Dr. Steve O’Shea and Kat Bolstad have posted this excellent article on the TONMO website.
Abstract New diet information for the giant squid (Architeuthis dux) is presented based on the identification of substantial identifiable prey items recovered from the gut contents of a specimen caught in New Zealand waters. Prey items are attributed to two species of squid: Nototodarus sp. and Architeuthis dux. The incidence of Nototodarus in the stomach contents is not new, but the occurrence of Architeuthis remains is. Numerous fragments of an Architeuthis tentacular club, consisting of carpus, manus, and dactylus suckers, and the dactylic pouch, introduce the possibility of cannibalism—a hitherto unreported behaviour in this genus. A synopsis of Architeuthis diet is presented and alternatives to cannibalism (such as autophagy) are evaluated.
Keywords cannibalism; Architeuthis; Nototodarus; Mollusca; Cephalopoda; diet
The discussion on the tonmo.com forums can be found here.
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January 8th, 2006 at 3:48 am
Squid, it's what's for dinner
Squid, it's what's for dinner
In addition to having a wild sex life, the giant squid has interesting table manners. In an article on the Gut contents of a giant squid Architeuthis dux (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) from New Zealand waters, investi…