Slashdot Mirror
Colossal Squid Landed Intact In Antarctica
zakkie writes "New Zealand fisherman have caught a massive 450-kg colossal squid in Antarctic waters. This is by far the biggest yet found, measuring over 10 meters in length and weighing 450 kg. It has been taken back to New Zealand for study." The NZ government's announcement page features a downloadable backgrounder on the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) and a 1.1-MB popup portrait of the animal in the fishing boat's hold.
In case of Slashdotting, I've mirrored the image. Mirror image will be removed this weekend...
Sorry to disappoint you, but if this is anything like the giant squid (and it probably is), it has ammonia in it to help resist deep-water pressure. That would make it taste terrible (and probably toxic, too). Besides, who would come to a restaurant that smelled like they put window cleaner in their hot-and-sour soup? I know you're joking, but I thought I'd point this out...
"You teach a child to read and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test." - President George W. Bush
Last week there was a video in the news, it was discovered that giant squid uses flashes of light. That probably gives them a huge advantage, in an area where few of their prey will be used to light, they can see. See e.g. http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id=9855&fo rmato=HTML.
I believe posters are recognized by their sig. So I made one.
Also, giant squid (I'm not sure which, Architeuthis or Mesonychoteuthis, would have bigger eyes) have the largest eyes of any animal on earth. The sheer light collecting power of having such a large retina suggests they're designed to see in very low-light conditions (like owls and whipporwhills), although I don't know if anybody knows how they use them.
To further point out: Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) != Giant Squid (Genus = Architeuthis). The Giant squid is one of multiple squid belonging to the Genus Architeuthis. The Colossal Squid is the only member of the Genus Mesonychoteuthis, well at least the only "known" and/or "living" one.
Though, your comment might still apply since they are also deep sea dwellers, they too may contain ammonia or some other substance to help them survive the depths.
"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb."
If there has been a statistically significant increase, it's probably due to one or more of four things:
1. Fishermen are more thoroughly sieving the deeps, due to declining fish stocks
2. The press that such catches get means that boat captains who previously wouldn't bother reporting these catches now do so, instead of cutting them up for bait or whatever they'd previously do.
3. Changes in oceanic conditions resulting in different behavior by the behemoths (for example, changes in salinity, temperature, or prey location).
4. These colossal squid are simply the advance guard of the armies of He Who Lies Dead But Dreaming (Cthulhu), on the march from R'lyeh to lay the smackdown on us humans.
While I suspect that if there is a noticeable increase in giant squid catches, it's most likely due to options 1 and 2. But something deep inside me tells me that option 4 is the real truth.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
From http://giantsquid.msstate.edu/Background/squidtxt. html
OK, it's for Giant, but no reason to suppose there're not similar..
"Giant squids do not have any gas spaces in their bodies, which means they do not have soft bladders filled with gas to keep them from sinking as fish have. In fact, no squids do, and neither do really deep sea fishes. Air is so compressible in high pressure habitats that the bladder would be squeezed until it imploded and would be useless. How then is the giant squid able to survive in very deep waters without sinking or being crushed? The answer is ammonium ions. (Ammonia in water splits into ammonium (NH4±) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions.) Unlike air, liquids cannot be crushed or compacted or compacted. Ammonium also solves the sinking problem, since, like oil, it is lighter than seawater. A giant squid concentrates ammonium in its body and is either slightly buoyant (floats) or neutrally buoyant (does not float but does not sink). Ammonia is a natural waste product, like urine. Instead of eliminating or urinating waste out as humans do, giant squids store some of the waste in their bodies. This is why so many giant squids float to the surface and wash ashore when they die. That is also why giant squids are not very tasty to eat!"