Deep-sea squid DNA hunt off the Balearic Islands

A deep-sea squid collected near the Pityusic Islands in the Balearic Islands is at the centre of a bid to map its DNA. On 5 November 2026, the University of the Balearic Islands said its Lumica project, run with the Balearic Oceanographic Centre of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, aims to build a high-quality reference genome for the species, Histioteuthis reversa.

Samples kept cold at sea

The squid came from the Medits research campaign in the Pityusic Islands area. The team preserved the specimens in liquid nitrogen on board, then stored them at -80°C. It took tissue samples from each animal to extract genetic material.

A map of an unfamiliar animal

A reference genome is a map of a species’ genetic instructions. It lets researchers find genes, see how they are arranged and compare them with those of other species. Histioteuthis reversa lives in temperate waters across the northern hemisphere, but little is known about its biology or genetics.

The team will combine different DNA-reading methods to build the map down to chromosome level. That is a difficult task: squid genomes can be large and complex. The researchers hope the result will help them investigate genetic traits linked to life in deep water. For now, they do not know what they will find.

Topics: Nature & wildlife

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com