First Natural Observation of the Arctic Bobtail Squid in the Arctic Ocean

In September 2025 a polar research team joined the Secret Atlas Micro-Cruise expedition to Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest protected marine area. Researchers deployed a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) equipped with a GoPro camera to a depth of 50 m, where water temperature measured –1.6 °C. The ROV captured video of a mature female Arctic bobtail squid (*Rossia moelleri*) with three clusters of eggs attached to the seafloor. The observation was the first confirmed sighting of this species in its natural Arctic habitat and was later described in the journal *Polar Biology* (July 2026).

Robot descends deep into Greenland's waters – and films Arctic bobtail squid in natural habitat for first time ever Scientific American

• The adult squid measured roughly 10 cm in length.

Scientific American

• Egg clusters were visible on hard substrate, confirming that *R. moelleri* can reproduce in sub-zero fjord waters.

Robot descends deep into Greenland's waters – and films Arctic bobtail squid in natural habitat for first time ever

• The sighting provides a baseline record for a taxon that is otherwise poorly documented in East Greenland waters.

Robot descends deep into Greenland's waters – and films Arctic bobtail squid in natural habitat for first time ever

These data are valuable because cephalopods have short life spans and rapid turnover, making them sensitive indicators of subtle shifts in temperature or salinity. Even a single verified observation can help track species distributions and reproductive success as the Arctic warms faster than any other region.

Robot descends deep into Greenland's waters – and films Arctic bobtail squid in natural habitat for first time ever

Paige Maroni, a researcher at the University of Western Australia and lead author of the study, emphasized that establishing biodiversity knowledge in this region is essential for understanding ecosystem function and resilience under accelerating climate change. She noted that the expedition model—pairing paying travelers with scientists through Secret Atlas and Yachts for Science—offers a practical solution to the limited availability of dedicated research vessels.

Scientific American

• “Establishing knowledge of the biodiversity in this region is crucial for understanding ecosystem function and resilience under accelerating climate change,” — Paige Maroni, a researcher at the University of Western Australia, in a statement

Scientific American

• “The squid and eggs were recorded at a depth of 50m in water around -1.6 °C, which highlights the resilience of marine life in one of Earth’s most extreme environments,” — Maroni. It al

Robot descends deep into Greenland's waters – and films Arctic bobtail squid in natural habitat for first time ever

• “In poorly studied polar ecosystems, even one verified observation can provide important insight into species distributions, reproduction and resilience under climate change,” — Paige Maroni, a researcher at the University of Western Australia, in a statement

Robot descends deep into Greenland's waters – and films Arctic bobtail squid in natural habitat for first time ever