A deep-sea creature was spotted by scientists doing something unique

The Schmidt Ocean Institute captured a rare video of a deep-sea squid carrying her eggs through the ocean, while they were exploring the sea-floor near Chile.

Most squid lay their eggs on the seafloor and abandon them, but a female Gonatus onyx will carry her eggs in her arms for months.

A brooding black-eyed squid cannot move very quickly, and may be easy prey for deep-diving marine mammals. After laying the eggs she will go without feeding, and by the time they hatch, she will be close to death.

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The video was captured using an underwater camera robot.

Schmidt Ocean Institute posted the video on Linked In and wrote: “Researchers suspect the incubation time is 6-9 months, during which time the female will pump water around the cluster (up to 3,000 eggs) as she swims, keeping them supplied with oxygen.

“This also has a rippling effect that helps the more mature hatchlings (which again, should really be called inklings, but aren’t) break free of their eggs when they are strong enough to swim on their own.”

They continued: “This amazing encounter was documented on Dive 739 with ROV SuBastian as part of the #ChileanMargin2024 expedition: research that aims to advance the understanding of how geological forces propagate through seafloor ecosystems, influence carbon and nitrogen cycling, determine where animals live, and shape evolutionary dynamics.”

The Schmidt Ocean Institute is a non-profit operating foundation aiming to advance oceanographic research, discovery, and knowledge, and increase up our understanding of the oceans.