Oh ocean…you deep, exotic world of mystery…will you ever cease to amaze?
I wish there was more info listed about these findings. They seem clearly related to other known creatures, but who can ever get enough sea life variety?
This one looks like my intestines dressed up for a party (no really…I’ve seen my intestines on film twice in the past week).
Fellow children of the 80′s will agree that this one is “totally tubular.”
Cannot type/talk due to severe illness (all words courtesy of voice software or kind typing helpers)…I read and appreciate all comments…Apologies for not being able to respond.
I’ve posted about some vintage diving suits before. Here’s another installment of a few beauties…great for those days when one is feeling a tad body conscious.
I started this post before falling increasingly ill. May still be gone for a bit…I had SO much to share this Halloween…but it’ll just have to wait for now. Here’s what I had so far…
My favorite creature of the week is the adorable Bobtail Squid.
From Wiki: Bobtail squid (order Sepiolida) are a group of cephalopods closely related to cuttlefish. Bobtail squid tend to have a rounder mantle than cuttlefish and have no cuttlebone. They have eight suckered arms and two tentacles and are generally quite small (typical male mantle length being between 1 and 8 cm).
Sepiolids live in shallow coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean and some parts of the Indian Ocean as well as in shallow waters on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula off South Africa.
Like cuttlefish, they can swim by either using the fins on their mantle or by jet propulsion. They are also known as dumpling squid (owing to their rounded mantle) or stubby squid.
Why are they so bright, colorful and just plain awesome, you ask?
Bobtail squid have a symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), which inhabit a special light organ in the squid’s mantle. The bacteria are fed a sugar and amino acid solution by the squid and in return hide the squid’s silhouette when viewed from below by matching the amount of light hitting the top of the mantle. The organ contains filters which may alter the wavelength of luminescence closer to that of downwelling moonlight and starlight; a lens with biochemical similarities to the squid’s eye to diffuse the bacterial luminescence; and a reflector which directs the light ventrally.
If you want to watch how these little guys dig in the sand, have an eyeful:
Artist Kirill Rozhkov designed a set of H.P. Lovecraft themed designs to be used for carpets (I wish the link listed where there are actually installed).
Here is how these designs translate into floor and wall decor…
These should also be made in Cthulu area rugs for home use.
Mermaids have a rich (rather culturally diverse) folklore surrounding them. What do you envision when you hear the word “mermaid?” An illustrious beauty with long, flowing hair?
Well, consider some renditions from 19th century Japan.
These illustrations range from about 1805-1840.
Apparently, reports of mermaid encounters were quite common during this time period…though undoubtedly far less desirable than running into one of our own culturally appropriated versions of the creature.
I’m always drawn to any kind of angler fish art or sculpture (it’s a bit like my odd penchant for Predator). Kezeff has a wonderful handmade model of this special fish in his gallery:
If you like this, check out the felted angler and Cuddles (a quick project of mine that is nowhere near as awesome).
