Gonatus antarcticus is a squid in the family Gonatidae. The species is known with certainty only from southern Atlantic waters but it may have a circum-Antarctic distribution.Kubodera, T. (2006). Gonatus antarcticus Lönnberg 1898. Tree of Life Web Project.Xavier, J.C. & Rodhouse, P.G. & Trathan, P.N. & Wood, A.G. 1999. A Geographical Information System (GIS) Atlas of cephalopod distribution in the Southern Ocean. Antarctic Science, Published online on May 6, 2004 Historically, G. antarcticus was known to scientists only from dead specimens caught by fishermen and remains found in the bellies of larger animals. However, in December 2024, a free-swimming live squid was captured on video at 7,000 feet by a remotely operated vehicle owned by the Schmidt Ocean Institute making a film for National Geographic.
Distribution G. antarcticus occurs in waters of the Southern Ocean. Its range may be circumpolar with an Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic distribution.Guerreiro, Miguel & Phillips, Richard A & Cherel, Yves & Ceia, Filipe R & Alvito, Pedro & Rosa, Rui & Xavier, José C. 2015. Habitat and trophic ecology of Southern Ocean cephalopods from stable isotope analyses. Marine Ecology Progress Series, published online on June 18, 2015.
Ecology This squid is eaten by several predators in the Southern Ocean, like colossal squid, sperm whales, seals and (when smaller) penguins and albatrosses.
Based on stable isotopes analysis, the squid may be a top predator in its natural habitat.Cherel, Y & Ducatez, S & Fontaine, C & Richard, P & Guinet, C. 2008. Stable isotopes reveal the trophic position and mesopelagic fish diet of female southern elephant seals breeding on the Kerguelen Islands.Marine Ecology Progress Series, published online on October 28, 2008.
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