[News]: Giant Squid, Tall Tales and Truth (New York Times!)

tonmo

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New York Times keepin' it real! Well, trying to at least. :smile:

This article takes a look at the depths at which Architeuthis typically resides -- suggesting it's shallower than some think. But in the first sentence of the article, it suggests Architeuthis grows to 75 feet. :roll:

Giant Squid, Tall Tales and Truth

Interestingly, it also suggests that the age of one of the specimen they studied was 14 years old. I'd be interested in any thoughts from our resident experts on whether that would seem realistic or not... it'd certainly be a longer life than their octopus cousins seem to enjoy (maybe 5 years tops in cold cold water).
 
Here's a repeat post (sorry to do this) from the 'new papers' thread. I'm surprised that it took so long for this to actually make the papers. The interesting thing (one of them) was the reference to these South Pacific (Tasmanian) specimens as Architeuthis sanctipauli, when two recent reviews of the genus, Forch (1998) and Roeleveld (2000) both conclude that no grounds exist for recognising the NZ/South Australian/South African specimens as any different from those of the North Atlantic, Architeuthis dux. No mention is made as to why the South Australian specimens are referred to as A. sanctipauli.

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 7:56 pm Post subject:

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Landman, N.H.; Cochran, J.K.; Cerrato, R.; Mak, J.; Roper, C.F.E.; Lu, C.C. 2004. Habitat and age of the giant squid (Architeuthis sanctipauli) inferred from isotopic analyses. Marine Biology 144(4): 685-691.

Abstract
The age and habitat of the giant squid, Architeuthis sanctipauli Velain, 1877, were determined based on isotopic analyses of the statoliths of three female specimens captured off Tasmania, Australia, between January and March 1996. Assuming that the aragonite of the statoliths formed in equilibrium with seawater, 18O analyses indicated that the squid lived at temperatures of 10.5–12.9°C, corresponding to average depths of 125–250 m and maximum depths of 500 m. The capture records indicated that these squid may have occasionally ranged still deeper, to as much as 1000 m. All the statoliths were labeled with bomb 14C (14C=+22.9 to +44.6), consistent with the depths inferred from 18O. A thin section through one of the statoliths revealed 351 growth increments grouped into check-ring structures every 10–16 increments. A model for statolith growth and the pattern of temporal change in 14C in the water column was used to estimate the ages of the three specimens. These estimates were very sensitive to the choice of depth range over which 14C values were integrated. Assuming that the capture depths represented the maximum habitat depths of these individuals, the calculations suggested an age of 14 years or less. More refined age estimates require a better understanding of the variation of 14C and temperature with depth in the areas in which the squids live.
........
I can't get all of the symbols in there (triangles, isotopes of carbon etc.; sorry); Someone who knows something about this might be able to interpret it better.
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Re: [News]: Giant Squid, Tall Tales and Truth (New York Tim

tonmo said:
Interestingly, it also suggests that the age of one of the specimen they studied was 14 years old.

Tony, that's '14 years or less' (and I think the 'or less' really should be emphasised. It's all rather interesting and novel, but the technique has yet to be validated (and this wouldn't be too hard to do either, if statoliths of cultured squid (of known age) were subject to the same treatment).

We've discussed this with Neil, and it's something in the pipeline. He's looking at a couple of additional statoliths thatw e sent him late last year. Watch this space.
 
Re: [News]: Giant Squid, Tall Tales and Truth (New York Tim

Steve O'Shea said:
We've discussed this with Neil

I would've thought that TTF stealing your newspaper article wouldve been enough to stop you from talking to people tha arent rewally there... :biggrin2:

:smile:

as for the one that seems to have picked up a different name i say egos have creeped into scientific publications... (cue positively shocked emoticon :roll: ) - just to give everyone a rise, you should refer to a Architeuthis tonmo for about a month and see if anyone cites you or believes in a separate NZ species...

if they remain the right to be ignorant, might as well have fun with them....
 
Re: [News]: Giant Squid, Tall Tales and Truth (New York Tim

WhiteKiboko said:
Steve O'Shea said:
We've discussed this with Neil

I would've thought that TTF stealing your newspaper article wouldve been enough to stop you from talking to people tha arent rewally there... :biggrin2:

:heee:
Should have been more specific ay wot; of course that was Neil Landman I was referring to.

A little birdy tells me that Neil D will be mentioned in the New Yorker next week! That man rocks!
 

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