Pharyngula: Friday Cephalopod: Bigfin cruiser

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« Surprise! McCain doesn't persuade me to switch my vote with his VP choice | Main | Create dollars for education by clicking »

Friday Cephalopod: Bigfin cruiser

Category: Cephalopods • Organisms
Posted on: August 29, 2008 1:20 PM, by PZ Myers

Sepioteuthis lessoniana

Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide ^{(amzn/b&n/abe/pwll)}, by Mark Norman.

Find more posts in: Life Science

Comments

Posted by: Brownian, OM | August 29, 2008 1:23 PM

It looks like it'd be fun to ride.

Posted by: charfles | August 29, 2008 1:24 PM

I think you left an italics tag open PZ.

Posted by: Brownian, OM | August 29, 2008 1:25 PM

Die, runaway tag, die! Die! Die!

Posted by: Ghost of Minnesota | August 29, 2008 1:26 PM

That's McCain's real running mate, right? Much better choice than Sarah Whatserchick.

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 29, 2008 1:29 PM

keeeeeeeeeel it!

Posted by: Glen Davidson | August 29, 2008 1:30 PM

I wondered if it was a cuttlefish, so I looked it up:

Bigfin Reef Squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana, are a common species of inshore squid found from the Hawaiian island's through the tropical indo-pacific to the Red Sea. Like other members of the genus Sepioteuthis, these squid are sometimes mistaken for cuttlefish due to the large fin that surrounds their mantle; the "Sepio" in their scientific name refers to their cuttlefish like appearance. Sepioteuthis are known for their visual communication, elaborate courtship displays, and size sorted schooling behavior. These fascinating yet common inshore squid are often observed by snorkelers and divers.
www.thecephalopodpage.org/Slessoniana.php

Interesting squid.

Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7

Posted by: Qwerty | August 29, 2008 1:31 PM

Beautiful.

Posted by: Luci | August 29, 2008 1:38 PM

Ghost, that 'pod is obviously not a Republican.

He or she is surely fin-tastically gorgeous. Thanks, PZ.

Posted by: Hank Roberts | August 29, 2008 1:39 PM

Is this the answer?

#10

Posted by: Philippe | August 29, 2008 1:44 PM

Thank you!

#11

Posted by: tim Rowledge | August 29, 2008 1:47 PM

That's no squid, that's a Vorlon medium attack cruiser spooling up the death ray! Run, Johnny, run!

#12

Posted by: Kobra | August 29, 2008 1:48 PM

I hate italics >:[

#13

Posted by: Patricia | August 29, 2008 1:59 PM

For some screwball reason this picture made me think of old stills I've seen of Isadora Duncan. Beautiful!

#14

Posted by: Mike Goad | August 29, 2008 2:12 PM

Very cool picture!

#15

Posted by: Chris Davis | August 29, 2008 2:16 PM

That, sir, is a transsonic attack sausage, as eny fule kno.

#16

Posted by: Sili | August 29, 2008 2:34 PM

Brownian's right. It looks like something used by the underwater hoodlums from the Disneyficated Little Mermaid - Cephal without a cause.

#17

Posted by: Holbach | August 29, 2008 2:52 PM

Patricia @ 13

Yeah, almost like the colorful scarf that got caught in the spokes of her motorcycle and strangled her to death. How tragic a loss.
Patricia: go to the Post- VENN AMBIGUITY, # 78, in answer to yours at # 77. I don't think you went back after commenting. Check it out.

#18

Posted by: Arnosium Upinarum | August 29, 2008 3:14 PM

BEAUTIFUL!

#19

Posted by: Sili | August 29, 2008 3:24 PM

I hate italics >:[

Racist.

#20

Posted by: J | August 29, 2008 3:28 PM

Bigfin cruiser? Yeah, you're right: It DOES look like the squid equivalent of a '57 Chevy.

#21

Posted by: bernard quatermass | August 29, 2008 4:13 PM

It's beautiful.

How long before people build a bunch of Starbucks and McDonalds and Wal-Marts where it lives?

#22

Posted by: Boudicca | August 29, 2008 4:39 PM

Chris at #15:
Are you by any chance a graduate of St. Custard's? Molesworth is one of my heroes.
Bou

#23

Posted by: llewelly | August 29, 2008 4:40 PM

Am I the only one who noticed what a flaming commie this squid is?

#24

Posted by: Patricia | August 29, 2008 4:56 PM

#17 - Holbach - Oops! Sorry. I was having more fun last night than I should have, celebrating the egg, and forgot all about it. D'oh!

#25

Posted by: efrique | August 29, 2008 6:07 PM

Wow, that's so cute.

But it brings up a thought.

Why is it we have nifty guys like that zipping around in the water, but 9 out of 10 intelligent science fiction aliens in TV and movies look basically like humans (maybe skinny and with grey skin or more often just with bumpy foreheads)?

Even the more way-out ones tend largely to be upright, tetrapodal, with a recognizable "head" - though I can think of several notable exceptions.

Of course, it's cheaper and easier in makeup and so on if you can make them look human, but surely that isn't all of it. We have some wonderfully inspiring creatures here on earth (and many more in the past) that they ought to typically be at least as "weird" (to us) looking as.

#26

Posted by: PaulM | August 29, 2008 7:11 PM

He/she (it?) is beautiful. I'm wondering how big he/she/it is. There's nothing in the picture to provide a sense of scale. Does anybody know?

#27

Posted by: LisaJ | August 29, 2008 7:18 PM

Awesome!

I had no idea these Cephalopods were so diverse until I started frequenting Pharyngula. Thanks for the education PZ.

#28

Posted by: Alcari | August 29, 2008 9:49 PM

Hmm, it's going to sound like spam, or advertising, but I just had to point out this awesome plush toy, for all you people who always wanted an octopus at home, but couldn't.

http://www.thebigzoo.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=9417

#29

Posted by: Patricia | August 29, 2008 11:49 PM

Thanks Alcari - That is a nice link.
But over on the crafter's thread we are discussing knitting, crocheting and tatting our own!

#30

Posted by: Bride of Shrek OM | August 29, 2008 11:54 PM

efrique @ #25

IIRC a few episodes of Star Trek- TNG had a race on it called....wait for it...the Calamarians. Basically giant squiddies which, again IIRC, were telepathic (probably cause the orginality of the writers had expired at the word "Calamarians" and they couldn't be arsed making up a language as well).

Having said all that I think this particularly squidness looks like one of those majestically carved Maori war boats. Awesomely beautiful and awesomely ..well...awesome.

#31

Posted by: Patricia | August 30, 2008 12:52 AM

Bride of Shrek, OM - Left some idiot bashing comments for you over on the big foot thread.
I'm off to bed, have to peddle herbs and eggs tomorrow early at the farmers market.

#32

Posted by: Bride of Shrek OM | August 30, 2008 1:59 AM

Patricia

Woo hoo, tag team troll slaying. Sluts unite!!

#33

Posted by: Jason | August 30, 2008 3:13 AM

Wait, how big is this guy?

#34

Posted by: Ragutis | August 30, 2008 4:01 AM

Lovely!

F.Y.I.: new special about the Colossal Squid on Discovery Channel tomorrow (Sunday, Aug 31st).

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/special.html?paid=1.15701.25625.0.0