Colossal Squid’s Are the Heaviest Invertebrates on Earth, Here’s How Big They Get

The colossal squid is often considered the stuff of nightmares for people who are afraid of what lies beneath the murky depths of the ocean. That's because these huge creatures have long been depicted as the monsters of the deep by sailors and storytellers alike, giving the massive invertebrates a bad reputation.

Aside from their unusual movements and gargantuan length, there isn't much that humans have to fear from these creatures.

In fact, their size seems to be the biggest reason that many people are so awed — and in some cases terrified — by this specific type of squid. To help alleviate those fears, and give you a better understanding, we've broken down what you need to know about the colossal squid's size in comparison to other creatures.

According to NPR, a mature colossal squid can weigh up to as much as 1,100 pounds and measure as long as 23 feet. To put that into perspective, that's almost as long as a giraffe is tall.

These squids are also packing some serious poundage, with a max weight of around 1,100 pounds, they as heavy as the fearsome Kodiak bear, which is one of the largest bears to exist in the world, according to the Dino Animals blog.

Researchers on an expedition in the South Sandwich Islands were shocked and delighted when video footage from their underwater rover showed the images of a juvenile colossal squid. According to the BBC, the crew of the Schmidt Ocean Institute's Falkor (too) vessel captured the video of the colossal squid in their natural habitat, completely by accident. And, they didn't even know what they had found at first, admitting that they had filmed the squid because it looked so cool.

Because of the depth at which these squids live, it's been next to impossible for researchers to learn too much about them, so they were understandably excited once the invertebrate was finally identified.

Not only did it tell them a bit more about the colossal squid's lifecycle — for example, that they have translucent skin in their earlier years — but it also marks an important anniversary in the squid's history, since it was discovered almost exactly 100 years prior to the video.

While the colossal squid holds the title of the heaviest invertebrate on Earth, it's hardly the largest in the world.

Instead, the Antarctic blue whale gets that distinction. The World Wildlife Federation says that the adult whale can reach up to 400,000 pounds, and 98 feet in length. An animal of that size obviously needs to eat a lot to stay healthy, and these creatures are said to consume approximately 7,936 pounds of krill each day.

The Antarctic blue whale also holds another record: They're believed to be the loudest animal on Earth. The Antarctic blue what's calls are said to be louder than a jet engine, and scientist say that they can be heard for hundreds of miles.