How big do you think that a giant cephalopod can get?

Firefly

Cuttlefish
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Apr 17, 2010
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Hi

I want to know your opinions about the title. :biggrin2:
There´s a limit based on physics, on lifespan, on predation vulnerability, on food availability, etc...? Surely, but how and why?
Thanks.
 
Steve have made some guesses in the past so maybe he will chime in. If I remember correctly :old:, I think his estimate was about 1 ton (2,000 pounds)
 
Unless there are bigger species out there we haven't yet discovered, I would place a bet at a 600 kg maximum, ML at 2.80, maybe 3.00 meters, Steve, you still at 750? I am free to express my doubts at the 495 kg assessment of the Te Papa specimen; would put that in the 375 kg range, personally. This is based on the slightly smaller specimen we were able to weigh in parallel. I would love for them to grow a lot bigger, but this would be my current best guess. Then, there's the Lusca :wink:
 
Hum...
The beaks found in sperm whales didn´t suggested about bigger sizes?
Which one was the biggest giant squid ever found?
Isn´t possible to exist bigger ones?
Were the biggest giant or colossal squids found all mature and at maximum size range ( not talking about possible record size naturally)?
This site talks about an estimation of 100 feet for one that it´s pieces were found on sperm whale stomach : The UnMuseum - The Giant Squid
Is this false or true? Apart from some stories mentioned there, I want to take all the possible facts from it.
 
ob;154199 said:
Unless there are bigger species out there we haven't yet discovered, I would place a bet at a 600 kg maximum, ML at 2.80, maybe 3.00 meters, Steve, you still at 750? I am free to express my doubts at the 495 kg assessment of the Te Papa specimen; would put that in the 375 kg range, personally. This is based on the slightly smaller specimen we were able to weigh in parallel. I would love for them to grow a lot bigger, but this would be my current best guess. QUOTE]

The larger Te Papa specimen weighed 495 kg (frozen). Once over 750 kg they can get as big as they want - nobody will be arguing with them!
 
good question, i'm not aware on last informations on possible weight.

The only one thing I know is existence of beaks from sperm whale's stomachs, suggesting bigger specimen of M HAMILTONI than the "Te Papa" sample

Concerning Architeuthis (or others species) suckers scars on sperm whales skin could suggest quite bigger size thant known specimen ..

the rare testimonies ( recents or not) are not reliable to my opinion except some specific cases including the one in my signature.
 
myopsida;154218 said:
ob;154199 said:
Unless there are bigger species out there we haven't yet discovered, I would place a bet at a 600 kg maximum, ML at 2.80, maybe 3.00 meters, Steve, you still at 750? I am free to express my doubts at the 495 kg assessment of the Te Papa specimen; would put that in the 375 kg range, personally. This is based on the slightly smaller specimen we were able to weigh in parallel. I would love for them to grow a lot bigger, but this would be my current best guess.

The larger Te Papa specimen weighed 495 kg (frozen). Once over 750 kg they can get as big as they want - nobody will be arguing with them!

Chris, wouldn't it be more appropriate to say that the container containing the frozen squid plus attached frozen water weighed 495 kg? There was quite a bit of ice in there. We could split the difference? 435 kg?

PS: a 45 ton bull sperm whale might disagree with the latter part of your statement :wink:
 
the 495 kg is the weight of the specimen minus the weight of the container. There was some ice but only a minimal amount...the (wet) specimen was placed in the container on board the fishing boat but no extra water was added.
 
Damien;154285 said:
good question, i'm not aware on last informations on possible weight.

The only one thing I know is existence of beaks from sperm whale's stomachs, suggesting bigger specimen of M HAMILTONI than the "Te Papa" sample

Concerning Architeuthis (or others species) suckers scars on sperm whales skin could suggest quite bigger size thant known specimen ..

the rare testimonies ( recents or not) are not reliable to my opinion except some specific cases including the one in my signature.

Rare testimonies are the first step for more serious investigations, not all crap and stories.
Of course that it depends also on the source of those rare testimonies. I would rather pick a recent one done by a serious professional, than an ancient one done by someone else, that still today, lacks any backup.
 
Firefly;154305 said:
Rare testimonies are the first step for more serious investigations, not all crap and stories.
Of course that it depends also on the source of those rare testimonies. I would rather pick a recent one done by a serious professional, than an ancient one done by someone else, that still today, lacks any backup.

I'm agree with you, but if testimonies are a good beginning to investigate, the estimation of the size is less reliable ( particulary for very old testimonies but not only, even recent cases : for example the french skipper "Olivier de kersauson" who is not considered as really serious...

To come back on the size I had a question for the specialists in the forum:

I we take example on humbolt , it 's seems that adults specimen max size varies of external conditions (and not only age) .. so i suppose that adult giant squid have variable size depending of different parameters like food, etc ...are there evidences on this point ?
 
Damien;154340 said:
I'm agree with you, but if testimonies are a good beginning to investigate, the estimation of the size is less reliable ( particulary for very old testimonies but not only, even recent cases : for example the french skipper "Olivier de kersauson" who is not considered as really serious...

To come back on the size I had a question for the specialists in the forum:

I we take example on humbolt , it 's seems that adults specimen max size varies of external conditions (and not only age) .. so i suppose that adult giant squid have variable size depending of different parameters like food, etc ...are there evidences on this point ?

Well, I didn´t put estimations as the most important matter, but just merely as an investigation stimulous. Also, as I tried to say, I think the «weight» of an estimation is bigger or smaller according to the source origin, though surely not as accurate as lenght / weight exact numbers done on a studied specimen.
I think that we agree on this.
 
Maximum Squid Beak Size

Some comment has been made on the size of beaks recovered from whale stomachs.
1) What are the largest beaks recovered from the Giant and Collosal Squid respectively?
2) What maximum lengths and weight estimates might be extrapolated from these finds?
 

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