This giant squid was recently caught by New Zealand fisherman off the coast of Antartica. What's with all the giant squids popping up recently? We have enough ugly animals top side, we don't need any abyssal creatures showing up.
But I guess this squid didn't have much of a choice. A squid's gott eat, right? How was he supposed to know that there were some Kiwi's on the other end of the line waiting with a gaff and camera?
UPDATE: Both Brestle and Arachnophile have confirmed that I have misidentified this as a giant squid. It is actually a colossal squid. Check out this link from Arachnophile for more details.
Photos (1 & 2) from Reuters via Yahoo!
Feb 26, 2007
Rolling Out the Uglies, Part III
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9 comments:
Is it odd that I feel quite badly for the big dead squid? 0_o
I think the guy in the second picture's hand is way, way to close to that sphinctery area. Good thing he's wearing gloves.
i think i remember reading that this particular animal is known as a colossal squid. they're extremely heavy whereas the giant squid is extremely large (long?).
Brestle, I felt a bit bad, too.
maran, I'll have to look into that. It wouldn't be the first time I was wrong.
Arachnophile here: Regular Ugly Overload visiter but not a blog resident, yet. ;)
It is a colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, one of only 2 ever captured, and only 5 or 6 bodies (mostly just the beaks) have been identified EVAH! Sorry, this is just such a huge deal for cephalo-nerds. ;) This is the first to be taken so very intact. I feel bad for the squid but, dang he/she is one cool invertebrate!
I have a GREAT side-by-side artist portrayal of a giant and a colossal. Could I send it to you Wombat? *anxious nerdiness* Can I, Can I, Huh!! ;) :p
The cool thing about Colossal squids are the fang-like hooks on their tentacles too. I also have a picture of that. Please, give me an outlet for all my cephalopod joy!
Arachnophile again. Sorry my enthusiam has forced me to double-post.
Well, I'll save the trouble of sending pictues when Tonmo has a great page on our gInormous friend. ;)
http://www.tonmo.com/science/public/giantsquidfacts.php
The Tree of Life Web Project also has a great page along with a shot of the last carcase. You can see that this new one is WAY better. :)
oops, forgot the link. :( Sorry, this is my last one, I promise.
http://www.tolweb.org/Mesonychoteuthis_hamiltoni/19556
Is it just me.. os does the guy in the 2nd pic look like Saddam?
Anywho! DAMN.. I'd be scared to death if I saw something that humongous in the water. Good lord.. it just freaks me out looking at it.
I do feel a little bad for it though.
I wish they'd leave the squids alone.
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