Architeuthis again (never a dull moment in New Zealand)

[Steve O'Shea]

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' from the New Yorker article - always keen to lend a hand when it comes to large and smelly things ...

An hour or so later

 

[cbarela]

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

 

[Steve O'Shea]

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).

 

[Infusoria]

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.

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]

 

[cbarela]

Operation A

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... )
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 $$$$!

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.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

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.).

 

[cbarela]

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

 

[snafflehound@work]

That is some excellent PhotoShoppery

 

[Jean]

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!

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

J

PS Peter does not look like a happy camper!

 

[nanoteuthis]

....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.... )

Need I say that I've missed everyone?


Tani

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Hey Tani!! Great to have you back.

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

Squid be gone....

Coz they be here

All wrapped up in black polythene sheet (the squid already wrapped up in cloth)

 

[Steve O'Shea]

.... and then ... they're gone again

.... off to somewhere mysterious ... on a wee holiday

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

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Courtesy TPOTH

 

[um...]

Are these squid going to Heidelberg to get plastinated?

 

[Steve O'Shea]

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!