cephalopods
pharyngula | August 16, 2009Those Australians know how to sell a classy bottle of wine — it's all in the label. There's a good chance I'll be traveling to Melbourne this Spring, and I might just have to bring an extra suitcase to haul back plenty of these:
But noooooo — they're all sold out! Maybe I'll have to change those travel plans and visit a more hospitable country.
pharyngula | August 15, 2009In yesterday's Friday Cephalopod, I asked, "Where are the tattoos?" I guess I was being too obscure — I was referring to the latin name of the animal, Octopus maorum, which just means Maori octopus. Anyway, sometimes being too oblique pays off, because Ryan and Sean replied by sending me photos of octopus tattoos.
I do have a Trophy Wife, but I think she'd slap me silly if I went out and got something like those.
pharyngula | August 14, 2009Octopus maorum
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
pharyngula | August 13, 2009This is a wonderfully done, very clear explanation of squid color, made using simple hand-drawn animation. See, this is communicating science!
CreatureCast Episode 1 from Casey Dunn on Vimeo.
(From the Creature Cast at the Dunn lab)
pharyngula | August 6, 2009Octopus mototi
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
pharyngula | July 31, 2009Dosidicus gigas, left, Homo sapiens, right
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
pharyngula | July 24, 2009Sepia
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
pharyngula | July 23, 2009If you're considering a pet, you have to weigh the pros and cons.
Wow, when they're all laid out like that, you just have to choose the squid.
Now wait — maybe you've got some brain-damaged children running around who chose poorly, or you flipped a coin and are now stuck with the decision to get puppies. Don't despair! Get both! In fact, get lots of puppies — they make excellent squid chow, and they're also useful fresh stock to have around in case peckish atheists come to visit.
pharyngula | July 17, 2009These are all the same species, even the same individual, from photographs taken within a short time as it was jetting away.
Abdopus abaculus
You can find a larger image on TONMO.
pharyngula | July 17, 2009I swear, there's a moment in this video where the octopus looks like it's trying to get intimate with Steve Leonard.
pharyngula | July 17, 2009It's a regular event nowadays that the Humboldt squid move up the coast of California, stirring up a little hysteria as they go. These are big squid and they can be aggressive, but San Diego is probably safe.
Probably.
Although you might wonder why a cephalopod enthusiast lives in Minnesota, about as far from the sea as anyone can get…
pharyngula | July 13, 2009First, California is hit with a small earthquake (that never happens, does it?) and then…the squid appear.
Ia! Ia! Cthulhu fhtagn!
It's sweet how the Californians try to throw them back in the sea. Have they no knives, no garlic, no pans with hot oil? Because if the squid did, we know what they'd do.
pharyngula | July 4, 2009Awesome.
Note, however, that it reiterates that odd theme of one-eyed squid that we see all over the place.
(via Michael Barton)
pharyngula | July 3, 2009Sepia officinalis
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
pharyngula | June 26, 2009Grimpoteuthis sp.
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
pharyngula | June 19, 2009Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis male (top), Benthoctopus female (bottom)
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.