Awesome Creature Find

[Boris]

check out this link for story and photos. Mystery Creature (not Bigfoot or loch ness monster) (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030701/sc_nm/chile_science_dc_2)

I've always been fascinated by the giant squid. I even feel a tinge of guilt when I eat calamari, but it tastes so damn good. I saw a show on discovery channel that claimed the giant squid was the mortal enemy of deep diving whales. The giant squid would eat any whales that fell within its grasp. Too cool. The whale and the squid locked in mortal combat. When I was a kid would try to get the crawdads (aka crayfish) the garter snakes to fight. They were never really into it though.

[HDPM]

Read something recently about a squid type creature that is bigger than a giant squid and has a hook or spike amidst the tentacles. I forget what it's called. The sample they found was a small female and it was huge and nasty looking. Pretty cool. Bizarre sea creatures are neat and we just don't know much about a lot of them. The one that fascinates me is finding the coelacanth (sp?). I mean you are out fishing and get this prehistoric thing in your net. Too cool. Like running across a leftover dinosaur or something. Do the giant squids basically drown the whales by holding them under or what?

[Jimbo]

"Do the giant squids basically drown the whales by holding them under or what?"

C'mon HDPM you know the answer to this. Giant squid are the attorneys of the deep ocean. They simply latch onto the poor whale and suck them dry. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[andyfox]

"Giant squid live at a depth of 9,500 feet and only rise to the surface when they die. Specimens have been known to be as long as 60 feet."

Cool indeed!

[TJSWAN]

Jimbo & all,

Recently saw a show on GIANT Squids. One way they know they exist is that whales will eat the squid, including it's nasty looking beak. Their internal systems then coat the undissolved beak with a solution that hardens, and then they can regurgitate it. These " beak balls " are found occasionally washed up on shore as proof that the whales sometimes get the better of it.

[Boris]

Do you think I could find a beak ball on eBay?