Rare giant squid captured by government researchers in Gulf of Mexico

[jhayes75]

Don't know if a thread has been started on this, but this is huge.

Rare giant squid captured by government researchers in Gulf of Mexico | New Orleans Business News - - NOLA.com

 

[Hetland]

As long as it's not a Humboldt (Dosidicus gigas)

 

[jhayes75]

As long as it's not a Humboldt (Dosidicus gigas)

I had to google that one.

Prey
Schools of squid surface at night to hunt lanternfish, shrimp, mollusks, and other cephalopods. They are also known to cannibalize other jumbo squid that have been maimed or captured in nets. The squid use the sharp, barbed suckers on their feeding tentacles to pierce the flesh of prey and drag it to their mouths where a fierce, baseball-sized beak tears it to shreds.
Jumbo squid are notoriously aggressive and have earned the nickname diablos rojos, or “red devilsâ€� from Mexican shrimpers, who fish them in the off-season. Fishermen exploit the Humboldts' affinity for lanternfish by using lights as fishing lures. The squid may attack divers when threatened and will continue to put up a fight even after they've been caught, blasting their captors with water and ink.

 

[Hetland]

The guys that film them wear chain-mail suits, and have to be attached to the boat with a cable, as the first thing the squid tries to do is pull the diver DOWN into the depths, which would kill the diver if the beak didn't. Scary stuff.

 

[racedude1984]

not sure whats going on with the original link but here's a working link:
Rare giant squid captured by sperm whale researchers in Gulf of Mexico | New Orleans Metro Real Time News - - NOLA.com

 

[Comp.Air.Junkie]

Good Thing I don't dive to 1500 ft. I usually stay around 80-90.

 

[denisegg]

The guys that film them wear chain-mail suits, and have to be attached to the boat with a cable, as the first thing the squid tries to do is pull the diver DOWN into the depths, which would kill the diver if the beak didn't. Scary stuff.

That sounds like a job for you Hetland

 

[Hetland]

That sounds like a job for you Hetland

Honestly, I might pass on these guys. They're smart enough to figure out how to pull out regs and turn off valves. I'll stick to fighting sharks over their supper at 100ft in zero viz