Nature

Eggs of rare diamond squid found of coast of Almuñécar

Biologist Luis Sánchez Tocino, a researcher from the Zoology department of the University of Granada, spotted the unusual sight off Velilla beach in the Costa Tropical town on Tuesday 9 June

Diamond squid eggs found off Velilla Beach in Almuñécar on Tuesday. (Luis Sánchez Tocino)

Inés Gallastegui

Granada

11/06/2026 a las 18:34h.

Biologist Luis Sánchez Tocino, a researcher from the Zoology department of the University of Granada (UGR) and contributor to the informative website El Litoral de Granada-UGR ... sighted on Tuesday 9 June on Velilla beach in Almuñécar on Granada province's Costa Tropical a rare cluster of eggs from a diamond squid, sometimes known as the diamondback squid.

The find is rare as the Thysanoteuthis rhombus is typical of tropical and subtropical waters and not at all common in the Mediterranean as it usually inhabits open waters.

However, this is not the first time the diamond squid has been spotted off the Costa Tropical, according to the biologist. In August 2024 an adult diamond squid was spotted very close to the shore at Playa Granada in Motril.

Unlike other species, which attach their egg capsules to rocks, corals or algae on the seabed, the diamond squid deposits them on the surface and lets them drift until they hatch. Tens of thousands of tiny squid may be present in each of these masses.

This curious species owes its name to its characteristic shape: with its large triangular fins extending the length of the body, it is diamond-shaped, with a bright pink colour.

The eggs are described as "a kind of gelatinous and cylindrical mass of iridescent pink, some 60 centimetres long and 20 in diameter". Because of teh size of the diamondback, which can reach up to two metres with tentacles extended and weighing about 30 kilos, it is considered a giant squid. However, its size pales in comparison with the Architeuthis which can reach up to 20 metres in length and move in deep waters.

Unlike the Architeuthis, which accumulate large quantities of ammonia in their flesh, the diamond squid is edible, although it is not common to see it in Spanish fish markets. In Japan, Taiwan and some Caribbean countries, however, it is considered a real delicacy.