Seems like I have another 2 Architeuthis (en route), bringing to 3 the number caught this spawning season.

Will examine these brutes in ~ 4 weeks, so should be able to post something online soon. Just have to find a slot where I can work solid for 2 weeks, without interuption ... not an easy thing to do.

Here are some pictures of the Giant squid - taken yesterday and today.


This is how giant squid number 1 arrived ("She's dead, wrapped in plastic"). ...It's a line from Twin Peaks.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-01.jpg

From left to right: Steve, Felipe, Jason.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant02.jpg

Laid out on display, apologies to Steve for photographing the less photogenic side of his table. Good table though, had to support in excess of 240Kg. Notice the trail where we dragged it in, I so reeked of squid yesterday.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-03.jpg

Some more from today - that's Kat on the left

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-04.jpg

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-05.jpg

and a couple more - apologies for making this page so big...

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-06.jpg

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-07.jpg

:P

8) :squid: 8)

Thanks for posting these Matt, I'm looking forward to seeing any and all images you're able to put up here. :)

--Carl - getting ready to take more notes for the model
http://protask.nl.eu.org/~dennis/emoticons/div34.gif

I see you've got somewhere other than the science building carpark to thaw them out!!!!!!!!!

J

Here's another from 11-10-04, Steve organising the squid before we 'transported' it to the table. That's digestive gland draining away, there's a floor beneath too! Still, we're lucky this building is soon to be demolished!!!

:P


http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-09.jpg

This is another form 11-10-04, before Steve untangled the arms. This is pretty much how it looked when it had thawed, before we moved it.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/giant-10.jpg

Matt:

Thanks so much for sharing this with the community, these pics are AWESOME, really high quality, THANKS. :notworth:

Absolutely agree with The Leader. This is fantastic; thank you.

Cheers, I have quite a few more.

I'll keep posting them then... I've reduced the size odf these pictures for internet consumption. Originally they are 1280 by 1024 pixels.
:P

These are of the second Giant squid. It's smaller and a male.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3447

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3446

I was thinking if people are interested I can ftp the original pictures to my website and people can download them from there. It would mean that it wouldn't clog up this site with 200K plus images.

Just a thought...

This one is of me (Thanks to Steve for taking the picture).

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3453

A couple more...

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3455

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3454

More...

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3458

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3457

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3456

It doesn't seem to let me post more than three at a time. So to continue...

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3459

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3460

Great to see a pic of you, Matt! Forgive me for asking, but is that a piece of squid gut in your hair? :D

:squidaut:

No, I think you're refering to my sunglasses, still you can never be too careful...

:goofysca:

So, do you want me to post the higher rez photos on my website?

:)

Hi,

These ones are from the TV shoot so have arty lighting!

:P

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3605


http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3606


http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3607

Something big and quite different is about to happen in another week (I can assure you that this is a one off, and never attempted before). Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Architeuthis news!

It's been a long, long, long, long day .... and to make matters worse, there are whales stranding everywhere and I can't get out. Morrow after I dispense with something I hope to be up to my armpits in sperm whale stomach again.

Here are a couple of cryptic pics .... Something is happening ..... Watch this space.

That's Peter Conway in the pic (as a scale) - the 'gentle vegetarian' :heee: from the New Yorker article - always keen to lend a hand when it comes to large and smelly things ...
http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3782

An hour or so later
http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3781

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3783

So how many of these things you got now Steve? What do you do with all that squid?
Can I have one for my aquarium in Utah? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!!!
-CB

I have sworn many many times that I am NEVER doing this again!! People don't realise just how much work goes into preparing one of these things (I'm not saying that you don't - but 200hrs worth of time is a lot of time). Then there's the smell, the difficulties handling and transporting them, the chemicals ... and did I mention the smell?

I've done over 120 of them now, and my sources for donated specimens have long-since dried up (these cost an absolute fortune to procure ...). I think I'm done.

Having said this, there's TONMOCON one of these days ... and I'd sooner have the specimens fixed down and displayed in museums than cut up and discarded. Hopefully one of the up-and-coming teuthologists will take over the job.

You never know when one will become available. We're heading into the summer squid migration now, so they will be caught out and about; globally you'll see increased numbers referred to in the press (from about a week away).

Yes the smell,

The three worst smells I know of:

1. 12 or 11 ok, many, dead Sperm Whales last November. Those whales, on a black sand beach in early summer, in nice weather, for 4 days.

2. Sperm Whale stomach in our wet lab (posted pictures earlier this year) with Steve (bravely) removing squid beaks. :notworth:

3. Concentrated essence of Giant Squid. In a sump (remember the picture I posted earlier where I say that, that's digestive gland draining away) well, imagine that, well, now (it was a few feet deep and filled to the brim).

That's my top three of evilness - well, so far, the whole rotting fish thing was pretty bad, but we don't speak of that.

[/i]

Just kidding about sending over a giant squid (um...just curious...how much is it to Fedex a 30 foot squid? can't be that much... :heee: )
I was serious though about what you do with all your squids. Do you really just toss them when your done?
Here's a suggestion of what you COULD do with them (see attached).
Fun for the whole family!!! You'll make a killing $$$$!

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3789

And if you can get the market on baby giant squids I can see the "Raise your own Giant Squid" kits sweeping the marketplace. Kick SeaMonkey butt! Never have to worry about funding again!
Cheers!
-cb

PS- And coming soon..."Steve O'Shea's Disect Your Own WhaleGut for Kids®" Ages 3 and up.

:shock:

OK, is that a joke or does such a game actually exist??

Just FYI, I can pretty much airfreight a 30-foot Archi anywhere in the world for NZ$10-12,000 (includes 'postage and packing', all fixing chemicals, transport to and from wherever, etc.).

No not real...just a product from my distrubed head. Thought it would get a chuckle. "Operation" is a game here in the states. Not sure if it ever made it across the waters (thus if it hasn't: it is a game where you remove plastic "organs" from a cartoonish body without touching the sides which cause a buzzer to go off.)
-cb

That is some excellent PhotoShoppery :mrgreen: :notworth:

I had operation as a Kid so it does exist down here!


BTW Steve, your "mummified squid" look like the biggest pair of Nidamental glands I've seen in my life! :shock: :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: :jester: :jester: :jester:

(Told you I'd been up too late last night/this morning!)

J

PS Peter does not look like a happy camper!

....Having said this, there's TONMOCON one of these days ... and I'd sooner have the specimens fixed down and displayed in museums than cut up and discarded. Hopefully one of the up-and-coming teuthologists will take over the job.

Ya know, Otakon (one of the biggest anime cons on the US east coast) is scheduled for 19-21 August 2005 at the Baltimore Convention Center, which is just a hopskipjump from the Aquarium. Any chance TONMOCON could be scheduled in that city, the week before or after? Just a wild fantasy.... it would warm this cephal-otaku's hearts.

Ahhh, looking at those magnificent Archi photos just makes me wanna cry. Have I been out of the loop that long? I feel like the cryogenically frozen protagonist of my long-defunct unfinished cephalofanfic! I can hardly wait to find out about that "big thing" Steve-O has planned next week.

And whatever became of Messie? (I'm waiting for the next Discovery Channel special, IN SEARCH OF THE COLOSSAL SQUID.... :?: :meso: :?: )

Need I say that I've missed everyone?

:tentacle:
Tani

Hey Tani!! Great to have you back.

Just a quick update as I've only stepped back in the office .....

Squid be gone....
http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3794

Coz they be here
http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3793

All wrapped up in black polythene sheet (the squid already wrapped up in cloth)
http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3795

.... and then ... they're gone again
http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3796

.... off to somewhere mysterious ... on a wee holiday
http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3798

And all of this took the best part of five solid, very long and smelly days work

Courtesy TPOTH

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3830

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3831

Are these squid going to Heidelberg to get plastinated (http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996737)?

:mrgreen:

When I saw your post Ummm..... I panicked and immediately went to delete/edit (I didn't think this was due out for another day!!).

Ja - they're the ones. Have to do something new with one of these animals, as I'm tired of doing the same-old same old; have fixed and preserved enough of these in tanks now and need to try something a little different (to preserve sanity). This is going to be unreal!

That is soooo cool and what a great idea. It will be interesting to see what these guys look like when they are not deflated. Do you plan on coloring them when the process is through (as though they are alive)? Where will these be exhibited? Heidelberg has an exhibit of his human bodies in Los Angeles, which I've been trying to get up to see. Keep us posted as to the progress Steve!
Cheers,
CB

Steve,

Are all "controversial" scientists contractually obligated to wear silly hats?

This is very cool news. Thanks for the sneak peek.

Clem

Are all "controversial" scientists contractually obligated to wear silly hats?
Steve doesn't wear a silly hat!

Thanks M!!

... though I don't think I've done anything 'controversial', so perhaps the title isn't fitting.

Meeting Gunther was a highlight of my time thus far; I learnt so much from him during his week here that I'll be able to prepare even-better specimens of large-bodied animals for more-conventional display (tanks and preservatives). That's got to be a bonus for everyone.

In fact I'll have to revise the large-squid fixing note article, as there are a few things that I would definitely change!

Steve doesn't wear a silly hat!
I know, but that fella dressed like a be-bop saxman does.

Steve does, I have heard, sport an occasional blonde wig.

:roll:

Who, me? (That's me on the Left)

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3362

That should be interesting please keep us posted on how it all works! We'd thought of plastinating a squid but our anatomy museum (who have plastinated people!) were concerned that over time it would get very brittle, aparently human cadavers do :shock: OF course your squid are going to the "plastination master" hopefully that will make a difference!

J

What a great idea! I've read about this guy and his work, certainly never considered plastinated Architeuthis (but wish I had)...

:wink: I feel quite happy to notice that Newfoundland has been at last visited again by Mr (or Ms?) Architeuthis...
Remembering my not that old emotions about this country which seemed for such a long time to be almost exclusive home to giant squids and the hours I spent studying detailed maps in order to find various "Cove" (and Conception Bay as well, by the way) and reading late Dr Aldrich's reports, I feel grateful to this guy to have decided (?) to come and die there, for a change!
No offence to New Zealand, of course!:notworth:

:jester: ... and I forgot to insert the link!!!

http://stjohns.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/nf-giant-squid-20041206.html

Well, they're safely in Germany, no worse for wear, after a quick and eventless flight.

These pics from Germany, via Karen Schuessler-Leipold, Institut für Plastination.

That's one magnificent tank!!! If only I had facilities like this ... wasn't dealing with self-made wooden coffins with plastic liners. They've gone to a very good home, and I'm rather excited about the future.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3927

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3928

Well, it should be interesting to follow...the article states that it will take up to a year to complete???

As the process is now well and truly outside of my hands I'll be in the dark as well, but I don't mind (have to move on to the next step, and there certainly are plenty of other rather exciting projects/challenges to keep me entertained). Here we have a truly exceptional fellow that is capable of doing something truly exceptional to these squid, and that unveiling, having been in the dark for many months, is the reward. I'm sure we'll all read about it in the papers when it finally happens.

... and they will not look anywhere near as 'sad' and damaged as they do in these pics!!! What he can do is nothing short of fantastically marvelous!

... I wonder if he's finished yet ...

... chewing nails ...

Patience is a virtue, herr Doktor... :D Yes, it will be wonderful to see...should be quite amazing !

And then... off to ebay!!!

Another one just caught. It'll be on its way up to us shortly, via the National Museum of NZ (and cobber Bruce Marshall). Sounds like a mature female (the squid, not Bruce).

I had a rather long talk with the chap from the fishing industry that's saved this one. I'll not mention his name (for his sake), but a very decent fellow he was (most are in fact - it's just that their livelihood and that of the environment aren't really in complete balance, and I'm rather outspoken ... and generally disliked by the industry).

I'm in no hurry to examine this one - there are so many other things that are happening - but it's good to know that they're still out there, doing the old tender-loving breeding thing :wink: .

I've been swamped by Canadian reporters today re these Newfoundland squid strandings. I think you'll see some press in a day or so.

Holy, uh, COW!

I took a personality test online to see what kind of monster I would make in a movie. I was in shock when I viewed the results: I was a giant squid. Fancy that! Squidman is a giant squid, according to a computer! WOW!

The test was here:

http://www.theycamefromhollywood.com/TOYBOX_QUIZ/quiz.html

I've been swamped by Canadian reporters today re these Newfoundland squid strandings. I think you'll see some press in a day or so.

Ever since we made giant squid the #1 Yahoo search topic for October the media has cottoned on to how popular big squid are up here. :mrgreen: :canada: :archi:

ok...not a exact professer in this field ( and not in any in fact) do big squid venture into Hong Kong waters?

Greetings from germany!
I hope i´m in the right forum section,
i just found this article on the site of the biggest german news magazine "Spiegel". It features the first german architheutis exhibition in the museum of Stralsund. According to the article the 6m specimen was captured in august 2003 by some fishermen near New Zealand.

There´s also a short mention of the plastination of an architheutis by Gunther van Hagens at the end of the article.

For a full translation i recommend babelfish :)
Seems like i finally get to see a real architheutis :D

http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/erde/0,1518,336803,00.html

This is so unfair! Why do I have to miss all the good stuff :cry:

She's extremely photogenic, isn't she!! These from our latest wee escapade.

And this rather scarce one of the skin/chromatophores. Shame about the colour (lack of flash), but there aren't too many shots like this out there.

Ohhhhh, two can play at this game!

Ohhhhh, two can play at this game!

In that last pic, all I can think of is that Steve is doing a "Han Solo arguing with Jabba's squid enforcer" imitation. Must be all the Star Wars hype in the air. There doesn't seem to be an appropriate smiley for "yes, I know I'm weird"-- it seems like that would get a lot of usage around here...

There doesn't seem to be an appropriate smiley for "yes, I know I'm weird"-- it seems like that would get a lot of usage around here...

Try :oshea:
Appropriate enough?

TPOTH

Or else :cyclops: .

Hi Steve, hi Tintenfisch, thanks for posting the pictures. In the image of the chromatophores, how much color was lost because of the lack of a flash?

--Carl
http://protask.nl.eu.org/~dennis/emoticons/div34.gif

One of the things (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10402608) that has kept us busy for a while. I have a monster female turning up in a few days (below), and have to pickle this down also

Yeah, that looks like a huge mantle! Maybe twisted a bit there are the top... Looks a bit decomposed, ay?

Where do you pickle something of that size? Must take a huge vat.

Not decomposed T; just frozen in a great block (and blast frozen on capture, so it is absolutely perfecto, albeit a little distorted at present [was placed on a pellet, hence its shape]). S, I've a huge stainless steel pickling tank here, well and truly large enough to pickle this beast (and a small whale or two); I've also a smaller 2 metre tank that is perfect for smaller beasts.

This incoming squid looks like one of the largest we've had so far; easily 2 metres in ML.

Hi Steve.........wow she's a beauty!! I'd be interested in the dimensions (incl weight!!!) IF it's OK , we, as you know have your Messie model and often have to compare sizes between Messie and Archie and we'd love to have up to date info!!!!!

Cheers

Jean

It looks like there's a ramora or lamprey on the right side of the mantle, but that seems pretty improbable... is that just some fish that got frozen to it?

I was tempted to whine that no one sends me cool stuff like that, but since I don't have a giant vat, it's probably just as well... :roll:

That is a massive specimen :shock:

Am busy pickling it down now; the University does smell somewhat! It is in rather nice condition, but as is usually the case, there are no tentacles.

I am trying something slightly different with this one; the first 24 hours saw it in 2% formalin solution, and I've just bumped that up to 4% solution a few minutes ago. This is an approach Gunther von Hagens mentioned to me ... and I was nervous to try it (normally I'd blast it with 10% formalin, and inject through the animal).

I must admit that the condition of the animal looks better (less surface wrinkling), but time will tell. In a couple of days we'll post pics (I have none; others have plenty); in a week I'll change the formalin solution (it's a 'bit' grubby now) and will be able to have a good look at its condition.

My back is officially broken!

happy squid-pickling. In other news, one of your earlier pickles is open to the public today, apparently:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10402608

We should all pitch in and get you a trip or two to a good massage therapist. :smile:

Here are some shots of her arrival.

And Steve's palpable excitement.

Great pics. :grin:

Looks like Steve gets ashes all over the place like I do. :smoke: :sad:

Wow, that's a great squid! Thanks much for posting.

It looks like there's a ramora or lamprey on the right side of the mantle, but that seems pretty improbable... is that just some fish that got frozen to it?

It's a rattail (there were 3), and it turns out to be Caelorinchus maurifasciatus, about which virtually nothing is known. As far as I know, all that is known about that species, is the original paper describing it. I'll be doing gut-content analysis on them later this week. There was also a barracudina in there as well. These fish were most likely bycatch that just got caught up with the squid in the trawl net.

These are some of the GS pics from ~Oct 2004.

Again...

Here...

All these were of the 300Kg Archi. we got in Oct. '04.

awesome. Gives true appreciation for how much slime you guys contend with. :smile: Thanks for posting!

It's that time of the year again. The NZ Department of Conservation have just picked up an Archi off Farewell Spit, the top end of South Island (NZ) for me today. It is no coincidence that one washed ashore in Tasmania last week.

I haven't any pics to show yet, but it arrives next week and we'll post a few of them when it arrives, and of it defrosting and being preserved. This one I think we'll keep for our own collections - it's about time that I get one on display here! (I've also got to preserve a small whale next week, so it will be a bit of a challenge doing both.)

And here's the pic, courtesy of the NZ Department of Conservation. What a great bunch they are!! Nice squid too.
:smile:

Wow, quite a beauty. This one looks in really good nick too.

I'll ask the inevitable question - just how long was this specimen? From the shadows it looks as if it is no record breaker, but it's hard to be sure.

Very nice! Thanks NZ Dept of Conservation!

Yup, the Department of Conservation (DOC) has been good to us! They are our friends.

This one is quite a bit smaller than the specimen of several years ago (as was relayed to me this morning), so it's no record breaker. Probably a good thing actually as I have limited financial resources to get it displayed (display tanks cost thousands, and this has not been budgeted for this year; I'll have to get creative!).

Steve,
Speaking of whales and squid (beaks), any chance you will have 5 min to write up the promised short story on the treasures you brought to TONMOCON? Dylan (the 4 year old who calls you his hero) finally got his this week and has been thanking your photo.

That was the luckiest damn eco-tour group EVER.

Clem