View Full Version : I, for one, salute our new Octosquid overlords ...
I'm shocked, shocked that breaking squid news (http://starbulletin.com/2007/07/05/news/story03.html) has not been covered in the backroom.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Lemurmania/art3.jpg
Curious creature caught off Keahole Point
The animal, dubbed an "octosquid," is found off the Big Isle
By Brittany P. Yap / byap@starbulletin.com
It's a squid, it's an octopus, it's ... a mystery from the deep.
What appears to be a half-squid, half-octopus specimen found off Keahole Point on the Big Island remains unidentified today and could possibly be a new species, said local biologists.
The specimen was found caught in a filter in one of Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority's deep-sea water pipelines last week. The pipeline, which runs 3,000 feet deep, sucks up cold, deep-sea water for the tenants of the natural energy lab.
"When we first saw it, I was really delighted because it was new and alive," said Jan War, operations manager at NELHA. "I've never seen anything like that."
The natural energy lab is a state agency that operates Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park in Kailua-Kona, adjacent to one of the steepest offshore slopes in the Hawaiian Islands.
According to Richard Young, an oceanography professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the specimen tentatively belongs to the genus Mastigoteuthis, but the species is undetermined.
War, who termed the specimen "octosquid" for the way it looked, said it was about a foot long, with white suction cups, eight tentacles and an octopus head with a squidlike mantle.
The octosquid was pulled to the surface, along with three rattail fish and half a dozen satellite jellyfish, and stayed alive for three days. According to War, the lab usually checks its filters once a month, but this time, it put a plankton net in one of the filters and checked it two weeks later.
The pitch-black conditions at 3,000 feet below sea level are unfamiliar to most but riveting to scientists who have had the opportunity to submerge. The sea floor is full of loose sediment, big boulders and rocks, and a lot of mucuslike things floating in the water, which are usually specimens that died at the surface and drifted to the bottom.
"It's quite fascinating," War said. "When you get below 700 feet, it's a totally different world. Lots of fish have heads like a fish and a body like an eel. There are fish floating in a vertical position, with the head up, and don't move unless they're disturbed."
Christopher Kelley, program biologist for the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory, went to the natural energy lab Tuesday to pick up the preserved octosquid, rattail fish and jellyfish, which had been stored in a freezer, and brought them back to UH-Manoa's oceanography department.
"It's a beautiful squid. It's a gorgeous ruby red color," Kelley said. "We really enjoy these little mysteries that come up."
Also during Kelley's visit to NELHA yesterday, he and War talked about a more formal sampling program to search for other deep-sea critters. War said their goal is to sample the intake screen more often and capture animals alive and study them in captivity.
"This opens up a whole new area of research that UH can be involved with," War said.
In October, NELHA will be checking its deep-sea pipelines, something that usually happens every eight to 10 years, because it is worried that something might have happened to them during the earthquakes in October.
"If it's a new species, (NELHA) would like to name it," War said. "But that is sort of the honor of whoever classifies it."
Papewaio
07-06-2007, 03:44
What luck that it was a marine laboratory and not just a commerical operation... to have the expertise on site to say 'hang on this is new' talk about fortunate.
master of the puppets
07-06-2007, 04:26
hmm, spawn of the Kraken says i! ready your harpoons gents, heave sails and bring out the marinara, we will dine on kalamari tonight!
CountArach
07-06-2007, 04:52
Well that sucks.
English assassin
07-06-2007, 10:31
I cannot believe I missed this. I'm going to have to cancel my subscription to squids-online at this rate
If this creature is the forerunner of a squid-octopus alliance then humanity is doomed.
Gregoshi
07-06-2007, 14:46
"Octosquid"? I can't believe nobody eight it.
"Mr. Burke gave instructions that they were to be kept alive in stasis for return to the company labs. He was very specific."
/semi-obscure sci-fi reference :wink:
You know Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see octosquids killing each other for a percentage!
Marshal Murat
07-06-2007, 17:15
I plan on attaching laser-beams.
You know Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see octosquids killing each other for a percentage!
"It was a bad call Lemur... that's all."
Ianofsmeg16
07-06-2007, 23:29
Octosquid....has anyone else just had a really good idea for a villain who wants to take over the world?
Hosakawa Tito
07-06-2007, 23:48
Quickly, cover yourselves with hot butter and have lemon wedges in hand to repel them.:sharky:
Alexander the Pretty Good
07-07-2007, 00:10
Cool. And seriously funny Alien reference.
I think this creature is product of the radiation. We are creating our doom!
Soon they will walk on land, then there will be no mercy.
Alexander the Pretty Good
07-07-2007, 01:52
Cuttlefish are actually pretty smart for a floaty relative of sea worms. There's a Nova episode about them on Google video. Just finished it. :2thumbsup:
Gregoshi
07-07-2007, 02:29
Soon they will walk on land, then there will be no mercy.
The next evolutionary step: octosquidaped
I plan to make a fortune selling them shoes...
The next evolutionary step: octosquidaped
I plan to make a fortune selling them shoes...
I plan to make excursions to Octoland.
I hope Dr. Ocutopus is not the king of those mutations.
master of the puppets
07-07-2007, 05:05
*sniff sniff* i smell a new sci-fi channel original movie!
Gregoshi
07-07-2007, 05:48
I plan to make excursions to Octoland.
In October no doubt.
Marshal Murat
07-07-2007, 05:51
I think Octopussy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopussy) will be the new hit of the summer...
Strike For The South
07-07-2007, 06:09
Giant squids are for pansies and forigners
Gregoshi
07-07-2007, 10:01
Texas must not have any squid. :laugh4:
In October no doubt.
Octyes :bounce:
Gregoshi
07-07-2007, 22:27
Octyes :bounce:
:wall: That's it, I'm outta here. Call me octagon.
Ianofsmeg16
07-07-2007, 23:37
The next evolutionary step: octosquidaped
Cephalopod Erectus...The Erect upright Squid
Oh come on you weenies. New overlords and walking octosquids?! First thing, ABSOLUTE first, unflinching thought that came to my mind was....
DAMN I bet that is going to make for some interesting sushi!
(sorry Dave!)
:balloon2:
KafirChobee
07-08-2007, 07:28
The curiousity here is, is it new? As is it an adapting species for a coming environment that its predicessors might not survive in. Or, is it simply a new find that hid itself well? Maybe it is a mule - where an octopus and squid got confused about species and fell in love irregardless of it being prohibited by their species, had babies and one survived. It is a mulato (sp), a crossbreed unworthy of either species - and now it's dead. Praise the lord zeus for the fishermen that destroyed it.
Regardless, it certainly tosses away any arguement about a species being able to evolve without the hand or involvement of Zeus. It happens ... don't it.
Still, I like the idea of confused species - rings a bell some how. ~D
Crazed Rabbit
07-08-2007, 07:30
Praise the lord zeus for the fishermen that destroyed it.
Not so fast on the honest worker bashing - it was scientists that destroyed it. And no one is suggesting it's a crossbreed - but don't let facts get in the way.
CR
Louis VI the Fat
07-08-2007, 14:36
https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/630/bluelobsterdj8.jpg
Maybe it is a mutant, like those blue lobsters. One in a million lobsters is blue. Blue lobsters are much more aggressive than normal brwonish ones. They are also much bigger. :skull:
Their numbers are increasing, exploding in recent years. What if they, like our octosquid find, are freakish evolutionary experiments, brought about by our meddling with the climate? A means of nature to fight back and protect itself? I think that octosquid is just a baby. This new species hasn't had time yet to develop fully grown mature octosquids. But they will, inevitably they will. And I think there are lots of 'em out there. Waiting, waiting 'till they are ready and their numbers have swollen. And then they will strike. They will, nature's revenge will be merciless on humanity. This much I know. Nobody's listening though, as usual. Me, I'm just happy I don't live out by the coast, so I might have a enough time to retreat to the hills and organise our last line of defense from there.
Rodion Romanovich
07-08-2007, 18:10
Better octosquid overlords, than EU overlords! :charge:
Ianofsmeg16
07-08-2007, 19:17
Better octosquid overlords, than EU overlords! :charge:
Not since the epic phrase "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" has any sentence made more sense to me..
discovery1
07-08-2007, 20:50
https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/630/bluelobsterdj8.jpg
Maybe it is a mutant, like those blue lobsters. One in a million lobsters is blue. Blue lobsters are much more aggressive than normal brwonish ones. They are also much bigger. :skull:
Their numbers are increasing, exploding in recent years. What if they, like our octosquid find, are freakish evolutionary experiments, brought about by our meddling with the climate? A means of nature to fight back and protect itself? I think that octosquid is just a baby. This new species hasn't had time yet to develop fully grown mature octosquids. But they will, inevitably they will. And I think there are lots of 'em out there. Waiting, waiting 'till they are ready and their numbers have swollen. And then they will strike. They will, nature's revenge will be merciless on humanity. This much I know. Nobody's listening though, as usual. Me, I'm just happy I don't live out by the coast, so I might have a enough time to retreat to the hills and organise our last line of defense from there.
So we can look foward to huge lobsters? AWESOME!
Papewaio
07-09-2007, 03:50
https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/630/bluelobsterdj8.jpg
Goes well with blue vein cheese and Bree too.
InsaneApache
07-10-2007, 17:19
Too late Louis. The crustacean/octosquid alliance moves into action. :sweatdrop:
An experienced diver told how he "wrestled" a 3ft (0.9m) lobster into a string bag after it attacked him.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/6288640.stm
We're doomed. :smash:
Vladimir
07-10-2007, 17:20
https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/630/bluelobsterdj8.jpg
Maybe it is a mutant, like those blue lobsters. One in a million lobsters is blue. Blue lobsters are much more aggressive than normal brwonish ones. They are also much bigger. :skull:
Their numbers are increasing, exploding in recent years. What if they, like our octosquid find, are freakish evolutionary experiments, brought about by our meddling with the climate? A means of nature to fight back and protect itself? I think that octosquid is just a baby. This new species hasn't had time yet to develop fully grown mature octosquids. But they will, inevitably they will. And I think there are lots of 'em out there. Waiting, waiting 'till they are ready and their numbers have swollen. And then they will strike. They will, nature's revenge will be merciless on humanity. This much I know. Nobody's listening though, as usual. Me, I'm just happy I don't live out by the coast, so I might have a enough time to retreat to the hills and organise our last line of defense from there.
Louis, the prophet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Gender
It is the story of Yuji Kaido, an average guy who was diagnosed with a serious disease in the near future and was put into cryogenic stasis. When he wakes up, he discovers that a race of insectoid beings called the "Blue" have overrun the Earth and that he may very well be the key to the survival of the human race.
We're doomed.
Not yet.
I, GvI/CF, propose the GAAH (Global Alliance Against Hoctosquids):beam:
Too late Louis. The crustacean/octosquid alliance moves into action. :sweatdrop:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/6288640.stm
We're doomed. :smash:
The Tick should be able to handle the octosquids, leave the lobsters to Sewer Urchin. :yes:
Gregoshi
07-10-2007, 18:12
Regarding the blue lobsters overlording with the octosquids, Maxwell Smart, aside from Sewer Urchin, would be able to handle the lobsters too as he's dealt with The Craw on a couple of occassions.
InsaneApache
07-11-2007, 01:06
Regarding the blue lobsters overlording with the octosquids, Maxwell Smart, aside from Sewer Urchin, would be able to handle the lobsters too as he's dealt with The Craw on a couple of occassions.
Agent 99; is that you? :belly: :heart: :gorgeous: :shocked: :sweetheart: :smart: :smart: :smart: :smitten: :stop: :stupid:
:oops:
Gregoshi
07-11-2007, 01:18
Missed it by that much. :2thumbsup:
Pannonian
07-12-2007, 14:20
Not yet.
I, GvI/CF, propose the GAAH (Global Alliance Against Hoctosquids):beam:
Mods, I wish to report GvL for hawful hacronyms.
Vladimir
07-12-2007, 15:51
OMG! I've spotted one of their landing craft. ~:eek:
http://www.florentijnhofman.nl/
https://img186.imageshack.us/img186/4148/duckvv7.jpg
Don't be deceived fools. RUN!
Either that or it's part of the new evil/good radical right wing conservative Christian gestapo's tactics to ban prostitution and turn back the tide of progress, forever...
InsaneApache
07-12-2007, 15:58
It's becoming obvious now. After the crustacean/octosquid alliance liberated those plastic ducks from a container ship in the 90's their plan swung into action. The ducks are being used as a decoy to keep our eye off the ball.
All too late Homo Sapiens learn the awful truth.
We're doomed, doomed I tell ya! :sweatdrop:
OMG! I've spotted one of their landing craft. ~:eek:
http://www.florentijnhofman.nl/
https://img186.imageshack.us/img186/4148/duckvv7.jpg
Don't be deceived fools. RUN!
Either that or it's part of the new evil/good radical right wing conservative Christian gestapo's tactics to ban prostitution and turn back the tide of progress, forever...
Run away from the Duck of NY!Its a trap!Greeks made that in Troy!
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