Back in December, some New Zealand fisherman in the remote Ross Sea off Antarctica caught something a bit surprising - this colossal squid.
The colossal squid (not to be confused with the giant squid - they’re different species) is very rarely seen by humans, living as it does thousands of feet beneath the ocean’s surface. In fact, this specimen was only the second adult ever to be found intact.
Amazingly, the first - which is on display in the Te Papa museum - was caught by the same fisherman that caught the second - seven years later.
What a lovely beak you have. The female colossal squid's break is huge #squidwatch @Te_Papa @AUTuni pic.twitter.com/oC7SRAis77
— Alison Ballance (@AlisonBallance) September 16, 2014
And as well as being mysterious, they are also huge - with eyes as big as dinner plates and barbed tentacles as thick as fire hoses.
This female was 11 feet long, weighed 350 kilograms and was caught a mile below the surface.
The squid was put in cold storage for almost nine months until Tuesday when a group of scientists from a New Zealand University thawed it out and dissected it live on camera. A forklift was needed to transport it.
As well as three hearts (one to pump blood around the body and two for the gills), the scientists also found eggs during the procedure..
"We were excited to find that out, as it turns out this one is a female, and it has got some eggs," Dr Kat Bolstad told reporters.
"This was by far the most perfect colossal squid that I have seen."
And heavens what an enormous eye 35 cm diameter. Colossal squid @Te_Papa #squidwatch pic.twitter.com/AwVWM1NuNd
— Alison Ballance (@AlisonBallance) September 16, 2014
It is believed both the colossal and giant squids are responsible for the legend of the Kraken - a terrifying creature from the depths that attacks ships.
We can see how those vicious rumours started.