Thought I’d add my two penneth here. Are we assuming that the bits of squid we’re seeing are what’s left after physeter’s had a go at it and these are the parts it didn’t eat? I’d assumed that these chunks are essentially whale vomit?! I’ve heard that sperm whales are pretty easy to scare and that if a few pseudorca or even dolphins hassle one it’s likely to throw up. There is a theory that the pseudorca are doing this so they can eat the chunks of squid etc that the sperm, whale, how shall I put it, spews. Nice.
If this is the case, perhaps the tentacles and head are being snaffled by something or have sunk and only the large ammoniac etc tissues remain undepredated on the surface – this is assuming the whale threw up all the parts of the squid in the first place. Also, can anything else take a squid this size? If a beaked whale or something else that can get down to where these squid live was responsible, perhaps they can’t swallow the whole thing and are leaving the mantle?
Additionally, Grimalditeuthis, with such a low protein content surely doesn’t make a great meal for many scavengers – is this why it’s untouched, or am I being dumb? Probably the latter .
Sorry for the ramble, mostly questions I’m afraid.
If this is the case, perhaps the tentacles and head are being snaffled by something or have sunk and only the large ammoniac etc tissues remain undepredated on the surface – this is assuming the whale threw up all the parts of the squid in the first place. Also, can anything else take a squid this size? If a beaked whale or something else that can get down to where these squid live was responsible, perhaps they can’t swallow the whole thing and are leaving the mantle?
Additionally, Grimalditeuthis, with such a low protein content surely doesn’t make a great meal for many scavengers – is this why it’s untouched, or am I being dumb? Probably the latter .
Sorry for the ramble, mostly questions I’m afraid.