The giant squid was long thought to be the stuff of legend. It was only in the late 19th century that it was first officially recorded by scientists, after one leviathan squid washed up on a beach in New Zealand.  Related to slugs and snails, this monster from the deep, along with its cousin the colossal squid, is the largest invertebrate in the world. It has never been filmed in its natural habitat hundreds of meters down, but occasionally specimens are brought to the surface by deep-sea trawlers.  From the moment the dissection team set eyes on the rare specimen of a giant squid, they are fascinated by the alien anatomy.