Earlier this month, a human-sized pinkish blob was discovered floating near the surface of the Caribbean. The Cuban divers who found the thing had no clue what it was. Their photos eventually reached the hands of a marine biologist at Brown University — and she thinks she knows what it is.
It wasn't easy, but PhD student Rebecca Helm pored through roughly 247 aquarium forums, journal articles, and "poorly translated Japanese websites," to get the answer.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she writes in Deep Sea News, "I present to you the biggest mass of teensy eggs that I have ever seen."
Specifically, they're the eggs of the diamond-shaped squid Thysanoteuthis rhombus. These masses can reach upwards of 1.8 meters long (5'10").
She writes:
Though much less heart-melting, adult squid are no less badass. Able to grow to the modest size of giant (one meter in length and 30 kg), they troll the tropical and temperate waters of the world. Post squid-sexy-time, lady squids lay long egg masses.
Find out more, see more pictures, and offer your comments, at Deep Sea News.
Images: Deep Sea News.