Now that we have some time, we will upload some of the other photos taken.
Dr Tsunemi Kubodera, Steve O’Shea and Olaf Blaauw examine the smaller, damaged colossal squid on Tuesday, 29th April. Below are some of the close ups of the tentacles, suckers and hooks.
You can find out more about the hooks and suckers here
http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2008/04/30/hooks-and-suckers/











7 Comments
Very nice and crisp pictures, thanks!
Very interesting i saw this on my home page and had to check it out good deal. I cant however find the information as to the beak size etc. Mail me a link please? Webhntr2190@msn.com
Great photos. Fantastic specimen of a fascinating species. Congratulations
New Zealand. Get ready for the animal rights nuts to condemn the “squid murder”.
Viva la Calamari!
Please post more photo’s and beak size of the larger specimen.
Thanks in the north California mtns.
This is truly amazing. I have watched many shows about the “possibility” of finding a”colossal.” Now you have one. Such a paradox that the largest invertebrate in the world has only been recorded dead and fragmented. Hopefully this enigmatic creature’s secrecy will be revealed, exposed, and made available to all in the near future. Have you measured the beak size yet? I would like to know how it compares to the 49mm one found in the sperm whale.
The beak measure 42.5 mm
http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2008/04/30/a-very-careful-process/
Good photos!
… I posted about the squid disection (on my blog) a day or 2 before it started … but then in between being at work and life getting in the way I missed the whole thing! … and only just got around to coming back now, to see what happened … judging from what I have read here, and all the great photos – I guess it went quite well, and it seems a good time was had by all … except maybe a few noses – lol
I guess I will have to keep an eye out for when the TV documentary comes out and watch that …
btw – I am sitting here looking at these photos while eating (and enjoying) my seafood pizza! – just thought u might like to know that
Hi Aykayem
shame you ended up missing it all! No worries though – with all the blogs, info and great photos you’ll hopefully be able to glean enough to see how it all went. And then of course there’ll be the TV doco
This was all very new to us but I think overall yes we did have a blast – I know I did (now the smell has gone)
Unlike you I am not a seafood eater and must say that in getting very close and personal to the beastie – I have every intention to stay that way!
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[...] may be interested in the recent mutilation, er I mean autopsy of a colossal squid that occurred at New Zealand’s National Museum, Te Papa. Rest assured that this poor fellow [...]
[...] Squid dissection online: tentacles! 2008 May 3, Saturday, 18:04 — monado The dissection of a colossal squid in New Zealand is proceeding, and by popular request the museum personnel are showing some details of the tentacles, suckers, and hooks. [...]