July 10, 2008: Octopied

I wanted to rent an apartment, but it was already octopied.

Um, waiter there's an...

I can see it now - wow!

Green squids are notoriously shy: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php...ng_id=12207847

This is what the stair well looks like: http://squid.us/clyde-calamari-the-s...-at-halloween/

... and more things squid on this blog .

Misnomer. It's either quadropied, or occupied by the jolly grren giant's baby peas.

psssst. turn around [/stage whisper]

Neatorama has this link to more from this "artist".

I think it's a family of dragons...

"Nature" tonight on PBS

Nature
Encountering Sea Monsters
The underwater world of cephalopods (octopuses and squid) is explored by cameraman Bob Cranston, who observes the creatures in waters off Indonesia, Australia, Mexico, British Columbia and Texas.

This is a rerun of one of the coolest Nature episodes, or any kind of nature show, I've ever seen. I usually don't go much for ocean films, like the Jacques Cousteau tradition, since I'm such a landlubber and don't dive and generally can't relate. This one, though, is amazing; its subject matter is mostly fascinating.

The following description sensationalizes things a bit (as does the episode title itself), though it must be admitted that every member of the group is pretty freaky, and an infestation can make an apartment building virtually uninhabitable:

NATURE’s "Encountering Sea Monsters" follows Bob Cranston in his quest to film and understand the world’s most mysterious cephalopods.

Imagine coming face to face with a cannibalistic creature that is as tall as you are and has long tentacles, a razor-sharp beak, and skin that flashes with bizarre, dazzling color. NATURE’s "Encountering Sea Monsters" does just that, as underwater cameraman Bob Cranston explores the remarkable world of marine creatures called cephalopods. Cephalopods include squids, cuttlefish, octopi, and nautili.

Cranston and top marine scientists dive in waters from Indonesia and Mexico to Australia and Texas, meeting up with a variety of cephalopods — from the tiny but deadly blue-ringed octopus to the giant Humboldt squid, known for its aggressive behavior, flashing light shows, and cannibalism.

You've no doubt seen how several of this group of animals can change their skin color to blend in. Some octopi have great camo. There are some cuttlefish, though, whose "light shows" you would not believe. These fast-moving bands of contrasting colors run up the whole length of the animal.



Small cuttlefish with contrasting bands of color (the black and white) that are probably "rolling" rapidly from end to end.

The pic above is almost plain compared to some of the colors seen and the unreal pulsing sensation they make--no wonder prey can become hypnotized. The colors sometimes glow like neon or an aurora. If I recall, the bands can change speed and maybe direction. Nothing like it anywhere else--okay, very good electric signs and computer animation, but just sort of, and those don't count, anyway.

7 Central Daylight Time, which I might miss. Fortunately, my local PBS station will show this episode again later in the week.