I am now googling Colossal Squid.
I think I have a new irrational terror coming up.
I also think I have reached new depths of procrastination. You wouldn't think getting two characters to *have sex already* would be so damn *hard*.
Facts you might not be aware of with the colossal squid. They have suckers, *swiveling hooks*, and sucker rings. The term "razor-sharp" has been applied to these rings. Despite staring at comparative pictures, I am still not sure of the difference between a sucker and a *razor-sharp* sucker ring, but suffice to say, I'm quite terrified. They are bigger than sperm whales.
Does anyone but me snicker at that? Sperm whales. Hee. I am five.
Sadly, all information I can find is from 2003. I *know* on the radio something happened in the last year or so with the species, but I have no idea what. Still searching.
You should see the hooks close up. Dear God.
Though a few minutesa ago, I was like, oh, they are only found around New Zealand and Antarctica! But no. Apparently? Also the Gulf.
The GULF OF MEXICO WHERE I SWIM!
*bites lip*
Mmm, crazy scientists.
Yeah, that's not right. Of course, neither was seeing the stuffed horse of Peter the Great in the natural history museum of St. Pete. It looked like something the Velveteen Rabbit would play with, but huge. Really, really sad and sort of leery. I luff horses, but not after bad taxidermy... And okay, that was just a tangent off thinking of preserved animal parts that no one needed. %)
Oh dear God. THat would scare me to death.
I'm fond of this bit I found too:
UPDATE: In our post-modern age of non-privileged viewpoints, please remember that one man's biological wonder is another superbeing's eldritch minion. The Ctulhoid "Tentacles of God" website refers to this incident as: "Human scientists desecrate the body of another shallow water explorer." Winds of Change.NET recommends you show a little sensitivity, and perhaps ask yourself "why do they sacrifice us?" Could incidents like the one described above be perpetuating the cycle of violence?
Found here after an article on teh colossal squid. Sadly, the actual site no longer has this stuff. But. Heh.
re: the colossal squid, i got to see a tentacle when it was doing a tour of various cephalopod depts. last year! sorry no gross-out pictures.
if you share my semi-disgusted, can't look away interest in sea creatures, you can also check out some links to my favorite little dudes in my ocean blog and my ocean blog pt. 2
SEA SPIDERS. i have this recurring dream about sea spiders eating my lungs (drowning, all of that).
sorry if this seems gratuitously self-pimpatory; i just got really excited!!1!
Someone needs to write it. I'm tempted to.
Colossal gigantic squid
There were...I don't think that they were Colossal Gigantic Squid, but some sort of large squid have been washing up the California coast around Orange County in extraordinary quantities these last few months. They're making a lot of scientists very excited.
Also, the evening television news reports that they are not good to eat, so please don't try.