Yale Bulletin and Calendar

September 17, 2004|Volume 33, Number 3

The first complete giant squid specimen available for study was found off the coast of Newfoundland in 1873. This vintage photo shows it draped over a Victorian era bathing tub.

Exhibit explores mysteries of the giant squid

Although they inhabit all of the world's oceans and weigh over 1,000 pounds -- and are capable of doing battle with sperm whales -- little is known about how the giant squid live in their natural environment, where they have never been seen.

"In Search of Giant Squid," a new Smithsonian traveling exhibition that will open its national tour at the Peabody Museum of Natural History on Saturday, Sept. 25, explores what is known about these animals and illustrates scientists' ongoing efforts to observe them in their undersea environment. It will remain on view through Jan. 2.

The exhibition compares giant squid (Architeuthis dux) with other squids and mollusks and explores what is known about how they hunt, move and defend themselves, based on the research of cephalopod biologists such as Dr. Clyde Roper of the National Museum of Natural History. Interactive components allow visitors to compare their own size to that of a giant squid and to experience the animal's presumed environment. A 37-foot model of the creature greets visitors upon arrival.

The Peabody Museum served as a center for early cephalopod research, making it a fitting venue for an exhibition on giant squid. The scientific collections of the museum's Division of Invertebrate Zoology have been drawn on to examine the role of Peabody scientists in this research. According to Eric Lazo-Wasem, senior collections manager in invertebrate zoology and site curator for the exhibition, the Peabody Museum is one of the few institutions that have retained specimens from a decade (1871-1881) of giant squid strandings in the North Atlantic. This material significantly contributed to an understanding of this creature, he notes.

During that same decade, Addison E. Verrill, Yale's first professor of zoology and the Peabody Museum's first curator of zoology -- widely considered the foremost authority on cephalopods -- began writing papers on giant squid. The culmination of his work was a comprehensive monograph for which Peabody material was an important resource.

In the mid-20th century, Grace Pickford, another Yale scientist, wrote definitive monographs on the vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis), a purplish black deepwater cephalopod with crimson-tipped arms and prominent luminescent organs. She concluded that it was neither squid nor octopus, but instead belonged to a new intermediate group. She also studied the giant octopus, recognizing a new sub-species based on Peabody Museum specimens.

The Peabody Museum has assembled for display original papers and drawings to accompany rare cephalopod specimens from Yale's renowned collections. Among the latter are a vampire squid, giant octopus, and parts of giant squid, including tentacular arms, suckers and a complete beak (jaws). Also on view are newspaper clippings, watercolors and other memorabilia related to the myths and legends that have surrounded giant squid for centuries. All of this historical material is unique to the exhibition's Peabody venue.

An additional component of the exhibit focuses on current Yale research on deepwater invertebrates. This includes squid and octopuses that have been collected during recent investigations of isolated undersea mountains, or seamounts, off the New England coast. These are some of the first specimens ever collected from this particular region.

"The oceans are a vast, relatively unexplored territory," says Lazo-Wasem. He emphasizes the importance of collecting these specimens to identify the degree of overlap, or lack thereof, of the fauna on different seamounts. "From a perspective of population structure, it is interesting to learn whether physically isolated populations are genetically similar or divergent, and how this relates to noticeable variations in physical characteristics."

"In Search of Giant Squid" was created by the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in partnership with the Discovery Channel. It was made possible by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Opening Weekend Activities

On Sunday, Sept. 26, at 12:15 p.m., Smithsonian research zoologist Dr. Clyde Roper, curator of "In Search of Giant Squid," will give a talk about current efforts to find giant squid. From noon to 4 p.m., the museum will offer a wide variety of squid-related activities, including crafts, storytelling, live animal displays and games on how squid and octopus suckers work. A giant participatory sidewalk drawing of a giant squid is also planned, weather permitting.

All activities are free with museum admission of $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $5 for children ages 3-18 and older students with I.D.

The Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave., is open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday noon-5 p.m. Admission to the museum is free to all on Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m. Museum members, Yale affiliates with I.D. and children under 3 are always admitted free. The museum is wheelchair accessible. For further information, visit the museum's website at www.peabody.yale.edu or call the Infotape at (203) 432-5050.

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IN MEMORIAM