Colossal Squid May Be Headed for Oven

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (March 23) - A colossal half-ton squid, believed
to be the largest ever caught, may be destined for the microwave oven.

But researchers say they don't want to cook the massive creature - just
defrost it so they can study it better.

Scientists at New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, have
taken possession of the beast that took fishermen two hours to land
after it was netted by chance in Antarctic waters last month and was
frozen soon afterward to preserve it.

Expert Steve O'Shea said the squid had weighed in at 1,089 pounds and
measured 33 feet long - heavier but shorter than initial estimates of
990 lbs and 39 feet.

It appears to be by far the largest specimen of the rare and mysterious
deep-water species Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, or colossal squid, ever
caught.

Experts say the creatures, which have long been one of the most
mysterious denizens of the deep ocean, may grow even bigger - up to 46
feet long.

O'Shea said scientists at the museum are considering using a giant
microwave oven as a possible way to defrost the animal so they can study
it.

The mammoth squid could not be left to defrost at room temperature
because the process would take days, leaving the outside to rot while
the core remained frozen, he said.

"There are certain microwave equivalents that are used by industry, for
treating timber and the like, that we could probably fit this thing
into," O'Shea said. "But that is just one option."

At the time it was caught, O'Shea said it would make calamari rings the
size of tractor tyres if cut up - but they would taste like ammonia.

Colossal squid can descend to 6,500 feet and are known to be extremely
active, aggressive hunters.

O'Shea said the squid is priceless to scientists, and would be worth
many millions of dollars if insured.

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I'd like to see this one!

man that is awesome, you know the cryptozoologists are having a field
day with this one.

This just blew my mind when I saw it. What else is downn there, below
the depths? yeesh...

hmmm??? wonder if it tastes like chiken????

That's one collossal CALAMARI !!!

Found this, this morning at a scuba site re the colossal squid:

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Teuthida
Family: Cranchiidae
Subfamily: Taoniinae
Genus: Mesonychoteuthis
Species: M. hamiltoni

Habitat & Range: The colossal squid's range extends thousands of miles
northward from Antarctica to southern South Africa, southern South
America, and the southern tip of New Zealand making its primary habitat
the entire Southern Ocean.

Diet: Colossal squids eat Chaetognaths (marine worms that are a
component of plankton) and other squid.

Predators: Colossal squids are preyed on by albatross, beaked whales,
wandering albatross, Patagonian toothfish, pilot whales, bottlenose
whales, southern elephant seals, sperm whales, and sleeper sharks.

Reproduction & Lifespan: Not much is known about colossal squids. Their
method of reproduction has not been observed and no one knows for sure
how long they live.

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That sort of makes the legends about "giant" squid come to mind. Could a
diseased or ill squid actually come to the surface (or during a dark
storm?) and bring down a ship? Yeesh again...

Yeah, it'd make massive amounts of fried calamari; the only thing is
you probably couldn't chew it.

That's really cool! Thanks for posting this, verb!