New Zealand colossal squid found in the Antarctic by fishermen in 2007 has been dissected yesterday by a group of scientists at "Te Papa" museum   in New Zealand. According to multiple reports, the New Zealand colossal squid has been kept frozen for preservation purposes and it is only now that it was defrosted and examined by the marine biologists.

According to the Business Insider, the New Zealand colossal squid, which weighed almost 800-pounds, was the second colossal squid in the world to have been found intact. Two colossal squids were reportedly dragged out of the Ross Sea and off the freezing coast of Antarctica back in Feb. 22, 2007.

The New Zealand colossal squid was captured from a mile below the surface off the coast of Antarctica by Capt. John Bennett and his crew, in what seemed to be a scene told by a fiction writer. The squid had fire hose-like tentacles and eyes as huge as dinner plates. The New Zealand colossal squid was thought to have extended beyond 13 feet, beginning from the tip down to its tentacle, reports the BBC.

Bennett's first haul is currently on display in New Zealand's national museum, "Te Papa." The captain said there was so much excitement about the catch that he thought it was better to save the latest one for research.

Bennett said, "It was partly alive, it was still hanging onto the fish. Just a big bulk in the water. They're huge, and the mantle's all filled with water. It's quite an awesome sight."

Weighing 350 kilograms (770 pounds), the New Zealand colossal squid was as long as a minibus. It is known to be one of the ocean's most elusive species.

According to the Associated Press, until Tuesday, it had been frozen for eight months. The scientists in New Zealand used a forklift to manoeuvre the New Zealand colossal squid into a tank. Finally, after a long wait, the scientists got the chance to dissect the animal and inspect its components.

According to reports, the New Zealand colossal squid is a female, and had eggs inside her mantle, which is the animal's main body part. It also had eight arms which were well over a meter (3.3 feet) long and two damaged tentacles.

The Business Insider reports that along with two massive eyes, the colossal squid also has three hearts - one of which pumps blood around the body, while the other two helped power the gills.

The largest tentacled creatures in the ocean by weight, the New Zealand colossal squid is the first one ever found in 2007. Back then it weighed 1,100 pounds. It is still unclear if this squid is the largest in the ocean.

According to researchers, they would need to examine several others of its kind to determine the exact size at which they can grow.

Squid scientist Kat Bolstad from the Auckland University of Technology led a team which examined the New Zealand colossal squid. She said the specimen is "very big and very beautiful."

Bolstad added, "This is essentially an intact specimen, which is almost an unparalleled opportunity for us to examine. This is a spectacular opportunity."

According to the AP, the video of the colossal squid being examined has reached over 400,000 views from over 180 countries.

Similar to the giant squid, the Business Insider reports that these cephalapods battle sperm whales deep. The first colossal squid tentacles ever seen were reportedly pulled from a whale's belly in 1925.

The New Zealand colossal squid was pulled out from a pool of brine for examination. Apparently, scientists believe its size to have shrunk because it had been frozen.

Still, it retained its huge eye, with a giant iris measuring over 10.8 inches, larger than a dinner plate. The New Zealand colossal squid's lower beak reportedly measured 42.5 millimeters, and even larger beaks of up to 49 millimeters, have been found inside sperm whales.

Colossal squids have mostly been found around Antarctica. However, some of the parts found in sperm whales have been discovered further north.

What is the significance of this dissection of a New Zealand colossal squid?

According to Susan Waugh, a senior curator at Te Papa, scientists hope to discover more about where colossal squids fit in the food chain, how much genetic variation there are in squids and basic facts about how the sea creatures live and die.

Waugh added that scientists also plan to further assess the condition of the squid before determining whether to put it out for public display.

New Zealand colossal squid information, over the next couple of weeks, will be reported by the Te Papa museum, hopefully answering the many questions people have about the species.

Watch the viral video of the dissection below.