Colossal squid has biggest eyes on earth

Marine biologists in New Zealand have just begun studying a 1,000 pound "colossal squid" with a dinner-plate-sized eye that measures 11 inches across. The creature, formally named Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, was caught unintentionally by a fishing boat near Antarctica in February 2007 and frozen immediately so that it could be studied by scientists at a later date. It is 26' long and is the largest specimen of this type ever caught. It is believed these creatures can grow to 40' long. The squid has been thawing for the past week in a bath of brine. It will be preserved in formalin, and stored for display at New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa, later this year. "This is the only intact eye (of a colossal squid) that's ever been found. It's spectacular," said squid researcher Kat Bolstad from Auckland University of Technology. Squids can dive to 6,500 feet. Their huge eyes enable them to see prey in the pitch black of deep water. At right: The Alecton attempts to capture a giant squid off Tenerife in 1861. Illustration from Harper Lee's Sea Monsters Unmasked, London, 1884. Courtesy of Wikipedia Set as favorite Bookmark Email This Hits: 294 Trackback(0) TrackBack URI for this entry Comments (0) Subscribe to this comment's feed Write comment Name Email Comment smaller | bigger Write the displayed characters Add Comment

Last Updated ( Saturday, 03 May 2008 )

 

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