Plausibility of squid whales
$begingroup$
I am considering the possibility of having massive cephalopods evolving on my world and having them fill the niche of whales.
I've heard about how whales have evolved to increase in size for the purpose of obtaining more food. I've also read about the giant and colossal squid, so it doesn't seem too outlandish for a squid to evolve to the size of whales. The reason why whales can grow to such ridiculous sizes is that they don't have to support their own weight.
For locomotion, I'm thinking of elongating their mantles to allow them to swim in the same manner as whales.
As for feeding, I'm considering two main ideas. They are able to repurpose their siphon to take in water, and then keep some sort of baleen like mechanism that filters out krill, small fish, or whatever else is small and form schools on my world. My other idea is that they have webbed arms that close onto food and guide it into their beaks, which have been redesigned as a mechanism to trap large amounts of prey.
They play an important role in the ecosystem, similar to that of whales, but more stable. They reproduce faster and are more fertile when young. Instead of birthing single helpless calves, the create long chains of eggs. Whaling would be more sustainable on these creatures. They are fed upon by sharks and other smaller predators, as well as larger sea monsters. Their ability to consume smaller creatures lower on the food chain makes them more numerous and thus a more sustainable source of food.
Does anything about this sound implausible? Let me know.
reality-check creature-design anatomy sea-creatures
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
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asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
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I am considering the possibility of having massive cephalopods evolving on my world and having them fill the niche of whales.
I've heard about how whales have evolved to increase in size for the purpose of obtaining more food. I've also read about the giant and colossal squid, so it doesn't seem too outlandish for a squid to evolve to the size of whales. The reason why whales can grow to such ridiculous sizes is that they don't have to support their own weight.
For locomotion, I'm thinking of elongating their mantles to allow them to swim in the same manner as whales.
As for feeding, I'm considering two main ideas. They are able to repurpose their siphon to take in water, and then keep some sort of baleen like mechanism that filters out krill, small fish, or whatever else is small and form schools on my world. My other idea is that they have webbed arms that close onto food and guide it into their beaks, which have been redesigned as a mechanism to trap large amounts of prey.
They play an important role in the ecosystem, similar to that of whales, but more stable. They reproduce faster and are more fertile when young. Instead of birthing single helpless calves, the create long chains of eggs. Whaling would be more sustainable on these creatures. They are fed upon by sharks and other smaller predators, as well as larger sea monsters. Their ability to consume smaller creatures lower on the food chain makes them more numerous and thus a more sustainable source of food.
Does anything about this sound implausible? Let me know.
reality-check creature-design anatomy sea-creatures
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
10.8k12348
asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
211
New contributor
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I am considering the possibility of having massive cephalopods evolving on my world and having them fill the niche of whales.
I've heard about how whales have evolved to increase in size for the purpose of obtaining more food. I've also read about the giant and colossal squid, so it doesn't seem too outlandish for a squid to evolve to the size of whales. The reason why whales can grow to such ridiculous sizes is that they don't have to support their own weight.
For locomotion, I'm thinking of elongating their mantles to allow them to swim in the same manner as whales.
As for feeding, I'm considering two main ideas. They are able to repurpose their siphon to take in water, and then keep some sort of baleen like mechanism that filters out krill, small fish, or whatever else is small and form schools on my world. My other idea is that they have webbed arms that close onto food and guide it into their beaks, which have been redesigned as a mechanism to trap large amounts of prey.
They play an important role in the ecosystem, similar to that of whales, but more stable. They reproduce faster and are more fertile when young. Instead of birthing single helpless calves, the create long chains of eggs. Whaling would be more sustainable on these creatures. They are fed upon by sharks and other smaller predators, as well as larger sea monsters. Their ability to consume smaller creatures lower on the food chain makes them more numerous and thus a more sustainable source of food.
Does anything about this sound implausible? Let me know.
reality-check creature-design anatomy sea-creatures
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
10.8k12348
asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
211
New contributor
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
I am considering the possibility of having massive cephalopods evolving on my world and having them fill the niche of whales.
I've heard about how whales have evolved to increase in size for the purpose of obtaining more food. I've also read about the giant and colossal squid, so it doesn't seem too outlandish for a squid to evolve to the size of whales. The reason why whales can grow to such ridiculous sizes is that they don't have to support their own weight.
For locomotion, I'm thinking of elongating their mantles to allow them to swim in the same manner as whales.
As for feeding, I'm considering two main ideas. They are able to repurpose their siphon to take in water, and then keep some sort of baleen like mechanism that filters out krill, small fish, or whatever else is small and form schools on my world. My other idea is that they have webbed arms that close onto food and guide it into their beaks, which have been redesigned as a mechanism to trap large amounts of prey.
They play an important role in the ecosystem, similar to that of whales, but more stable. They reproduce faster and are more fertile when young. Instead of birthing single helpless calves, the create long chains of eggs. Whaling would be more sustainable on these creatures. They are fed upon by sharks and other smaller predators, as well as larger sea monsters. Their ability to consume smaller creatures lower on the food chain makes them more numerous and thus a more sustainable source of food.
Does anything about this sound implausible? Let me know.
reality-check creature-design anatomy sea-creatures
reality-check creature-design anatomy sea-creatures
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
10.8k12348
asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
211
New contributor
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
10.8k12348
asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
211
New contributor
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
10.8k12348
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
10.8k12348
edited 2 hours ago
Cyn
10.8k12348
10.8k12348
asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
211
New contributor
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
211
asked 2 hours ago
John LewisJohn Lewis
211
211
New contributor
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
John Lewis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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2 Answers
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$begingroup$
I see nothing inherently wrong with this idea. In the absence of whales and other sea mammals something would fill the niche. Prior to mammals there were very similar reptiles, so why not squid.
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
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https://www.livescience.com/54870-giant-squid-may-be-school-bus-size.html suggests that existing giant squid could reach 20 meters in length. Given a lack of whales and the biological variations you've listed it seems entirely plausible for squid to reach the sizes you describe.
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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$begingroup$
I see nothing inherently wrong with this idea. In the absence of whales and other sea mammals something would fill the niche. Prior to mammals there were very similar reptiles, so why not squid.
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I see nothing inherently wrong with this idea. In the absence of whales and other sea mammals something would fill the niche. Prior to mammals there were very similar reptiles, so why not squid.
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I see nothing inherently wrong with this idea. In the absence of whales and other sea mammals something would fill the niche. Prior to mammals there were very similar reptiles, so why not squid.
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
$endgroup$
I see nothing inherently wrong with this idea. In the absence of whales and other sea mammals something would fill the niche. Prior to mammals there were very similar reptiles, so why not squid.
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
answered 2 hours ago
KilisiKilisi
13.6k12260
13.6k12260
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
https://www.livescience.com/54870-giant-squid-may-be-school-bus-size.html suggests that existing giant squid could reach 20 meters in length. Given a lack of whales and the biological variations you've listed it seems entirely plausible for squid to reach the sizes you describe.
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
https://www.livescience.com/54870-giant-squid-may-be-school-bus-size.html suggests that existing giant squid could reach 20 meters in length. Given a lack of whales and the biological variations you've listed it seems entirely plausible for squid to reach the sizes you describe.
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
https://www.livescience.com/54870-giant-squid-may-be-school-bus-size.html suggests that existing giant squid could reach 20 meters in length. Given a lack of whales and the biological variations you've listed it seems entirely plausible for squid to reach the sizes you describe.
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
$endgroup$
https://www.livescience.com/54870-giant-squid-may-be-school-bus-size.html suggests that existing giant squid could reach 20 meters in length. Given a lack of whales and the biological variations you've listed it seems entirely plausible for squid to reach the sizes you describe.
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
answered 46 mins ago
krbkrb
2893
2893
add a comment |
add a comment |
John Lewis is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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