Daily Mail Squid Hype Totally Legit

For once! Check it out: the colossal squid gets pride of place as the first entry in the Daily Mail's "Monster mutant animals" photo gallery.

This species is believed to be the largest in the squid family in terms of mass and its limbs are equipped with sharp hooks - some swiveling, others three-pointed.

I actually didn't remember the swiveling hooks (how could I forget!?), so to assuage my doubt I went to check out Te Papa's incredible online colossal squid exhibition. Indeed, the anatomy page explains:

Each tentacle hook sits on a short stalk, flush with the inner surface of the tentacle club, in a flattened depression — this allows the flattened 'back' surface of the hook to rotate. The hooks can rotate right round, through 360 degrees. . . . Most of the arm hooks have a strong main 'claw', with two smaller cusps closer to the hook's base.

Hence, three-pointed. Way to sensationalize accurately!

Old NID
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