squid scale

[CaitSith]

This doesn't look right to me. I have never heard any factual report that any squid reached more than 55 ft, but sperm whales whales have been measured over 65 ft.

Edited November 25, 2006 by Leviathan113

[Raptor]

The Sperm Whale in that image is slightly small.

The giant squid and the collosal squid in the image are, I'm guessing, predictions for how big a fully matured specimen would be, judging from the sizes of squid which we've found in the past, which were all juvenile.

Edited November 25, 2006 by Raptor X7

[CaitSith]

I would think it is representing the extremes. I dont have my conversion scales but I'm thinking that the whale here is about 45feet, the smallest sperm whale measured in the arctic region where the colosal squid, was found was recorded at 38feet (only bull males migrate to the southern ocean south of 40 degrees.) Sperm whales were much larger in past centuries, but the largest males werre the prime targets of whalers (females are 2/3 the size)

That aside, the average for an adult sperm whale would be about 56ft (slightly longer than the giant squid represented above.) The colosal squid above is 66feet when one has never been found over 36feet. I understand that they were juveniles, I don't know how, when they can't find the sex organs to see how they reproduce.

It seems this scale was made for shock value, using the estimated extremes (the smallest bull male sperm whale compared to the largest female colosal squid and giant squid.) If they were opting to use extremes then 85feet was the largest bull whale ((and it was actually seen, not calculated.))

[Samael]

I think that's off scale. The bus is too big, for starters. I should know, I ride a double-decker to school every morning.

[Raptor]

I think that's off scale. The bus is too big, for starters. I should know, I ride a double-decker to school every morning.

8m sounds about right. As long as everything else is in proportion to that, the scale is fine.

I understand that they were juveniles, I don't know how, when they can't find the sex organs to see how they reproduce.

What do you mean by that?

It seems this scale was made for shock value, using the estimated extremes (the smallest bull male sperm whale compared to the largest female colosal squid and giant squid.)

That seems about right, I wouldn't be surprised. The media always have a way of making things seem more impressive than they actually are.

[CaitSith]

If you don't know what I'm referring to look at just about any article on colossal squids. They only speculate the method of reproduction, they assume that since there is no reproductive tentacle (like that found in other cephalopods) that the male has a penis

[draconic chronicler]

This doesn't look right to me. I have never heard any factual report that any squid reached more than 55 ft, but sperm whales whales have been measured over 65 ft.

I believe the squid are way too large becasuse those measurements should be the maximum length from extended grasping tentacles to tail tip. Even if the captured squid seem to be "young", there is really no evidence they grow much bigger than the examples found.

[CaitSith]

Indeed, there are several invertebrates that are larger in their larval stages than at full maturity. I'm not saying that this is the case, I don't think that that is a cephalopod trait.

My personal estimates based on the figures at a few different sites were that a giant squid reaches an average of giant squid would range between 17 and 36 feet, while the colossal squid might be capable of growing upwards of 50 feet, a squid 65 feet would probably be possible, but as I said, this would be the extreme.

While I'm on the subject I need to add that squids are not bulky splayed monsters depicted in art and movies. Squids move streamline as they are very aerodynamic, though one might be, say, 35 feet, you could probably still wrap your arms around the thickest part of the body. They swim very fast, pushing a jet of water through their bodies so it wouldn't be unlikely for a squid swimming very fast to be mistaken for an incredibly long armed squid.