My paper on Squid Babies (which started out as a dissertation chapter) just got accepted!

Well, technically it's Accepted with Revisions, which, for the non-academics in the room, means my co-authors and I have to change a few things before it gets published. But still! It's going to get published! This calls for celebration!

So, in honor of Squid Babies, have a gorgeous video by pacificcoast101 on the embryonic development of the California market squid:



Thanks to Kevin Z for posting the video at Deep-Sea News, where I first saw it! The scientific detail and accuracy are truly remarkable. But, as usual, I have a few corrections.*

Despite the fact that everyone still calls them Loligo, the correct genus for California market squid is now Doryteuthis. Pedantic but true!

At 8:35, the video indicates that the funnel and the siphon are two different things. Not true! They're actually just different names for the same thing. The "siphon" arrow is pointing to the correct thing, which you should feel free to call a funnel if you like that better. The "funnel" arrow is actually pointing to the internal yolk sac.

At 16:00, the video claims that squid can kill their prey by "injecting a neurotoxin from the posterior salivary gland." I am almost positive that the narrator is getting our friendly neighborhood market squid confused with an octopus. All octopuses produce toxins in their salivary glands (although toxicity varies dramatically between species), but squid tend to be much more mechanical about killing their prey. I'm pretty darn sure that market squid do not produce neurotoxins . . .

Small quibbles aside, it's a really informative, beautiful video. However, it's not exactly fast-paced. If you can't stand to sit still and listen to meditative music for eighteen minutes, then at least watch the highlights: 

Three hearts pumping at 12:00; baby chromatophores flashing at 14:20; and an important PSA at 7:10.
* The creator of the video, Merry Passage, discovered my corrections and actually took the time to revise the video accordingly. Very impressive dedication to accuracy!