Live super-size squid autopsy - April 28, 2008
A humongous – though technically only colossal -- squid is about to be dissected live over the internet.
This rare example of a colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) was frozen when it was pulled out of the sea early in 2007. Now researchers at Te Papa museum in New Zealand are defrosting it in preparation for its autopsy.
“They’re incredibly rare - this is probably one of maybe six specimens ever brought up,” says Carol Diebel, director of natural environment at the museum (BBC).
“With this specimen, we have to remove the container around it, manoeuvre the frozen squid in to the defrosting tank, then carefully remove the net as it defrosts - a very delicate procedure,” she adds (Stuff.co.nz).
In fact, fans of squidy-slicing are in for a real treat. Today, for instance, the Te Papa squidsters started their morning by examining a merely giant squid. later they may look at an oxymoronically small colossal squid but this will probably not be thawed enough until tomorrow morning.
While all this is happening the colossal squid specimen worthy of its name is slowing thawing. The defrosting has to be carefully controlled because of the sheer size of the beast. If the squid is thawed too fast its extremities could be rotting before the inside is ready for examination (New Zealand Herald).
On the official squid blog there is plenty of gory detail, and pictures. Highlights so far include squid brains and explanations of the difference between giant and colossal squid tentacles.
This is one of those times when the lack of an olfactory channel on the web is probably all to the good.
Wide angle camera
Dissection table
Thawing bath - fixed camera
Thawing bath - scanning camera
Rotating view - switches between cameras every 30 seconds
4 cameras on the same page