Scaled reference drawings of architeuthis?

[CarlS]

Hi Steve,

That’s sounds fantastic, thanks! External views will be fine.

Here’s a wishlist, followed by some info on how I’ll be using the images, then some considerations on scaling and color balance. I’m providing that info since you may think of additional images that would be useful, but that I hadn’t thought to ask for. (basic translation: I’m a little out of my depth here)

I realize that there are a lot of images requested here, and I’ll be happy with whatever you’re able to provide. I appreciate your offer, know that you’re busy, and certainly don’t want to impose on you. I’m thinking that any images you provide will be of interest to most people here, aside from helping me with my own project.


Architeuthis Image Wishlist

The beak, from the front, side, top, and bottom view.

The front view showing the arrangement of tentacles and arms around the beak.

Images of the arms and tentacles illustrating their cross-sectional shapes and relative lengths. If a keel is evident on the 3rd arm, an image showing that would be great. Images showing the oral and aboral surfaces of an arm and a tentacle stretched out would also help. These can also be part of a composite panoramic image detailed below.

Dorsal and ventral views of the head, mantle, and tail fins. These can also be part of a composite panoramic image detailed below.

Panoramic shots:
(These may take the place of some of the mantle and arm/tentacle images listed above)
Keeping the camera at a constant distance above the specimen, take a series of overlapping pictures down the entire length of the specimen. These images can be stitched together in a program I have called Panorama Factory to make a single long scaled image of the architeuthis without parallax distortion. Overlapping the individual images by about 20 or 33% should be sufficient. If the arms and tentacles could be arranged so those on one side of the body had the oral surface facing the camera down their length, and those on the other side had the aboral surface facing the camera, that would really maximize the information in this long composite image. Aside from being of use as a modeling and texturing reference, I'm sure that a lot of people would be interested in this image in its own right, and I’d post the finished composite image here.

How the Images Will be Used

The pictures will be serving a twofold purpose – modeling and texturing.
For the modeling aspects, the pictures will serve as references to help me get the proportions correct and to see details that might not have been included in the images I’ve seen so far.

For the texturing aspects, at the very least, I’ll be using the images as a reference to paint the coloration onto images that will be mapped onto the model. If the specimen is in fairly good condition, I may be able to use the actual photos as the texture map for the model, although the color balance may need to be adjusted if the hue changes post mortem.

Parallax, Scale, and Color Balance Considerations

I’ve seen a lot of the photographs you’ve posted and they are excellent, so my apologies in advance if this part seems obvious. These are just things that will help maximize the usability of the images at my end.

If the images can be photographed with the camera perpendicular to the archi, that would help eliminate any parallex distortions.

The lighting I’ve seen in your images has been pretty even, without hard shadows, which is good.

If a ruler can be included in each shot to the side of animal, that will help me keep the images at the same exact scale.

Including a combination color bar with a grayscale on it next to the ruler would help me adjust the color balance to tune out any hot or cold spots in the room lighting spectrum. If you don’t have a color bar handy, I’d be more than happy to pick one up and mail it to you for this.



Well, that’s all I can think of for now. Once again, thanks very much in advance for whatever you are able to do. I’ll check the local photo shops for a color/grayscale bar and mail you one if you need it.

--Carl - hoping I'm not overstepping my bounds with all of this

 

[Steve O'Shea]

I've actually got a transverse section through the head, arms and tentacles in the garage .... (don't ask). Will take this into work tomorrow and get one of those wish-list series out of the way (it will detail the cross-sectional shape of each of the arms (at the base), tentacles and their origin, and the buccal membrane (unfortunately I have already extracted the beaks fom this specimen)).

It was from a terribly beat up specimen that wasn't (otherwise) worth saving intact (so I sectioned it). One of these days I'll get the piece on display. I have plenty of images of the beaks (extracted), but only a few of them in situ. Will also dig them out.

 

[CarlS]

Wonderful, thank you very much

--Carl

 

[Steve O'Shea]

The first image of the attached series is of the arm crown viewed orally, with the buccal membrane most apparent (the beaks have been extracted). The numbers (e.g., 1L, 3R, are the arm numbers on the ANIMAL'S Right or Left side; the tentacles are marked T and originate between the bases of the 3rd and 4th right and left arms)

This next image looks from the dorsal surface of the head down, with the buccal membrane and connectives (+ lappet) visible; there's a fleshy lappet for every membrane. A connective attaches to either the dorso- or ventro-lateral face of an arm (relative to the sucker rows); this is extremely important in cephalopod systematics (the buccal formula of Architeuthis is DDVD, whereas that of the otherwise similar Moroteuthis is DDVV)

And this final image in this series, of the ventro-lateral connection of the buccal connectives to the third arms, and complete absence of buccal connectives to the tentacles.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

This first image is a transverse section through arm pair 1, with associated keels apparent (but all suckers missing at the arm base).

The second image, a transverse section through arm pair 2 (with the dorso-lateral buccal connective obscured); 2 suckers are apparent on the oral face of the arm.

The final image of this series, a TS through arm 3 (again, with the buccal connective obscured); otherwise similar to arm 2, although no aboral keel is apparent (the arm could be slightly compressed/distorted or damaged).

 

[Steve O'Shea]

This one of the tentacle (TS), and origination between the bases of the 3rd and 4th arms (no pouch, unlike Sepia [the tentacles are not fully retractile]). No, I am not unduly compressing the tentacle to give it that shape; that's pretty normal at their base.

This one of a similar shot, showing more buccal membrane and buccal connectives (just to put things in perspective).

And because these animals are so cool, here's another similar shot, showing even more buccal membrane and the full buccal connectives (to really put things in perspective). Amazing stuff!!

 

[Steve O'Shea]

... and it's getting on, so images on arm 4 will have to follow another day .. (will edit this post and add)

 

[CarlS]

Wonderful, thanks!
There’s a wealth of information right here, though the annotation will be a big help as well.
Good luck getting your software and hardware to work and play well together. Computers seem to be an area where Murphy’s Law reigns supreme.

Thanks again,
--Carl

 

[Steve O'Shea]

How's that looking Carl? If you want higher res pics, without the text, fire a pm through and I'll shoot 'em through.
O

 

[CarlS]

That’s looking great Steve, thanks for the accompanying text you added to these. The finished images couldn’t be clearer, and would make good textbook illustrations.
I'm at work right now, but may have some questions on these after I'd have a chance to really look at them.

I’m on a cable modem at home, so I already saved all of the original hi-res images you posted into a folder for this project. The new versions with the text will be saved to another folder. I’ll also be interested in the high res versions of any more photos you take for this. They can always be dropped in resolution after processing. For instance, the full length composite panorama at hi res could easily be in excess of 10,000 pixels wide, so that will be dropped in size to something much more forum-friendly. I’ll mail off the full sized panorama to anyone that might want a copy of that.

Oh yeah, thanks also to Tpoth for lending a hand here.

--Carl

 

[CarlS]

Hi again Steve
Here are some questions pertaining to the images you posted in this thread.

I was expecting to see the arms more symmetrical about their radial axis.
In the book by Ellis, a roughly triangular arm cross section was mentioned, with some flatening on the oral face. Is this description consistant with what you have seen?

Related to the above question, is the cross-sectional shape of an arm roughly constant throughout the arm's length, or does it become more symmetrical with distance from the base?

Does the cross-sectional shape of the tentacles become more cylindrical a short distance from the arm crown?
Also, is there noticable flattening along the oral surface where the tentacle's "clip" together?

The buccal membrane appears to be very loose and almost baggy.
Has it just relaxed post-mortem, or did it have this looseness when the animal was alive?

How large is the beak with respect to the arm crown width?

Is the buccal lappet a thickening in the buccal connective where it merges with the membrane around the beak?

Is the buccal bulb visible behind the buccal membrane, or does it just provide underlying shape and support?

I'm under the impression that the buccal connectives and lappets in a ring around the beak, and originating from each arm, would have an appearance like a rather baggy eight armed starfish.
Is this correct, or am I off the mark here?

Thanks again for all your time and effort on this, 8)
--Carl

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Hi again Steve
I was expecting to see the arms more symmetrical about their radial axis.
In the book by Ellis, a roughly triangular arm cross section was mentioned, with some flatening on the oral face. Is this description consistant with what you have seen?

Definite flattening of the oral face, but the cosss-sectional shape of the arms is quite variable, depending on the arm; I'd be reluctant to say that they were triangular, or universally triangular. This is something we'll have to look at later on [next month].

When Richard wrote that book he had never seen the fresh animal; the jacket picture of him holding the Architeuthis tentacle club is ctually a photo taken after the book was completed, in New York, and is the specimen I took over for the AMNH. It is likely that reference to arm shape was taken from a NIWA memoir by Ellen Forch.

Does the cross-sectional shape of the tentacles become more cylindrical a short distance from the arm crown?
Also, is there noticable flattening along the oral surface where the tentacle's "clip" together?

The oral face of the tentacles actually flattens, and the surface is covered with tiny bumbs, giving it a rough texture [that assists in their clasping]; there are also the alternating series of knobs and suckers, that further locks the two tentacles together - these are distributed on the flattened oral face of the tentacles. I'll post a few more pics shortly (couple of weeks).

1) The buccal membrane appears to be very loose and almost baggy. Has it just relaxed post-mortem, or did it have this looseness when the animal was alive?

2) Is the buccal lappet a thickening in the buccal connective where it merges with the membrane around the beak?

3) Is the buccal bulb visible behind the buccal membrane, or does it just provide underlying shape and support?

Re 1), very loose and baggy is norm; I've pics of this structure live in Histioteuthis; will post these later today.

2) Yes

3) For the sake of this, I'd say that it provides underlying shape and support; it is visible orally but not laterally.

I'm under the impression that the buccal connectives and lappets in a ring around the beak, and originating from each arm, would have an appearance like a rather baggy eight armed starfish.
Is this correct, or am I off the mark here?

Picture an octopus mouth/oral region. There is no buccal membrane and no connectives top each of the arms. Picture the same for a squid, then shove an open umbrella inside the arm crown. The umbrella would flop about everywhere unless it had some lateral support - and that's what the connectives do (just cut a hole in the middle of the umbrella to accommodate the beaks).

The query re beak size, will address that one with fresh material; will augment this post with a few other images when at work later today.
Toodles
O

 

[CarlS]

Thanks for the information here Steve, I'm looking forward to seeing the images you mentioned.

--Carl

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Here are a few of the beaks, extracted

 

[Steve O'Shea]

.... and the upper beak