Giant Squid (Aqua Merged)

[rictus58]

In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter a whole lot, but I think this is fascinating.

Giant Squid

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japanese scientists have photographed for the first time in the wild a live giant squid, one of the most mysterious creatures of the deep sea.

The team, led by Tsunemi Kubodera from the National Science Museum in Tokyo, tracked the 8-meter (25-foot) long Architeuthis as it attacked prey at 900 meters deep off the coast of Japan's Bonin islands.

"We believe this is the first time a grown giant squid has been captured on camera in its natural habitat," said Kyoichi Mori, a marine researcher who co-authored a piece on the finding in the Royal Society Journal, a leading British biological publication.

The camera was operated by remote control during research at the end of October 2004, Mori told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Mori said the squid, which was purplish red like smaller squid, attacked its quarry aggressively, calling into question the image of the animal as lethargic and slow moving.

"Contrary to belief that the giant squid is relatively inactive, the squid we captured on film actively used its enormous tentacles to go after prey," Mori said.

"It went after some bait that we had on the end of the camera and became stuck, and left behind a tentacle six meters long, " Mori said.

Kubodera, also reached by the AP, said researchers ran DNA tests on the tentacle and found it matched those of other giant squids found around Japan.

`'But other sightings were of smaller, or very injured squids washed toward the shore -- or of parts of a giant squid," Kubodera said. "This is the first time a full-grown, healthy squid has been sighted in its natural environment in deep water."

Giant squids have long attracted human fascination and were written about and mythologized by the ancient Greeks.

Scientific interest in the animals has surged in recent years as more specimens have been caught in commercial fishing nets.

[Buford]

its pretty crazy that something that huge can live so far underwater....and mostly disconnected with the world we see every day.

[MaddogCT]

Very cool!!!
Thanks for the find!

[Leonard Washington]

its pretty crazy that something that huge can live so far underwater....and mostly disconnected with the world we see every day.

i know! it also makes me wonder if more of the legendary creatures actually existed---particularly dragons.

[rictus58]

i know! it also makes me wonder if more of the legendary creatures actually existed---particularly dragons.

There is a fish called the Coelacanth that was thought to have been extinct since the age of the Dinosaurs. It was "re-discovered" in 1938. I don't think its out of the realm of possibility that a dragon "could" have existed. After all, different cultures all over the world reference them.

[Buford]

what about that Fish that's super long? I forget the name...but they only service when they are dying or dead.

back in ye ole day.... sailors would see these things and thing it was a giant Sea Serpent.

[rictus58]

what about that Fish that's super long? I forget the name...but they only service when they are dying or dead.

back in ye ole day.... sailors would see these things and thing it was a giant Sea Serpent.

the only thing like this I am familiar with the the Giant Squid. humans only knew they existed because their bodies would surface when they died and be washed up on a beach...I know many believe the myth of the mermaid came about because of the first sightings of manatees.

A few years ago, a university trolled the ocean with a large net for a month. they ended up discoverings dozens of species of sealife never before seen. They were hoping to catch a giant squid but they never did.

[Buford]

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...magesr&start=2


oarfish!

[rictus58]

I've not heard of the oarfish before. that things friggn huge.

[codeorama]

I thought this was going to be about really big navy guys...

[iheartskins]

Thanks for posting this rictus, I saw a blurb at the bottom of the WSJ this morning and was hoping someone would post the article.

[zoony]

Goods stuff Rictus... I saw a special on the Discovery channel about this a few years ago. They tried to catch one in the wild on film, but no luck.

It is amazing to me that a creature as large as the giant squid has remained elusive for so long. It really makes you wonder what else could be out there.

I also think it's cool how they see that sperm whales have tentacle marks on them from battling the giant squid underwater. I wonder who is hunting who. ?

Awesome picture, this is kind of a big deal considering in all of human history nobody has EVER captured a live squid on film.

[rictus58]

I also think it's cool how they see that sperm whales have tentacle marks on them from battling the giant squid underwater. I wonder who is hunting who. ?

From what I learned, the Sperm Whales hunt the Giant Squid. That has to be a dangerous meal. I saw on Discovery channel that in Japan, eating live octopus has become popular. They say its risky because the octopus will hold on in your throat with their tenticles and can suffocate you.

I agree, though, its an amazing feat that they have a live picture of one.

[Fatty P For The Pulitzer]

Has anyone watched that show Surface? Those are some big, nasty sea monsters. I would not be surprised at all if there are all sorts of giant fish lurking down deep in the oceans.

[The Showstopper]

if the u.s. were top have found it, how many people would have said it was fake