# Colossal squid found in Antarctic **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 2, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070 "2003-04-02T22:45:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/41 "2003-04-03T15:05:55Z")
I’m a sicko for wanting to see this: 1. A fight between one of these and a sperm whale. I’d pay good money. 2. Video tape of one attacking a cruise ship. Or a sub. How about 10 or 20 attacking a cruise ship? Ick… ---
**Author:** ![Alcibiades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@Alcibiades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alcibiades)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/42 "2003-04-03T15:10:31Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Ferris \* \*\*[Another link](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3350503&thesection=news&thesubsection=general). > [@](#): > > Dr O’Shea said the formidable squid has the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. “Grandma, one big eyes you have!” “All the better to see you, my dear.” “And Grandma, what big swiveling razor-sharp tentacle-mounted claws you have!” ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/43 "2003-04-03T15:37:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exgineer \* > \*\*What do they _eat_? > \*\* The scientists quoted in the articles seem to be hung up on it being able to handle something called “Patagonian toothfish”. Whatever. It’s just an awesome creature! ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/44 "2003-04-03T15:54:34Z")
> [@](#): > > The scientists quoted in the articles seem to be hung up on it being able to handle something called “Patagonian toothfish”. I had to look up what a Patagonian Toothfish is, and it turns out it’s another name for Chilean Seabass. It’s an over-harvested fish as it is, and conscientious restaurants are no longer serving it. That’s probably for the best-- they’re ill-tempered, and hate being thought of as a distant second to sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads. Anyway, they’re big-ass fish, and theory is that Giant Squid can sneak up on their prey in the total darkness of the deep sea, grabbing fish before fish even know there’s a squid in the area. Pretty effective hunting method. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/45 "2003-04-03T15:55:25Z")
Wow! It glows in the dark too. 🆒 > [@](#): > > The colossal squid finds food by literally glowing in the dark, deep waters to light up prey for its massive eyes – the biggest of any animal. [http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/04/03/colossal.squid.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/04/03/colossal.squid.reut/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/46 "2003-04-03T18:53:50Z")
Most hypothesize that the Giant Squid would taste awful, due to [high ammonia content](http://weblog.burningbird.net/fires/000836.htm). I would assume the Collosal squid to be no different. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/47 "2003-04-03T19:32:03Z")
> [@](#): > > There have only ever been six specimens of this squid recovered: _ **five have come from the stomachs of sperm whales** _ and the sixth was caught in a trawl net at a depth of 2,000 to 2,200 metres. Bah! When they pull a sperm whale from a _squid’s stomach_, I’ll be impressed. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/48 "2003-04-03T19:40:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*And people thought [Peter Benchley](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679403558/qid=1049325127/sr=1-13/ref=sr_1_13/002-8157964-6409654?v=glance&s=books) was being ridiculous. \*\* [What you say!!](http://www.etext.org/Zines/friends/phil/archive/96/manatee.html) ---
**Author:** ![JustPlainBryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@JustPlainBryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustPlainBryan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/49 "2003-04-03T20:21:36Z")
Have there been any measurements done on the brain of this beast? ---
**Author:** ![LittleBabyNothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@LittleBabyNothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleBabyNothing)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/50 "2003-04-03T20:52:51Z")
Oh God, why did i even open this thread, let alone the actual article?!? There were pictures! This is just going to make the sea creature phobia even worse!! Eugh!! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/51 "2003-04-03T21:23:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MercyStreet \* > \*\*I dig the squid. But for “coolest animal ever,” it’s tough to beat the coelocanth. The kooky thing does headstands! > \*\* Well, that is true. The colossal squid is neat and all, but no animal will ever be as cool as the coelacanth. I’m glad someone else understands this. ---
**Author:** ![firagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/13edae/32.png) [@firagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/firagon)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/52 "2003-04-04T02:39:48Z")
Do squids ever win against sperm whales? It’s always so sad to see my favorite sea creatures “lose”. Ah, who cares about the coelacanth! I can do headstands too! ::breaks neck:: Just kidding, the coelacanth are pretty cool, but do not usurp the squid from the coolness throne. ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/53 "2003-04-04T12:39:06Z")
There seem to be a lot of references to getting footage of live giant squids in this thread, something that was done for the first time, IIRC last year. Lemme see if I can find a link… Oh, wait. They did get the first ever footage of a live giant squid, but they were in larval form… tiny, not huge and terrifying as a giant squid should be. Back to work, scientific establishment! (whip cracks) Lazy bums! LC ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/54 "2003-04-04T13:12:48Z")
And here I was going to make a crack about how Peter Benchley’s next novel will be called “Beak.” The colossal squid is the coolest animal in the ocean? No way. The coolest animal by far is the dolphin. Remember, they _live_with the colossal squid and can still find a reason to smile. Don’t worry. Be happy. ---
**Author:** ![Alcibiades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@Alcibiades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alcibiades)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/55 "2003-04-04T13:20:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beadalin \* > \*\*I had to look up what a Patagonian Toothfish is, and it turns out it’s another name for Chilean Seabass. It’s an over-harvested fish as it is, and conscientious restaurants are no longer serving it. That’s probably for the best-- they’re ill-tempered, and hate being thought of as a distant second to sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads. > \*\* There is currently a dispute between Australia and China over the illegal catching of Patagonian toothfish in Australian waters. A Hong Kong listed company is apparently responsible - the Australian government recently instructed a Western Australian law firm to look into it. Hong Kong restaurants, with their penchant for serving sharks fin soup (the shark is thrown back into the water to painfully die after its dorsal is chopped off) , have no qualms about serving toothfish to clientele. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/56 "2003-04-04T13:48:56Z")
Actually the novel “Beast” had the squid killed by a sperm whale giving the book a semi-environmentalist message of “Don’t kill whales, they keep the squid population under controll.” Naturally, the movie was a cheesy mishandling of the tone and message of the book. Giant squid rule. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/57 "2003-04-04T14:58:42Z")
On a side note, most submersibles are limited to a speed of only a few knots, hence their inability to keep up with a large potion of the deep-living sea life long enough to study it or get good pictures. Hopefully this guy - [http://www.divenewzealand.com/deep.html](http://www.divenewzealand.com/deep.html) -will change that and help get our fist good picture of a live colassal squid. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/58 "2003-04-04T16:56:35Z")
Figures, there’s a colossal squid auction on eBay. I’d post a direct link but my connection is still not completely back to normal - eBay auctions keep timing out for me. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/59 "2003-04-04T17:51:06Z")
Woah. Deep Flight-- what a wonderful idea. Looks like I need to ratchet my ambition up a notch. **Jeff Olsen** , please do post a link when you can-- I’d love to see it! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070/60 "2003-04-04T20:10:37Z")
**Bead** , looks like I still can’t bring up any auctions but the least I can do is provide the squid url: [http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2315843097](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2315843097). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colossal-squid-found-in-antarctic/166070.md?page=4)