An undated handout combination image released September 27, 2005 by the Royal Society shows the first photographs of a live giant squid in its natural environment, taken by Japanese scientists in the Pacific Ocean.
Posted on 09/27/2005 5:24:09 PM PDT by SinisterDexter
LONDON (Reuters) - Japanese scientists have taken the first photographs of one of the most mysterious creatures in the deep ocean -- the giant squid.
Until now the only information about the behavior of the creatures which measure up to 18 meters (59 feet) in length has been based on dead or dying squid washed up on shore or captured in commercial fishing nets.
But Tsunemi Kubodera, of the National Science Museum, and Kyoichi Mori of the Ogasawara Whale Watching Association, both in Tokyo have captured the first images of Architeuthis attacking bait 900 meters (yards) below the surface in the cold, dark waters of the North Pacific.
"We show the first wild images of a giant squid in its natural environment," they said in a report on Wednesday in the journal Proceedings B of the Royal Society.
Little is known about the creatures because it has been so difficult to locate and study them alive. Large ships and specialist equipment, which is costly, are needed to study deep sea environments.
The Japanese scientists found the squid by following sperm whales, the most effective hunters of giant squid, as they gathered to feed between September and December in the deep waters off the coast of the Ogasawara Islands in the North Pacific.
They used a remote long-line camera and depth logging system to capture the giant squid in the ocean depths.
"The most dramatic character of giant squids is the pair of extremely long tentacles, distinct from the eight shorter arms. The long tentacles make up to two-thirds of the length of the dead specimens to date," the scientists said in the journal.
They added that the giant squid appear to be a much more active predator than researchers had suspected and tangled their prey in their elongated feeding tentacles.
An undated handout combination image released September 27, 2005 by the Royal Society shows the first photographs of a live giant squid in its natural environment, taken by Japanese scientists in the Pacific Ocean.
Thats not big...
I've read Peter Benchley's Beast countless times when I possessed the Readers Digest version; also saw the film version starring William Petersen of CSI: Las Vegas fame.
Move along folks - this is not a Hillary story.
Yawn. Irwin Allen saw it many times. ;)
But Daddy I don't want to!!
*juts out lower jaw & lip*
Are they sure it wasn't Helen Thomas out for a swim?
Ha! ...I was scuba diving off Baja in Mexico, and it is imperative to get out of the water if you see a humbolt (sp) squid.
A 1m-2m squid can drag a scubadiver down to his/her death and will eat you buy pulling plugs of your flesh out an acorn-sized piece at a time....and they get into a feeding frenzy just like sharks, but worse.
If A. Dux is encountered over 3-5m long, it could probably instantly kill you. They are extremely fast, violent, and powerful. They would only take out chunks about the size of a grapfruit.
There is a National Geographic show on that shows another, larger species of humbolt squids in the Phillipines which are even more aggressive and dangerous....great show if you can catch it. A husband an wife team go down and are almost immediately attacked and harrassed by the squids. ....they were scientist and had a few divers in the water constantly fending off attacks. I think one shot shows the guy getting dragged down about 50 feet in about 1/2 second.....scares the bejeebers outta you.
Heck.
I used to see pictures of giant squid each week on "Voyage to See the Bottom." Starring Capt. what's-his-name Krane and Admr. Nelson.
Chilling. I suppose if the ocean is warmer, Humbolt and Dux will be coming to a beach near you.
this isn't news Al Sharpton was on TV this weekend
I wish we could spend some money on deep sea exploration. Space is boring.
It's Bush's fault!
lucky snake...now if it were julliet duffy......shudder...
Big BUMP for science!
LOL. Post 17 only shows the elusive Hermit Squid in its natural environment. I will have to do some research for the pic of the Duffy diver.
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