Giant Squid Sucker Marks on Whales?

[Infusoria]

I recall reading an extensive debate about whether or not the scars could grow as the whale grew, but it had not been satisfactorily resolved at the time I was reading about it.
On a related note, in Richard Ellis's Sea Monsters book he discusses accounts of rubber seals on U.S. Navy submarines which appear to have been damaged by hooks like those on the tentacle clubs of some squid (like Mesonichoteuthis), and we know submarines bear a certain resemblance to whales, and certainly did not initiate an attack. Conjectural, but interesting none-the-less.

I thought that that turned out to be the teeth of the megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios). Although I read that many years ago and could be wrong.

Happy new year everyone!

 

[L8 2 RISE]

I thought that that turned out to be the teeth of the megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios). Although I read that many years ago and could be wrong.

Happy new year everyone!

I believe I heard that as well.

 

[Daremo]

I missed the Discovery showing, but that was quite an interesting clip. Nice touch on the animators' part, showing how some of the scars could have been made, but I confess I am a bit skeptical of Mesonichoteuthis' aggresive posturing in the face of a predator so much larger. Makes for more dramatic footage, I admit, but wouldn't escape behavior seem more likely?

 

[Daremo]

Sorry about two posts in a row, but somehow I missed these last two responses. I had not heard the Megamouth theory, and will try to do some checkng. I think one of the sources on the hooks info was Ellis.

 

[Ranzan]

wouldnt it be better to open up dead beached whales then judge size of giant squids by the indigested beaks in the stomach ?

 

[monty]

Some of our strong-stomached members do just that: http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/6881/

(caution, pics may make you go if you're not so strong-stomached. I'm glad TONMO doesn't have smell-o-vision)

 

[Ranzan]

steve has my dream job :P

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Not sure about the 'dream job' Ranzan. If you go here you'll find another image of extensive Architeuthis scarring on a sperm whale.

 

[Firefly]

The scarring of whales by the suckers of large squid has been reported, documented, and even photographed. However, is there any indication to which the frequency such markings have been found?

-What can be learned from such scars –for instance, I have heard that sucker scars on a young whale grow with the whale and are responsible for grossly exaggerated estimates of 200 foot long squid (IIRC, 1 inch diameter suckers which eventually stretched to 4 inch diameter scars). Is it possible to distinguish fresh scars from those made when a whale was much smaller, so as to make a reasonable estimate as to the size of the largest squid?

Here it says that size of scars aren´t usually used to estimate giant squid size, because as you heard, they can grow as the whale grow:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/ocean/monsters/giants.htm

Though, I´m not sure, if it´s possible to distinguish fresh scars ( more reliable to give a estimate) from older scars, maybe is possible but not certain...