Showing posts tagged squid

Dedicated Mother

If you think gestating one baby is tough, try 3,000. The squid Gonatus onyx carries around her brood of 2,000 to 3,000 eggs for up to nine months. The squid moms have their arms full: While carrying their eggs, they’re stuck swimming with their fins and mantle instead of their much more effective arms.So why would G. onyx take such care of its thousands of offspring?

According to a 2005 study published in the journal Nature, the squid carry their eggs to deep water, where predators are rare. The deep-sea offspring are also larger and more capable of survival than shallow water squid — thanks, mom!

(via: Live Science)                       (photos: MBARI/NOAA)

Ocean Acidification Threatens Baby Squid by Stephanie Pappas Squid could be in trouble as the oceans grow more acidic, new research finds. As humans pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the oceans absorb about a third of the greenhouse gas. This buffers terrestrial creatures from even more extreme effects of climate change — without the oceans, Earth’s atmosphere would contain far more than the approximately 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide that it does today. However, the dissolved carbon dioxide makes the oceans more acidic, possibly affecting thousands of marine species. Squid, it seems, may be among the most vulnerable, with consequences that could trickle through the marine ecosystem. A new study published today (May 31) in the journal PLOS ONE finds that squid raised in more highly acidified ocean water hatch more slowly and are smaller when they hatch than squid raised in ocean water at today’s pH levels… (read more: Live Science)                         (photo: Roger Hanlon) View high resolution

Ocean Acidification Threatens Baby Squid

by Stephanie Pappas

Squid could be in trouble as the oceans grow more acidic, new research finds.

As humans pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the oceans absorb about a third of the greenhouse gas. This buffers terrestrial creatures from even more extreme effects of climate change — without the oceans, Earth’s atmosphere would contain far more than the approximately 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide that it does today. However, the dissolved carbon dioxide makes the oceans more acidic, possibly affecting thousands of marine species.

Squid, it seems, may be among the most vulnerable, with consequences that could trickle through the marine ecosystem. A new study published today (May 31) in the journal PLOS ONE finds that squid raised in more highly acidified ocean water hatch more slowly and are smaller when they hatch than squid raised in ocean water at today’s pH levels…

(read more: Live Science)                         (photo: Roger Hanlon)

higuchiyuko: 「けらい」ヒグチユウコ画 2013 - Yuko Higuchi https://www.facebook.com/burnetmoth ヒグチユウコ View high resolution

higuchiyuko:

「けらい」ヒグチユウコ画 2013 - Yuko Higuchi

https://www.facebook.com/burnetmoth ヒグチユウコ

(Reblogged from blackkittenclan)
biomedicalephemera: Humboldt Squid/Jumbo Squid Loligo gigas [now Dosidas gigas]  The Humboldt squid is among the largest of the squid, despite their lifespan of just under one year. Other giant squids have a lifespan estimated to be around five years at a minimum, and don’t reach their maximum size until near the end of their life. One of the major sources of food for Humboldt squid is other Humboldt squids, which is believed to contribute significantly to their fast growth. All of the suckers of the Humboldt are ringed with sharp, flesh-tearing teeth, and when squid are feeding, they’ve been known to be very aggressive towards scuba divers. Outside of feeding time (generally dusk to dawn), the squid are generally non-aggressive creatures. Like many squid, the Humboldt has chromatophores in its skin, allowing for rapid color changes. When they feed or are in distress (such as when they’re caught by fishers), they flash bright red. This led to one of their first colloquial names - El diablo rojo - the Red Devil. Voyage dans l’Amerique Meridionale: Tome Neuvieme. Alcide d’Orbigny, 1847. View high resolution

biomedicalephemera:


Humboldt Squid/Jumbo Squid

Loligo gigas [now Dosidas gigas] 

The Humboldt squid is among the largest of the squid, despite their lifespan of just under one year. Other giant squids have a lifespan estimated to be around five years at a minimum, and don’t reach their maximum size until near the end of their life. One of the major sources of food for Humboldt squid is other Humboldt squids, which is believed to contribute significantly to their fast growth.

All of the suckers of the Humboldt are ringed with sharp, flesh-tearing teeth, and when squid are feeding, they’ve been known to be very aggressive towards scuba divers. Outside of feeding time (generally dusk to dawn), the squid are generally non-aggressive creatures.

Like many squid, the Humboldt has chromatophores in its skin, allowing for rapid color changes. When they feed or are in distress (such as when they’re caught by fishers), they flash bright red. This led to one of their first colloquial names - El diablo rojo - the Red Devil.

Voyage dans l’Amerique Meridionale: Tome Neuvieme. Alcide d’Orbigny, 1847.

(Reblogged from biomedicalephemera)

underthevastblueseas:

The Case of the Mystery Squid

What do you do with a squid that doesn’t belong? In 1995, a collection of eastern Pacific squids was donated to the Smithsonian — but one specimen didn’t fit into any known family of squids. It had wide fins that looked almost like elephant ears, and skinny arms that had been severed a few inches below the squid’s mantle. Together with a slightly larger juvenile specimen in the collections and a paralarva (baby) from Hawaii, this odd-looking specimen led to the identification of a whole new family of squids: the Magnapinnidae, or bigfin squids.

But that wasn’t the end of the story.

A few years later, researchers in deep-sea submersibles began spotting large and very strange squids. They had long spaghetti-like arms — reaching 20 feet (7 meters) — that bent like elbows. They were so unusual they were nicknamed “mystery squid” by Smithsonian and NOAA researcher Dr. Michael Vecchione.

By comparing videos of these “mystery squid” with the juvenile bigfins in the Smithsonian’s collection, scientists identified the strange squids as adult bigfins. With the help of long-dead specimens, a modern-day mystery was solved.

via: The Ocean Portal

(Reblogged from ichthyologist)
Jumbo Squid-Cam Uncovers Secrets of Elusive Creature by Megan Gannon To see firsthand how an elusive species of jumbo squid lives, scientists have strapped video cameras to the carnivorous sea creature in the eastern Pacific. The footage has helped reveal some remarkable secrets of the Humboldt squid: They are capable of amazing bursts of speed, up to nearly 45 mph (72 km/h); they “talk” to each other by changing their body color; and they hunt in big synchronized groups. Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas) — which can grow to more than 6 feet (2 meters) in length and 100 lbs (45 kg) in weight — have razor-sharp beaks and toothed suckers. Mass strandings of the species and reports of aggression toward humans have spooked beachgoers for decades, but the jumbo squid are not man-eaters — they usually feed on small fish and plankton that are no more than a few inches in length, though they sometimes cannibalize each other… (read more: Live Science)                 (photo: Stanford Univ.)

Jumbo Squid-Cam Uncovers Secrets of Elusive Creature

by Megan Gannon

To see firsthand how an elusive species of jumbo squid lives, scientists have strapped video cameras to the carnivorous sea creature in the eastern Pacific.

The footage has helped reveal some remarkable secrets of the Humboldt squid: They are capable of amazing bursts of speed, up to nearly 45 mph (72 km/h); they “talk” to each other by changing their body color; and they hunt in big synchronized groups.

Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas) — which can grow to more than 6 feet (2 meters) in length and 100 lbs (45 kg) in weight — have razor-sharp beaks and toothed suckers. Mass strandings of the species and reports of aggression toward humans have spooked beachgoers for decades, but the jumbo squid are not man-eaters — they usually feed on small fish and plankton that are no more than a few inches in length, though they sometimes cannibalize each other…

(read more: Live Science)                 (photo: Stanford Univ.)

astronomy-to-zoology: Joubin’s Squid (Joubiniteuthis portieri) ….is a small species of squid found in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and rarely in the Indian Ocean. This species is noted for its extremely thin mantle, long tail and long arms. Like the bigfin squid it is thought that the squid dangles its long tentacles in the water column in hopes of catching passing food. Phylogeny Animalia-Mollusca-Cephalopoda-Teuthida-Oegopsina-Joubiniteuthidae-Joubinieteuthis-portieri Image Source View high resolution

astronomy-to-zoology:

Joubin’s Squid (Joubiniteuthis portieri)

….is a small species of squid found in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and rarely in the Indian Ocean. This species is noted for its extremely thin mantle, long tail and long arms. Like the bigfin squid it is thought that the squid dangles its long tentacles in the water column in hopes of catching passing food.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Mollusca-Cephalopoda-Teuthida-Oegopsina-Joubiniteuthidae-Joubinieteuthis-portieri

Image Source

(Reblogged from astronomy-to-zoology)
‘Giant Squid’ Are Indeed All One Species by Stephanie Pappas Though they roam the deep sea around the globe, enigmatic giant squid are all part of the same species, new research finds. The new study reveals that the genetic diversity of giant squid (Architeuthis) is remarkably low — far lower than that of other marine species examined, said study researcher Tom Gilbert of the University of Copenhagen. The findings suggest that the squid intermingle and mate across the globe. “The results are extremely surprising,” Gilbert told LiveScience. Giant squid are mysterious creatures. They dwell in the deep ocean, making them difficult to observe in their natural habitats. In fact, no one had observed a live giant squid in the wild until 2004. The first video of a live giant squid wasn’t released until this year. The animals appear to grow as long as 60 ft (18 m) and are carnivores that prey on fish and other squid… (read more: Live Science)                     (photo: Mark Norman) View high resolution

‘Giant Squid’ Are Indeed All One Species

by Stephanie Pappas

Though they roam the deep sea around the globe, enigmatic giant squid are all part of the same species, new research finds.

The new study reveals that the genetic diversity of giant squid (Architeuthis) is remarkably low — far lower than that of other marine species examined, said study researcher Tom Gilbert of the University of Copenhagen. The findings suggest that the squid intermingle and mate across the globe.

“The results are extremely surprising,” Gilbert told LiveScience.

Giant squid are mysterious creatures. They dwell in the deep ocean, making them difficult to observe in their natural habitats. In fact, no one had observed a live giant squid in the wild until 2004. The first video of a live giant squid wasn’t released until this year. The animals appear to grow as long as 60 ft (18 m) and are carnivores that prey on fish and other squid…

(read more: Live Science)                     (photo: Mark Norman)

wnycradiolab:

More great illustrations from Die Cephalopoden by Carl Chun 

You can read the whole thing on archive.org (and if you don’t read German, you have our permission to skip to the pictures).

(Reblogged from photonasty)
blackkittenclan:darksilenceinsuburbia:  by Dwight Hwang. http://www.etsy.com/people/dowaito View high resolution

blackkittenclan:darksilenceinsuburbia:  by Dwight Hwang.

http://www.etsy.com/people/dowaito

(Reblogged from blackkittenclan)

Edith Widder: How we found the giant squid

Humankind has been looking for the giant squid (Architeuthis) since we first started taking pictures underwater. But the elusive deep-sea predator could never be caught on film. Oceanographer and inventor Edith Widder shares the key insight — and the teamwork — that helped to capture the squid on film for the first time.

Edith Widder combines her expertise in research and technological innovation with a commitment to stopping and reversing the degradation of our marine environment.

(via: TED Talks)

ichthyologist: A Humboldt squid, Dosidicus gigas. These things give me nightmares about crashlanding at sea. These things are like locusts. fast. cannibalistic. Impossibly strong.  They move in shoals of up to 1,200 individuals. They swim at speeds of up to 24 kilometres per hour (15 mph/13 kn). They undergo vertical migration, coming close to the surface at night. They hunt cooperatively. they weigh up to 100 pounds. their tentacles are covered in these This is what one looks like when its pissed off: I want to re-iterate this : these things weigh 100lbs. This is one annoyed squid.Where are its one thousand, one hundred and ninety-nine friends?Behind you. BECAUSE THEY HUNT CO-OPERATIVELY IN PACKS  they gonna rip your face off View high resolution

ichthyologist:

A Humboldt squid, Dosidicus gigas. These things give me nightmares about crashlanding at sea. These things are like locusts. fast. cannibalistic. Impossibly strong.  They move in shoals of up to 1,200 individuals. They swim at speeds of up to 24 kilometres per hour (15 mph/13 kn). They undergo vertical migration, coming close to the surface at night. They hunt cooperatively. they weigh up to 100 pounds. their tentacles are covered in these

image

This is what one looks like when its pissed off:

image

I want to re-iterate this : these things weigh 100lbs. This is one annoyed squid.

Where are its one thousand, one hundred and ninety-nine friends?

Behind you. BECAUSE THEY HUNT CO-OPERATIVELY IN PACKS 

they gonna rip your face off

(Reblogged from somuchscience)
alxndrasplace: (Our amazing planet)  Earth’s final frontier: Mysteries of the deep sea Mollusk mamas: It was only recently discovered that these small squid, Gonatus onyx, care for their eggs for months before they hatch in the deep sea. The egg mass is suspended from hooks under the squid’s arms.

alxndrasplace:

(Our amazing planet)  Earth’s final frontier: Mysteries of the deep sea

Mollusk mamas: It was only recently discovered that these small squid, Gonatus onyx, care for their eggs for months before they hatch in the deep sea. The egg mass is suspended from hooks under the squid’s arms.

(Reblogged from mad-as-a-marine-biologist)

astronomy-to-zoology:

Bigfin Squid (Genus Magnapinna)

bigfin squid are a family of elusive squid presumably found in deep Atlantic waters. Only several specimens of these unusual squid have been observed and as such not much it known about them. It is speculated that they drag their long arms across the sea floor scooping up any food that bumps their tentacles. It is also thought they could live a more lazy lifestyle floating in the water column waiting for prey to bump into their tentacles.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Mollusca-Cephalopoda-Teuthida-Oegopsina-Magnapinnidae-Magnapinna

Image source(s)

(Reblogged from mad-as-a-marine-biologist)
The Caribbean reef squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea) … is a small (20 cm) torpedo-shaped squid with fins that extend nearly the entire length of the body and undulate rapidly as it swims. The squid has recently become notable when it was discovered that it could fly out of the water. The Caribbean reef squid is found throughout the Caribbean Sea as well as off the coast of Florida, commonly in small schools of 4-30 in the shallows associated with reefs.   This species, like most squid, is a voracious eater and typically consumes 30-60% of its body weight daily. Prey is caught using the club-like end of the long tentacles which are then pulled towards the mouth supported by the shorter arms. Like other cephalopods, it has a strong beak which it uses to cut the prey into parts so that the raspy tongue, or radula, can be used to further process the food; small fish, other molluscs, and crustaceans… (read more: Wikipedia)                     (photo: Nick Hobgood) View high resolution

The Caribbean reef squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea)

… is a small (20 cm) torpedo-shaped squid with fins that extend nearly the entire length of the body and undulate rapidly as it swims. The squid has recently become notable when it was discovered that it could fly out of the water. The Caribbean reef squid is found throughout the Caribbean Sea as well as off the coast of Florida, commonly in small schools of 4-30 in the shallows associated with reefs.  

This species, like most squid, is a voracious eater and typically consumes 30-60% of its body weight daily. Prey is caught using the club-like end of the long tentacles which are then pulled towards the mouth supported by the shorter arms. Like other cephalopods, it has a strong beak which it uses to cut the prey into parts so that the raspy tongue, or radula, can be used to further process the food; small fish, other molluscs, and crustaceans…

(read more: Wikipedia)                     (photo: Nick Hobgood)