Now I’ve got that song stuck in my head » « Oh, no, I’m full of Guinness, you’ve filled up the old thread, and you expect me to come up with a creative title?

Friday Cephalopod: Vampyroteuthis. That says it all.


Vampyroteuthis infernalis

(via National Geographic)

Now I’ve got that song stuck in my head » « Oh, no, I’m full of Guinness, you’ve filled up the old thread, and you expect me to come up with a creative title?

Comments

  3. rmp says

    Rachel, be thankful you’re not friends with my wife. I’ve been to New Moon twice (because I’m a good husband).

  6. octopode.myopenid.com says

    I’ve always thought that must be the best name in all of taxonomy.

    I mean, Vampire Squid from Hell? What can top that ;)

  7. John Hattan says

    Dang, Roger Corman predicted that one. If you watch the original 1957 “Not Of This Earth”, the space vampire bad-guy unleashes a flying creature that looks exactly like that. I won’t spoil the plot, but it does something that scared the crap outta me when I was a little kid.

    It’s in the public domain, so I won’t be breaking any rules by telling you that you can find it on most bittorrent searches. It’s been remade about three times, so find the original :)

  8. Stardrake says

    False advertising.

    The corner identifier plainly says MBARI, but that is clearly a Vorlon….

  9. Holytape says

    It’s a beautiful beast. Surprising, this short video has more excitement and better acting than the twilight movies. In a fight, I am taking the vampire squid over any sparkle vampire.

    Nautilove and Nautilhate

  11. Butch Pansy says

    My biological expertise is more botanical. I offer “Dracula vampira” as my favorite taxonomic hilarity. Sorry, no links. It’s a pleurothalid orchid from the cool heights of Ecuador. Groovyness, dude.

  12. https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnH12MIbwfL5GQ5JFHNM4JV4tBIA6vqtmM says

    I agree with octopode @6 that the name has got to be the ultimate!

    I also suggest that the good folks at NatGeo use the MBARI videos as a guide for their staff producing the scripts for the other ones (you know which videos I mean….).

  13. Sanction says

    The corner identifier plainly says MBARI, but that is clearly a Vorlon….

    Specifically, a transport ship modified by the Vorlons to resemble what Earthers call a cephalopod.

    In the B5 universe, Vorlons modified human DNA so that a human would perceive a Michelangelo-style angel upon seeing a Vorlon.

    As an atheist, I loved that little twist.

    I still miss that show.

  14. daveau says

    Vampyroteuthis infernalis- What, again? You’re obsessing, PZ.

    rmp@3 has obviously been to husband school, as all good husbands have. Quote from the spousal unit when talking to her friends: “You don’t think he came out of the box like that, do you?”

    Yay, Friday!

  15. Poor Wandering One says

    Now that is the way to start a workday.
    Thank you PZ.

    Now drink up wouldn’t want that Guinness to go to waste now would you.

  17. RickK says

    “Has changed very little in 300 million years…”

    Well, that proves evolution is a hoax. There will certainly be a picture of this in the next edition of “Atlas of Creation”.

  22. docrick11 says

    Damn, it took me a minute to figure out if that was CGI or not. It just looked too perfect and clean at first.

  23. gordonf.pip.verisignlabs.com says

    That is one BAD ASS looking dude! Too cool to be true, and yet there it is…

  24. llewelly says

    Rachel Bronwyn | February 5, 2010 6:46 AM:

    I’m so sick of this Twilight shit.

    Vampyroteuthis infernalis was first described and classified in 1903. Predates Twilight just a bit.

  28. cuco3 says

    I didn’t know they could turn themselves inside out, (sort of). I’d certainly find that a bit off-putting, along with the nasty dried-blood colour.

    I wish I’d taken the time to go to the MBA when I visited the area a couple of years ago.

  29. Sven DiMilo says

    “Has changed very little in 300 million years…”

    Where did they get that number?
    Ain’t no fossils, are there?
    Is it a molecular-clock estimate of divergence, or what?

  31. 'Tis Himself, OM says

    So National Geographic can make videos where the narration is aimed at adults. Why don’t they do this all the time?

  32. Phledge says

    The commentary at the end about how we should preserve the seas so that humans can still eat from them really chaps my hide. Shouldn’t we just be preserving the seas, period?

    Otherwise, awesome video. Seconding the comments about narration for grownups.

  35. Butch Pansy says

    Oh dear, that went off in the wrong direction. Now I’ve injured some innocent bystanders on this lovely cephalopod thread with the evil earworms of that other one.

  36. Beelzebub says

    Nothing a long, gentle saute in butter and garlic won’t fix.

    And served on a wooden stake. That is a beautiful thing, but it’d freak me if I was in the water with it.

  37. claire-chan says

    Beautiful creature. ♥

    I’m sorry I have not shown up to admire this until Saturday.