The Search for the Giant Squid: The Biology and Mythology of the World's Most Elusive Sea CreatureThe most mysterious and elusive of all sea creatures, the giant squid--at least sixty feet long and weighing nearly a ton--is also one of the largest. Yet for all its magnificent size and threatening undersea presence, Architeuthis has remained a mystery. Until now. In this marvelous and beautifully illustrated book, marine biologist, explorer, and artist Richard Ellis presents all that is known about the giant squid. Delving into myth, literature, popular culture, and science, he brings readers face to face with this remarkable creature. He also provides a thorough, compelling study of what is known and what is still to be discovered about this exotic animal that has never been studied alive. Interweaving his engrossing narrative with a wealth of fascinating illustrations and photographs, Ellis gives us the first comprehensive history of the only living creature that can truly be called a "sea monster." |
Contents
Is the Sea Monster a Giant Squid? | 9 |
The Biology of Squids Giant and Otherwise | 31 |
By What Name Shall We Call the Giant Squid? | 59 |
Architeuthis Appears | 77 |
What Do We Know About Architeuthis? | 105 |
Battle of the Giants | 131 |
The Giant Squid in Literature and Cinema | 167 |
The Models of Architeuthis | 213 |
Acknowledgments | 251 |
References | 267 |
Illustration Credits | 307 |
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Common terms and phrases
animal appeared Aquarium Architeuthis dux arms beach beak Beast Biol Biology of Cephalopods Bioluminescence boat body Bull capture carcass caught Cephalopods Clarke Clyde Roper coast color creature cryptozoology cuttlefish Deep-Sea depths described diameter Emerton exhibit eyes feeding feet long fins fish Fisheries fishermen floating Frederick Aldrich genus giant squid giant squid model Harvey head Heuvelmans huge inches Invertebrates Island J. B. Messenger Japetus Steenstrup jaws Jour known kraken large squid largest living London mantle length Marine measured Moby-Dick Moroteuthis Museum Natural History Naturalist Nesis Newfoundland Norway observed Ocean octopus Pacific Peter Benchley photograph photophores predator prey probably published recorded Roeleveld Sea Monk Sea Monsters sea serpent seen shark ship Smithsonian South specimen of Architeuthis sperm whales spermatophores statocysts statolith Steenstrup stomachs of sperm story stranded suckers surface swimming tail Taningia tentacles teuthologist trawl Unknown Verrill Voss washed ashore wrote Zealand Zool