~ Growth and Reproduction ~

How long does it take to become a giant? Like people, large mammals such as elephants, whales, and even gorillas take many years to grow large, mature, and reproduce. Most larger fish also require many years to develop to adult size. So should we assume a 35-60 foot long giant squid is as old as Methuselah? On the contrary, everything we know about cephalopods tells us they grow quickly and die after a short life. Short lives and high rates of reproduction are their hallmarks. The giant octopus, a sizeable animal at 1/20th the weight of a mature giant squid, lives just 2-3 years. From evidence of statoliths, pea-sized concretions in the organ responsible for equilibrium, we can tell giant squid also live to be no more than five years of age.

This means that the growth rate of giant squid is phenomenally rapid. It's one thing to be a fast-growing squid that reaches maturity at 30 centimeters, and quite another to grow from a few millimeters to nearly 20 meters within a few years! If you have the genes to grow at such a rate, you need lots and lots of food. Not only would giant squid have to be in areas where there is an abundant supply of food, they would need to eat large quantities, regularly. They must be feeding machines! Unlike most fish, squid have a very limited opportunity to reproduce. If things go wrong one year, such as poor health, the wrong environmental conditions, or even not finding a mate, squid cannot wait until the following year to reproduce. Compensating for a short life-span, squid release massive quantities of eggs.