm; BD: 440 mm; HW: 310 mm; FL: 430 mm; FW: 105; AL: 1780 mm; AL: 1640 mm; TL: 5600 mm fide Roeleveld ]; CL: 745 mm ; CSC: 262 ; TSC: 287 ; LRL: 15.8 mm; URL: 15.9 mm; additional beak measurements, indices, and countsZMUB; ZMUB 43689 Brinkmann ; Grieg ; Roeleveld ; Roeleveld Nordgård ; Sivertsen ; Toll & Hess Plaster cast made of specimen also in Bergen Museum. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
8717 March 1916Hellandsjo, west of Hevnefjord, Norway
Found washed ashore, aliveArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireA little of the front part, tentacles and arms; remainder used for baitTL: 6.2 mVSMBrinkmann ; Grieg Nordgård ; Nordgård ; Sivertsen With sucker response when found by J.F. Vaagan.
88November 1916Oyvag, Djonna, Helgoland, Atlantic Ocean
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire?--Grieg
8929 October 1917Skateraw, Berwickshire, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis harveyi ; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireClub and gladius fragmentBL+HL: ; FW: ; AL: ; AC: ; TL: ; CL: ; other measurements and descriptionNMSZ catalog no. 1917.54.1–2Ritchie ; Ritchie ; Robson ; Heppell & Smith Stephen ; Rees ; Stephen ; Collins Observations by J. Ritchie after earlier mutilation of specimen by local boys. Colour drawing by Ritchie in NMSZ.

10 January 1918reportedly caught in Awa Province; Tokyo fishmarket, Japan
Not statedArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912EntireUndeterminedMale ML: 1100 mm; BC: 800 mm; FL: 400 mm; FW: 320 mm; GL: 1040 mmSasaki ; Heuvelmans Toll & Hess
911918Kilkel, County Clare, Ireland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.Not specifiedUndetermined-Hardy Collins
92November 1919Oyvag of Dønna, off coast of Nordland, Norway
Not statedArchiteuthis duxEntire?Undetermined-Nordgård Nordgård ; Sivertsen
93February 1920Vallay, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis or Sthenoteuthis ; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Entire-"Length of squid": ; AL: ~Ritchie Stephen ; Rees ; Stephen ; Collins Information from Mr. G. Beveridge.
941921Wick, Moray Firth, Scotland
Not statedArchiteuthis duxBeak and sucker ring, drySucker ring; beak lost, photograph only extant-NMSZHeppell & Smith Collins

1922Caithness, North of Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis harveyi ; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 Not specifiedUndetermined-NMSZRitchie ; Robson Stephen ; Rees ; Hardy ; Stephen
961924Margate, Natal
UnknownHeuvelmans Ellis
979 ?October 1924Bluff, New Zealand
Not statedUndeterminedBL: ; "spread of tentacles": Dell The New Zealand Herald 9 October 1924
98Unknown Urago Bay, Oki Islands, Japan
Not stated?Architeuthis sp.EntireUndetermined-Hamabe ; Nishimura Capture date prior to spring 1926.
991926 off Kuniga, Oki Islands, Japan
Not stated?Architeuthis sp.EntireUndetermined-Hamabe ; Nishimura
1001926Wingan Inlet, Victoria, Australia
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndetermined-MacPherson & Gabriel
10113 December 1927Kalveidøy, Fitjar, Norway
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire-BL: 1 m; TL: 6.5 mGrieg Sivertsen

4 March 1928Ranheim, Norway
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireEntireMale?EL: ~7.9 m; ML: 1.37 m; AL: 1.4–1.5 m; TL: 6.4 m; LRL: 15.0 mm; URL: 13.7 mm; additional beak measurementsVSM; VSM 108a Nordgård ; Grieg ; Roeleveld Sivertsen ; Aldrich Spermatophores present. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
1031928off Greenland
Jaws onlyMuus Ellis Seen by members of the Godthaab Expedition.
10424 January 1930Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireUndeterminedBL+HL: 1803 mm; HL: 381 mm; HC: 711 mm; ML: 1422 mm; BC: 1143 mm ; additional measurementsNSMZ; catalog no. 1930.174. Stephen specimen No. 1Stephen ; Heppell & Smith Collins Data from unpublished Ritchie manuscript; see Heppell & Smith concerning locality data.
1930?Goose Bay, Kaikoura, New Zealand
Not statedEntireUndeterminedBL: ; AL: ~Dell Paxton W.R.B. Oliver. Considered by Paxton as the "longest measured" mantle length of any giant squid specimen.
1061930Miura Peninsula, Japan
?EL: Tomilin Ellis

1930–1933Pacific between Hawaii and Samoa
Observed swimming alongside ship at high speed before "attacking" itArchiteuthisEntire-Size not estimated-Grønningsæter ; Ellis Aldrich ; Ellis Seen swimming at alongside freighter M/V Brunswick before turning towards ship and "hitting the hull approximately from the stern at a depth of ", then "skidd along until it ended up in the propeller, where it was ground to pieces", as recounted by shipmaster Arne Grønningsæter. Veracity of account has been questioned, though taken seriously by Aldrich who described it as "he classical report on the speed of architeuthid swimming" and cited it as evidence that giant squid are sufficiently fast to evade sperm whales.

14 January 1933Scarborough, Yorkshire, England
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis clarkei Robson, 1933EntireEntireML: ; MW: ; FL: ; FW: ; EL: ; WT: ; numerous additional measurementsBMNH 1933.1.30.5 + 1926.3.31.24 and Scarborough Museums Trust ; holotype of Architeuthis clarkei Robson, 1933Clarke ; Robson ; Eyden Yorkshire Evening Post, 14 January 1933; Leeds Mercury, 16, 19 & 21 January 1933; The Yorkshire Post, 17 January 1933; The Illustrated London News, 21 January 1933 ; Hull Daily Mail, 20 June 1933; #Anon1934| ; Stevenson ; Stephen ; Rees ; Hardy ; Spaul Collins Specimen obtained by W.J. Clarke.

December 1933Dildo, Newfoundland
Not statedMaleML: 1560 mmFrost Knudsen ; Toll & Hess ; Aldrich A replica of this giant squid is now on display in Dildo.

26 June 1935Gulf of Gascogne ; Architeuthis harveyi EntireFemaleEL: 818 cm; ML: [|138] cm; FL: 60 cm; TL: 645 cm; AL: 112 cm; AL: 110 cm?MHNLRCadenat ; Cadenat Caught by the Palombe.

12 November 1935Holyrood, Harbour Main, Conception Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireNone; destroyed in fireFemaleML: ; BC: ; FL: ; FW: ; TL: ; HL: -Frost ; Stephen ; Dyson ; Peterman ; see Caught by Harbour Main fisherman Joe Ezekiel, who sold specimen to a scientist for $10.00. Stored in local Fisheries Department's fish freezer, which caught fire, destroying specimen. At least three photographs of the specimen exist.
1127 January 1937off Bell Rock, Angus, Arbroath, Scotland
By trawlArchiteuthis harveyi ; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 EntireTentacles and one armBL: ~; AL: 92 cm; TL: 368 + 421 cmNMSZ; catalog no. 1977107.1Stephen ; Heppell & Smith Stephen ; Rees ; Stephen ; Collins Captured alive in trawl, tentacles and one arm cut off and remainder discarded. Date of capture incorrect in Heppell & Smith.
11322 July 1937Petone, Wellington, New Zealand
Not statedNot specifiedUndeterminedTL: Dell Press Association message 22 July 1937

October 1938~ north of Ravenscar, England
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.?Entire?Beak?EL: ; "tentacles as thick as a man's arm"BMNHClarke ; Eyden Spaul Found on rocky coast by local man named Shippey, who removed beak and took it home; portion of remaining body cut up as fishermen's bait. Beak obtained by W.J. Clarke and passed onto the Natural History Museum, London, where G. J. Crawford of the Mollusca Department identified it as Architeuthis without suggesting a species.
1939Norway
Not statedMap location onlySivertsen Possibly the same as #115.
10 October 1939near Tromsø, Norway
"killed by fishermen"EL: >13 m; TL: 8.7 m; BC: 3 m ; AL: 3.1 m ; WT: >1000 kg Wood Ellis Gerald L. Wood called it "the largest known Architeuthis" from Norway. Not weighed; mass estimate attributed to "Karl Basilier, pers. comm.". Possibly the same as #114.
116February 1941Susa Bay, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Not statedArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedML: ~1.5 m; WT: ~180 kgTanaka ; Nishimura
1171941–1978Sea of Japan; various locations
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis martensi 20 specimens; entireUndetermined-Okiyama Summary of Sea of Japan strandings.
1945Pahau River Mouth, Wellington East Coast, New Zealand
Found washed ashoreEntireUndeterminedWT: >1 tonDell
1191946Vikebukt, Norway
UndeterminedArchiteuthis sp.Map location onlyUndeterminedSivertsen

September 1946Romsdalsfjord, Romsdal, Norway
Seen swimming around fjord; later found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedEL: 9.35 m; other measurementsMyklebust Sivertsen ; Ellis It has been suggested that a "sea serpent" reported from the same fjord by #Anon1849| may have been a giant squid.
18 November and 5 December 1947South Atlantic
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis duxNot stated, but from two whalesNone givenNaturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands; catalog no. RMNH.MOL.92235 & 111017#Naturalis2015a| ; #Naturalis2017| From whale nos. 17 and 61; collected by W. Vervoort. Preserved in 70% alcohol.
121mid-September 1948Wingan Inlet, Victoria, Australia
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887Entire, tentacles largely missing, arms "mutilated and torn off"; poor conditionHead with arms and tail with finsEL: , ~ ; BL: ; HL: ; TL: ; TC: ; AL: ; AC: ; ASD: ≤; EyD: ; other measurementsAMS?Allan Zeidler ; Zeidler & Gowlett-Homes CSIR Fisheries Division at Cronulla notified about specimen by Mr. W. Warn. Shipment of specimen from Eden to Australian Museum arranged by Lucy M. Willings of CSIR. Gladius and internal organs removed prior to reposit.
1227 September 1949Hirtshals, Denmark
Not statedArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireUndetermined?WL: 1.75 m Muus
1232 October 1949Whalefirth Voe, Shetland, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireJaws and sucker rings; remainder cut up for baitBL: ~; AL: ~; TL: ~NMSZ; catalog nos. 1950.2 + 1950.3Stephen ; Heppell & Smith Collins Jaw, description, and sketch sent by Dr. Petersen and two suckers sent by Mr. J. Inkster to NMSZ.

30 November 1949Bay of Nigg, Aberdeen, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp. ; Architeuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857 EntireUndetermined; entire?FemaleML: 117 cm; HL: 28 cm; FL: 44.5 cm; FW: 37.5 cm; extensive additional measurements and description?Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, Scotland. Stephen specimen No. 2Rae Aberdeen Bon-Accord and Northern Pictorial; Hardy ; Stephen ; Boyle ; Collins
12622 August 1951 W of Shpanberg Id., at surface
Observed alive onlyArchiteuthis japonicusTwo squidObservation onlyTL: 10–12 m -Sleptsov Thought to be avoiding sperm whales by staying at surface.
12714 December 1951Angus, East Haven, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis harveyiEntireJaws, radula, and piece of arm with suckersML: UndeterminedStephen Collins Mutilated prior to examination.
128January 1952Carnoustie, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.Not specifiedUndetermined-Hardy
12 June 1952off Sao Lourenco, Madeira Island
From sperm whale stomach, vomited upArchiteuthis sp.Entire"Fragments"EL: 10,600 mm; ML: 1,860 mm; TL: 8,500 mm; AL: 2,800 mm; BC: 1,360 mm; TC: 330 mm; WT: 150 kgMMFRees & Maul Clarke Still exhibited some signs of life after being vomited.
1301952Florida Keys, Florida, United States
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis dux"large, mutilated"ML: RSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.189 Voss ; Roper et al. Ellis
1952 near Bonin Islands, western Pacific
From "digestive canal" of sperm whaleArchiteuthis japonica? Pfeffer, 1912; Psychroteuthidae? Entire; two specimensUndeterminedML: 92 mm + 104 mm; extensive additional measurements and description?Laboratory of Fisheries Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of TokyoIwai ; Roper & Young Ellis Non-architeuthid. Based on the original illustrations and written description, Roper & Young wrote: "the specimens appear to be members of the Psychroteuthidae". Ellis gives erroneous total length of "8 feet " for the larger specimen ; mistake repeated by Glaubrecht & Salcedo-Vargas, giving rise to the claim of an implausibly large psychroteuthid "with about three meter total length".
1311953Norway
Not statedMap location onlySivertsen
1321954off Mississippi Delta, Gulf of Mexico
Found floating at surface, deadArchiteuthis physeteris ; Architeuthis duxEntire, in poor conditionBeak and spermatophoreMale ML: 61.2 cm; extensive descriptionRSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.99 Voss ; Roper et al. Roper & Young ; Toll & Hess ; Aldrich ; Melvin Mature male with spermatophores.
1331954Skagerrak, Denmark
ArchiteuthisEntire?Entire?, both tentacles looseMale ML: 1035 mm; TL: 4480/3800 mm; CL: 620/695 mm; CSC: 248/248; TSC: 276/271; additional indices and countsZMUC Roeleveld Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
134January 1954Kie Kie Bay, Kaikoura, New Zealand
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.Photographs held by NIWAFörch
13522 June 19541 sea mile north of Skaw, Denmark
Found alive on surfaceArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntire?, left tentacle looseMale ML: 1010 mm ; VML: 940 mm; HL: 275 mm; TL: 4900 mm ; CL: 605/780 mm; AL: 800 mm; AL: 1470/1530 mm; LAL: 1530 mm; HeL: 90/130 mm ; PL: 780 mm; SSL: 155 mm; SoA: no obs.; SL: 110–180 mm; CSC: 255/265; TSC: 286/280; additional indices and countsZMUC Knudsen ; Roeleveld ; Guerra et al. Kjennerud ; Muus ; Stephen ; Roper & Young ; Toll & Hess ; Aldrich Discovered by fishermen. Mature male with spermatophores and both ventral arms hectocotylised; colour notes. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
13630 July 1954Ranheim, Trondheim Fjord, Norway
Not statedArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireUndeterminedEL: 7.5 m; BL: 1.3 m; AL: 1.9 m ; TL: 6.2 mSivertsen ; Knudsen

2 October 1954Ranheim, Trondheim Fjord, Norway
StrandedArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireEntire, left tentacle looseFemale?EL: 9.24 m; BL: 2.14 m; AL: 1.9 m ; TL: 7.1 m ; ML: 1.79 m; MW: 0.57 m; FL: 0.52 m; FW: 0.18 m ; TSD: 2.6 cm; ASD: 1.5 cm; CL: 820 mm ; CSC: 254 ; TSC: >275 ; LRL: 15.6 mm; URL: n/a; additional beak measurements, indices, and countsVSM; VSM 156 Broch ; Sivertsen ; Roeleveld ; Roeleveld Clarke Much-reproduced photograph shows specimen being measured by Professors Erling Sivertsen and Svein Haftorn. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld. According to Broch it was stranded on 3 October and found on 4 October, and was 16th specimen recorded from Norway.

4 July 1955off Porto Pim, Faial Island, Azores Islands
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndesignated anatomical materialML: ; BD: ; EL: ; WL: ; TL: ; LAL: ; EyD: ; WT: National Institute of OceanographyClarke ; Clarke van Bruggen ; Clarke ; Budker ; see Squid swallowed whole by sperm whale. Examined at Porto Pim whaling station. Budker states: "This is probably the only complete specimen of such an animal to be collected under these conditions." Considered by Paxton as specimen with the longest "definitely measured" mantle length, standard length, and total length of any giant squid recovered from a sperm whale.
139Unknown off Fowey Rocks, Florida, United States
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis princeps or Architeuthis harveyiEntire, mutilatedUndetermined?EL: RSMAS ; no longer extant Voss Rathjen Taken by the vessel Silver Bay.
14012 May 1956about a mile north of Mākara Stream, Wellington west coast, New Zealand
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis kirki Robson, 1887Entire, missing tentaclesEntire?ML: 1829 mm; WT: 127.9 kg; extensive additional measurements and descriptionDominion Museum Dell Roper & Young Arm suckers had no sucker rings ; likely dissolved after preservation in formalin per Roper & Young.
1956/1957South Orkney Islands
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.; Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925Head and mantleUndeterminedHL: 30 cm; HW: 20 cm; EyD: 16–17 cm; ?EL: ~12 mKorabelnikov ; Yukhov Non-architeuthid. Initial identification by I.I. Akimushkin. From 15.8 m long male sperm whale.
1956/1957South Shetland Islands
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.; Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925Fin onlyUndeterminedFL: 41 cm; FW: 48 cm; ?EL: ~10 mKorabelnikov ; Yukhov Non-architeuthid. Initial identification by I.I. Akimushkin. From 15 m long male sperm whale.
1411 February 1957six miles north by east from Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
By trawlArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireEntireEL: ; ML: 940 mm; BD: 343 mm; TL: 4750 mm ; CL: 559 mm ; HL: 279 mm; FL: 305 mm; FW: 305 mmNMSZ; catalog no. 1957.20. Stephen specimen No. 3Stephen et al. ; Stephen ; Heppell & Smith Collins Received from trawler Viking Prestige almost complete, but poorly preserved.
14214 December 1957Misaki, Oki Islands, Japan
Not stated?Architeuthis sp.EntireUndetermined-Hamabe ; Nishimura
1434 February 1958Ashiya, Hamasaka-machi, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndetermined?EL: 4.1 m; WT: ~150 kgKamita ; Nishimura
1447 February 1958off Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Not statedArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndetermined?EL: ~6 m; WT: 170 kgKamita ; Nishimura
1453 March 1958Sandane, Nordfjord, Norway
Not statedArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireMale ML: 100 cm; WT: 48 kg; VML: 87 cm; BC: 80 cm; FL: 28–32 cm; FW: 26/33 cm; HL: 30–32 cm; HW: 25 cm; AL: 126+ cm; AL: 143+ cm; AL: 126+ cm; AL: 164 cm; LAL: 164 cm; AC: 16 cm; AC: 20 cm; AC: 22 cm; AC: 22 cm; HeL: 5–6 cm ; AF: 4.3.2.1; TaL: 10 cm; FuL: 14 cm; FuD: 7 cm; FuCL: 12 cm; FuCW: 2.5 cm; PL: 92 cm; SoA: yes; LRL: 1.2 cm; URL: 1.5 cmZMUBKjennerud ; Guerra et al. van Bruggen ; Toll & Hess Spermatophore and colour notes. Fins appeared to be slightly asymmetrical.
1461958northeast sector, Bahamas
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntire, "nearly intact whole specimen"Arm partsFemaleEL: 1433.5 cmRSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.2938 Voss ; Roper et al. Ellis
147August 1959off Madeira Island
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndetermined?EL: 2.5 mClarke Toll & Hess From male sperm whale.
148January?, 1960Lonja de Aviles, Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxNot specifiedReturned to the seaWT: 100 kgGuerra et al.
1496 February 1960Arahama, Kashiwazaki-shi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedML: 1.3 m; ?EL: 3.5 m; WT: 112 kgNishimura ; Nishimura
15023 January 1961Oi, Hirata-shi, Shimane Prefecture, Japan
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndetermined?EL: 2.6 m; WT: 41.2 kgKamita ; Nishimura
18 February 1961Câmara de Lobos, Madeira Island
From fish stomach, Alepisaurus cf. feroxArchiteuthis sp. AEntireEntireFemale ML: 57 mm ; VML: 54 mm; MW: 12 mm; FL: 20 mm; FW: 15 mm; HL: 17 mm; HW: 11 mm; GiL: 16 mm; AL: 47 mm; AL: 59 mm; AL: 58 mm; AL: 58 mm; TL: 90 mm fide Roeleveld ]; CL: 25 mm; ASD: 0.96 mm; ASD: 1.04 mm; ASD: 0.96 mm; ASD: 0.64 mm; CSD: 0.96 mm/0.40 mm ; LRL: 1.0 mm; URL: 1.2 mm; extensive description and additional counts, indices, and beak measurementsNMNH cat. no. 727508 Roper & Young ; Roper ; Roeleveld Nesis et al. ; Roper & Shea From stomach of lancetfish No. 18123, captured on tuna long-line at 50–150 m depth and supplied by G. E. Maul. Squid's greatly distended stomach contained largely unidentifiable material with some small fragments of fish bones. Sucker rings missing; likely degraded by digestive juices or formalin fixative. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
152April–July 1961near Commander Islands and western Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912Combined beak samplesUndeterminedPercentage of whale diet#Kodolov1970|Kodolov From sperm whales sampled in several different whaling regions of Soviet whaling flotilla Aleut during the 1961 season.
August 1961Sao Miguel, Azores Islands
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedML: 2.4 m; AL: 4.4 m; WL: 6.8 mKeil From 16 m sperm whale. Considered by Paxton as possibly greatest measured mantle length of any giant squid recovered from a sperm whale, though he wrote: "the account is confused and the 2.4 m figure probably refers to the head and ML combined".
15416 September 1961off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne upper beak-NMML 110Fiscus From male sperm whale.
155December 1961King's Cove, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland
Not statedArchiteuthis sp.Entire?-"small"UndeterminedAldrich ; Aldrich
156April–July 1962near Commander Islands and western Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912Combined beak samplesUndeterminedPercentage of whale diet#Kodolov1970|Kodolov From sperm whales sampled in several different whaling regions of Soviet whaling flotilla Aleut during the 1962 season.
15723 June 1962Durban Whaling Station, South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Body onlyUndeterminedMaleFL: 40 cm; FW: 28 cmNone?; Clarke specimen No. 6Clarke From sperm whale number A956.
1581962Donkergat Whaling Station, South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Head onlyUndeterminedTL: 176 cmUndetermined; Clarke specimen No. 1Clarke
1591962Las Tiberas, Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxNot specifiedNot specifiedTL: 6 mGuerra et al.
12 November 1962off east coast of Florida, United States
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis sp.; Architeuthis duxEntireGladiusMale ML: 66.4 cm; EL 7.0 mRSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.1762 Toll & Hess ; Roper et al. Roper & Young
16013 June 1963Durban Whaling Station, South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Head onlyUndeterminedHL: 19 cm; HW: 15 cm; WT: 19 kgNone?; Clarke specimen No. 2Clarke From sperm whale number D1500.
16115 June 1963off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne upper beak-NMML; catalog no. 111Fiscus From male sperm whale.
1621963Donkergat Whaling Station, South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Body onlyUndeterminedFemaleML: 66.5 cm; MW: 24 cm; FL: 29 cm; FW: 16 cmUndetermined; Clarke specimen No. 3Clarke From sperm whale no. 2271.
16313 August 1963Durban Whaling Station, South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedML: ~70 cm; HL: ~23 cm; FL: ~30 cm; FW: ~22 cmNone?; Clarke specimen No. 5Clarke From sperm whale number 2258.
164August?, 1963Cook Strait, New Zealand
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.One beakUndetermined-Gaskin & Cawthorn From New Zealand whaling station; specimen No. 63
of 1963–1964 season.
17 December 1963off Chile, South America
From fish stomach, "very probably Alepisaurus"Architeuthis sp. BEntire, sucker rings degraded and missingEntireMale ML: 45 mm; VML: 43 mm; MW: 8 mm; FL: 14 mm; FW: 11 mm; HL: 11 mm; HW: 9 mm; GiL: 14 mm; AL: 20 mm; AL: 27 mm; AL: 27 mm; AL: 28 mm; TL: 33 mm; CL: 14 mm; ASD: 0.72 mm; ASD: 0.88 mm; ASD: 0.80 mm; ASD: 0.56 mm; CSD: 0.56 mm/0.24 mm ; extensive description and additional counts and indicesNMNH; catalog no. 727509Roper & Young ; Roper Nesis et al. ; Roper & Shea From lancetfish captured on long-line at 80–150 m depth by R/V Shoyo Maru. Squid specimen and capture information supplied by Witek L. Klawe. Stomach found to be empty. Sucker rings missing; likely degraded by digestive juices or formalin fixative.
16623 April 1964Durban Whaling Station, South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Body onlyUndeterminedML: 58 cm; MW: 19 cm; FL: 23 cm; FW: 11.5 cmNone?; Clarke specimen No. 4Clarke From sperm whale number 2418.
1671964Southeastern Atlantic Ocean
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.Map locations onlyYukhov Multiple records from sperm whales with generalised data on distribution, depth, and sex.
1681964Southwestern Pacific Ocean
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.Map locations onlyUndeterminedYukhov Multiple records from sperm whales with generalised data on distribution, depth, and sex.
1691964Southwestern Indian Ocean
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.Map locations onlyYukhov Multiple records from sperm whales with generalised data on distribution, depth, and sex.
23 October 1964Conche, White Bay, Newfoundland
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireBeaks, gladius, arms, and tentaclesFemaleML: 185 cm; additional measurements and descriptionMUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 1Aldrich Aldrich & Brown ; Aldrich ; Aldrich & Aldrich ; Pippy & Aldrich ; Oreskes Cestode found in caecum by Pippy & Aldrich. Tentacular regeneration documented by Aldrich & Aldrich ; one of two published records of limb regeneration in architeuthids, the other being a case of arm and sucker regeneration in #54. Frederick Aldrich included a photo of this specimen in a 1965 letter to Paul Fye, director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, proposing to use DSV Alvin to study the giant squid in its natural habitat.
1715 December 1964Chapel Arm, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland
Found dead on bottomArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireNone; discardedFemaleML: 126 cm; additional measurements and descriptionNone; Aldrich specimen No. 2Aldrich Aldrich Possibly seen alive in September on several occasions.
1960sBahamas
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis dux"head, beaks, eye lens""large"RSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.642 Roper et al. Yoshikawa writes: "A 14-meter-long giant squid caught off the Bahamas in the Atlantic in 1966 is the largest ever confirmed."
17225 March 1965Skagen, Denmark
ArchiteuthisFemale ML: 1190 mm; TL: 5495/5307 mm; CL: 745/722 mm; CSC: 272; TSC: 300 ; additional indices and countsZMUC Roeleveld Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
17329 September 1965Newman's Cove, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland
Not statedArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Portion of mantle, tail, and visceraNone; discardedFemaleML: 1.37 m None; Aldrich specimen No. 3Aldrich Aldrich
1748 October 1965Lance Cove, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireParts FemaleML: 127 cm; additional measurementsMUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 4Aldrich Voss ; Aldrich & Brown ; Aldrich ; #MIT2006| Used in Francis O. Schmitt's animal nerve cell research in 1965.
17524 November 1965Springdale Beach, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireNone; discardedML: 161 cm; BL: 2.13 m; TL: 3.66 m; GL: 147 cm; additional measurementsNone; Aldrich specimen No. 5Aldrich Aldrich
17622 June 1966off "Vigo, Spain"
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Lower beakUndeterminedDescription onlyClarke & MacLeod
177around 10 October 1966Skagerrak, north of Skagen, Denmark
ArchiteuthisFemale ML: 1115 mm; TL: 4605 mm ; CL: 660 mm ; CSC: 250 ; TSC: 284 ; additional indices and countsZMUC Roeleveld Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
1789 November 1966Sweet Bay, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland
Not statedArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire; tentacles missing and arms incompleteEntireFemaleML: 142 cm; additional measurements and descriptionMUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 6Aldrich Aldrich & Brown ; Aldrich Aldrich gives date as 11 November.
17924 November 1966Wild Cove, Fogo Island, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire, badly mutilatedNone; discardedFemaleML: 107 cm; additional measurementsNone; Aldrich specimen No. 7Aldrich Aldrich
18025 November 1966off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne upper beak-NMML; catalog no. 112Fiscus From male sperm whale.
18128 November 1966Eddie's Cove East, Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland
Not statedArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire, putrefiedNone; discarded-None; Aldrich specimen No. 8Aldrich Aldrich
1821 December 1966off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne lower beak fragment-NMML; catalog no. 113Fiscus From female sperm whale.
1839 December 1966off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne upper beak-NMML; catalog no. 114Fiscus From male sperm whale.
18412 May 1967off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne pair of beaks-NMML; catalog no. 115Fiscus & Rice ; Fiscus et al. ; Fiscus From female sperm whale.
1856 June 1967off Iceland
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Seven beaksUndeterminedSpecimen weights estimatedClarke & MacLeod From male sperm whale.
186July–August 1967in Denmark Strait
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Beaks Martin & Clarke Roe as unidentified beaksFrom 57 male sperm whales processed at Hvalur H.F. whaling station on west coast of Iceland.
18722 July – 23 August 1967off Iceland
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.Two beaksUndeterminedSpecimen weights estimatedClarke & MacLeod Mixed samples from stomachs of five male sperm whales long.
18823 April 1968off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne upper beak-NMML; catalog no. 116Fiscus From female sperm whale.
18923 April 1968off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne upper beak fragment-NMML; catalog no. 117Fiscus From male sperm whale.
19014 May 1968Tokyo Bay, off Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Found stranded on beachArchiteuthisEntire?Single tentacle?EL: 6 m; WT: 35 kg; TL: 3200 mm Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine ParkSuyehiro ; Kubodera & Yamada #Anon2014b| Stranded on Miura beach two days before Tokachi earthquake of 16 May 1968. Single tentacle deposited at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park may belong to this specimen; see Kubodera & Yamada.
15 May 1968South Shore, Bermuda
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis duxEntire?Entire?ML: ~70 cm; EyD: 20 cmBAMZ 2007 254 015 Roper et al. "Suckers in 2 rows only".
1911968Puerto de Vega, Asturias, Spain
Caught by shipArchiteuthis duxEntire?Beak?EL: 7 mGuerra et al. Caught by the ship Matías Bengoechea.
July–November 1968off central California, United States
From fish stomach, Thunnus alalunga Architeuthidae, Unidentified sp.One specimen; beaks?-Iverson Roper & Young Single architeuthid specimen from 905 examined albacore stomachs.
1939 June 1969east of Lake Worth, Florida, United States
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis dux"head, base of arms only""large"RSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.675 Voss ; Roper et al. Ellis
19413 June 1969off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne upper beak-NMML; catalog no. 118Fiscus From female sperm whale.
1951969Las Tiberas, Asturias, Spain
Caught by shipArchiteuthis duxTentacleTL: 6 mGuerra et al. Caught by the ship Saturno Juan.
19610 July 1969Luanco, Asturias, Spain
Caught by sport fishermenArchiteuthis duxEntire?WT: 250 kgGuerra et al. Caught by sport fishermen from Oviedo. Heaviest recorded giant squid from Asturias.
1971969Puerto de Figueras, Asturias, Spain
Recovered deadArchiteuthis duxEntire??EL: 7.90 m; WT: 120 kgGuerra et al. Recovered dead by José Manuel Méndez and Bote Carducha.
19819 November 1969off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne lower beak fragment-NMML; catalog no. 119Fiscus From male sperm whale.
19924 February 1970off central California, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne lower beak fragment-NMML; catalog no. 120Fiscus From male sperm whale.
20011 October 1970San Juan, Puerto Rico
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntire?Beaks?ML: 85.1 cmRSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.851 Voss ; Roper et al. Ellis
20118 September 1970off Saint-Pierre Island, Grand Banks, Atlantic Ocean
By trawlArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireEntire-FOSJ; Aldrich specimen No. 9Aldrich Presented by Government of France in October 1970.
31 October 1970near Azores Islands
From shark stomach, Centroscymnus coelolepisArchiteuthis sp."Flesh"Undetermined-Clarke & Merrett
203November 1970Tasman Sea
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.One entire; 54 lower beaksUndeterminedFemaleML: 41.5 cm; BC: 26 cm; AL: 32–49.5 cm; TL: 140 cm; FL: 20 cm; FW: 8 cm; plus estimates of other specimen weights from beaksClarke & MacLeod Combined data from stomachs of 66 sperm whales taken at various locations in the Tasman Sea.
30 December 1970off Botany Bay, New South Wales, eastern Australia
From shortfin mako shark stomach, Isurus oxyrinchusArchiteuthis sp.BeakUndeterminedML: 567 mm Dunning et al.
205November–April 1970 – 1973southeastern Atlantic Ocean
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.Stomach contentsUndetermined-#Vovketal1975|Vovk et al. Specimens from sperm whales taken on 3 cruises of Antarctic whaling factory ship Yury Dolgoruky during November to April 1970 – 1973.
206November–April 1970 – 1973Atlantic sector of Southern Ocean
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis sp.Stomach contentsUndetermined-#Vovketal1975|Vovk et al. Specimens from sperm whales taken on 3 cruises of Antarctic whaling factory ship Yury Dolgoruky during November to April 1970 – 1973.
207March 1971Carrandi, Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxEntire?WT: 80 kgGuerra et al. Collected by the boat Divino San Antonio.
Unknown Indian Ocean
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedEL: 9 m #Berzin1971|Berzin Paxton ; Romanov et al. Taken from sperm whale stomach by whaling flotilla Sovetskaya Ukraina. Considered by Paxton as possibly "longest measured" total length of any giant squid specimen, but this was based on the erroneous total length given in Berzin.
20918 November 1971Sunnyside, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland
Not statedArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireArms and tentacles onlyFemaleML: 177 cm; additional measurementsMUDB; Aldrich specimen No. 10Aldrich
211February 1972Puerto de El Musel, Asturias, Spain
Found floating at surface in visible state of decompositionArchiteuthis dux?EL: ~3 mGuerra et al. Observed by Martino Andres.
212July 1972near Rakautura, Kaikoura, New Zealand
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis sp.EntireClub suckersTL: ~8 mLostFörch Dangerfield Found by fishermen Gus and Ken Garbes. Could not be towed in due to bad weather; pieces cut off for use as bait.
2131972off Durban, South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemaleML: 1450 mm; extensive additional measurements, illustrations, and descriptionSAM; catalog no. S1867Roeleveld & Lipiński
2141972off Newfoundland
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireEL: 8.2 m; WT: 207 kgAquário Vasco da Gama, LisbonMarques On public display. Exhibited at Aquário Vasco da Gama in Lisbon.
8 December 1972eastern equatorial Atlantic
Found in stomach contents of blue shark Architeuthis sp.Jaws plus pieces of mantle, arms, tentacleUndetermined; beaks?TL: 2 m ; TSD: ~2 cm; ML: 70–75 cm Nigmatullin From stomach of 2 m long blue shark.
21614 May 1974off Green Point light house, Table Bay, South Africa
Found floating at surface, aliveArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemale ML: 1700 mm; LRL: 16.7 mm; URL: 17.0 mm; extensive measurements, illustrations, and descriptionSAM; catalog no. S1868 Roeleveld & Lipiński ; Roeleveld Found barely alive by Capt. Hennie Smith. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
217October 1974South African waters
By trawl; taken by fisheries vesselArchiteuthis sp.EntirePiece of arm and tentacleWT: 220 kgSAMPérez-Gándaras & Guerra
21818 February 1975Verdalsøra, Trondheimsfjorden, Norway
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedTL: 7.96 m; WT: 68.9 kgHolthe
21928 October 1975Bonavista, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857EntireNone; discardedMale ML: 132 cm; additional measurementsNone; Aldrich specimen No. 11Aldrich Aldrich Mature male with hectocotylus and spermatophores.
22026 January 1976off Joban District, Japan
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912Tentacle onlyUndetermined-Okutani et al. Ohsumi & Satake From 10.6 m long male sperm whale.
22126 January 1976off Joban District, Japan
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912Tentacle onlyUndetermined-Okutani et al. Ohsumi & Satake From 11.7 m long male sperm whale.
2223 February 1976off Joban District, Japan
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912EntireUndeterminedML: 58.5 cmOkutani et al. Ohsumi & Satake From 13.0 m long male sperm whale.
2234 February 1976off Joban District, Japan
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912Mantle onlyUndetermined-Okutani et al. Ohsumi & Satake From 9.5 m long female sperm whale.
224March 1976Wellington south coast, New Zealand
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireNMNZ; photographs onlyFörch
August 1976off Vancouver, Oregon, United States
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Entire?UndeterminedML: ~2 mNesis et al.
September 1976off South Africa
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedWL: 4.5 m; WT: 200 kg; TL: ~6 m; ML: 195 cm; radulaPérez-Gándaras & Guerra Nesis et al. Stomach contents analysed.
22719 November 1977Firth of Forth, North Berwick, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis duxEntireEntire; dissected, parts preserved separatelyFemaleML: 161 cm; HL: 43 cm; AL: 230 cm; TL: 440 cm; FL: 67 cm; FW: 55 cmNMSZ; catalog no. 1978090.1Heppell ; Heppell ; Heppell & Smith Collins
22821 November 1977Lance Cove, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire-Unknown sizeNone; Aldrich specimen No. 12Aldrich Report only; specimen not observed.
229April 1978Jiaonon, Shandong Province, China
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.BeaksUndetermined-Dong From stranded sperm whale.
2309 June 1978Miura Peninsula, Japan
Not statedArchiteuthis cf. japonica Pfeffer, 1912EntireEntire, missing fins, tentacles, and arm tipsFemaleML: 540 mm; AL: 830 mm Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine ParkKubodera & Yamada Specimen donated to aquarium by Kurihama Thermoelectric Power Plant. Tentatively assigned to A. japonica based on relative lengths of mantle and longest arm IV.
231~15 June 1978near Mack Arch, Oregon, North Pacific Ocean
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireSucker ringsWT: SBMNH; catalog no. 60119#Anon1978a| ; #Anon1978b| Caught by commercial fisherman G. Steffensmier.
21 June 1978off Fort Lauderdale, United States
From fish stomach, Xiphias gladius Architeuthis sp.Entire, "mutilated specimen"EntireMale ML: 167+ mm; GL: 179 mm; additional extensive descriptionRSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.1761 Toll & Hess ; Roper et al. Toll & Hess ; Hess & Toll ; Roper ; Roeleveld ; Roper & Shea From stomach of female swordfish. Very small mature specimen with spermatophores. Toll & Hess suggested it might be an undescribed dwarf species and Roeleveld wrote of this specimen: "It probably represents a distinct species and perhaps even a separate genus."
233July 1978Gisborne, New Zealand
Trawl captureArchiteuthis sp.EntireFörch The Gisborne Herald
late 1978Cheynes Beach, Albany, Western Australia
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Two specimensUndeterminedWT: 280 kg Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical Museum, South Australia #Anon1980| ; Zeidler Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes ; Sea FrontiersCaught by Cheynes Beach Whaling Co., Albany, Western Australia. Larger specimen used in promotional displays.
235Unknown Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
In floating blanket netArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedTL: 5.5 m; WT: 97 kgSatomi Kitaguni Newspaper
2361979Newfoundland
By trawlEL: Ellis Captured by Spanish trawler.
23720 August 1979Cortez Bank, California, United States, at depth
Sablefish trapArchiteuthis japonica?Tentacle only; recovered from trapTentacleSBMNH; catalog no. 60117Hochberg
23819 November 1979Saint Brendan's, Cottel's Island, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire, in several piecesNone; discardedFemaleML: 154 cm; additional measurementsNone; Aldrich specimen No. 13Aldrich
239Unknown Oregon, United States
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912Entire?Undetermined-Hochberg & Fields Nesis et al.

early February 1980Plum Island, Massachusetts, United States; see
Found stranded on beachArchiteuthis sp.Entire, missing eyes, long feeding tentacles, most arm tips, and skin; lost when the squid washed ashoreEntireFemaleWL: 2.7 m; ML: ~2 m; EL: ~9/~10 m ; WT: 200 kgNMNH; catalog no. 814000 Roper & Boss ; Clark ; Conley-Early ; Feldman ; Whalen ; Roper et al. Wu On public display. Originally displayed at the New England Aquarium. Given as gift to NMNH in 1982. Featured in the Smithsonian Institution's monthly newspaper, The Torch, in February 1983. From 2009, displayed in the Cold Water Quest Gallery of Georgia Aquarium on loan from NMNH.
241March–April 1980about off California, North Pacific Ocean, at 25–40 to 90 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.18 entire specimensUndeterminedML: 50–77 cm ; additional measurements, indices, and descriptionsNesis et al. Eighteen specimens taken in 9 trawls.
*No date givenNorth Pacific
ArchiteuthisTentacles onlyML: ~500 mm ; TL: 1030/1570 mm; CL: 311/357 mm; CSC: 247/246; TSC: >273/>274; additional indices and countsP. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology Nesis et al. ; Roeleveld One of the 18 specimens from record #226. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
2422 July 1980 off Oregon, Northeast Pacific at 15 m depth
By pelagic trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntire, minus arms and tentaclesML: 164 cm ; FL: 75 cm ; FW: 43 cm ; description of thawed plus preserved specimenZMMGUNesis et al. Taken by R/V Novoul'yanovsk with 133 m pelagic trawl.
2431980off New South Wales coast, Eastern Australia
From smooth hammerhead stomach, Sphyrna zygaenaArchiteuthis sp.BeakUndeterminedML: 706 mm Dunning et al.
2441980Vertical de Cudillero, Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxAt least a tentacleWT: 100 kg Guerra et al. Attempt made to haul aboard a tentacle weighing 100 kg , but material was discarded upon observation of its poor state. Seen from the ship Oñaegea.
24520 August 1980South African waters
By trawl; taken by fisheries vesselArchiteuthis sp.Entire-ML: 0.81 mPérez-Gándaras & Guerra
21 October 1980Patton Escarpment, California, United States at 500–600 m depth
By RMT-8 midwater trawlArchiteuthis sp.Tentacle club and stalkTentacle club and stalkCL: 41.5 cmSBMNH; catalog no. 60120Robison
February 1981Kāne'ohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands
By hook and lineArchiteuthis sp.EntireBeak plus piece of flesh?WL: UndeterminedHiga Taken alive while trolling by M. Yoshida and D. Maeda; attacked by false killer whale during retrieval.
24810 February 1981~ offshore from Kahana Bay, Oahu, Hawaii
Caught by fisherman"likely to be of the genus Architeuthis"At least head and arms; skin and eye intactEyD: at least 270 mm ; pupil diameter: 90 mm Nilsson et al. Caught by fisherman Henry Olsen. Photograph of freshly caught specimen taken by Ernie Choy at pier shows head with undamaged eye; used by Nilsson et al. to estimate eye and pupil diameter on basis of standard fuel hose visible in frame.
24920 May 1981Vavilov Ridge, Southeast Atlantic at 400–470 m depth
By 110 m cable-trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireTentacles plus part of viscera; remainder lostTL: 420 + 400 cm ; TL: 287 + 269 cm ; additional counts, measurements, and descriptionUndeterminedNesis et al. Taken by R/V Novoukrainka.
2501981Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxEntire??EL: 10 mGuerra et al. Displayed in a Gijón fish shop before being sold at a market in Avilés.
2513 August 1981Orange River mouth, Southeast Atlantic at 18–95 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireML: 81 cm; TL: 364 cm; WT: 11.8 kgUndeterminedNesis et al. Taken by R/V Novoukrainka.
2527 September 1981Azores Islands
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Lower beakUndeterminedLRL: 14.1 mmClarke
25311 October 1981Tasman Sea at 20 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireLarvaML: 10.3 mmNMVLu ; Roper Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes ; Roper & Shea Captured by FRV Soela at 1450 hours.

10 November 1981Hare Bay, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire, in remarkably good condition; skin, tentacles and eye intactEntireFemaleML: 159 cm; EL: ; EL: ; WT: ; additional measurementsThe Rooms; catalog no. MO-1692. Aldrich specimen No. 14Aldrich ; Bourque ; #Anonc2014| On public display. Found in 30 cm of water adjacent to the property of David Lush, who found it while walking with his young daughter Kelly. Lush and Ray Collins brought it to the attention of Frederick Aldrich. Viewed on beach by staff and students of Jane Collins Academy, one of whom photographed specimen in situ. Transported to the Memorial University of Newfoundland and dissected there on 12 November. Donated by Aldrich to the Natural History Branch of the old Newfoundland Museum in 1987. Originally preserved in 300-litre tank. On 18 November 2007, following minor repairs, specimen was transferred to an 800-gallon tank filled with propylene glycol at The Rooms, where it could be exhibited with tentacles fully extended.
255Christmas 1981Playa de Luarca, Asturias, Spain
Found washed ashore on beachArchiteuthis duxEntire?; poor conditionGuerra et al. Found by Secundino González and Manuel Pico.
2561981–1984Azores
From sperm whale stomachsArchiteuthis ?dux Steenstrup, 1860BeaksUndeterminedWT: 23 kg ; ML: 1 m Clarke et al. Found in stomach contents of 76.5% of 17 sperm whales sampled during 1981–1984.
25730 January 1982off New South Wales, Australia from surface to 600 m depth
By oblique pelagic trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedFemale ML: 42.2 cmJackson et al. Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes ; Roper & Shea
258July 1982North Canterbury, New Zealand
Trawl captureArchiteuthis sp.EntirePartial clubNMNZ; NMNZ M77446Förch
25923 August 1982off shore, Radøy, Norway
By hook and line, caught aliveArchiteuthis monachus EntireUndeterminedEL: ~10 m; TL: ~7.3 m; WT: ~220 kgZMUB?Brix Brix et al. ; Hoving et al. Caught in 5 m deep bay; dying at time of capture. Blood study by Brix et al..

September 1982Fladen Ground, northern North Sea, northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland, depth unknown but 100–150 m in area , #Naturalis2016| ]
By trawlArchiteuthis spec.; Architeuthis duxEntire; most of viscera missing, posterior tail and fins cut off, small piece of testis present, fragments of reddish membrane present, spermatangia deeply implanted in left arm IV EntireMale ML: 900 mm; MT: 22 mm ; WT: ≥18 kg ; AL: 700+/750+ mm; AL: 610+/870+ mm; AL: 980+/790+ mm; AL: 830+/940+ mm; TL: 810+/1040+ mm; EyD: 80 mm; GiL: 250 mm; FuD: 55 mm; FuCL: 115 mm; ASD: 15 mm ; Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands; catalog no. RMNH.MOL.92511 & 111016Hoving et al. ; #Naturalisc2012| ; #Naturalis2015b| ; #Naturalis2016| On public display. Caught by beam trawler Urk 56, operating from IJmuiden harbour; purchased from F. Sievertsen. First giant squid caught by Dutch fishermen. Probably mature, having spermatangia implanted in ventral arm. Exhibited at Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden in formalin or 70% alcohol.
26130 October 1982Sandy Cove, Fogo Island, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire, in poor conditionEntire?FemaleML: 169 cm; additional measurementsNMSJ; catalog no. MO-1693. Aldrich specimen No. 15Aldrich "Had engaged in battle with what apparently was another cephalopod".
26230 December 1982Kuzuareyama coast of Noh-machi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912EntireUndetermined?WL: 3.98 m; WT: 120 kgHonma et al.
2631983Las Tiberas, Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxWT: 150 kg Guerra et al. Collected by "El Dioni" of Avilés.
19 August 1983west coast of North Island, New Zealand
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887Entire-Female ML: 2035 mm; HL: ~0.5 m; WT: >200 kg; ASD: 23 mmNMNZ; NMNZ M79971. Gauldie et al. specimen No. 1Gauldie et al. ; Förch ; Förch Judd Found stuck in filtering screens of cooling water intake of New Plymouth power station. Specimen "appeared to be a different species" from next New Zealand carcass, per Judd.
8–9 January 1984Cove Bay, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis cf. duxEntireUndeterminedFemaleWL: ~4.23 m; ML: ~1.75 m; GL: 1.57 m; BC: 1.40 m; HC: 0.88 m; WT: ~168 kg; ED: <1.0-<0.5 mmNixon ; Boyle Boyle ; Collins Tested for buoyancy. Egg count estimated at >10×106.
8 March 1984Auckland Islands at 533 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 1930 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 2Gauldie et al. ; Förch Judd ; O'Shea Caught by F/V Shinkai Maru. Specimen "appeared to be a different species" from previous New Zealand carcass, per Judd.
26712 April 1984southeast coast of North Island, New Zealand at 870–1100 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 930 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 3Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea
268April 1984 from Tazones, Asturias, Spain
By trawlArchiteuthis duxEntire?WL: 3–4 mGuerra et al. Captured by Antonio Coro.
2693 May 1984near Castlepoint lighthouse, west coast of North Island, New Zealand
Found floatingArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 1770 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 4Gauldie et al. ; Förch Judd Specimen "brought to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Wellington on the back of a ute by a rock lobster fisherman", who initially thought it was "a large floating plastic bag" but noticed it was being attacked by gulls. Many features said to be intermediate between those of #264 and [|266].
2709 May 1984Cape Palliser, Wellington, New Zealand
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.Entire?Undetermined-Stevens
27112 May 1984south coast of North Island, New Zealand
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 1825 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 5Gauldie et al. ; Förch Stevens
272May 1984Namibia, South African waters
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedML: 1250 mm; WT: 38 kg; MW: 390 mm; HW: 250 mm; FL: 570 mm; FW: 280 mm; TL: 4750 mmPérez-Gándaras & Guerra Taken by fisheries vessel.
June 1984Chub Cay, Bahamas
Found dying at surface; not collectedArchiteuthis duxEntire; tentacles missing-WL: 400 cm; WT: None Roper et al. Identified based on photo.
273June 1984west coast hoki grounds, South Island, New Zealand
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireFörch Caught by F/V Arrow.
2741984Cal. Sierra d Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
From shark stomachArchiteuthis duxSevered tentacleTC: >10 cmGuerra et al.
27525 July 1984northwest coast of South Island, New Zealand at 475 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireEntireFemaleML: 1560 mm; TL: 7500 mm ; CSC: 250 ; additional indices and countsNMNZ; NMNZ M.86826; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 6 Gauldie et al. ; Förch ; Roeleveld O'Shea Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
27624 September 1984southwest coast of South Island, New Zealand at [|365] m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireEntireFemaleML: 2020 mm; TL: 6325/7250 mm; CL: 925/925 mm; CSC: 287/287; TSC: 310/310; additional indices and countsNMNZ; NMNZ M.79976; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 7 Gauldie et al. ; Förch ; Roeleveld O'Shea Caught by F/V Tengawai. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
Unknown San Miguel Island, California, United States
From northern elephant seal stomach, Mirounga angustirostrisArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksUndetermined-Antonelis et al. From three northern elephant seals, sampled during 1984–1990.
2786 June 1985New Zealand at 310 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireFemaleML: ~2000 mmFörch O'Shea Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 23.
27923 July 1985off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
28031 July 1985off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
28126 August 1985off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
28228 August 1985off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
28329 August 1985off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
2841 September 1985off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
285Unknown Unknown
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Buccal mass and beakBeakLRL: 18.8 mmUndeterminedClarke From sperm whale stomach.
286Unknown South Africa
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Lower beakBeakLRL: 17.2 mmUndeterminedClarke
287Unknown Azores Islands
Not statedArchiteuthis sp.Lower beakLower beakML: 1980 mm; LRL: 19.4 mmUndeterminedClarke
28829 January 1986off Aberdeen, Scotland
By trawlArchiteuthis cf. duxEntireNone; sold commerciallyWL: 2.98 m; ML: 1.45 m; BC: 1.10 m; AC: 0.22 m; WT: ~90 kgBoyle Collins Caught by fishing vessel; measurements by Mr. G. Howard.
289March 1986near mouth of Orange River, South Africa at 510–550 m depth
By bottom trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemale ML: 1680 mm; LRL: 17.4 mm; URL: 17.1 mm; extensive measurements, illustrations, and descriptionSAM; catalog no. S1681 Roeleveld & Lipiński ; Roeleveld Taken by MT Pardelhas. Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
29031 March 1986Auckland Islands at 296 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 1720 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 8Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Akebono Maru 73.
29111 April 1986northeast coast of North Island, New Zealand
Found floatingArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedMaleML: 1260 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 9Gauldie et al. ; Förch
29217 April 1986east coast of South Island, New Zealand at 470 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireEntireFemaleML: 1815 mm; TL: 3150/3110 mm; CSC: 257/248; TSC: 279 ; additional indices and countsNMNZ; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 10 Gauldie et al. ; Förch ; Roeleveld O'Shea Caught by F/V Banshu Maru 8. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
29327 May 1986southwest coast of South Island, New Zealand at 604 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireEntireFemaleML: 1830 mm; CL: 840 mm; additional indices and countsNMNZ; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 11 Gauldie et al. ; Förch ; Roeleveld O'Shea Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 28. O'Shea gives date as 27 April. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
third week of July 1986Newfoundland
Not statedArchiteuthis?Entire?; "rotting"-Aldrich Reported by T. Matthews of the Department of the Environment at Bristol's Hope, Conception Bay. "No information on the specimen has been obtained, save that it was in "rotting" condition".
29418 July 1986west coast of South Island, New Zealand at 450/500 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: 1380 mm; WT: 43.5 kg; see Förch None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 12Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Dolomit.
29519 July 1986east coast of Tasmania, Australia
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis#Anon2007a| Trivedi
2968 September 1986east coast of South Island, New Zealand at 480 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 2140 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 13Gauldie et al. O'Shea Caught by F/V Banshu Maru 8.
29726 February 1987east coast of South Island, New Zealand at 350 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireEntireMale ML: 1900 mm; CL: 755 mm; CSC: 222; additional indices and countsNMNZ; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 14 Gauldie et al. ; Förch ; Roeleveld O'Shea Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 22. Roeleveld and O'Shea give coordinates of and O'Shea gives depth of 312–356 m. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
2985 March 1987off Shetland Islands
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.UndeterminedML: 1100 mmCollins
299April–July 1987approximately, South Pacific
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.Eight juvenilesUndetermined-Alexeyev Taken in subantarctic waters by R/V Vozrozhdeniye, cruise XI.
3003 May 1987southeast coast of North Island, New Zealand at 360 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 1610 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 15Gauldie et al. Förch ; O'Shea Listed in table as 3 April. Used for statolith study.
3019 May 1987east coast of South Island, New Zealand at 506 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 2135 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 16Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Daishin Maru 28.
3021987near Sydney, Australia
By trawl?Architeuthis sp.Entire?UndeterminedWT: 150 kgGannon "150 kg monster landed near Sydney in 1987"
30319 July 1987off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
30420 July 1987off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
30526 July 1987west coast of South Island, New Zealand at 503 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: 1300 mm; see Förch None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 17Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Zuiyo 3.
30626 July 1987off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
30728 July 1987off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
30816 August 1987west coast of South Island, New Zealand at 464 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: 1370 mm; WT: 70 kg; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 18Gauldie et al. Förch ; O'Shea Caught by F/V Zuiyo 3.
30925 August 1987west coast of South Island, New Zealand at 410–608 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 1230 mm; see Förch None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 19Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea
3102 September 1987east of Auckland Islands
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: 1780 mm; see Förch None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 20Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Mys Kronotsky.
31113 October 1987south coast of South Island, New Zealand at 487 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: 1770 mm; see Förch None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 21Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
312October 1987South African waters
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedML: 1790 mm; WT: 130 kg; MW: 485 mm; HW: 240 mm; FL: 720 mm; FW: 360 mmPérez-Gándaras & Guerra Taken by fisheries vessel.
3134 November 1987south coast of South Island, New Zealand
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: [|2010] mm; see Förch None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 22Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru.
3145 November 1987southwest coast of South Island, New Zealand at 550 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: 1770 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 23Gauldie et al. Förch ; O'Shea Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
31526 November 1987off New Zealand at 540 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
3165 December 1987New Zealand at 540 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireWT: ~80 kgFörch O'Shea Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
3176 December 1987New Zealand at 550 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireWT: ~20 kgFörch O'Shea Caught by F/V Chiyo Maru 2.
318late 1987hoki grounds, South Island, New Zealand
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedFemaleML: 1830 mm; no other measurementsNone?; Förch specimen No. 10Förch
31925 January 1988Auckland Islands at 495 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887EntireUndeterminedML: 1880 mm; WT: ~150 kg; see Förch None?; Gauldie et al. specimen No. 24Gauldie et al. ; Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Nikolaevskiy Korabel. O'Shea gives date as 25 December.

16 April 1988Uradome coast, Shirohara, Iwami-cho, Tottori Prefecture, Japan
Found stranded in shallow water, aliveArchiteuthis duxEntire, good condition; red skin and tentacles intact, most arm tips missingEntireProbably female EL: 6959 mm; DML: 1309 mm; MW: 383 mm; Mantle perimeter: 878 mm; FL: 540 mm; FW: 325 mm; HL: 350 mm; HW: 193 mm; TL: 5218/5300 mm; TCL: 703/773 mm; TSD: 20 mm ; AL: 1211/1492 mm; AL: 1781/1096 mm; AL: 1549/1458 mm; AL: 1343/1507 mm; WT: ~80 kg; extensive additional measurements and countsTottori Prefectural Museum; TRPM-A-595-0201-01Nomura ; Tamura ; #Anon2006| ; Wada et al. ; Shimada et al. On public display. Specimen photographed in shallow water by Yasuke Yamane. Exhibited at Tottori Prefectural Museum since 21 June 1988, preserved in formalin; oldest specimen on public display in Japan. Formed part of ground floor exhibit at Misawa Airport between 15 and 30 July 2006. Removed from old tank and examined in detail on 19 March 2013.
32128 July 1988off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
32229 July 1988off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
32331 July 1988off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
32412 March 1989Namibia
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireOnly tentacle clubs, hectocotylus, genitalia, beaks, and statolithMale ML: 1220 mm ; FL: 540 mm ; FW: 460 mm ; MW: 460 mm ; TL: 5060 + 4510 mm ; WT: 41,350 g ; other measurementsICM?Villanueva & Sánchez
August 1989South Shore, Bermuda
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntire?, "relatively good condition"ML: 95 cmRoper et al.
325September 1989Santa Catarina State, Brazil
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis sp.FemaleML: 151 cmInstituto de Pesca, Santos, BrazilArfelli et al. Ré et al.
3267 February 1990Poipu, Kauai, Hawaiian Islands
From sperm whale stomachArchiteuthis sp.Lower beaksUndeterminedClarke & Young From stranded 7250 kg male sperm whale.
10 February 1990Long Rock, Penzance, Cornwall, England
From stomach of stranded sperm whaleArchiteuthis spp.47 beaksBeaks?UndeterminedClarke & Pascoe Roper & Shea From male sperm whale. Giant squid accounted for 43% by number and estimated 80% by weight of total stomach contents. Possibly largest number of giant squid beaks found in a single whale stomach; see Roper & Shea.
19 July 1990West Cove, San Miguel Island, California, United States
From northern elephant seal stomach, Mirounga angustirostrisArchiteuthis japonica Pfeffer, 1912BeaksOne lower beak-NMML; catalog no. 486Fiscus From male northern elephant seal.
32914 March 1991Soetwater, Kommetjie, South Africa
UndeterminedArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemale ML: 1850 mm; statolith; LRL: 16.2 mm ; URL: 16.5 mm; additional beak measurementsSAM; catalog no. S2486 Lipiński ; Roeleveld The Natal Mercury, 1996; Roeleveld Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
33015 June 1991South Africa
UndeterminedArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemale ML: 1400 mm; statolith; LRL: 18.1 mm; URL: 17.6 mm; additional beak measurementsSAM; catalog no. S2546 Roeleveld ; Lipiński ; Roeleveld Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
33120 July 1991east coast of Tasmania, Australia
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis#Anon2007a| Trivedi
332?, 1992Playa de Xagó, Asturias, Spain
Not specified; found floating at surface?Architeuthis duxMantle and head at leastGuerra et al. Rest of mantle and head wrapped in a cloth of "volanta". Found by Guardia Civil.
3331992El Musel, Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxEntire??EL: 5 mGuerra et al.
April 1992playa de Los Positos, Mazo, La Palma, Canary Islands
Found on beachArchiteuthis?"remains""small samples""large specimen"González & Heylen Samples taken by biologists and analysed without reaching definitive conclusion.
3347 May 1992Kommetjie, South Africa
UndeterminedArchiteuthis sp.Head onlyHeadFemaleML: 1600 mm ; statolith; LRL: 17.1 mm; URL: 17.3 mm; additional beak measurementsSAM; catalog no. S2556 Roeleveld ; Lipiński ; Roeleveld Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
33510 June 1992west of Cape Columbine, South Africa
UndeterminedArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemale ML: 1770 mm; statolith; LRL: 17.5 mm; URL: 18.8 mm; additional beak measurementsSAM; catalog no. S2562 Roeleveld ; Lipiński ; Roeleveld Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
33615–16 July 1992northwest of Chatham Islands; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea

Unknown southern Japan
Sick/dying animal photographed and filmed in shallow waterArchiteuthis dux; Moroteuthis robusta Entire; alive--Poppe & Goto ; Ellis Japanese made-for-television film; Norman Non-architeuthid. Photograph of sick/dying Onykia robusta taken by H. Kubota in shallow water. Squid is shown with diver, although wide-angle photography exaggerates animal's size. A video of the same squid appears in a Japanese made-for-television film. If correctly identified as an architeuthid it would have been the first photo/recording of a live giant squid.
33714 May 1993Morne Brabant, Mauritius
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndetermined?ML: 4.5 m; WT: 240 kgStaub Paxton Discussing maximum mantle length in giant squid, Paxton wrote: "A 4.5 m specimen from Mauritius is often mistakenly cited but consultation of the primary paper reveals an ill-defined length which is clearly not ML."
33823 December 1993at edge of mangroves, east side of Hungry Bay, Paget, Bermuda
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntire?ML: Roper et al. Collected by Thad Martin; T. Murdoch and C. Bosch-de-Noya also mentioned. Not found in BAMZ collection.
February 1994La Palma, Canary Islands
Found on beach?Architeuthis?"remains""small samples"None givenGonzález & Heylen Samples taken by biologists and analysed without reaching definitive conclusion.
March 1994 off Los Cristianos, southern Tenerife, Canary Islands
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntireEntireFemale EL: >10 m; WT: 350/600 kgMuseo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre, Santa Cruz de TenerifeGonzález & Heylen ; #OAMC2008| ; #Anon2014a| ; #MNH2014| #Anon2004| ; Alcalá Found by tourist boat Batros I. Thought to have been attacked by sperm whale 2–3 days earlier; several cetacean teeth found among remains. Replica exhibited in Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre in Santa Cruz de Tenerife; specimen itself was long stored frozen and briefly put on public display as part of temporary exhibition "El Museo Fabulado" between 18 March and 31 May 2011.
33921 April 1994Izu-Ogasawara Islands, off central Honshū, Japan from surface to 140 m depth
By trawl Architeuthis sp.Entire; "not in good condition"EntireML: 19.8 mm; FL: 4.5 mm; HL: 6.4 mm, additional measurementsNot statedTsuchiya & Mori Roper & Shea
340May 1994New Zealand at 515 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireIn piecesML: 1850 mm; FL: 760 mmNMNZ; NMNZ M18019Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Dalmor.
341May 1994New Zealand at 514 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireIncompleteML: 1110 mm; FL: 490 mmNMNZ; NMNZ M18020Förch O'Shea Caught by F/V Dalmor.

August 1994off Ishikawa-shi, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Not statedgiant squid Entire; tentacles intactEntireEL: 6.37 m; WT: 63 kgOkinawa Churaumi AquariumShimada et al. On public display. Exhibited at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, preserved in formalin.
January 1995off King Island, Bass Strait
By trawlArchiteuthis"slightly larger" than specimen of 9 March 1995Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes
343January 1995500 km off South Island, New Zealand
By trawlArchiteuthis"even larger" than January 1995 specimen from King IslandZeidler & Gowlett-Holmes
3449 March 1995~3.2 nm SSE of Cape Banks, Australia
Found floating at surface, recently deadArchiteuthis sp.Entire, tail damaged, all arms damaged, tentacles damaged, eyes missing, head detachedEntireFemaleML: 1530 mm; VML: 1400 mm; MW: 440 mm; MT: 40 mm ; HL: 320 mm; HW: 270 mm; WT: 48 kg + 38 kg ; FL: 430 mm; FW: 175 mm; FuL: 250 mm; FuD: 110 mm; FuCL: 190 mm; FuCW: 50 mm ; GL: 1440 mm; GW: 190 mm ; RL: 340 mm; RW: 130 mm ; EyOD: 170 mm; distance between eye orbits : 90 mm; RL: 70 mm ; RW: 10 mm ; AL: 810/610 mm; AL: 1450/1120 mm; AL: 1330/1290 mm; AL: 1140/1750 mm; ASD: 7–14 mm ; TL: 4260/2970 mm ; DC: 195 mm; MaL: 410 mm; CaL: 130 mm; CW: 50 mm ; CSD: 25 mm ; LRL: 18 mm; URL: 18 mm; additional beak measurementsSAMA; SAMA D18936 + B80 + XD0040 Zeidler & Gowlett-Holmes Ellis Caught by Martin Von Stanke on F/V Ocean Lady over ~25 m bottom depth. Stored on ice and transported to museum after 1 day without prior freezing. Tissue samples from digestive gland and arm saved at −80 °C, muscle samples from mantle and tentacle preserved in 100% alcohol. Beak, radula and fragmented gladius removed and preserved separately. Stomach contained only 9 undetermined squid suckers and remains of others. Two large gashes on left side of mantle may indicate predator attack.
3452 April 1995Golfo San Jorge, Argentina at 70 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthisFemale ML: 1625 mmMuseo de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Buenos AiresBrunetti et al. Ré et al. ; #Anon1999a| ; Brunetti et al.
34626 April 1995west of Aran Islands, Ireland at 287 m depth
By 80 mm mesh benthic trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedMale ML: 1028 mm; MW: 379 mm; TL: 4555 mm; EL: 5970 mm; WT: 26.9 kg; HL: 275 mm; HW: 135 mm; AL: 870 mm; AL: not measured; AL: 1054 mm; AL: 1512/1465 mm; LAL: 1512 mm; TCL: 504 mm; DC: 158 mm; MaL: 252 mm; CaL: 94 mm; HeL: no obs.; FL: 390 mm; FW: 298 mm ; EyD: 80 mm; PL: 555 mm; SoA: no obs.; SL: 125–150 mm; LRL: 10.9 mm; URL: 12.5 mm; SInc: 294; G: 4.25%NMI; catalog no. 14-1995Collins et al. ; Guerra et al. Lordan et al. ; Collins ; O'Sullivan Taken by trawler Sionnainn, skippered by Michael Flannery. Flannery's son caught two giant squid in the same area in 2017.
34724 June 1995Porcupine Bank, Ireland at 300 m depth
By 80 mm mesh benthic trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndetermindedMale ML: 975 mm; MW: 335 mm; EL: 5950 mm; WT: 22.45 kg; HL: 270 mm; HW: 137 mm; TL: 4823 mm; TCL: 500 mm; DC: 172 mm; MaL: 252/236 mm; CaL: 77/92 mm; FL: 356 mm; FW: 266 mm; EyD: 95 mm; PL: 574 mm; SoA: no obs.; SL: 120–140 mm; HeL: no obs.; LRL: 12.7 mm; URL: 12 mm; SInc: 375; G: 3.29%NMI; catalog no. 44-1995Collins et al. ; Guerra et al. Lordan et al. ; Collins ; O'Sullivan Taken by trawler Sionnainn, skippered by Michael Flannery. Flannery's son caught two giant squid in the same area in 2017.
34825 June 1995southwest Aran Islands, Ireland at 110 m depth
By 80 mm mesh benthic trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireUndeterminedMale ML: 1084 mm; MW: 335 mm; WT: 26.5 kg; HL: 288 mm; HW: 144 mm; AL: 1111 mm; LAL: 1111 mm; FL: 368 mm; FW: 264 mm; EyD: 96 mm; HeL: no obs.; PL: 702 mm; SoA: no obs.; SL: 135–155 mm; LRL: 13.3 mm; URL: 10 mm; SInc: 422; G: 2.96%NMI; catalog no. 43-1995Collins et al. ; Guerra et al. Lordan et al. ; Collins Taken by trawler Galway.
26 June 1995off Fowey Rocks Light, Florida, United States
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntire?, "mutilated remains"EL: ; WT: Roper et al. Identified based on photo.
34910 July 1995South Africa
UndeterminedArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireMale ML: 1180 mm; statolith; LRL: 14.1 mm; URL: 15.4 mm; additional beak measurementsSAM; catalog no. S3353 Lipiński ; Roeleveld Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld.
35015 July 1995Golfo San Jorge, Bahía Bustamante, Argentina
Found washed ashore on mat of seaweedFemale ML: 1300 mmRuiz & Fondacaro Ré et al. ; Brunetti et al.
35127 September 1995Playa de los Pozos, Asturias, Spain
By seine fishingArchiteuthis duxEntire?WT: 160 kgGuerra et al. Caught by the boats Nuevo Juanito and Hermanos of Avilés using a seine.
3521 December 1995off South Island, New Zealand at 305 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireNIWAPuente ; O'Shea Collected by T. Devlin on F/V J. Elaine. O'Shea gives coordinates as.
353December 1995off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisEntire?Entire?, left tentacle looseMale ML: 1200 mm; TL: 2757+ mm ; CL: 552 mm ; CSC: 247 ; TSC: 278 ; additional indices and countsNMNZ; NMNZ Z.8900 Roeleveld Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
35431 December 1995off South Island, New Zealand at 425 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntire, both tentacles looseFemale ML: 2000 mm; WT: ~; TL: 7300 mm ; CL: 850 mm ; CSC: 243/242; TSC: 273/268; additional indices and countsNMNZ; NMNZ Z.8436 Ellis ; Förch ; Roeleveld Puente ; #Anon1996a| ; O'Shea Collected by FRV Tangaroa. Originally deposited at NIWA. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
35531 December 1995off New Zealand at 425 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea Listed as separate record by O'Shea.
356Unknown near Mt Gambier, off Cape Banks, South Australia
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemaleWT: 86 kg; BL+HL: 1.85 m; AL: 1.75 m ; TL: 7.39 m ; EyOD: 17 cm; EL: >9 mSAMAZeidler Female with fully formed ovaries and small white eggs.
357"very early" January 1996 off South Island, New Zealand at 310 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireMaleTL: NIWAEllis Förch ; Puente ; #Anon1996a| ; O'Shea Caught by FRV Tangaroa.
358February 1996off New Zealand at 310 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
359February 1996Perlora, Asturias, Spain
Not specifiedArchiteuthis duxMantle severed in its first third, missing arms and tentaclesGuerra et al.
14 March 1996off west coast of Tasmania, Australia at 840–1000 m depth
Captured live by commercial trawl fishing for orange roughy, but likely died under weight of fish during haul to surfaceArchiteuthis sanctipauli Velain, 1877Entire, missing majority of skinEntireFemale ML: 191 cm; EL: 12 m NMV 74479Norman & Lu ; Norman ; Landman et al. Ellis Isotopic analysis of statolith carried out by Landman et al. to determine age and habitat. Photographed by David Paul.
36121 March 1996off New Zealand at 420 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
22 March 1996off west coast of Tasmania, Australia at 460 m depth
Captured live in commercial fishing trawlArchiteuthis sanctipauli Velain, 1877Entire, skin largely intactEntireFemale ML: 2.4 m; EL: 15 m ; WT: 220 kg; ovary: ~3 kg NMV F74482Norman & Lu ; Norman ; Landman et al. Ellis ; #Anon2003| ; Roper & Shea Mated female with spermatophores embedded in epidermis of both ventral arms, around 1 m from mouth. Ovary occupying <20% of mantle cavity contained "hundreds of thousands of undeveloped eggs". Adult specimen according to Landman et al.. Isotopic analysis of statolith carried out by Landman et al. to determine age and habitat. Photographed by David Paul.
36324 May 1996Golfo San Jorge, Bahía Bustamante, Argentina
Found washed ashore, deadArchiteuthis sp.EntireFemale ML: 1940 mm; ?TL: 4.2 m; WT: 180 kg; see Ré et al. MCNOPMRé et al. ; Ré et al. Brunetti et al. Exhibited at the museum of Puerto Madryn. with two children.
36410 June 1996off King Island, Tasmania, Australia, at 1000 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireWT: >200 kg; ?TL: 8 mNMVGannon ; #Anon1996b| Ellis Captured by D. McNamara and R. Bradshaw on trawler Empress Pearl.
1 October 1996off King Island, northwest of Tasmania, Australia at 980–1000 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis sanctipauli Velain, 1877Entire?EntireFemale ML: 159 cm NMV 78297Landman et al. Carlini ; Carlini & Graves Tissue sample used for COI sequence analysis by Carlini and Carlini & Graves . Isotopic analysis of statolith carried out by Landman et al. to determine age and habitat.
19 November 1996off Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Found in stomach contents of blue shark Architeuthis sp.Pair of beaks EntireLRL: 13.44 mm; ML: 741.5 mm ; WT: 24365.0 g Markaida & Sosa-Nishizaki Live weight constituted an estimated 7.27% of total prey weight from 893 blue sharks sampled. First giant squid record from Mexican waters and southernmost record in the California Current.
3671996Chatham Rise, New Zealand
Architeuthis?EL: O'Shea Ellis
3681996Chatham Rise, New Zealand
Architeuthis?EL: O'Shea Ellis
3691996New Zealand
Architeuthis?EL: O'Shea Ellis

24 December 1996Hawai, Tōhaku District, Tottori Prefecture, Japan
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis japonicaEntire, tentacles missingEntireML: 171 cm; WL: ~450 cm ; EL: ~10 m ; WT: 120–150 kgNational Museum of Nature and Science #NSMT2012| The Japan Times, 1996; Ellis ; #Anon2005| ; Shimada et al. On public display. Exhibited at the National Museum of Nature and Science, where it formed the backdrop for a press event with Tsunemi Kubodera on the first images of a live giant squid in the wild.
1997off Sergipe, Brazil
"found"ArchiteuthisMartins & Perez Unreported prior to Martins & Perez.

16 July 1997North Sea at 100 m depth
Caught in netArchiteuthisEntire; tentacles intactEntire?EL: 5 mSMNHSMNH ; SMNH On public display. Caught by Danish fishermen. Exhibited in tank at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm.
28 October 1997 offshore, Bahamas
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntire?, "completely intact body"None givenRoper et al. Found over bottom depth of 2000 m.
372December 1997 – April 1998Chatham Rise, New Zealand
"Captured"ArchiteuthisSeven specimens5 males, 2 females Landman et al.
37327 December 1997Merneo Bank, Chatham Rise, New Zealand at 671–674 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthis kirkii Robson, 1887Entire; tentacles broken off, minor damage to fins and one armEntireMale ML: 1.24 m; ?WL: acles"; see #AMNH2013|, 2013]; WT: ~ , 2013]; EyD: ; beak crest length: 47.5 mmAMNH; AMNH 291938#AMNH1998a| ; #AMNH1998b| ; Landman & Ellis ; Cordeiro & Hussaini ; Landman et al. ; Dussling & Johnson ; #AMNH2013| Tanabe ; Tanabe et al. Collected by commercial fishermen of F/V Aquila. Offered as gift to AMNH by Steve O'Shea of NIWA, who contacted Neil Landman in March 1998. Transported from Wellington to New York City by combination of refrigerated trucks and air cargo. Received by AMNH still frozen on 10 June 1998, as first specimen in its history. Photographed by Portia Rollings of AMNH upon arrival. Tissue samples taken and beak and radula removed and placed in 95% ethanol. Specimen injected with and fixed in 10% saline formalin solution. Kept this way for 2 weeks and buffered in first 4 days to preserve sucker rings. Next subjected to 5 days of freshwater washes and finally transferred to 70/75% ethanol. Mature spermatophore found in mantle cavity. Put on display in 1999 in 1500-litre stainless steel tank with tentacles taken from different New Zealand specimen. Covered in 1999 children's book Giant Squid: Mystery of the Deep.
37418 January 1998Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Found washed ashoreArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemaleML: 1230 mm; see Collins NMSZCollins Boyle & Rodhouse
37513 March 1998off New Zealand at 489–475 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
3769 April 1998South Patagonian shelf, off Argentina at 105 m depth
By bottom trawlArchiteuthis sp.FemaleML: 1.4 mInstituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero Brunetti et al. #Anon1999a| ; Brunetti et al. Taken by the vessel Kasuga Maru of the Pespasa fishing company. Collected by fishery inspector. Surface water temperature recorded as and air temperature as.
3779 April 1998off New Zealand at 500 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
37810 April 1998off New Zealand at 519–523 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
18 April 1998about ten miles from Saint Paul, La Réunion Island
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis dux"big chunk of flesh... including the base of the arms, head and the upper part of the mantle"Buccal mass, beak; tip of rostrum of lower beak brokenLRL: 17.0–17.5 mm ; ML: 174–193 cm Cherel Fishermen reported rapid skin colour change, suggesting chromatophores were still active and specimen was freshly dead. Other remains of large squid were observed. Sperm whales said to have occurred in the area at the time.

mid-1998beach near Fuengirola, Andalusia, Spain
Found washed ashore dead but relatively freshArchiteuthisEntireEntireFemale ML: ~125 cmMuseo Alborania, Aula del Mar de CREMA, Málaga, SpainGuerra et al. On public display. First known giant squid specimen from the Mediterranean Sea. Preserved in formaldehyde. Found in 1997 according to .
38128 July 1998off New Zealand at 500–575 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
38229 July 1998off New Zealand at 405 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
38331 July 1998off New Zealand at 452–526 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
38420 August 1998off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
13 November 1998Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 630–710 m depth
Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark Architeuthis duxLower and upper beakEntireLRL: 15.51 mm; ML: 128 cm Cherel ; Cherel & Duhamel Rincon Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld.
38619 December 1998off New Zealand at 567 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
387between 26 December 1998 and 9 February 1999off New Zealand at 500 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
1999 New Zealand
Architeuthis; Asperoteuthis lui Salcedo-Vargas, 1999Salcedo-Vargas Non-architeuthid.
3887 January 1999off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
38922 January 1999off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
39022 January 1999off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
39127 January 1999off New Zealand at 504 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
39212 February 1999off New Zealand at 545 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
39315 February 1999South Patagonian shelf, < off Isla de los Estados, Argentina at 316–360 m depth
By midwater trawlArchiteuthis sp.EntireEntireFemaleML: 1.7 m; ?WL: >3 m; WT: 150 kgInstituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero #Anon1999a| ; Brunetti et al. Brunetti et al. Taken by the vessel Rikuzen of the Pesantar SA fishing company in 105 m long drag net. Collected by scientific observer. Frozen onboard with arms reconstructed after being crushed by weigh of fish catch. Landed in Ushuaia on 18 March 1999 and thawed on 22 March for sample collection. Examined by Silvana Pineda and others from Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, who travelled especially from Mar del Plata.
16 February 1999Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 550–870 m depth
Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark Architeuthis duxLower and upper beakEntireLRL: 16.33 mm; ML: 152 cm Cherel ; Cherel & Duhamel Rincon Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld.
3959 March 1999off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisO'Shea

15 March 1999off New Zealand at 798 m depth
By trawlArchiteuthisEntire; tentacles intactEntireEL: Mote Aquarium, Mote Marine LaboratoryO'Shea ; #Mote2015| ; Ginsberg #Anon2007b| On public display. Nicknamed "Molly the Mollusk". Transferred to Mote Marine Laboratory in 1999 and exhibited at Mote Aquarium since 2001. Spent two years as part of travelling exhibit "Sea Monsters" before returning to Mote in September 2015; displayed at "Exploration Gallery".
39716 March 1999off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
3985 April 1999Goulding Cay, Northeast Providence Channel, Bahamas
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis sp.; Architeuthis duxEntire, "whole specimen"; distal half of tentacles missingEntire, in two piecesMale EL: RSMAS; "Ex UMML 31.3125" #Anon1999b| ; Roper et al. Found over bottom depth of 2300 m.
39914 May 1999off New Zealand at 515 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
3 June 1999 east of Fowey Rocks Light, Florida, United States
Found floating at surface, deadArchiteuthis sp.; Architeuthis duxEntire in "fresh" condition but heavily mutilated; missing distal third of mantle, tentacles, and ends of all arms but arm IEntireML: 700 mm; ML: 1000 mm ; WT: ~20 kg ; Roper et al. give unspecified measurement of "110 cm 3.6 ft"RSMAS; catalog no. UMML 31.312b / 31.3126 Seibel et al. ; Roper et al. Collected by charter-boat Top Dog. Found over bottom depth of >300 m. Taken to RSMAS where kept on ice or in refrigerated cold room for ~3 days prior to dissection. Wet weight estimated using mass–length relationship of O'Dor for ommastrephid squids. Mantle tissue used in study of enzymatic activity by Seibel et al., providing first estimates of giant squid metabolism and locomotory ability.
14 June 1999off west coast of Tasmania, Australia, at 500–700 m depth
Caught by trawler fishing for blue grenadierArchiteuthis sp.Entire?Entire?MaleWT: 190 kgDeagle et al. ; Deagle Specimen was kept frozen in storage until dissection in September 2002. Gut contents underwent genetic screening for prey.
40213 July 1999off New Zealand at 530 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
40315 July 1999off New Zealand at 460 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
40417 July 1999off New Zealand at 535 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea Temperature recorded as.
40521 July 1999off New Zealand at 442 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
4065 August 1999off New Zealand at 500 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea
40729 August 1999nearly off Santa Catarina, Brazil over 2,400 m deep waters
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthisEntire; arm pairs I, II, III half-missing, arm pair IV complete, tentacles missing, reproductive system virtually missingEntireFemale ML: 1160 mm; WT: 50 kg; WL: 2480 mm; MW: 460 mm; HL: 270 mm; HW: 360 mm; FL: 460 mm; FW: 380 mm; FuL: 450 mm ; FuCL: 125 mm; FuCW: 61 mm; AL: 520/510 mm; AL: 620/560 mm; AL: 750/550 mm; AL: 960/800 mm; ASD: 18 mm ; GiL: 280 mm; LRL: 15 mm; URL: 20 mm; other measurementsMuseu Nacional-RJ Martins & Perez Spotted by crew of Brazilian long-liner Macedo V. Spermatophores embedded in left ventral arm, around 60 cm from mouth. Small number of eggs present. Authors found "a few peculiarities n the shape of the fins, head and the cross-section and length of ventral arms".
408November 1999Carrandi, Asturias, Spain
By trawlArchiteuthis duxWT: 107 kg Guerra et al. Collected by the trawler Minchos VI.
23 November 1999Bloody Bay Wall, Cayman Islands
Not statedArchiteuthis duxNot statedNone givenRoper et al.
4099 December 1999approximately from Gijón, off coast of Asturias, Spain at 300–600 m depth
By trawl; caught aliveArchiteuthis dux Steenstrup, 1857Entire; missing tentacles and arms I, II, III; arm IV not intactEntireFemale ML: 1800 mm; MW: 560 mm; WT: 148 kg; VML: 1650 mm; MT: 30 mm; HW: [|415] mm; AL: 2160/178 mm ; LRL: 20.5 mm; URL: 21.0 mm; GL: 1670 mm; GW: 200 mm; FL: 690 mm; FW: 515 mm; EyD: 130 mm ; FuL: 260 mm; FuCL: 175 mm; FuCW: 41 mm; GiL: 500 mm; NGL: 340 mmCEPESMAGonzález et al. ; Guerra et al. ; Guerra et al. First record of a living specimen collected in Spanish Atlantic waters. Caught by Spanish pair trawlers Minchos V and Minchos VI based in Cillero, Lugo. Auctioned off in the market of Avilés and acquired by Pescaderias Jiménez of Avilés. Specimen was frozen immediately after measurements were taken. It was later defrosted, dissected, and reconstructed. It was placed in a transparent glass case and fixed for 48 hours in 4% formalin. It is now preserved in 70% alcohol.
410Unknown off New Zealand at 400 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea Date not recorded.
411Unknown off New Zealand
ArchiteuthisO'Shea MFish SOP Trip 1247/7.
412Unknown North Atlantic
ArchiteuthisFemale ML: 1180 mm; TL: 4395/4320 mm; CL: 785/680 mm; CSC: 260/243; TSC: 286/272; LRL: 15.7 mm; URL: 14.9 mm; additional beak measurements, indices, and countsVSM Roeleveld ; Roeleveld Beak morphometrics studied by Roeleveld. Tentacle morphology examined by Roeleveld.
41325 January 2000off New Zealand at 476 m depth
ArchiteuthisO'Shea

27 January 2000off New Zealand at 615 m depth
"Hauled up" by fishermenArchiteuthis sanctipauliEntireEntireEL: 6.5 m ; WT: 80 kg MNHN#Anon2008a| ; #Anon2008b| ; #MNHNNd| ; #Anon2019a| ; #Anon2019b| O'Shea On public display. Named "Wheke" after a sea monster of Māori mythology. Donated by NIWA of New Zealand to the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris. Became the first giant squid specimen to be plastinated; consolidated using structures inserted into tentacles, arms and funnel; 300 suckers reconstituted, original beak replaced, glass eyes inserted, and coloured to approximate natural appearance. Since 2008 on display on ground floor of the Gallery of Evolution, MNHN. Restored in March 2019 by head MNHN taxidermist Christophe Gottini and assistant Vincent Cuisset over period of at least 30 hours ahead of exhibition "Ocean, an unusual dive", held from 3 April 2019 to 5 January 2020; old paint replaced. Specimen had originally been exposed to dust while still sticky, altering its appearance significantly.
22 March 2000Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 490–620 m depth
Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark Architeuthis duxLower and upper beakLRL: 11.78 mm; ML: 60 cm Cherel ; Cherel & Duhamel Rincon Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld.
2 April 2000Asturias, Spain
Found in stomach contents of shortfin mako shark ArchiteuthisTentacleTL: 2 mGuerra et al. Caught by Spanish vessel Teresa José from Luarca.
24 April 2000Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 680–755 m depth
Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark Architeuthis duxLower beak onlyLRL: 11.33 mm; ML: 54 cm Cherel ; Cherel & Duhamel Rincon Mantle length estimated using allometric equation from Roeleveld.
10 May 2000Kerguelen waters in southern Polar Frontal Zone at 420 m depth
Found in stomach contents of sleeper shark Architeuthis duxLower and upper beak; brokenCherel ; Cherel & Duhamel Rincon
4199 August 2000off New Zealand; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
42028 September 2000south of Wellington, North Island; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
20 October 2000Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis duxEntire, "completely intact body"; tentacles and arm tips missingMale WL: Roper et al. Found over bottom depth of 2000 m. Sample used as part of mitogenomic study of Winkelmann et al..
42115 December 2000in the vicinity of Amsterdam Island
Found floating at surfaceArchiteuthis dux"large mantle"; head and gladius missingTwo funnel locking cartilages and one nuchal cartilageFunnel locking cartilages: 146/148 mm; Nuchal cartilage: "large"Cherel Collected by French trawler Austral. Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross observed feeding on corpse. Fishermen reported two other specimens of large squid observed in previous weeks.
422Unknowneast of Palmerston North, North Island; see
SightingArchiteuthis sp.LarvaLarvaO'Shea
423Unknown Hawaii
Found floating at surface after having "had a tangle with a shark"ArchiteuthisEntire, bearing bite marksNot specifiedWT: #Anonc2001| ; O'Shea Found by crew of the Illusions charter boat "while filming a TV show with Capt. Norm Issacs for ESPN". reconstructed on jetty, with head, limbs and anterior portion of mantle shown ventrally, but finned posterior end of mantle arranged dorsally.

Specimen images

The following images relate to 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

Full citations