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60' Squid Washes up on Tasmanian Beach

Posted by timothy on from the wanna-wrestle dept.

Astrobirdr writes "CNN has a story about a giant squid that recently washed up on a Tasmanian beach. Some think it might be a new species." 60 feet long is enough for a lot of calimari.

7 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Editors note by dr_dank · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the Article, emphasis mine:
    "It's definitely of the giant squid group, which is exciting enough," the museum's senior curator of Zoology, David Pemberton said in the ABC report.

    Editors Note: David Pemberton is an associate professor at the Royal Academy of Really Obvious Facts. His new book Kitty Cats Go Meow is due out in the fall.

    --
    Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
    1. Re:Editors note by axolotl_farmer · · Score: 3, Informative

      Disclaimer: IAABBNAC (I am a biologist, but not an Cephalopodilog)

      This is not stupid. The giant squids (Architeuthidae) are a genus of squid within the 10-armed cephalopods. This means that all the species of this group are each others closest relatives.

      Pemberton probably means that this specimen is of an undescribed species of this group. 'Giant squid' is not a physical, but a taxonomical description.

  2. Squid DO NOT eat whales, whales eat squid by nosferatu-man · · Score: 3, Informative

    Trust CNN to get the basic science wrong. If a whale has a sucker scar, it's from a desparate squid trying to escape, not from a brush with death. Look at the sizes of the things: how would a 250kg squid handle a 60 ton whale?

    Jeez.
    'j

    --
    To spur "enterprise Linux," Big Bang, the distributed two-phase commit.
    1. Re:Squid DO NOT eat whales, whales eat squid by nosferatu-man · · Score: 3, Informative

      The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale in the world, and likely the largest predator ever on earth. They are known to primarialy eat smaller squid (although a 13' squid is only smaller in comparison to Architheuthis), as well as fish, and the occasional marine mammal, like seals or porpoises.

      'jfb

      --
      To spur "enterprise Linux," Big Bang, the distributed two-phase commit.
  3. In other news... by Zelet · · Score: 3, Funny

    After a series of underwater-nuclear tests, a 60's style Japanese man in a giant lizard costume invaded Japan killing hundreds of small model people and toppling many a cardboard buildings.

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    ...And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me." - Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)
  4. Like /. users? by BornInASmallTown · · Score: 3, Funny
    It is believed they rarely have an opportunity to mate, and live isolated lives, but it is still unknown where the squid fits on the food chain.

    s/squid/slashdotter/

  5. Re:Steel Cables? by ShavenYak · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm not a marine biologist, but what do you suppose giant squid need to bite through that is "as strong as a steel cable?"

    Well, any good design has some margin of safety. You wouldn't want the squid to only barely be able to bite through its food, or its beak wouldn't last long. That said, I imagine you need a good deal of force to break open something like a chambered nautilus (the shellfish, not the submarine).

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    Hey kids, there's only 5 days left 'til Yak Shaving Day!