WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand fishermen may have caught the largest Colossal squid ever found -- weighing around 450kg (992 pounds) and with rings the size of tyres.
The adult Colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) in deep ocean off Antarctica, New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said on Thursday.
The squid was frozen in the ship's hull and brought back to New Zealand for scientific examination.
"The colossal squid has just arrived in New Zealand and it is likely that it is the first intact adult male Colossal squid to ever be successfully landed," Anderton said.
Colossal squid are one of the most mysterious creatures in the deep ocean, growing up to 12 to 14 metres (36 to 42 feet) in length. Anderton said the squid would be photographed, measured, tissue sampled, registered and preserved intact.
Local media said early estimates put the squid at 10 metres (30 feet) in length and weighing 450 kg (992 pounds) -- 150 kg (330 pounds) heavier than the next biggest specimen found.
If calamari were made from the Colossal squid's rings it would be the size of tractor tyres!
4 comments:
Duncan:
I saw this on CNN.
You are really getting carried away with the BLOGGING. I thought this was a blog about Wien and our friends not the Animal/ Jacque Cousteau Planet channel.
Now, where is our Blog master Richard???
svon
OK. No more squid, no more fairies, no more lost oases...just Vienna.
Duncan,
Someone is up late in Wien on his computer!!1
ok, this is supposed to be Wien Blog!! You are really getting carried away with THIS BLOGGING!! You need to go through BLOGGING WITHDRAWAL!!
Dont make me get on an Austrian Airlines plane and come over there!!
Where is our Blog Master Richard, if I dont hear from him ASAP, I am calling Tony Blair, President Fisher, Lady Thatcher and anyone else I can think of!
svon
Who (besides Susan) said this was supposed to be only about Vienna?! Where would the "without borders" be in this! I for one found Duncan's contributions both insightful and entertaining!
Duncan, anything on sperm whales(Physeter macrocephalus)?
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