Slow pace of life of the Antarctic colossal squid
The colossal squid ( Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni ) is the world's largest invertebrate and its large size and some unique morphological characters have fuelled speculation that it is an aggressive top predator in the circum-Antarctic Southern Ocean. Here, we present estimates on the metabolic an...
| Published in: | Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2010
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315409991494 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315409991494 |
| Summary: | The colossal squid ( Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni ) is the world's largest invertebrate and its large size and some unique morphological characters have fuelled speculation that it is an aggressive top predator in the circum-Antarctic Southern Ocean. Here, we present estimates on the metabolic and energetic demands of this cold-water deep-sea giant. The estimated mass-specific routine metabolic rate for the colossal squid at 1.5°C was 0.036 µmol O 2 h −1 g −1 and the projected daily energy consumption (45.1 kcal day −1 ) was almost constant as a function of depth in the nearly isothermal Antarctic waters. Our findings also indicate the squid shows a slow pace of life linked with very low prey requirements (only 0.03 kg of prey per day). We argue that the colossal squid is not a voracious predator capable of high-speed predator–prey interactions. It is, rather, an ambush or sit-and-float predator that uses the hooks on its arms and tentacles to ensnare prey that unwittingly approach. |
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