The Mesonychoteuthis posts and pictures are fabulous! I understand the hooks are rather sharp. What are they made of?

Melissa

Tough one that, Melissa. I'm reluctant to say anything without some form of analysis to back me up. Sorry.

Thank you, Steve. The betting pool will keep growing! Suggestions made over beer last night were bone, chitin, keratin, shell and, most fancifully, titanium!

Melissa

Suggestions made over beer last night were bone, chitin, keratin, shell and, most fancifully, titanium!

Actually Melissa, the titanium one ain't so fanciful (OK so maybe titanium is :o )

But many other molluscs eg chitons (coat of mail shells)and herbiverous snails have a form of iron called magnetite incorporated into the radula (tongue) teeth. At the aquarium we have a recording of a chiton scraping over rocks with the radula, waaaay cool (although I don't think it'll make the top ten!) then we get the kids to guess what the teeth are made of, usually the class smarty pants will say "metal" then out comes the dried radula and a magnet and we can pull the radula around a bit of paper with the magnet, knocks their socks off!!

I confess I haven't tried it with a ceph radula, maybe I will :D Without an audience of 10 year olds tho! :heee:

Waiting with baited breathe for Steve's analysis!!!!!!

J

I have a titanium tooth. I couldn't be more pleased to have this in common with the benthic beasties!

Jean, your magent demos sound like wonderful fun! I read your post to a friend and Dunedin is now on our list of summer holiday possibilities. Much as I enjoy our local aquarium in Coney Island, your magnet demos may have greater pull. (Go ahead and groan.)

Radula recordings! Can you make an MP3? Maybe it won't make top ten, but it would be a hit here.

Melissa

my guess is solidified acid, which, on contact with the rubbery skin of a sperm whale, dissolves to form a nasty corrosion, possibly allowing the squid to occupy its host as a kind of "squale", the squid controllig its new, much bulkier body in conjunction with its own deadly tentacles.

any thoughts?

:meso: RAR

... The beak, of course, multiplying and forming viscious beak-teeth in the upper jaw to complement the existant lower teeth; the squid eyes migrating to the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the whale's head and implanting, giving the squale 360-degree vision; and the squid fins grafting onto the 'forehead' of the whale, effectively allowing it to move equally efficiently forwards or backwards.
You know we found eight (whole) submarines in the stomach of the last squale we dissected...

;)

... The beak, of course, multiplying and forming viscious beak-teeth in the upper jaw to complement the existant lower teeth; the squid eyes migrating to the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the whale's head and implanting, giving the squale 360-degree vision; and the squid fins grafting onto the 'forehead' of the whale, effectively allowing it to move equally efficiently forwards or backwards.
You know we found eight (whole) submarines in the stomach of the last squale we dissected...

;)

sounds like we should write a book: "Tintenstein; or a Modern Mesonychoteuthis" and plus i guess we can claim parody to avoid getting sued.... in regards to the subs, did the radiation from the nuclear reactors mutate the critter further? :shock: a la king prawn of deep fried live fame?

:)

Jean, your magent demos sound like wonderful fun! I read your post to a friend and Dunedin is now on our list of summer holiday possibilities. Much as I enjoy our local aquarium in Coney Island, your magnet demos may have greater pull. (Go ahead and groan.)

Radula recordings! Can you make an MP3? Maybe it won't make top ten, but it would be a hit here.

Hi Melissa,

I have no idea how to make an MP3 :oops: and the recording in question is on a very old cassette, you know those little rectangular plastic things with tape in them???? :D

Well if you and your friend decide to come down under (I totally understand the "attraction" of the demos) let me know and we'll do the demo!!!

Cheers

J