In a rare marine breakthrough, scientists from the ICAR – Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi have discovered a new deep-sea squid species in the Arabian Sea. The species is only the second globally confirmed from the little-known genus Taningia.

The new species, named Taningia silasii or the Indian octopus squid, has been formally described in the international journal Marine Biodiversity.

Discovery off Kollam coast

The specimen was collected from nearly 390 metres below sea level off the Kollam coast. Measuring 45 cm in dorsal mantle length, the squid belongs to the family Octopoteuthidae, whose adult members uniquely lack tentacles, unlike most squid species.

Despite being a squid, its octopus-like appearance—with eight arms and no long feeding tentacles—has

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