Scientists Catch Giant Squid Off Louisiana Coast
September 21, 2009 12:34 PM Subscribe
Scientists have captured a 19.5-foot, 103-pound giant squid off the coast of Louisiana, only the second known giant squid caught in the Gulf of Mexico since 1954. Previously & previously.
We're going to need a bigger deep fryer.
posted by dersins at 12:43 PM on September 21, 2009 [8 favorites]
posted by dersins at 12:43 PM on September 21, 2009 [8 favorites]
Ftagn!
posted by Artw at 12:45 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 12:45 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
> Specimen Goes To Smithsonian Museum For Further Study
> Calamari tonight!
Not actually in conflict.
posted by darth_tedious at 12:48 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
> Calamari tonight!
Not actually in conflict.
posted by darth_tedious at 12:48 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
> Specimen Goes To Smithsonian Museum For Further Study
> Calamari tonight!
Not actually in conflict.
"I assure you, we have top men working on it right now."
"Who?"
"Top... men." *puts on squid bib*
posted by brundlefly at 12:54 PM on September 21, 2009 [12 favorites]
> Calamari tonight!
Not actually in conflict.
"I assure you, we have top men working on it right now."
"Who?"
"Top... men." *puts on squid bib*
posted by brundlefly at 12:54 PM on September 21, 2009 [12 favorites]
damn, when I saw the word captured in the title, I kinda hoped it would still be alive. silly me.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:02 PM on September 21, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:02 PM on September 21, 2009 [4 favorites]
I looked at the pic in the article and somehow it just wasn't as giant squiddy as I was expecting. So I was sad. Then NOAA came to the rescue with a giant giant squid pic (4416p × 3312). All squid, baby. Holy crap.
posted by cashman at 1:03 PM on September 21, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by cashman at 1:03 PM on September 21, 2009 [4 favorites]
I scanned the title as "Scientists have captured a 103-foot squid". Yikes.
posted by weirdoactor at 1:07 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by weirdoactor at 1:07 PM on September 21, 2009
If I looked like that, I would also live at the edge of perpetual darkness.
posted by snofoam at 1:14 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by snofoam at 1:14 PM on September 21, 2009
"This is an incredibly rare find in the Gulf of Mexico," said Dr. Michael Vecchione, director for NOAA's Fisheries Service's National Systemics Laboratory and a giant squid expert.
posted by MarvinTheCat at 1:35 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by MarvinTheCat at 1:35 PM on September 21, 2009
Aaawwwww, it doesn't look all that giant. Boo. I'm holding out for a submarine-sized squid. Or larger. Like big enough to hold cut in on the battle of Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus.
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 1:37 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 1:37 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Specimen Goes To Smithsonian Museum For Further Study
Funny, that's the same reason I went there.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:44 PM on September 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
Funny, that's the same reason I went there.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:44 PM on September 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
You know what they say:
Once you've been squid, you've been did.
posted by darkstar at 1:47 PM on September 21, 2009
Once you've been squid, you've been did.
posted by darkstar at 1:47 PM on September 21, 2009
Yeah, I'm having issues with the word "captured" too. Doesn't that mean it should be, like, in captivity?
If I say I caught a fish, that's different than capturing a fish.
posted by rokusan at 1:51 PM on September 21, 2009
If I say I caught a fish, that's different than capturing a fish.
posted by rokusan at 1:51 PM on September 21, 2009
Is waterboarding considered torture if the prisoner actually breathes underwater?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:59 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:59 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Whenever I hear about scientists finding new specimens of giant squid my first thought is never, "Oh what a cool and interesting discovery, go science!" but always, "I wonder how delicious that would be?"
posted by Shesthefastest at 2:01 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by Shesthefastest at 2:01 PM on September 21, 2009
Also thought the squid would still be alive. I'm all like, "man, that must be a huge tank!" Alas, it just looks like roadkill.
I'm reminded of Henry Rollins eating dinner with William Shatner. "Henry... my friend from the eastern seaboard captures the best scallops I've ever had!"
posted by giraffe at 2:08 PM on September 21, 2009
I'm reminded of Henry Rollins eating dinner with William Shatner. "Henry... my friend from the eastern seaboard captures the best scallops I've ever had!"
posted by giraffe at 2:08 PM on September 21, 2009
.
posted by FatherDagon at 2:09 PM on September 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by FatherDagon at 2:09 PM on September 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
That squid's got a pretty blue eye! Not nearly as giant as I had hoped. I was kinda picturing something like the squids attacking ships and wrapping their tentacles all the way around ships, like you'd see in history books when learning about the fears Columbus had at that time. I mean, I weigh as much as 1.5 giant squids like that one. If I saw that in a dark alley, I wouldn't think "Oh no! Run!" It'd be more like, "Ew! Don't step on that!"
posted by jamstigator at 2:12 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by jamstigator at 2:12 PM on September 21, 2009
Note to marine biologist: don't forget to capture a giant lemon on the way home.
posted by BrotherCaine at 2:16 PM on September 21, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by BrotherCaine at 2:16 PM on September 21, 2009 [4 favorites]
You know, I'm tired of scientists catching these gigantic animals and not eating them. Apparently nobody knows what a Japanese Spider Crab tastes like either!
posted by Comrade_robot at 2:22 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by Comrade_robot at 2:22 PM on September 21, 2009
Can anyone speak to the effect of this on the local ecosystem? It seems that the squid would be an exotic species and potentially destructive.
posted by Hypnotic Chick at 2:23 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by Hypnotic Chick at 2:23 PM on September 21, 2009
Why does it have a human EYE, you guys.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:24 PM on September 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:24 PM on September 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
The photo needs something in it for scale. Like a maltipoo.
posted by cjorgensen at 2:37 PM on September 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by cjorgensen at 2:37 PM on September 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
Sorry, guys; the squid's no good to eat:
Giant squid and some other large squid species maintain neutral buoyancy in seawater through an ammonium chloride solution which flows throughout their body and is lighter than seawater. This differs from the method of floatation used by fish, which involves a gas-filled swim bladder. The solution tastes somewhat like salmiakki and makes giant squid unattractive for general human consumption.
(from the Wikipedia article on giant squid)
Though I do like salmiakki and generally can't get enough of it, the idea of it being mixed into the general slimy-fishiness of squid is a bit ugh.
posted by Maximian at 2:43 PM on September 21, 2009
Giant squid and some other large squid species maintain neutral buoyancy in seawater through an ammonium chloride solution which flows throughout their body and is lighter than seawater. This differs from the method of floatation used by fish, which involves a gas-filled swim bladder. The solution tastes somewhat like salmiakki and makes giant squid unattractive for general human consumption.
(from the Wikipedia article on giant squid)
Though I do like salmiakki and generally can't get enough of it, the idea of it being mixed into the general slimy-fishiness of squid is a bit ugh.
posted by Maximian at 2:43 PM on September 21, 2009
Man, I know it's getting old to rag on this administration, but when we elected a guy with nerdish tendencies, I was seriously hoping he'd be the type to try to capture gigantic squids alive and befriend them. Maybe it's too much to ask.
If Palin were in power, though, it would totally have been eaten by now. Granted, she'd probably have done a bad job cooking it, but you go to dinner with the meal you have, not the meal you want.
posted by mccarty.tim at 2:48 PM on September 21, 2009
If Palin were in power, though, it would totally have been eaten by now. Granted, she'd probably have done a bad job cooking it, but you go to dinner with the meal you have, not the meal you want.
posted by mccarty.tim at 2:48 PM on September 21, 2009
A glutinous mass, endowed with a malignant will, what can be more horrible?
posted by empath at 3:04 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by empath at 3:04 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm tired of scientists catching these gigantic animals and not eating them.
Actually, one time Jacques Cousteau was near Antarctica and they found a giant squid that was still fresh so he had the ships chef cook up some of it for the crew, but it was inedible. I have the book at home.
posted by snofoam at 3:10 PM on September 21, 2009
Actually, one time Jacques Cousteau was near Antarctica and they found a giant squid that was still fresh so he had the ships chef cook up some of it for the crew, but it was inedible. I have the book at home.
posted by snofoam at 3:10 PM on September 21, 2009
Oh god, at first I thought those two rusty bluish bolts in the ship's deck were ENORMOUS ANIME SQUID EYES STARING PLAINTIVELY INTO MY SOUL.
posted by elizardbits at 3:20 PM on September 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 3:20 PM on September 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
I've seen bigger.
posted by diogenes at 3:29 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by diogenes at 3:29 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
We eat fish. We don't (for the most part) eat squid.
Say goodbye to the fish, much faster than anyone realizes.
posted by effugas at 3:45 PM on September 21, 2009
Say goodbye to the fish, much faster than anyone realizes.
posted by effugas at 3:45 PM on September 21, 2009
damn, when I saw the word captured in the title, I kinda hoped it would still be alive. silly me.
Me too.
It's awesome! It's amazing!
How fast can we kill it?
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:57 PM on September 21, 2009
Me too.
It's awesome! It's amazing!
How fast can we kill it?
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:57 PM on September 21, 2009
Although the giant squid is inedible, apparently the Colossal Squid are quite delicious.
That's right, in New Zealand we study things and then we eat them.
posted by Miss Otis' Egrets at 4:32 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
That's right, in New Zealand we study things and then we eat them.
posted by Miss Otis' Egrets at 4:32 PM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
If smaller than 100 meters, throw it back!
posted by francesca too at 4:52 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by francesca too at 4:52 PM on September 21, 2009
OMG, cashman, that giant giant squid pic totally freaks me out with the eye, THE EYE!
posted by liza at 5:30 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by liza at 5:30 PM on September 21, 2009
Scientists have captured a 19.5-foot, 103-pound giant squid off the coast of Louisiana, only the second known giant squid caught in the Gulf of Mexico since 1954.
That is hands-down the most graceless sentence I have read in a month. Is a "known squid" something like a "known counterfeiter?"
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:39 PM on September 21, 2009
That is hands-down the most graceless sentence I have read in a month. Is a "known squid" something like a "known counterfeiter?"
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:39 PM on September 21, 2009
There are known squid. These are squid we know that we know. There are known unknown squid. That is to say, there are squid that we now know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknown squid. These are squid we do not know we don’t know.
posted by brundlefly at 7:11 PM on September 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by brundlefly at 7:11 PM on September 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
Oh my god, everything's coming together: Elect some bad ass shit like a tiger or one of those giant squids that wash up in Japan. Fucking giant ass squid will fuck some shit up.
posted by naoko at 8:24 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by naoko at 8:24 PM on September 21, 2009
.
posted by Lutoslawski at 8:50 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by Lutoslawski at 8:50 PM on September 21, 2009
Man from now on I will click on any link simply marked '???' with unrestrained girlish glee.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 1:10 AM on September 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 1:10 AM on September 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
I was all ready to post "this squid will soon be dead." Man. Shoulda known better. Not even a video to study how its tentacles or body move (if they do?) when caught in a net, before letting it just die?
posted by rahnefan at 4:31 AM on September 22, 2009
posted by rahnefan at 4:31 AM on September 22, 2009
I'd say I want to catch a live one, but I don't think it will fit in any of our tanks.
Which is too bad, because the idea of it completely filling the space inside the tank and having that giant eye staring out at me was oddly amusing to me.
(Particularly when I imagine the tips of the tentacles coming up over the lip and wiggling in greeting to me when I come home.)
posted by quin at 8:50 AM on September 22, 2009
Which is too bad, because the idea of it completely filling the space inside the tank and having that giant eye staring out at me was oddly amusing to me.
(Particularly when I imagine the tips of the tentacles coming up over the lip and wiggling in greeting to me when I come home.)
posted by quin at 8:50 AM on September 22, 2009
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