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The giant squid (Architeuthis), the world�s largest invertebrate, has never been seen alive � until now. A new Discovery Channel special joins an international expedition team in the waters off New Zealand as they succeed in capturing living juvenile specimens for the first time. The juveniles were found in the larval stage, ranging in size from 9 to 13 millimetres.
Some squid naturally lose the tentacles in post-larval stages, so that the adult possesses 8 arms only; some squid can have more than 2 fins.
Mesonychoteuthis lacks a hectocotylus � a specially modified arm used to transfer spermatophores to the female. As a rule, species that lack a hectocotylus have a relatively large penis, and presumably they use this organ directly to implant spermatophores hydraulically into the female. As no mature Mesonychoteuthis male or female is known, we cannot begin to guess how the monster does its business.