Flickr Friday: Mimic on the move!

Mimic Octopus at Aer_Parang, originally uploaded by Stephen Childs.

The fascinating Thaumoctopus mimicus, filmed at Aer Parang (Indonesia?).

Flickr Friday: It’s raining jellies!

Octopus and Parasol, originally uploaded by nsjmetzger.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it is again. Natalie is awesome!
See more of her art and photography at The Fuzzy Slug.

Flickr Friday: Welcome to Kabejima

In 2007, my friend Stuart (aka, Flickr user TheKingInYellow) toured the Japanese island of Kyūshū. While there, he visited the town of Kabejima  (pronounced “Kabeshima”) in Saga prefecture, which is apparently renowned for its squid.

Here are a few squiddy pictures from the trip:

"Welcome to Kabejima"

squid tank

Ika sashimi!

I don’t know what species of squid this is, but it’s pretty big…a good 1-1.5 feet long. At this particular restaurant, live squid are kept in tanks (shown above) and served, erm…just about as fresh as possible. Kind of gruesome, but I’m told it was quite delicious.

Flickr Friday: Tonky Octopus Wall Sticker

Mur’s octopus, originally uploaded by Cryptonaut.

I took this picture myself, so this might be cheating, but, hey, it’s my blog, and I choose to allow it!

This sinuous red cephalopod adorns the side of my friend Mur’s Rav4. Made by Tonky Designs, it is intended to be a wall decal, but it has actually weathered quite well on the outside of her car. (Mur has had it for several years at this point.)

It is available in fourteen different colors and in two sizes:
Large (43″ by 23″) – $50
Small (20″ by 10″) – $30

Buy it now from Tonky Designs.

Flickr Friday: “The Mighty Age-Old Quarrel”

Giant squid, originally uploaded by Max Sparber.

Max says, “An occasional hobby of mine is converting two-dimensional illustrations into 3D graphics. These can be seen using the traditional red/cyan glasses.”

Avatar, eat your heart out!

Flickr Friday: Parapuzosia seppenradensis

Parapuzosia seppenradensis. (replica), originally uploaded by muzina_shanghai.

I’m still in a paleontological mood after yesterday’s big news, so here is another big fossil…literally. Parapuzosia seppenradensis is desmoceratid ammonite from Late Cretaceous Germany, and it is the largest known ammonite species. An incomplete specimen found in 1895 had a diameter of 1.95 meters (~6 ft), and in life it is estimated to have been 2.55 meters (over 8 ft) across.

As big as P. seppenradensis was, it was by no means the largest prehistoric cephalopod. That honor goes to the giant Ordovician orthoconic (i.e. straight-shelled) nautiloid Cameroceras, which may have been as much 11 meters long (~36 ft). Of course that is the topic for another post…

Flickr Friday: Under Glass

Preserved Giant Squid, originally uploaded by murdocke23.

Here’s a sneak preview of the final installment of the Ten Sensational Squids countdown. Full post to follow.

Flickr Friday: “Octopus bar” by Kraken Mosaics

Octopus bar, originally uploaded by Kraken Mosaics [Eve Lynch]. © Eve Lynch – Kraken Mosaics

Eve Lynch is an artist from Fort Myers, Florida who specializes in mosaic and polymer clay sculpture. Subjects of her fabulous creations include: zombies, skulls, aliens, clockwork hearts, and, of course, cephalopods, cephalopods, and more cephalopods!

The Octopus bar (aka, “The Kraken”) is definitely my favorite piece. Made in 2006, this 11′ x 3′ mosaic installation is comprised of ceramic tile, vitreous glass, glass gems, millefiori and glazed earthenware. I don’t know how much a commission on this scale would cost, but how awesome would it be to have something like this your kitchen?

See more of Eve’s work (you can even buy some!) at KrakenMosaics.com.

Flickr Friday: Baby Bobtail

Minute Cephalopod, originally uploaded by PacificKlaus.

The photographer spotted this juvenile Bobtail Squid on a night dive off the Philippine island of Mactan. Bobtails—the order Sepiolida—are closely related to cuttlefish (order Sepiida), but they have a rounder mantle and don’t possess a cuttlebone. I don’t know what species this is, but it is the epitome of squishy cuteness!

Check out his complete Mactan dive photo set for more spectacular shots of sea life, including a photogenic little octopus.

Flickr Friday: Curious Expeditions

3 Cephalopods in jars, originally uploaded by Curious Expeditions.

This trio of preserved cephalopods is from the Naturhistorisches Museum in Bern, Switzerland, and is brought to us courtesy of Curious Expeditions, a marvelous site maintained by two intrepid catalogers of wonderful and bizarre places from all around the world.

Join the expedition at www.curiousexpeditions.org.