Giant squid hauled in to town fish market on Almeria coastline

A hefty specimen weighing 17 kilos was caught in the town of Garrucha near Mojácar by fishing vessel El Playazo, the largest of this species ever netted in these waters

David Roth

Friday, 9 August 2024, 11:25

If a few days ago Motril received an unexpected visit in the form of a cephalopod, a 'giant' - well, sizeable - squid that surprised beachgoers last Tuesday, then its first cousin decided to make an appearance in Garrucha, near Mojácar in the province of Almeria. The outcome for this mollusc was less fortunate, however, because it landed in the nets of some local fishermen from Garrucha, as confirmed by the town's harbour fish market, while the one from Granada was able to swim off into the horizon to live out its life in the sea. This is not just any old specimen of squid though, it is no more, no less than the largest squid of this species ever caught in these waters.

This is what the people in charge of landing the squid say, as reported on the social media pages of the local community 'Garrucha en Almería'. They commented that the fishing boat known as El Playazo, based in Garrucha port, caught the squid described as "almost giant", whose weight was 16.94kg, rounded up to 17 kilos.

To this they add that "it is the first time that a squid of these characteristics has been caught in Garrucha", and that "such a large squid has never before been seen in Garrucha fish market".

According to experts, its appearance and bright pink colour suggest that it could be a Thysanoteuthis rhombus, also known as diamond squid, rhomboid squid or diamondback squid.

This is how biologist Luis Sánchez Tocino, research associate with the Zoology Department of the University of Granada (UGR) and head of the scientific journal 'El litoral de Granada' (Granada's shoreline), has identified the squid. Moreover, it is a mollusc, a cephalopod that is not native to the area.

"We believe it is a diamond squid. It is a fairly rare species from the high seas and is rarely seen in the fish markets," says the expert. According to him, this species method of egg-laying is "very curious". He explains further: "Unlike other species of squid that fix their eggs to the ocean floor, this one floats them close to the surface. These embryos are cylinder-shaped and form elongated gelatinous masses."

Among the information provided by this biologist from UGR, he highlights that these formations of diamond squid eggs reach up to two metres in length, being visible even from out of the water. And, as if that were not enough, each one can contain around 70,000 eggs of this species of mollusc, which as an adult can measure around one metre - two metres with the tentacles extended - and weigh up to 30 kilos.

The diamond squid is characterised by its "unmistakable" diamond-shaped fins. That a specimen with these characteristics should swim into the waters of the Costa Tropical "is not at all common", according to this biologist. Although its presence may extend to places with warm currents, such as around Japan, it is normal for it to roam only in tropical and subtropical waters.

Now it's time to find out who will get the squid that, now deprived of its freedom, will have no choice but to go through the fryer or, failing that, be cooked in its ink in oil.

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