mc_squared Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Giant squid captured on film By CLAIRE BATES, Mail online - More by this author » Last updated at 12:53pm on 14th February 2007 Comments (1) A giant adult squid has been captured underwater on video for the first time off the coast of Chichijima Island in the North Pacific. The footage found the reclusive beast is far less sluggish than once thought, and darts towards prey while emitting blinding flashes of light. Japanese scientists believe the Taningia danae is an aggressive predator which uses the light to disorientate its victims. VIDEO: See the giant squid launch its attack Scroll down for more Writing in The Royal Society journal, they revealed how they lured the squid with a bait so they could film its behaviour. The video was taken at depths of 240m to 940m and shows the creature reaching speeds of up to 2.5 metres per second as it attacked the bait, enveloping it in its eight tentacles. "They emitted short bright light flashes from their large arm-tip photophores before final assault, which might act as a blinding flash for prey as well as a means of measuring target distance in a dark deep-sea environment," the scientists from the National Science Museum in Tokyo concluded. They found the squid could move both forwards and backwards and rapidly changed direction by flapping its large muscular fins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Cadet Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Wow! :speechless: :wideeyed: Thanks! I've always wanted to see one of those. :huh: Suddenly the world feels just a little bit smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagpie Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 That is insane....so maybe all those old sailors weren't making up those squid stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 That is insane....so maybe all those old sailors weren't making up those squid stories. Nope - they certainly weren't!!:rolleyes: And have you seen the shark that preys on it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagpie Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 nooooooooooo!!!!!!!! I'm never going in the ocean! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 nooooooooooo!!!!!!!! I'm never going in the ocean! And do you know how much was actually paid for that squid film??:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagpie Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 How much? They didn't do a good job of hiding the wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 How much? They didn't do a good job of hiding the wires. About 50,000 squid, of course!!:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagpie Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 oh my haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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