Monsters of the Deep

BBC News/Science is reporting:

I cannot see this as a highpoint of scientific discovery drawn from the distant reaches of our wild oceans

In the era of super science, nothing shows up how little we know of our own planet as finding massive “sea monsters”.

The largest single invertebrate animal ever found was recently captured by longline fishermen in Antarctic seas. Known as a colossal squid, it weighed 450kg (990lb), about twice the weight of the largest squid previously captured.

This event highlights two points; firstly, that our knowledge of the most common habitat on our planet – the deep sea – is still in its infancy, and secondly that such scientific discoveries indicate the scale and reach of global fisheries exploitation.

This squid is a very impressive animal. It has eyes larger than a blue whale’s, a sharp slicing beak as big as a rockmelon and a tongue covered in sharp teeth.

SIZE COMPARISON      Landing of colossal squid

Its eight arms and two longer feeding tentacles are armed with toothed suckers and sharp hooks.

It swims with muscular fins and a big funnel for jet propulsion, and the undersides of its eyes have rows of lights like truck running lights.

You can find the full BBC post here.

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This post was written by Richard Rodriguez, Rescue Tug Captain, and US Coast Guard approved instructor for License Training. You can read more of his articles at the BitterEnd of the net.

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