Mad as a Marine Biologist

Showing 39 posts tagged squid

High-res griseus: This bizarre yet fascinating creature, conveniently called “Squid Worm” was discovered in depths exceeding 2500 meters below the surface of the ocean in the Far East. Not much is known is about its ecology, however it is believed that it mainly feeds on the remains of dead microorganisms that sediment on the bottom of the ocean floor as “marine snow”.  more info xxxx

griseus:

This bizarre yet fascinating creature, conveniently called “Squid Worm” was discovered in depths exceeding 2500 meters below the surface of the ocean in the Far East. Not much is known is about its ecology, however it is believed that it mainly feeds on the remains of dead microorganisms that sediment on the bottom of the ocean floor as “marine snow”. 

more info xxxx

(via invertebrates)

High-res rhamphotheca: First Ever Images of Deep Sea Squid Mating This pair of mating Pholidoteuthis adami squid was observed by ROV Little Hercules on April 13 2012 at a depth of 1400 meters during an expedition by NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The male is upside down, and backwards on top of the female and the terminal organ ()presumably the white elongated structure) is extending from his funnel , presumably releasing spermatophores, from which spermatangia burrow into the dorsal mantle tissue of the female. The male has a firm grip on the female with at least three pairs of his arms… (read more: Smithsonian) (Image courtesy NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program)

rhamphotheca:

First Ever Images of Deep Sea Squid Mating

This pair of mating Pholidoteuthis adami squid was observed by ROV Little Hercules on April 13 2012 at a depth of 1400 meters during an expedition by NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The male is upside down, and backwards on top of the female and the terminal organ ()presumably the white elongated structure) is extending from his funnel , presumably releasing spermatophores, from which spermatangia burrow into the dorsal mantle tissue of the female. The male has a firm grip on the female with at least three pairs of his arms…

(read more: Smithsonian)

(Image courtesy NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program)

(via somuchscience)

High-res rhamphotheca: Scientists Discover Nerves Control Iridescence in Squid’s ‘Electric Skin’ by ScienceDaily staff (Aug. 27, 2012)  Squid’s colorful, changeable skin enables the animal — and their close relatives, cuttlefish and octopus — to display extraordinary camouflage, the speed and diversity of which is unmatched in the animal kingdom. But how squid control their skin’s iridescence, or light-reflecting property, which is responsible for the animal’s sparkly rainbow of color, has been unknown. In a new study, MBL (Marine Biological Laboratory) researchers Paloma Gonzalez Bellido and Trevor Wardill and their colleagues report that nerves in squid skin control the animal’s spectrum of shimmering hues — from red to blue — as well as their speed of change. The work marks the first time neural control of iridescence in an invertebrate species has been demonstrated. Squid skin is extraordinary because it has two ways to produce color and pattern… (read more: Science Daily)  (photo: Wardill, Gonzalez-Bellido, Crook & Hanlon, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences)

rhamphotheca:

Scientists Discover Nerves Control Iridescence in Squid’s ‘Electric Skin’

by ScienceDaily staff (Aug. 27, 2012) 

Squid’s colorful, changeable skin enables the animal — and their close relatives, cuttlefish and octopus — to display extraordinary camouflage, the speed and diversity of which is unmatched in the animal kingdom.

But how squid control their skin’s iridescence, or light-reflecting property, which is responsible for the animal’s sparkly rainbow of color, has been unknown.

In a new study, MBL (Marine Biological Laboratory) researchers Paloma Gonzalez Bellido and Trevor Wardill and their colleagues report that nerves in squid skin control the animal’s spectrum of shimmering hues — from red to blue — as well as their speed of change. The work marks the first time neural control of iridescence in an invertebrate species has been demonstrated.

Squid skin is extraordinary because it has two ways to produce color and pattern…

(read more: Science Daily) 

(photo: Wardill, Gonzalez-Bellido, Crook & Hanlon, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences)

rhamphotheca: Humboldt squid: Growing up to 2 m (6 ft) long, Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas) are formidable predators that hunt krill and a variety of fishes. Their normal habitat is within the tropical and subtropical waters of the East Pacific. (photo: © 2006 NOAA/MBARI)

rhamphotheca:

Humboldt squid: Growing up to 2 m (6 ft) long, Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas) are formidable predators that hunt krill and a variety of fishes. Their normal habitat is within the tropical and subtropical waters of the East Pacific.

(photo: © 2006 NOAA/MBARI)

High-res Devoted Deep Sea Squid Mama Parental instincts aren’t exactly common place in the invertebrate world. Squid typically die after spawning, leaving orphaned squidlets to fend for themselves in the big bad ocean. But as in all of biology, there are exceptions. Check out this incredible image of a mama squid tending to her (approx. 360) eggs — only the second species of brooding squid to be discovered, ever! Man, the deep sea is cool. Cephalopods are also cool.  This paper was just published. Imagine how many more cool squid are down there. 

Devoted Deep Sea Squid Mama

Parental instincts aren’t exactly common place in the invertebrate world. Squid typically die after spawning, leaving orphaned squidlets to fend for themselves in the big bad ocean. But as in all of biology, there are exceptions.

Check out this incredible image of a mama squid tending to her (approx. 360) eggs — only the second species of brooding squid to be discovered, ever!

Man, the deep sea is cool. Cephalopods are also cool. 

This paper was just published. Imagine how many more cool squid are down there. 

brain-smudge: This week’s BrainSmudge theme is Scientific Illustration. And while today focuses on Astronomy (and Marine Biology was on Saturday), this very cool bit was shared with me and I am compelled to post it. Kind of Paleontology and Marine Biology in one!

”Paleontologists discovered the remains of the creature, called a Belemnotheutis antiquus, during a dig at a Victorian excavation in Trowbridge, Wilts. They cracked open what appeared to be an ordinary looking rock only to find the one-inch-long black ink sac inside. After realising what they had stumbled across, they took out a small sample of the black substance and ground it up with an ammonia solution. Remarkably, the ink they created was good enough to allow them to draw the squid-like animal and write its Latin name. Other examples of sea creature were also discovered giving the scientists an excellent opportunity to study the species.” 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5794280/Scientists-draw-squid-using-its-150-million-year-old-fossilised-ink.html  There’s something not quite right about drawing a squid with it’s own ink, even if it is a fossil, but it’s stunning that you can. 

brain-smudge:

This week’s BrainSmudge theme is Scientific Illustration. And while today focuses on Astronomy (and Marine Biology was on Saturday), this very cool bit was shared with me and I am compelled to post it. Kind of Paleontology and Marine Biology in one!

”Paleontologists discovered the remains of the creature, called a Belemnotheutis antiquus, during a dig at a Victorian excavation in Trowbridge, Wilts.

They cracked open what appeared to be an ordinary looking rock only to find the one-inch-long black ink sac inside.

After realising what they had stumbled across, they took out a small sample of the black substance and ground it up with an ammonia solution.

Remarkably, the ink they created was good enough to allow them to draw the squid-like animal and write its Latin name.

Other examples of sea creature were also discovered giving the scientists an excellent opportunity to study the species.”


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5794280/Scientists-draw-squid-using-its-150-million-year-old-fossilised-ink.html 

There’s something not quite right about drawing a squid with it’s own ink, even if it is a fossil, but it’s stunning that you can.