Scientists have detected a rare giant squid in the deep waters of Western Australia using advanced DNA analysis, providing new insight into one of the least-explored marine ecosystems.
The discovery was made during research in underwater canyons near Ningaloo (Ningaloo), where scientists collected seawater samples to identify the species through environmental DNA.
The study, published in the journal Environmental DNA, revealed traces of more than 200 marine species.
Researchers from Curtin University and the University of Western Australia surveyed the Cape Range and Cloetes valleys, collecting samples from depths of up to 4,510 metres.
“These canyons are incredibly rich ecosystems and, until now, they have been largely ignored due to the difficulty of working at such great depths,” said lead author Georgia Nestor.
The findings included evidence of a giant squid, a species rarely seen in the area for more than 25 years.
“This is the first record of a giant squid found off the coast of Western Australia using the eDNA protocol and is the northernmost record of (the species) A. dux in the eastern Indian Ocean,” said Dr Lisa Kirkendall of the Western Australian Museum.
The researchers also identified whales, sharks and other deep-sea species, some of which are potentially new to science.
Zoe Richards said, “Deep sea ecosystems are vast, remote and expensive to study, yet they face increasing pressure from climate change, fishing and resource extraction. You can’t protect what you don’t know.”
