- Joined
- Feb 24, 2004
- Messages
- 33
In early 1996, Dr. Neil Landman chair of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City, decided it would be advantageous to obtain an Architeuthis. This was prompted by the high incidence of capture, a result of the deep trawling for Orange Roughy in and around Australia and New Zealand. Dr. Clyde Roper from the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History was invaluable for information regarding all things Architeuthis. Dr. Steve O’Shea was apparently the best person to contact and the game was afoot. There were a number of aspects of the project that needed to be setup well in advance including transportation, preservation and of course obtaining a quality specimen.
On June 9th 1998 this plan was realized when Steve O’Shea escorted the museums newly acquired Architeuthis kirki through US Customs. According to the museum web site, the squid has 15-foot-long tentacles, and a 10-foot-long mantle, and it weighs about 200 pounds. My own data is packed away so I will just say it was the largest Architeuthis I ever examined. Sorry for the poor resolution, I took the attached group of pictures with an Apple Quicktake digital camera (0.8 megapixle). They have never been shown as a group before I am not sure if Steve has viewed them. Aside from Neil Landman, Steve O’Shea and myself Richard Ellis was there as well. As I fondly recall the high level of ammonium was not at all detrimental while handling the squid, it did not smell bad at all but then again I was too excited to notice. I will say that my rubber-soled shoes were ruined, and I could not eat any seafood for a month since the smell had permanently attached itself to my olfactory receptors. The specimen was a mature male in very good condition. Initial impressions and observations, the suckers worked remarkably well all things considered, you could have them adhere to the palm of your hand, there was a very large penis and spermatophore were present, the beak was very strong and sharp as one would expect and the toothed ringed suckers were quite flexible.
There was a smaller specimen as well which was destined for Clyde Roper; you will notice this in the pictures as well.
On June 9th 1998 this plan was realized when Steve O’Shea escorted the museums newly acquired Architeuthis kirki through US Customs. According to the museum web site, the squid has 15-foot-long tentacles, and a 10-foot-long mantle, and it weighs about 200 pounds. My own data is packed away so I will just say it was the largest Architeuthis I ever examined. Sorry for the poor resolution, I took the attached group of pictures with an Apple Quicktake digital camera (0.8 megapixle). They have never been shown as a group before I am not sure if Steve has viewed them. Aside from Neil Landman, Steve O’Shea and myself Richard Ellis was there as well. As I fondly recall the high level of ammonium was not at all detrimental while handling the squid, it did not smell bad at all but then again I was too excited to notice. I will say that my rubber-soled shoes were ruined, and I could not eat any seafood for a month since the smell had permanently attached itself to my olfactory receptors. The specimen was a mature male in very good condition. Initial impressions and observations, the suckers worked remarkably well all things considered, you could have them adhere to the palm of your hand, there was a very large penis and spermatophore were present, the beak was very strong and sharp as one would expect and the toothed ringed suckers were quite flexible.
There was a smaller specimen as well which was destined for Clyde Roper; you will notice this in the pictures as well.