A deceased colossal squid with eyes as large as dinner plates and razor sharp hooks on its tentacles was recently capture by fishermen working in Antarctic waters near New Zealand.

Weighing 330 pounds, the 16-foot long specimen was a young female, according to renowned squid hunter Steve O'Shea, a research fellow with the Auckland University of Technology.  Although large, the adults, he said, are much bigger.

What's so special about this squid?  According to O'Shea, this squid, known by its scientific name Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, can get larger than its more popular cousin, the giant squid.

Fully grown, the colossal squid would be “larger than any giant squid I have seen, and I’ve seen 105 of them,” says O’Shea.

Of course, no one really knows how large a giant squid can reach, so the issue isn't settled.

One thing that is settled, however, is that this species of squid eats large prey like the Patagonian toothfish, which can grow more than 6 feet long (2 meters), while the giant squid eats "quite small prey."  Other than that, not much more is known about it, simply because only one other colossal squid has to date been caught. Scientists also know of their existence because their beaks have been found in the stomachs of sperm whales.

“All we know is that it can move through the water ... to a depth of 2,000 meters (6,561 feet) and it is an extremely active and extremely aggressive killer,” O’Shea said.  It differs from the giant squid “by having enormous hooks arming the tentacles and the arms."

Just when you thought the giant squid was the ultimate terror of the deep . . . keep your eye out for the colossal squid.

New Species Of Jellyfish Discovered
by Jonathan Drake
S: NationalGeographic.com (3-13-03)

For the most part, it’s well-known that the oceans cover approximately two-thirds of earth’s surface.  Consider, though, how deep the living space is in the sea.  While life on land rarely reaches above the tallest tree, life in the oceans can exist at various depths.  In fact, the deep water below 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) makes up more than 95 percent of the volume of biosphere.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise to find new and unique sea creatures.

In the Monterey Submarine Canyon at depths of 2,100 feet (645 meters) and more, exists a cold, dark world inhabited by peculiar creatures including vampire squid and football fish.  Now added to that list of the peculiar is a new species of jellyfish named granrojo, Spanish for "big red."

This gelatinous blood-red cannonball between two and three feet (60 and 90 centimeters) across that floats through the deep ocean waters quietly devouring prey is a sight to behold.  Why?  Well, for one, it lacks tentacles.  Instead, between 4 and 7 thick, humanlike arms protrude from its red, bell-shaped body.

"The discovery of Big Red is a little like finding the first member of the cat family," says Larry Madin, a marine biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. "It is a pretty interesting find."

"We know almost nothing about it. What it does. What it eats. What eats it," says George Matsumoto, a jelly specialist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California, who named the species.

Simply put, there is a very practical explanation for why we know so little about the deep sea:  It’s expensive to get down there.  Also, instead of looking for sea creatures, many of the deep-sea research missions target hydrothermal vents, shipwrecks or other destinations on the sea floor.

In any case, Big Red is the talk of the marine community, and Matsumoto hopes to continue exploring the deep sea to collect more specimens of Big Red—perhaps even some larger ones.

Cougar Reports Rising In The U.S.
by Jonathan Robison
S: NationalGeographic.com (3-7-03)

Spotting a cougar in the eastern United States was at one time akin to spotting Big Foot or a UFO.  Now, that has all changed.

In response to the growing number of reports coming from the east, four wilderness lovers have formed a new network to trace cougar presence from the prairie to the eastern seaboard.

"There was a need for somebody to really document what the cougar status is in the East," said Ken Miller, one of the Eastern Cougar Network's (ECN) four founders.

"The thing just slowly evolved," said co-founder Bob Wilson, a high school biology teacher in Kansas. The four men worked by phone and email to create the network. "Before we knew it, we were little boys working on a real fun project."

The founders have already spent a year compiling research and sightings from eastern states, conversing with fish and wildlife officials and cougar biologists, and implementing a complex system for confirming cougar presence.  They've also put together a map, sprinkled with dots that mark probable and confirmed cougar encounters.

"When we started putting this together, it became really compelling," said ECN co-founder Mark Dowling.

Does it mean the big cats are returning in full force?  No, but it does suggest a comeback for these animals once thought extirpated from the eastern half of North America.

"Whether or not this is happening, we're probably not going to know for sure for the next ten years," said Wilson. "But it gives us a tantalizing picture that these mountain lions might be coming back."

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