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.
The Flying...Squid...Monster? Poor Japanese school girls. Atleast they could stay away from tentacles if they avoided water...
Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
Ah yes, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. With a razor sharp beak, that can tear steel as easily as I tear a croissant...
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
Its also possible that the eyes are seeing at wavelengths outside of the visible range. Bees for instance see in ultraviolet, and other animals see in infrared. Its possible that the eyes could pick up heat signatures or something that does exist at that depth.
Also they could migrate to higher depths. One belief is that these things hunt at similar depths to whales, so from very deep, to a more shallow depth as well.
The pigmentation could also be just a consequential byproduct of some other adaptation. For instance chemicals in the skin that serve some purpose might just happen to also give it a color. It could also be an effect of being exposed to air on the surface, or from being dead. You'll notice how things like shrimp and lobsters will appear different colors alive and dead, cooked and uncooked, etc.
I would think the reason for the recent appearance of these deep ocean species, are a result of the fact that in the last few years the fishing fleets have all but destroyed there regular shallow target species. As such they have had to abandon shallow water fishing and are now fishing for what is left in the ocean. That seems to be deep water species. If you go to the fish market today. notice how many new and weired fish are now on sale. 10 years ago none of those fish would have been caught or sold. there just is not much left in the shallow oceans for big fleets to harvest. And governments don't want to institute quota's for fear of effecting the fishing industry, and the employment of many thousands of people. Of course in the long run the destruction of the fish stocks will in any way result in the demise of a fishing industry. The difference being it won't be the current politicians problem now will it?