It’s the moonlight reflecting off the inner membrane.
Menasays
I like the pictures at that site too. I tried underwater photography once, it’s not easy.
Would anyone like a bonus octopus? I just found this. I don’t know if the blanket octopus (genus Tremoctopus) have ever been featured here and if not, they should have. ;^)
This group has a huge difference in the size of the males and females plus a rather painful sounding reproductive mechanism. The video is interesting, I just wish that I had some knowledge of Japanese.
Bride of Shreksays
Pretty light, I wonder what size batteries it takes.
Ayosays
oh my
this is very pretty.
the blanket octopus is also truly bizarre looking (and acting)
Ok, one, two, three, all together now…. can we EAT it?
PS Anyone kbnow the name of that law again? The one about the proportional time it takes between seeing a new sea animal for the first time and when someone asks if it tastes good with lemon butter?
Eric MacDonaldsays
I always enjoy your Friday cephalopods, but this one is especially brilliant and beautiful. Who on earth would want to kill and eat such a beautiful animal?
Bride of Shreksays
Mena at # 6.
That blanket ocoptus is just plain awesome looking. And I love the disparate size between the males and females… kind of like the Sonny and Cher of the underwater world.
SCsays
Wooooooooooow. Breathtaking.
Katrinasays
Mena, I’ll qualify my response with: I’ve been working hard to forget Japanese while living here in Italy. It interferes with learning Italian – at least for me.
I can tell you this much. The clip is from a TV show where they show clips like this to a panel of people. They were supposed to guess what the purple thing is (I think). The announcer at the beginning asks, “Doesn’t it hurt?” The main speaker is talking too fast for me to catch it – hopefully someone else who isn’t as “rusty” as I can tell you – he says something like, “You think it’s a baby, but. . .”
The folks on the panel are mostly saying “Really?”
Sort of what you would expect.
At the end, they agree that it’s very pretty. And the writing at the end translates literally as “It is a beautiful ‘feather robe’.”
Sorry the translation isn’t any better.
At the end
Katrinasays
Always hit ‘preview’. . . always hit ‘preview’. . .
Nick Gottssays
Re #10. Yes, surely this is the cephalopod created by the FSM in his own image!
That blanket ocoptus is just plain awesome looking. And I love the disparate size between the males and females… kind of like the Sonny and Cher of the underwater world.
BoS, you are one funny slut.
Would anyone like a bonus octopus?
Why is this phrase not in common, everyday use?
Menasays
Good observation, Bride of Shrek, and thanks for the translation Katrina. I couldn’t tell if they were fascinated or possibly disgusted by what was going on until the very end where they looked happy. It’s good to know that they were just unsure of what was happening.
Hey, let’s start a hockey game and throw it on the ice!
Katrinasays
Mena,
Well, it’s a weird show, anyway. I used to watch it (actually, there are several) and they’re always finding something strange or unusual to “stump” the panel with.
Usually, after the clip, they would have a long discussion about whatever it was. I’m fairly certain it was far from educational.
Based on what I could understand, they were really amazed when they found out what it was/could do, and thought it was very beautiful.
BoS, you are one funny slut.
Would anyone like a bonus octopus?
Why is this phrase not in common, everyday use?
Brownian, you’re a pretty funny slut yourself. And thank you for not taking the words out of my mouth. My initial response to, “Would anyone like a bonus octopus?” was, and always will be, “Do ya even have to ask?”
astroandesays
I wish I could change colors at will… lucky cephalopod.
And thank you for not taking the words out of my mouth.
Well, occasionally I like to help the humans.
SCsays
PS Anyone kbnow the name of that law again? The one about the proportional time it takes between seeing a new sea animal for the first time and when someone asks if it tastes good with lemon butter?
Cousteauffier Ratio?
Juliasays
Translating Japanese, especially bits of TV shows like this, is always pretty funny. People will say, “Hey, you speak Japanese! Tell me what they’re talking about!” and you’ll answer, “Well, they’re all saying ‘Ooooh,'” and they’ll say “Okay, now what are they saying?” and you answer, “Now they’re all saying ‘Really?’ and then after that they all say, ‘Cool!’…”
So Katrina, I think you got the first part – where you said the guy was speaking too fast, he said basically “Hmm, yes, what is that coming out of there, do you think?” and then the part about how you’d think it’s a baby, like you said.
Towards the end of the video, the words that appear (directly after the “suge!”-ing and “kakkoii!”-ing have died down somewhat) say “wraps around a shark’s face when an attack comes,” and the speaker explains further how when the octopus is attacked this thing unfurls and gets in the face of the shark or whatever it is. It cuts loose easily, like a lizard’s tail, and then the octopus can flee. (The paragraph above the video is a pretty good approximation of the content of what he says.)
Darles Chickenssays
I always look forward to the Friday Cephalopod. I never realized there were so many species of cephalopods, According to Wikipedia – 768 and counting, maybe as much as 1200. That’s enough for about 15 years of Friday Cephalopods, assuming there are live pictures of all of them.
Since the web site and PZ haven’t mentioned it, I’m pretty sure that’s Sepioteuthis sepioidea. Sepioteuthis sp. for sure, and geography points to sepioidea as well.
I also wouldn’t rule out bright lights on the camera for those discussing moonlight and whatnot. For comparison, see an actual glowing squid: Watasenia scintillans, the master of bioluminescent squiddiness, and the only known cephalopod who can see color (to properly critique its conspecifics, no doubt.)
Joe’s making tuna salad sandwiches for lunch. Guess that’ll have to do.
Brynsays
You know, I’ve never liked millipedes or centipedes. Scorpions seem kind of gross, too. Cephalopods, though, are always kind of cute. I just want to pet their little (or not so little) heads. Thanks, PZ, for bringing a little beauty to every Friday. Got any good cuttlefish pics?
My dentist was telling me this morning that Sperm whales catch their cephlopod meals by zapping them with a natural sonar. Do any of you sluts know if that is correct?
whew, good thing I didn’t ask for a maple leaf. I was disappointed that no news media covered what must have been THE flight of the octopods when Detroit won the stanley cup this past week.
Seriously though, a little octopus in a shell (argonaut) would be cool for a friday cephalopod.
Bride of Shreksays
The colour actually reminds me of the carnival glass one of grandmother’s collects. Unfortunately its the deeply Catholic one so I am unlikely to inherit it.
Eli says
Ooh, this is a particularly nice one. I like its seemingly iridescent skin.
Jata says
Pretty :-)
ancientTechie says
That is magnificent!
Holbach says
I am your god: feed me!
Ted Zissou says
It’s the moonlight reflecting off the inner membrane.
Mena says
I like the pictures at that site too. I tried underwater photography once, it’s not easy.
Would anyone like a bonus octopus? I just found this. I don’t know if the blanket octopus (genus Tremoctopus) have ever been featured here and if not, they should have. ;^)
This group has a huge difference in the size of the males and females plus a rather painful sounding reproductive mechanism. The video is interesting, I just wish that I had some knowledge of Japanese.
Bride of Shrek says
Pretty light, I wonder what size batteries it takes.
Ayo says
oh my
this is very pretty.
the blanket octopus is also truly bizarre looking (and acting)
Sili says
Purdy!
And clever too: “Cuttlefish spot target prey early“
JustAnotherPrimate says
Striking resemblance to the spaghetti monster.
Bride of Shrek says
Some idiot always has to ask
Ok, one, two, three, all together now…. can we EAT it?
PS Anyone kbnow the name of that law again? The one about the proportional time it takes between seeing a new sea animal for the first time and when someone asks if it tastes good with lemon butter?
Eric MacDonald says
I always enjoy your Friday cephalopods, but this one is especially brilliant and beautiful. Who on earth would want to kill and eat such a beautiful animal?
Bride of Shrek says
Mena at # 6.
That blanket ocoptus is just plain awesome looking. And I love the disparate size between the males and females… kind of like the Sonny and Cher of the underwater world.
SC says
Wooooooooooow. Breathtaking.
Katrina says
Mena, I’ll qualify my response with: I’ve been working hard to forget Japanese while living here in Italy. It interferes with learning Italian – at least for me.
I can tell you this much. The clip is from a TV show where they show clips like this to a panel of people. They were supposed to guess what the purple thing is (I think). The announcer at the beginning asks, “Doesn’t it hurt?” The main speaker is talking too fast for me to catch it – hopefully someone else who isn’t as “rusty” as I can tell you – he says something like, “You think it’s a baby, but. . .”
The folks on the panel are mostly saying “Really?”
Sort of what you would expect.
At the end, they agree that it’s very pretty. And the writing at the end translates literally as “It is a beautiful ‘feather robe’.”
Sorry the translation isn’t any better.
At the end
Katrina says
Always hit ‘preview’. . . always hit ‘preview’. . .
Nick Gotts says
Re #10. Yes, surely this is the cephalopod created by the FSM in his own image!
Dennis N says
It shimmers!
Brownian, OM says
Dammit, now they’ve got the animals lighting up. Isn’t anyone concerned about light pollution?
Larry Trumbull says
National Weather Service issues tornado warning for parts of Hubbard County in north central Minnesota.
PZ,
We love having you here in Seattle but Please take this rain and return to Minnesota!
Brownian, OM says
BoS, you are one funny slut.
Why is this phrase not in common, everyday use?
Mena says
Good observation, Bride of Shrek, and thanks for the translation Katrina. I couldn’t tell if they were fascinated or possibly disgusted by what was going on until the very end where they looked happy. It’s good to know that they were just unsure of what was happening.
Michelle says
I wanna hug it. Can I hug it? :)
Phoenix Woman says
Hey, let’s start a hockey game and throw it on the ice!
Katrina says
Mena,
Well, it’s a weird show, anyway. I used to watch it (actually, there are several) and they’re always finding something strange or unusual to “stump” the panel with.
Usually, after the clip, they would have a long discussion about whatever it was. I’m fairly certain it was far from educational.
Based on what I could understand, they were really amazed when they found out what it was/could do, and thought it was very beautiful.
Christopher Waldrop says
BoS, you are one funny slut.
Would anyone like a bonus octopus?
Why is this phrase not in common, everyday use?
Brownian, you’re a pretty funny slut yourself. And thank you for not taking the words out of my mouth. My initial response to, “Would anyone like a bonus octopus?” was, and always will be, “Do ya even have to ask?”
astroande says
I wish I could change colors at will… lucky cephalopod.
matt says
@ #24: only if the redwings can automatically win the stanley cup next year too.
Jase says
Any of you sluts know if you’ll glow too if you eat enough of them? That could be fun…
Brownian, OM says
And thank you for not taking the words out of my mouth.
Well, occasionally I like to help the humans.
SC says
PS Anyone kbnow the name of that law again? The one about the proportional time it takes between seeing a new sea animal for the first time and when someone asks if it tastes good with lemon butter?
Cousteauffier Ratio?
Julia says
Translating Japanese, especially bits of TV shows like this, is always pretty funny. People will say, “Hey, you speak Japanese! Tell me what they’re talking about!” and you’ll answer, “Well, they’re all saying ‘Ooooh,'” and they’ll say “Okay, now what are they saying?” and you answer, “Now they’re all saying ‘Really?’ and then after that they all say, ‘Cool!’…”
So Katrina, I think you got the first part – where you said the guy was speaking too fast, he said basically “Hmm, yes, what is that coming out of there, do you think?” and then the part about how you’d think it’s a baby, like you said.
Towards the end of the video, the words that appear (directly after the “suge!”-ing and “kakkoii!”-ing have died down somewhat) say “wraps around a shark’s face when an attack comes,” and the speaker explains further how when the octopus is attacked this thing unfurls and gets in the face of the shark or whatever it is. It cuts loose easily, like a lizard’s tail, and then the octopus can flee. (The paragraph above the video is a pretty good approximation of the content of what he says.)
Darles Chickens says
I always look forward to the Friday Cephalopod. I never realized there were so many species of cephalopods, According to Wikipedia – 768 and counting, maybe as much as 1200. That’s enough for about 15 years of Friday Cephalopods, assuming there are live pictures of all of them.
Evolving Squid says
I’d like to see an argonaut as a Friday Cephalopod. Mostly because I’ve never seen one and it seems like a cool critter.
Brownian, OM says
Here ya go, Evolving Squid.
Katrina says
Thank you, Julia, for coming to my rescue.
Now I have to re-purge my Japanese from my brain. It keeps trying to leak out when I speak Italian, to the confusion of both speaker and listener!
Mark (Monty) Montague says
Since the web site and PZ haven’t mentioned it, I’m pretty sure that’s Sepioteuthis sepioidea. Sepioteuthis sp. for sure, and geography points to sepioidea as well.
I also wouldn’t rule out bright lights on the camera for those discussing moonlight and whatnot. For comparison, see an actual glowing squid: Watasenia scintillans, the master of bioluminescent squiddiness, and the only known cephalopod who can see color (to properly critique its conspecifics, no doubt.)
http://www.tolweb.org/onlinecontributors/app?service=external/ViewImageData&sp=22165
JohnnieCanuck, FCD says
Thanks for that, Monty.
Now I’m torn as to which of the three in this post is my favourite.
Ron Sullivan says
SC in #21: Cousteauffier Ratio?
I think I love you.
Now want pretty squid! WANT! NOW!
Joe’s making tuna salad sandwiches for lunch. Guess that’ll have to do.
Bryn says
You know, I’ve never liked millipedes or centipedes. Scorpions seem kind of gross, too. Cephalopods, though, are always kind of cute. I just want to pet their little (or not so little) heads. Thanks, PZ, for bringing a little beauty to every Friday. Got any good cuttlefish pics?
Grep Agni says
My God. It’s full of star-like glowing dots!
jpf says
An interesting article on the symbiotic relationship of bobtail squid and the bioluminescent bacteria that make them glow: Goo-making genes help luminescent bacteria colonize symbiotic partner
Patricia C. says
My dentist was telling me this morning that Sperm whales catch their cephlopod meals by zapping them with a natural sonar. Do any of you sluts know if that is correct?
John B. Sandlin says
Awesomeness.
Be aware that I’m not particularly enamored of sea life in general, we spent billions of years getting dry after all… (jk)
Anyway, that truly is a wonderful and beautiful critter.
JBS
Samantha Vimes says
That’s beautiful… like dichroic glass. And I think I want one for a pet. :)
Evolving Squid says
>>Here ya go, Evolving Squid.
whew, good thing I didn’t ask for a maple leaf. I was disappointed that no news media covered what must have been THE flight of the octopods when Detroit won the stanley cup this past week.
Seriously though, a little octopus in a shell (argonaut) would be cool for a friday cephalopod.
Bride of Shrek says
The colour actually reminds me of the carnival glass one of grandmother’s collects. Unfortunately its the deeply Catholic one so I am unlikely to inherit it.