Giant Squid caught on Video?!

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2006-08-05 01:31pm

The Discovery Channel has been hyping this thing most of the morning. If the have a live, adult Giant Squid caught on Camera that would indeed be awesome.

It appears to be similar to the last attempt to the last attempt, but with a video camera instead of a film camera (as well as a minisub for some reason).

I wish I could watch it...

squidman001 · Post by **squidman001** » 2006-08-05 02:55pm

When does this show come on? I must see it!

Alan Bolte · Post by **Alan Bolte** » 2006-08-05 04:40pm

Looks like 8pm et/pt. Too bad I'll miss it. Think maybe I'll set it to record.

Azazal · Post by **Azazal** » 2006-08-05 07:02pm

Long live Architeuthis!! Yes TIVO is queued up and ready

Post by **weemadando** » 2006-08-05 07:26pm

Giant Squid

Gotta love the big ole bastards... That one was far cooler before they encased it in ice.

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2006-08-05 08:58pm

Correction: It's the full story of the linked attempt--pics--but like 500 of them shown in squence (as opposed to the 2 that appeared early on).

Good news everyone! Giant Squid are Active Predators!

It struggles against the hook for 4 hours, and escapes like a coyote--cutting off its own tentacle.

Nifty, but not as what it was hyped as...stupid hype.

squidman001 · Post by **squidman001** » 2006-08-05 09:02pm

i was real disapointed. i thought there would be actual video to go off of.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2006-08-05 10:17pm

Am I a sick bastard for thinking, while watching shows like this, "What does that taste like?"

Actually, I remember reading in another giant squid thread here a couple years ago that some researchers tasted a freshly found sample of architeuthis dux, and found it sulphorous and nauseating.

Battlehymn Republic · Post by **Battlehymn Republic** » 2006-08-06 12:23am

Well, it's not as if they cooked it.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-08-06 02:49am

Battlehymn Republic wrote:Well, it's not as if they cooked it.

Actually they did, but the problem is that the Architeuthis uses ammonia in its body to control diving depth somehow (it's too big to be able to do things the same way as smaller squids), which means that its body is laced with the stuff. That's why its flesh tastes like shit.

Edi

Alan Bolte · Post by **Alan Bolte** » 2006-08-06 02:54am

You'd think they'd do some extremely simple chemical tests before tasting it. It's not as though there aren't some fairly obvious signs that can warn you against a really horrible taste.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2006-08-06 03:59am

Majin Gojira wrote: Good news everyone! Giant Squid are Active Predators!

Big deal. I'd much rather see a Sperm whale munch through one of those boneless bastards.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2006-08-06 04:16am

So now we found information on the worlds 2nd largest squid. About time we get a picture of the largest squid species.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2006-08-06 04:41am

I was sort of underwhelmed when they finally got the photos in there. I'm not sure why they chose to take a picture every thirty seconds as opposed to a video feed (the only reason I can think of is battery life)... but I was expecting something like that given the commercials they were airing throughout the day.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2006-08-06 04:53am

I wonder what they mainly feed upon?

squidman001 · Post by **squidman001** » 2006-08-06 07:47am

Most likely when full grown, anything they want. I dont think theres anything really that big down there untill a sperm whale comes down for a snack.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-08-06 03:49pm

squidman001 wrote:Most likely when full grown, anything they want. I dont think theres anything really that big down there untill a sperm whale comes down for a snack.

And it isn't guaranteed that the sperm whale will actually get a snack instead of becoming snack, especially if we're talking about a young sperm whale vs a fully grown architeuthis. There are, if my memory serves me correctly, records of dying sperm whales found with 30-40 cm diameter suction cup wounds, when a 17 meter squid has 10-15 cm ones...

Edi

Maraxus · Post by **Maraxus** » 2006-08-06 04:09pm

Alyeska wrote:So now we found information on the worlds 2nd largest squid. About time we get a picture of the largest squid species.

We have. It's called the Colossal Squid, and it lives around the Antarctic. A specimin was found near the surface in 2003.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2006-08-07 04:40am

Edi wrote:
squidman001 wrote:Most likely when full grown, anything they want. I dont think theres anything really that big down there untill a sperm whale comes down for a snack.
And it isn't guaranteed that the sperm whale will actually get a snack instead of becoming snack, especially if we're talking about a young sperm whale vs a fully grown architeuthis. There are, if my memory serves me correctly, records of dying sperm whales found with 30-40 cm diameter suction cup wounds, when a 17 meter squid has 10-15 cm ones...

Edi

I'm not so sure. It would take one hell of a big invertebrate to eat something like a sperm whale. Tentacles or not, Spermies average 60 feet long (18 m) and have an enormously powerful jaw with 20–26 pairs of cone-shaped teeth.

But that's not the only reason. Sperm whales are the world record holders for having the thickest skin. On back and head, sperm whale's skin (not including subcutaneous fat) is sometimes up to 35 centimeters (14 inches) thick.

I'll believe that a giant squid could take down one of these when I see it. There's a reason they are actively hunted by sperm whales.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2006-08-07 04:47am

From Encycolpedia Brittanica "Despite their great length, giant squid are not particularly heavy when compared to their chief predator, the Sperm Whale, because the majority of their length is taken up by their eight arms and two tentacles."

Also:

"In particular, the image of a giant squid locked in battle with a sperm whale is often seen, although it is now known that the squid is the whale's prey and not an equal combatant."

Melchior · Post by **Melchior** » 2006-08-07 07:41am

Edi wrote:There are, if my memory serves me correctly, records of dying sperm whales found with 30-40 cm diameter suction cup wounds, when a 17 meter squid has 10-15 cm ones...

Edi

IRC, it was because the wounds were inflicted when the sperm whale were young, but were observed when they were adults, and therefore their size had increased.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-08-07 10:09am

Melchior wrote:
Edi wrote:There are, if my memory serves me correctly, records of dying sperm whales found with 30-40 cm diameter suction cup wounds, when a 17 meter squid has 10-15 cm ones...

Edi
IRC, it was because the wounds were inflicted when the sperm whale were young, but were observed when they were adults, and therefore their size had increased.

That'd explain it.

Supes, conceded.

Edi

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2006-08-07 11:22am

Looks delicious.

slebetman · Post by **slebetman** » 2006-08-07 04:37pm

Edi wrote:
Battlehymn Republic wrote:Well, it's not as if they cooked it.
Actually they did, but the problem is that the Architeuthis uses ammonia in its body to control diving depth somehow (it's too big to be able to do things the same way as smaller squids), which means that its body is laced with the stuff. That's why its flesh tastes like shit.

Edi

Heh.. I saw the documentary and also thought "hmm that would make a good barbecue" when the live tentacle came out of the water. With regards to the taste, it is the same problem with shark/ray meat. There is that trick when cooking rays or shark to soak and wash the meat in lime/lemon/tamarind juice for half an hour to get rid of the ammonia. I kind of like rays so I guess I'll find giant squid edible when properly prepared

Azazal · Post by **Azazal** » 2006-08-07 04:57pm

Jeez, here we have the first photos of a species never before seen alive in its native habitat, and the first thing you people say is, "hmmm good eats"

God I love this place