11/25/2008
Shell Oil ROV Captures Rarely Seen 'Elbowed' Squid
Like a creature out of War of the Worlds, a Magnapinna squid appeared before a camera on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) at the Perdido oil and gas drilling site in Gulf of Mexico. It's only been filmed about a dozen times and never near a drilling development. The footage was shot last year but just recently released:
"The video clip shows the screen of the ROV's guidance monitor framed with pulsing inputs of time and positioning data. In a few seconds of jerky camerawork, the squid appears with its huge fins waving like elephant ears and its remarkable arms and tentacles trailing from elbow-like appendages. Despite the squid's apparent unflappability on camera, Magnapinna, or 'big fin,' squid remain largely a mystery to science. ROVs have filmed Magnapinna squid a dozen or so times in the Gulf and the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans."
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 11:45 AM EST by Andy in Nature, News | Permalink
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aaaaah! someone call sigourney to stop that thing!
Posted by: naters | Nov 25, 2008 12:49:59 PM
SO AWESOME!!!!
Posted by: ryan | Nov 25, 2008 1:09:30 PM
I'm not the 1st to say it, but I also really like the natural history stuff you put on here, along w/ the political & entertainment news.
Posted by: Deed | Nov 25, 2008 4:10:15 PM
How many Shell environmental lawyers had to review the tape before they decided to release it?
Posted by: Chief Science Officer | Nov 25, 2008 6:18:31 PM
Thanks ADHD camera operator!
Posted by: Castigator | Nov 25, 2008 6:46:58 PM
Andy, I said it in a recent thread, but I'll say it again, and echo DEED's post: Natural History has been my lifelong preoccupation and profession, and I really value the mix of gay political and natural science news on Towleroad. Thank you! I know you often leave your personal story out of this blog (I can remember a time when that wasn't the case); please tell us more about how your life has informed your editorial interests.
One (or more) note(s) about myself: I'm a gay man who has worked at several major museums including the American Museum of Natural History (greatest in the world) and the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. I've also taught field biology for the Audubon Expedition Institute. Paleontology is my middle name, but I'd throw it all over for botany and ornithology. Oh, and I met my love of 32 years at Harvard's Botanical Museum where he was working at the Glass Flower desk. Natural history has treated me well...
Posted by: dave | Nov 25, 2008 9:05:38 PM