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Giant squid off the shores of Newport Beach
Like other cephalopods, the Humboldt squid's skin is covered in muscle-bound chromatophores, specialized skin cells that can rapidly change color.
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cc: Sheraz Sadiq/flickr/KQEDQuest
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Warm up the deep fryer and prepare gallons of cocktail sauce: voracious giant squid have mysteriously arrived off the Orange County coast, it was reported today.
The Orange County Register's blog reported that fishermen aboard two boats were surprised to find the massive creatures taking bait off Newport Beach this weekend.
"Anglers aboard the Western Pride out of Balboa Peninsula caught 225 of them" Friday blogged the Register's Garry Robbins. "The largest fish weighed 60 pounds."
Another 300 were caught Saturday night.
Captains at Davey's Locker and Newport Landing plan on sending out their public sportsfishing boats tonight, but said no catches are guaranteed.
"Humboldt squid -- which also called jumbos -- are a here today, gone tomorrow creature," Robbins wrote.
Chris Cunningham, manager at Davey's Locker, said the more people on board, the more fun. "There's ink squirting everywhere," he told the Register.
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