Bigfin squid
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{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| name = Bigfin and long-arm squids
| regnum = Animalia
| phylum = Mollusca
| classis = Cephalopoda
| ordo = Teuthida
| familia = Magnapinnidae
| familia_authority = Vecchione and Young, 1998
| genus = Magnapinna
| genus_authority = Vecchione and Young, 1998
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
Magnapinna pacifica
Magnapinna sp. A
Magnapinna sp. B
Magnapinna sp. C
Magnapinna talismani
}}
The bigfin and long-arm squids are a group of rarely seen cephalopods with a very distinctive morphology. Until recently, the family has consisted only of larval, paralarval, and juvenile specimens, but some authorities believe the adult creature has been seen. Several videos have been taken of an animal nicknamed the "long-arm squid", which appears to have a similar morphology. Since none of the adult specimens have ever been captured, it remains uncertain if they are the same species, or only distant relatives.
Contents |
Specimens
The first record of this family comes back from a specimen (Magnapinna talismani) caught off the Azores in 1907. However, due to the damaged nature of the find, very little information could be discerned and it was lumped in with the mastigoteuthids as Magistoteuthis talismani. In 1956 a similar squid (Magnapinna sp. C) was caught in the South Atlantic, but little was thought of it at the time.
During the 1990's two more immature specimens were found in the Atlantic (Magnapinna sp. A and B), and three more were found in the Pacific (Magnapinna pacifica). Researchers Michael Vecchione and Richard were the chief investigators of the finds, and eventually linked them up to the two previous specimens. Of particular interest was the very large fin size, up to 90% of the mantle length that was responsible for the nickname. Since the number of specimens has been very low, the relationships between the different species are still ambiguous. It has been stated that they may all be the same species, but it is unlikely. The Magnapinna pacifica finds have been called a "cryptid" by cryptozoologist Karl Shuker, who apparently had been unaware of the other specimens and video evidence.
Video evidence
The first visual record of the long-arm squid dates back to 1988 off the coast of Brazil. At least four other videos have been taken of the creature, none of which received any media attention. The squids received a flurry of attention after a video from the ROV Tiburon was releases, although the previous movies were seldom mentioned.
The specimens in the videos looked very distinct from all previously known species. Uniquely among cephalopods, the arms and tentacles were of the same length and looked identical (like extinct belemnites). The appendages were also held perpendicular to the body, creating the appearance of strange "elbows". Most remarkable was the length of the elastic tentacles, which has been estimated at stretching up to 15-20 times the mantle length. On close ups of the body and head, it is also apparent that the fins are extremely large, nearly as big as the "Big Fin" squid larvae. While they do appear similar to the larvae, no specimens of the adult have been captured, leaving their exact identity unknown.
External links
- Tree of life
- Observations from submersibles of rare long-arm bathypelagic squids. North Atlantic Marine Science. 2002.)
- Cephalopods in Action - videos
References
- Shuker, K.P.N. 1998. A supplement to Dr. Bernard Heuvelmans' checklist of cryptozoological animals. Fortean Studies 5: 208-229
- M. Vecchione, et al. Worldwide observations of remarkable deep-sea squids. Science, Vol 294, 21 December 2001, 2,505-2,506.