Voracious Jumbo Squid Invade California

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2007/jul/25/072501461.html

MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) - Jumbo squid that can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh more than 110 pounds are invading central California waters and preying on local anchovy, hake and other commercial fish populations, according to a study published Tuesday.

An aggressive predator, the Humboldt squid - or Dosidicus gigas - can change its eating habits to consume the food supply favored by tuna and sharks, its closest competitors, according to an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

"Having a new, voracious predator set up shop here in California may be yet another thing for fishermen to compete with," said the study's co-author, Stanford University researcher Louis Zeidberg. "That said, if a squid saw a human they would jet the other way."

The jumbo squid used to be found only in the Pacific Ocean's warmest stretches near the equator. In the last 16 years, it has expanded its territory throughout California waters, and squid have even been found in the icy waters off Alaska, Zeidberg said.

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[TheWraith]

1. Oh... kay.

That's not the sort of headline you expect to see.

[damntexdem]

9. Cthulhu on our shores! Yikes!

Please, please, Cthulhu -- I'll swear off calamari if you just let us live!

;-)

[Skink]

2. They can have all the anchovies they want.

[notadmblnd]

3. Don't people eat squid too?

this could be turned into an opportunity for fishermen, no?

[YOY]

4. Louis Zeidberg? An Expert on Squid! Of course!

Here is the good Doctor on his latest dissertation:

[xchrom]

5. i think i used to date him -- or maybe it was his brother.

[YOY]

7. I hope your taste in crustaceans has since improved!

n/t

[LSK]

6. heres a pic

[xchrom]

8. a humboldt.

they can be a very aggressive.

[phantom power]

10. Enormous calamare rings.

[kestrel91316]

11. They have been known to attack humans........

http://deeperblue.net/article.php/696/%200/0

[jberryhill]

12. And another pic...