[News]: Taningia attacks!

[Phil]

Taningia danae has been in the news today, courtesy of our old friend Dr Kubodera. Stunning 2005 footage of the squid attacking bait has just been released which depicts this large squid flashing bioluminescence as it lunges. Please see below for more details:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6357005.stm

 

[cuttlegirl]

Look, they compare its size to a double decker bus!

 

[Steve O'Shea]

I saw this footage last year; it is truly sensational! Hat off to Ku again!!

 

[Phil]

The amazing footage, or at least sections of, is available to watch on New Scientists website. If your computer can play MOV files you should be able to watch the footage. Here's a link.

 

[Clem]

Amazing images is right. Thank you, Phil! (Wish I could view the vid.)

 

[octobot]

[News]: Giant squid caught on camera - ITV.com

Giant squid caught on camera
[SIZE=-1]ITV.com, UK - 3 hours ago[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]The squid was caught attacking bait and emitting short bright light flashes, possibly to attract a mate or to communicate. The elusive creature was taped as ...[/SIZE]


More...

 

[octobot]

[News]: Deep sea giant squid flash blinding light to attack prey - MercoPress

Deep sea giant squid flash blinding light to attack prey
[SIZE=-1]MercoPress, Uruguay - 5 hours ago[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Enormous deep-sea squid emit blinding flashes of light as they attack their prey, research shows. Taningia danae`s spectacular light show was revealed in ...[/SIZE]


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[octobot]

[News]: Giant squid lights up for attack - BBC News


[SIZE=-2]BBC News[/SIZE]
Giant squid lights up for attack
[SIZE=-1]BBC News, UK - 10 hours ago[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]The squid, which can measure over 2m (7ft) in length, deftly swim backwards and forwards by flapping their large, muscular fins. ...[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Flirty deep-sea squid is fast, aggressive hunter [SIZE=-1]
New Scientist (subscription)[/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]all 2 news articles[/SIZE]

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[Architeuthoceras]

Tani never seems to move backward (normal) always forward, and always fast. And very cool headlights.

 

[OB]

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Amazing, and such graceful power. I guess with its equally considerable finsize, this makes Mesonychotheutis the more likely to be an active hunter as well; an exciting concept.

Good to see the old doubledecker in comparison to real life squid representations, this time around

PS: bar the 8 meter mantle length for M. hamiltonii, obviously,..., or do you think that....

 

[enrico]

For those who (like me) had problems viewing the embedded vid over at BBC, check this blog entry at the neurophilosophy site instead. It features an embedded youtube version (ie. flash) of the same video. (BTW, it includes a neat vampire squid video as well).

 

[Jean]

From what I know and have observed (limited!) travel forward when attacking but cruise backwards!

J

 

[enrico]

I now see that I had overlooked Phil's second post. Looks like there are actually several videos then, -the NewScientist story links to three different ones (and the resolution is better than in the other ones I've seen too). Or are these just outtakes from the video at BBC (which I can't play) or what? Don't want to miss anything..

 

[Phil]

Ok, if anyone would like the full report Hunting behaviour and bioluminescence of a large deep-sea, eight armed squid - Taningia danae, click here. This is straight from the pages of the Royal Society website, but be warned, there is a lack of double-decker bus images though.

Before I read the article I had no idea that this was the first time a living Taningia had ever been filmed in its natural habitat. I think we should start a dedicated Dr Kubodera tribute thread!

 

[Phil]

The article concludes with some very interesting speculation about the hunting strategy of Taningia. As it lacks tentacles, the animals feeding strategy appears to be to rush at its prey whereas most other squid would move in but stand off, using tentacles to sieze and draw prey in and then ensnare with their arms. Taningia has been forced to adapt an entirely different, and highly energetic, attack using arm photophores to dazzle prey and use the image generated to home in. Fascinating stuff.