PZ Myers' Friday Cephalopods

[Aphos]

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Who has some beautiful suction cups?

Yes you do! Yes you do!

[Aphos]

BTW...this little developing embryo is one of our friends, the Flamboyant Cuttlefish.

[Aphos]

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And there's a video too...

http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/04/03/friday-cephalopod-its-like-the-prettiest-gown-in-the-whole-ocean/

[Swatopluk]

To me this looks like a high-speed photograph of a bullet with the clearly visible mach cone

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

(S)he looks positively alien.

[Aphos]

(S)he looks positively alien.

A whole lotta time going back to our last common ancestor.

Have you taken a good look at Cambrian biota?  Even the ones we evolved from appear downright alien.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

What I find more amazing is that most quick adaptations happening currently can be traced back to the Cambrian adaptations, as is the turning on or off of genes what drives them, more than actual new mutations.

Jurassic Park will be done that way, just compare a cassowary with an oviraptor, for instance:

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/231/1/4/theoviraptor_and_the_cassowary_by_deathdragon111-d474qtg.jpg

Not to go too far away off topic this is the beak of a Humboldt squid, not that different from the one of a parrot or bird of pray:

http://www.fossilsonline.com/images/SquidBeak04.jpg

[Aphos]

[Aphos]

Our little friend is back...

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This week's Friday Cephalopod is a video...of a whole LOT of cephalopods.


http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/05/01/friday-cephalopod-i-just-want-to-jump-in-with-them/

[Aphos]

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Someone is standing guard.

[Aphos]

This is the giant cuttlefish.  Not really all that giant.  They grow to about 1/2 meter long (sans tentacles).

This one has just mated and is now dying.