Wild Tobago

Paul the Octopus shot to fame when he was used to predict World Cup winners in 2010. How intelligent are these creatures? Dr Anjani Ganase explains in this creature feature. Cephalopods (head-foot) The group of marine creatures that includes squids, cuttlefish and octopus are in a family called cephalopod, which literally translates head-foot. Most cephalopods look as if they completely lack a body.   The basic anatomy of a cephalopod consists of a mantle (the head), a siphon or funnel for propulsion, two large eyes and eight tentacles. While some cephalopods have internal structure or bone, such as squid and cuttlefish, octopuses lack any bones or skeletal structure and as a result are extremely flexible and capable of morphing to fit through tight spaces. Conversely, the nautilus, which is a distant cousin, has a more rigid shape because of its large, external coiled shell. The shell features a series of chambers that can be filled with air/ gas and used as ballasts to...

In the movie, Clash of the Titans, Zeus unleashes his ultimate weapon when he commands, “Release the Kraken!” What is this monster (pronounced krak-en)? This week, Anjani Ganase, marine biologist, tells us about the oceanic giant squid that has been invoked in other films such as Pirates of the Caribbean. Although none as immense as those described by fishermen of a thousand years ago have yet been seen, who can say what lies in the unexplored deep seas that encircle our world.  This feature was first published in the Tobago Newsday on Thursday, November 17, 2016 Follow Anjani on twitter @AnjGanase The Norse legend of the Kraken tells about the mythical sea creature that lived off the coasts of Norway and Greenland.   It is a giant squid that rises up from the deep to crush vessels and pull fishing boats to a watery grave. Some of these stories recounted since the 1200s were documented by the Danish naturalist, Bishop Erik Pontoppidan, as part of his writt...