[NEWS]: Falkland Islands Architeuthis

[Phil]

An Architeuthis was captured in waters around the South Atlantic Falkland Islands on 5th March. It is en route to the Natural History Museum in London for study (hopefully display?). This animal was caught 30 miles SW of Weddell Island of off West Falkland. From the photo it looks like a biggie.....

Details here:

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=3536

 

[Steve O'Shea]

... and we had one caught in NZ last week too, but more on that ... one of these days. Long story.

Shame about the length and weight errors in the Falkland report. Commonly attain 5 metre ML and 20 m TL? This really is frustrating to have this nonsense perpetuated like this!

Yikes; Kat just brought the 2.7m ML measure to my attention; another exaggerated claim there! That's a VERY TALL man in the background then, with the squid in the foreground; at 200kg and TL of 30 foot it's ~ 2m ML (or less). Obviously it will have shrunk by the time it reaches London!

 

[WhiteKiboko]

"Dr. Arkhipin said that it is quite common for squid of this species to grow to a mantle length of 5 meters and an overall length of 20 meters."

sigh

bold face is mine...

[edit] ok, seems steve was a little quicker with the typing

 

[cthulhu77]

I thought that 200 meters was common too!
typical of news papers though...what can you do?
greg

 

[Ainbhlinn]

Five miles, right?

Quite common for the squid to reach lengths of 5m eh?


By 5m you mean five miles, right?

 

[aron hills]

Yeah, and eat fishing boats (and crew) whole! - or so the papers tell me...

 

[cthulhu77]

That is still a big squid...I am sure if you happened to be diving and it flared past you, it would give you the willies!
I wish I still had my map of the sea floor...(lost ) would be interesting to see if there is a trench around that area...anyone have one out there?
greg

 

[joel_ang]

I think it could be around 2 metres. 2.7 m isn't too far off but 5m?!

 

[joel_ang]

Wait a sec, does the squid in the picture include tentacles?

 

[Phil]

A further image is available on Penguin News here:

Penguin News – The only newspaper produced in the Falkland Islands. Published every Friday, covering current events, job postings, your letters, local sports results, a TV guide, guest columns and much more.

The mantle length currently stands at a more reasonable 2.1m and weight at 200 kilos...until the next news report, that is!

 

[cthulhu77]

What ! Manfred Keenlyside ? the archenemy of Dr. Walter F. Schoepehaoursoneselveltlichtenstein?
Not the same man, I hope!
greg

 

[joel_ang]

Isn't 10m for a total length rather long?

 

[cthulhu77]

No, no...didn't you read the paper? The commonly attain those lengths, if not in fact longer!

 

[Snafflehound]

Idea

Maybe if we all spent $20 we could pool the money and buy a squid-stretching rack like the ones medieval torturers used. Then he could just adjust the length of the archi to fit whatever the newspaper reported it as being. :P

 

[Steve O'Shea]

I'd probably put it to better use on straightening my back out. I've lifted one too many squid of late and am paying the price. It's a tad embarrassing when walking or siting somewhere and the nerves pinch, sending me into spiral to the ground or flying off a chair. Doesn't look good; tends to freak people out.