Slashdot Mirror


Giant Squid Washed Ashore in Australia

twofish writes "Yahoo News is reporting that the carcass of a giant squid, nearly 8 meters in length, washed ashore in Australia on Wednesday. The creature's mantle is over two meters in length and almost a full meter across. The creature, stretched out, is in total more than eight meters long. 'Scientists would take samples from the creature, identified by state parks officials as an Architeuthis, which can grow to more than 10 meters (33 feet) in length and weigh more than 275 kilograms (606 pounds). The Tasmanian animal was 250 kg ... Giant squid, once believed to be mythical despite occasional sightings by mariners, feed on fish and other squid. Last year, fishermen off the Falkland Islands caught a complete animal measuring 8.62 meters.'"

2 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory Responses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I for one welcome our Giant Squid Overlords.

    Does it Blend?

    How about a beowulf cluster of those.

  2. Re:Fast food by semiotec · · Score: 0, Redundant

    while the calamari jokes are inevitable, I thought I'd point out anyway that apparently giant squids don't taste all that nice due to the high amount of ammonia they have to help buoyancy, and the only creatures that find them tasty (as well as being big enough to eat them) are sperm whales.

    There's several more reports and better pictures than the one posted in the summary.