Scientists peek into the DNA of the giant squid

Scientists conclude that giant squids are of a single species.

12:55 21 March 2013

Giant squids from around the world are “basically identical.” This is what the scientists have concluded after they peeked into the DNA of the giant squid. They have investigated rare samples of the squid’s DNA and uncovered their family secrets.

The findings, which were published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, conclude that there is just a single species of squid with no population structure. Scientists claim that genetic diversity was very low, suggesting that the squid are genetically very similar.

 

Professor M. Thomas P. Gilbert from the Natural History Museum of Denmark explains to the BBC that: “There's normally local distinction between [animals] genetically. Things that live in one area eventually become different from things in other areas but [giant squid] are basically identical everywhere.”

 

“We speculate the larval stage must drift globally in the currents then dive to the nearest dark, deep spot when they are large enough, thus stopping any [population] structure appearing,” he said in the same BBC report.