Comments on: Mystery Photo at Boing Boing

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 09:45:07 +0000

I think the squid in the photo is interesting. I live in Japan and have been to many fish markets. Squid is a pretty popular food over here, but never have I seen them trying to peddle one of that size.

By: Riptor

Riptor — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:41:22 +0000

Porkchop, many squids can appear very large because of their long tentacles. I would call this a very big squid, but not yet a giant squid.

Of course that’s just my opinion.

Humboldt squids are found in the waters of the Humboldt Current in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, hence the name.

However, there is evidence they are spreading north into the waters of the American West Coast.

They can reach 6 ft in length and weigh up to 100 pounds. And they are red in coloration, but they can change it to white using chromatophores.

Hope to have answered your question.

By: Porkchop

Porkchop — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 15:41:40 +0000

I thought Humboldts were red, and near Mexico and Central America?

By: busterggi

busterggi — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 13:28:28 +0000

That is one truly bizarre picture of a sloth, especially since the smaller inset pic is much more lifelike. Topsell (sp?) and others turned quite a few known animals into hideous monsters as I recall.

As for the squid, sure, a nice big space in a lot is easy but can they parallel park?

By: Ceroill

Ceroill — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 01:21:38 +0000

Yes that top picture is a three toed sloth.

By: U.T. Raptor

U.T. Raptor — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 23:38:04 +0000

Looks like one to me, J.Vac.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 23:28:01 +0000

Yes, the drawing appears to be a sloth; the whole point, of course, is that, at least for the ones Mark is discussing, they seem to have been drawn without the artists having seen them. Actually, they may have been drawn from descriptions and preserved specimens.

By: J.Vac

J.Vac — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 22:28:35 +0000

That is a sloth, correct?

By: Mnynames

Mnynames — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 19:02:10 +0000

Most likely a Humboldt Squid, which can get that big.

By: Ceroill

Ceroill — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:31:35 +0000

Some of the comments on the site manage to deduce it’s in Japan (from the car and the bottle of green tea). Supposition is made that the wharf area might be too crowded by machinery and such to make a good place to stretch out the catch, so the fisherman hauled it to the very close by parking area, and laid it out by the car and bottle to indicate scale.