But, there is a twist, it was photographed in it's natural environment thousands of feet below the surface of the sea.
The researchers suspended a line in water nearly 4,000 feet deep, with a digital camera and a light looking down on two jigs baited with common squids about 10 inches long. The team also attached crushed shrimp as an odor lure.
The squid attacked the lower bait at a depth of 3,300 feet, wrapping its two long tentacles (squids also have eight shorter ones) around the jig and immediately snagging itself. In attempting to break free, it towed the lure up nearly 1,300 feet, brought it back down and swam sideways with it until it could no longer be spotted by the camera.
National Geographic has more of the photos
UPDATE
The BBC has more, including this shot of the tentacle portion left behind.
2 comments:
Didn't they think that the squid might injure itself trying to get free from the "jig?" Doesn't sound like good science to me.
Way way cool.
Another zoological question answered.
Thanks for making my day!
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