Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis) Pictures

Here are two further images of Mesonychoteuthis beaks (recovered from the stomach contents of a stranded sperm whale). They are considerably darkened, almost burnt in appearance - something in marked contrast to the fresh beaks depicted in an earlier image.

Cheers
O

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....and from the fresh Mesonychoteuthis specimen, a couple of spooky shots (eery lighting) of the hooks and sucker ring.

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three for architeuthis, with their smell so foul
seven for GPOs in their cold holes
and nine for humboldts, who above all else, crave lunch

:smile:
 
Don't know about 'better,' but they're certainly different.
While no one has seen live mature Architeuthis do anything (including feed) we do have a pretty strong theory about them as sit-and-wait predators. And we know Mesonychoteuthis has, on at least one occasion, followed prey (presumably from the depths) right to the ocean's surface, where it commenced with pretty voracious feeding. Looking at the general body musculature, Archi is not capable of swimming at great velocity, at least for long (the body would self-destruct), but Meso certainly could with its large powerful fins.
So... I think it's safe to say that the colossal squid is a more proactive predator, but obviously both species are successful.
 
okay then, ive got to ask, who would win in a fight between a sperm whale, and architeuthis, and a mesonychoteuthis?


:grad: i reckon the sperm whale would be strangled by the archi, while biting it and killing it, at which point the meo would swim up, eat the archi, and live inside the sperm whales shattered body like a hermit crab.

any thoughts?
 
Tintenfisch said:
...Archi is not capable of swimming at great velocity, at least for long (the body would self-destruct), but Meso certainly could with its large powerful fins.
That's interesting -- how instrumental do you think those fins are in their propulsion? To that end, what are the viable means of locomotion for Mesonychoteuthis, and which is the most effective?

:heee:
 
Hard to say Tony. I cannot imagine the thick, muscular fins of Mesonychoteuthis gently undulating to maintain this beasts position and balance in the water column (if the animal was to hover motionless, then ambush prey as they swam, unsuspecting, past the arsenal of hooks, arms, tentacles and beak). These fins appear to be great muscular propulsive units; I would guess that they play a significant role in propelling this animal through the water column, as it seeks out and chases down prey. I also have difficulty believing that Mesonychoteuthis is an ambush predator, like a number of other cranchiid squid - I sincerely believe this animal, like Taningia danae, is designed to kill.
Cheers
O
 
Another question re beaks: In one of the news articles, Messie was described as having four beaks [emphasis mine]. I find this a little difficult to, uh, "digest". Did they mean the beak has four moving parts, or is this yet another example of journalists not doing their homework?

The Tanster
 
Well, maybe they're talking about layers... I noticed when dissecting Loligo in my invert zoo lab, that the beaks came apart in two sections that each clearly looked like the original beak. BUT that doesn't count as two beaks, just an outer and inner covering.

Just my :twocents:

Sushi and Sake,

John
 
As far as speed goes, based on the size and musculature of Mesonychoteuthis' fins, we do think it's a fairly rapid swimmer.
It does have a photophore on each eyeball, and maybe more inside the mantle cavity (we'll be able to tell you in a few weeks).
The 'four beaks' myth was in National Geographic and was refuted on that thread along with much of the rest of that article... all squid have two beaks, sometimes referred to as one set of beaks.
 
Steve & Kat,

Any sense yet of what color the photophores are? Also, I'm looking at the comparative size illustration you guys produced, showing Meso. next to Archi., and there are two little black bumps on either side of Meso's head; are those the eyeball lights?

Clem
 

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