Deep Sea stuff
 

There's been threads like this before, but its fascinating...

I can't find enough to answer my questions. So I ask you guys.

Octopi and squids, are they vicious? Like, will they attack humans and devour them? How STRONG are they? etc


Also, do you guys believe in things like the kraken? Honestly I do. I 100% believe that there are gigiantic octopus like creatures that are like... 200+ feet long and extremely vicious, and who'se to prove me wrong? I mean, the ocean is so unfathomably vast, it wouldn't surprise me. Kindof makes you wonder... What if your cruise liner got attacked by one like in the movie octopus, hahaha.

The deep sea is just as fascinating to us as deep space, and for much of the same reasons...They are both beyond our reach, and leave us to imagine what lifeforms they may contain...

Things that we have never seen or heard about, yet we imagine the possibilities based on what we HAVE seen...Things with gills, fins, flippers, tentacles, black eyes or no eyes because they don't need them in the black depths, or luminescent eyes so that they CAN see, iridescence, enormous sizes...We can only imagine

The deep sea is an alien world

This kind of shit fascinates me, too. It's mind boggling to try to imagine that we haven't even cracked the surface of oceanic depth.

Black water...eesh! Gives me the heebie=jeebies!

I really wish they'd find a kraken thing that big, like in pirates 2, it'd be so cool.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...09622962894202



wow

Yeah. Who knows how big some of those things get down there! And I figure that, hundreds of years ago, before boats became powered, giant squid probably did attack ships and eat people...often enough that the stories became sea lore. When ships themselves became dangerous things to run into, and once we had developed weapons to defend ourselves against angry sea creatures, I think those squids learned to avoid surface travelers. In other words, back when humans were relatively defenseless, attacks by giant squid probably happened a lot, and it was probably pretty horrible.

If you watch the DVD of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea," there is a documentary about Humboldt Squid--these amazing squid that are actually luminous--they flash on and off like strobe lights, the footage is amazing. And if they encounter something they think they can eat, they are totally deadly. You think of a squid as a soft blobby thing, but Humboldt Squids are not cream puffs. Their tenctacles are powerful and lined with hundreds of teeth, not just suckers. I had never seen any film footage of these creatures, and this documentary was incredible.

Here ya go Posher...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_squid

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraken

Enjoy!

I was watching the news yesterday & they found this shark they thought was extinct deep down in the ocean. So what did they do? they captured it of course! Poor bastard died 2 days later in captivity but at least they cut off its head & kept it for show! Makes you want to just weep at the stupidity don't it?

i think you may be thinking of a coneshell, they are a big ol snail. As far as i can remember,m there arent any bivalves with poison (clams, mussles, oysters), but pretty much every other category of mollusc has at least 1 poison member.

Blue ring octopus are also responsible for quite a few deaths, and they are also tiny.

The absolute worst is the box jellyfish, they have a neurotoxin that kills in minutes.




I have always been fascinated with deep sea life, especially giant squid. I find it hard to believe that the largest specimens alive have died and been found, nmeaning thay in my opinion, the 60-70' long ones that have been found arent shit compared to the guys still alive out there. Squid are someof thesmartest animals on earth, and they never stop growing as long as they are alive. I imagine we havent seen the truly huge ones because they dont want to be found.

Hell, Howard Hughs pulle dit of, and he was rich, high profile, and collected his pee.

the title on that page is a little misleading, that looks more like a dogfish than a shark. They are kind og little sharks, but not really.

The fact remains, though, that an octopus had no trouble snagging a predatory fish and subduing it.


Cephalopods (Squid, octopus, nautilus and especially cuttlefish) have been a fascination of mine since i was 18.

Read about the Colossal squid in the link I posted earlier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_squid). They sound even nastier and they're not just bigger giant squid, they have different types of tentacles.

I don't believe squid or octopus would attack. The have the whole ocean why come up to the surface when they don't need to? Also the ink thing do they not excrete it when scared or threatened to confuse a potential danger and hide their escape?

They do apparently attack. Here's a snippit about the legend of the Kraken...

"The legend may actually have originated from sightings of real giant squids that are estimated to grow to 13 metres (43 feet) in length, including the tentacles. These creatures live at great depths, but will surface to hunt prey and reportedly have attacked small ships."

Pretty creepy, but fascinating.

Hmmmmm Interesting. I have yet to do research on the squids but having doing a very quick search on octopus I don't think they would attack there is information on defense but nothing about attacking so far. I am looking forward to researching this further.

Also can anyone help me with the name of the film with this scene: characters standing in what they thought to be a secure room on a boat talking about how an octopus can find its way in because of its intelligent they go on to talk about the food in the jar test. I have seen it but cant remember the name. thanks

After a little more research, Kraken is a legend. Giant Squid are DEEP sea creatures. Squid have been found washed up on beaches but I think they only move away from the deep sea due to a change in the waters.

However it is damned scary to think there is something that big and intelligent just waiting underneath you right? ;)

But lets not forget what feeds on these giant squid uh huh a Sperm Whale.

Oh and Giant Squid cant lift their tentacles out of the water apparently.

The only Cephalopod that I know of that has been known to attack humans is the Humboldt squid. They are known to reach lengths of 6 feet and can be quite vicious not only towards humans but each other.

Interesting I shall have to return to researching.

I don't mean to be a nitpicker, but, did you actually read my post???...

They do apparently attack. Here's a snippit about the legend of the Kraken...

"The legend may actually have originated from sightings of real giant squids that are estimated to grow to 13 metres (43 feet) in length, including the tentacles. These creatures live at great depths, but will surface to hunt prey and reportedly have attacked small ships."

Not trying to start anything, just thought you may have missed what I said.

Yes I did read your post!
Fair enough.
I was simply stating my opinion from the research I have done, clearly I must do some more research. I shall look into what Giant Squid feed on.
Thank you for the information you have provided though it is very interesting.
Sorry if I have offended you by my comments.

Monalisa I again want to say sorry as giant squid have been known to attempt to take bait of a fishing line and do rise to the surface to feed like you said. I was trying to take to much in and was not sorting it before I spoke.

However after doing a search these Squid are normally only aggressive when being fished. However are more naturally agressive than other squid. Well wouldn't you be in someone was trying to pluck you out of your natural environment?

No offense taken at all. I'm just rather anal about things I look up too (and a lot of other things) . :) While your at it, like I mentioned before, look up Colossal squid especially when they describe their tentacles. *shudder*

Thanks Posher, now I'm obsessed about squid! ;) :D mmmm, calamari....

Yes the description of the tentacles is pretty scary alright. But I don't intend to be invading squid territory any time soon so I think I'm pretty safe lol.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...006/39939L.jpg

can't believe this one hasn't come up yet.

Octopi are more defensive I know, and don't usually assault for no reason, unless they feel threatened. Giant Squid are just bad asses.

I read an article in the newspaper today about the first mini subs to go on sale to the general public.They are being produced by a german company and the asking price is £65,000,imagine the fun you could have with that nifty piece of kit.

Roderick, is that film actually any good? I may have to check it out if it is.

no, it's fucking abyssmal - avoid at all costs. I'd disavow it complettely, but it's just such a horrifically bad credit that I like to keep it in my mind as a reminder to never set myself up to fail like this again!

I do find it hilarious, but only in a very painful way.

National Geographic did a show on the Humboldt squid about a year ago. A team of divers wanted to study their feeding habits. They were told by local fisherman that they could be very agressive when being fished, as you said.
It was eerie to see them rise from the depths at night and go into a frenzy when feeding, not only would they attack each other, some to the point of death but a few even attacked the divers. I imagine their sharp beaks could take a nice little chunk out of you.

lol well in my opinion I do not believe Squid would attack unless they feel threatened. Even our presence in the water is a threat. Its their territory.

Yeah it is strange but would be lovely to see them rise up and feed. Hell though curiosity killed the cat right lol. These creatures have to fight to survive if they are threatened by another or something strange (humans) it is in their nature to either get away or attack in order to survive. With those sharp beaks and hooked tentacles they have realised you know what I can beat that puny human lol.

Scientists Collect Snot !http://www.livescience.com/animalwor...610_mucus.html
You can pick your friends & well you know!

As big as their surroundings (and lack of larger predators) will allow them, too...We have catfish and carp in the Ohio River "Big enough to swallow me whole!", those were the words of an underwater welder (6'2) when repairs were made on the Suspension Bridge here...The guy absolutely refused to go back down in the water without a cage...

On a side note...I've always wondered how underwater welding was possible...hmm

I figured you'd be the one to beat me to that story when I read the catfish quote. I've heard that story for a long time. The Ohio state record for catfish is somewhere around 76lbs, which is big enough to be scary. Things like these are the reasons I'm so majorly hydrophobic. Think I'm getting into the water with a 100lb catfish? Hell, I wouldn't swim if I knew there were 1lb catfish around. Dirty sonuvabitch probably still wants to eat me, it does!

Yeah, but the state record is based on the ones that were actually CAUGHT...No one catches those 'bigger than a full-grown man' sized monsters near the bottom...

Exactly. How would you go about catching a 150lb+ catfish? Or, more relevantly, how could you possibly do your job with those things swimming about? Eck. Thinking about it almost makes me hyperventilate.

Swimming about?...The catfish on the bottom are so big, they no longer swim...They just squelch down into the muck on the bottom of the riverbed, in the dark, and lay there with their mouths open waiting for stuff to swim in...Can you imagine?...I'd love to see video footage of the ones we have here...Someone should do that...Do you have an underwater video camera Flayed? ;)

Ya know, I've always wondered that too. :confused:

was that sarcasm?????

No, for once I was not being sarcastic. It does happen somethimes. :)