World's Largest Eyes
Scientists in New Zealand dissecting a rarely seen colossal
squid say they have discovered the largest known eye.
Over the last few days the creature has been examined as it
emerges from the deep freeze in which it has been kept since it
was accidentally caught by fishermen off the coast of Antarctica
last February.
While defrosting the 495kg (78lb) animal took longer than
expected, scientists working at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa
Tongarewa found that its two eyes measured 27cm (11in) across,
with lenses 10 to 12 centimetres in diameter — the size of an
orange.
"This is the only intact eye (of a colossal squid) that's ever
been found. It's spectacular," said Auckland University of
Technology squid specialist Kat Bolstad, one of a team of
international scientists brought in to examine the creature.
"It's the largest known eye in the animal kingdom," Bolstad
said.
If the squid were alive, said Professor Eric Warrant of the
University of Lund in Sweden, the eyes would probably measure
about 40 centimetres across, "about the size of a beach ball".
The scientists said these would help the squid to locate prey in
the dark of its habitat 1,000 metres (621ft) deep in the
Antarctic waters. The squid can descend to 2,000m (6,500ft) and
are known to be aggressive hunters.
Its two long tentacles carry up to 25 rotating hooks each, while
each of its eight arms contain up to 19 fixed hooks used to
capture prey and bring it to the squid's beaked mouth.
The squid is the biggest known specimen of the rare and
mysterious deep-water species Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, or
colossal squid. When caught, it measured 26 feet long and
weighed about 1,000 pounds, but scientists believe the species
may grow as long as 46 feet.
Developments on the dissection can be followed on Te Papa's
website including the discovery of the squid's ovaries which
ends debate about its sex.
But the scientists believe that larger squid still lurk in the
Southern Ocean.
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