Marine biologists have observed the Arctic bobtail squid in its natural habitat in the North Atlantic Ocean for the first time, including the rare discovery of a mature female with eggs.

Dr Paige Maroni, from The University of Western Australia’s School of Biological Sciences, was lead author of the study published in Polar Biology, which recorded the Arctic bobtail squid, Rossia moelleri, in Northeast Greenland National Park.

“Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest national park on Earth but one of the least biologically documented marine regions in the Arctic,” Dr Maroni said.

The research team’s discovery included a mature female bobtail squid and multiple egg masses, providing direct evidence of active cephalopod reproduction in the remote, sub-zero Arctic fjord system.

“The squid and eggs were recorded at a depth of 50 metres in water around −1.6 °C, which highlights the resilience of marine life in one of Earth’s most extreme environments,” Dr Maroni said.

Cephalopods such as squid and octopus are sensitive to environmental change and play important roles in the ecosystem as both predators and prey.

“Establishing knowledge of the biodiversity in this region is crucial for understanding ecosystem function and resilience under accelerating climate change,” Dr Maroni said.

“This study provides a valuable new baseline for tracking ecological change in the rapidly warming Arctic.”

The observation was made using a lightweight remotely operated underwater vehicle deployed during a Polar BLAST expedition, aboard a Secret Atlas Micro Cruise Expedition vessel, with support from Yachts for Science.

“Our results show low-impact science and expedition tourism can help fill major biodiversity gaps in remote polar regions,” Dr Maroni said.

“In poorly studied polar ecosystems, even one verified observation can provide important insight into species distributions, reproduction and resilience under climate change.”