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Vampire Squid And The Evolution Of Cephalopod Sex

Everyone loves vampire squid, right? Their monstrous name belies their gentle nature as graceful...

Learning Science From Fiction: A Review Of Ryan Lockwood’s “Below”

In last month’s review of Preparing the Ghost, I mentioned that you can actually learn facts...

Usurped By Legend: A Review Of Matthew Gavin Frank’s ‘Preparing The Ghost’

When you read something in a book, do you believe it? You might say, “Of course not if it’s...

Squid Lady Parts

This Bobtail squid was imaged by the Deep Discover ROV in Atlantis Canyon, is less than one foot...

Danna Staaf

Cephalopods have been rocking my world since I was in grade school. I pursued them through a BA in marine biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, followed by a PhD dissertation at... Read More »

A Neon Sign Of Climate Change

Dec 15 2011 | comment(s)

Squids are mercurial, unpredictable creatures of extremes.

Call them abundant, call them quite rare
It depends on the climate--the sea and the air
One species expands, another contracts
These are the data, these are the facts
Sometimes it feels like they're growing too fast
But it helps them respond and it's why they can last
Through environmental change . . .

Nifty Squid Vid

Dec 11 2011 | comment(s)

The Humboldt squid's "invasion" of California has been a sophisticated series of move and counter-move. They're here, then they're gone; they're big, then they're small.

I've explained--and Professor Gilly has explained in greater detail--how these animals have probably been reacting to environmental change. But if you'd rather watch a short video than have to read all that stuff, KGO-TV will oblige you:

Babies Found in Discarded Shopping Cart

Dec 09 2011 | comment(s)

Before you get too horrified, let me clarify: they were squid babies, and the shopping cart was underwater.
I learned about the discovery from NewsTalkZB, which reports that at an aquarium in Wellington,

30 squid are expected to hatch tonight. Discovery programme manager Julian Hodge says the squid were found in a discarded shopping trolley during a clean-up of Wellington Harbour three weeks ago.

Nearshore squid normally lay their eggs on surfaces like rocks or sand or shells, but they will just as happily lay on manmade surfaces like pier pilings, beer bottles, and . . . shopping carts.

You can't make this stuff up.

Glowing Squids, African Edition

Dec 09 2011 | comment(s)

A new paper in the African Journal of Marine Science turned me on to the genus Lycoteuthis, an open-ocean squid just bristling with light organs. According to Vecchione and Young:

Presumably they exhibit considerable bioluminescent courtship behavior which, unfortunately, has never been observed.

Oh man, talk about fireworks! Wouldn't it be incredible to be the first person to witness Lycoteuthis courtship? I may have a new goal in life.

Ask, And Ye Shall Receive*

Dec 05 2011 | comment(s)

Yesterday I complained that none of the articles about the New Zealand squid fishery had any quotes from fishing reps. I had only to wait 24 hours for my complaint to be answered!

Sea Lions Compete With Humans For Squid; Lose