Scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute studying deep-sea habitats off Chile recently came across a rare and mesmerising sight: A giant squid mother carrying its eggs.
Usually, squid species lay their eggs on the seafloor and leave them alone after they despatched them, but this species of squid – the black-eyed squid (Gonatus onyx) – carries and broods its eggs for several months and therefore is one of only two so far confirmed species that are known to take care off their offspring after spawning.
While releasing the video via social media, the Schmidt Ocean Institute said: “A female Gonatus onyx will carry her large egg mass for months, keeping it suspended from hooks on the squid’s arms. It is a dangerous time… brooding squid cannot move very quickly, and may be easy prey for deep-diving marine mammals.”
“After laying the eggs she will go without feeding, and by the time they hatch, she will be close to death,” the Institute added.
There's more at the link.
Nature never ceases to amaze me with its infinite variety. How many of those 3,000-odd eggs will grow to maturity? Not many, I'd guess, otherwise we'd be overrun with giant squid.
Peter
6 comments:
And they only hatch ONE set of eggs. The video is intersting, because you see her 'losing' eggs as she swims.
God has no shortage of creativity. He also has a ripper sense of humour which is probably why monkeys and chimps were created - to keep our egos in check.
With all those eggs. There must be a large amount of the eggs that just do not make it. Or there would not be so many to carry around.
Heltau
On average, two of those eggs will survive to reproduce themselves.
If two out of 3000 sounds like low odds, consider the species whose females produce millions of eggs over their lifetime, and still only two (on the average) survive to reproduce.
Other than "big" and "giant", did they say just how big she is?
Mantle length seems to be about seven inches. So it could be the smaller species of giant squid ever.
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