Giant Cephalopods - Kraken - Fact and Fiction

Disney's Davy Jones

Giant cephalopods have served as villains throughout history, most recently in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Jack Sparrow’s nemesis, Davy Jones, has an octopus for a head complete with sucker covered arms and crab like appendages. He sends his pet sea monster, a Kraken, loose to sink ships. Davy Jones' locker is at the bottom of the sea and holds the souls of the sailors he has taken.

Dr. Roland Anderson compiled a list of other movies that feature monster cephalopods. Calling most of them “B movies” is a compliment. Cephalopods have been villains for much longer than Hollywood has been producing moves. Victor Hugo’s Toilets of the Sea published in 1866 and 20,000 Leagues under the sea by Jules Verne published in 1870 are classic examples of epic battles between man and giant cephalopods. Even Pliny the Elder (23 to 79 AD) got into the act with this description of octopuses: "No animal is more savage in causing the death of a man in the water." Yarrr!

Kraken, which is the name of my 41 foot sailboat and home, refers to a mythical giant cephalopod sea monster that has been reportedly observed off of the coast of Norway and Iceland. One of the earliest descriptions was made by a bishop, Erik Pontopiddan in his book on the natural history of Norway (1752–3). The word kraken is the definite article form of krake, a word meaning an unhealthy animal, or something twisted.

Unlike other monsters such as sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster monster, giant cephalopods, like mother-in-laws, actually exist. It is easy to imagine how rare sightings of the carcasses of giant squid, combined with poor communication, long winters, grog and the mysterious loss of ships could have inspired legends of giant cephalopods attacking and sinking ships.

Illustration of a Kraken by malacologist Pierre Denys de Montfort in 1801 from the descriptions of French sailors reportedly attacked by one. What will the French come up with next? Maybe the world cup!

a very difficult time observing live giant squid. Dr. Clyde Roper, one of my Smithsonain intern advisors in the early 90's, mounted a Search for Giant Squid. Despite considerable effort and the ingenious strategy of attaching cameras to Sperm whales, they were unable to find the elusive cephalopod. If giant squid are such monsters, you would think we would be able to find them and that there would be photographs or other verifiable documentation of their attacks. In his book "The Search for the Giant Squid" Richard Ellis, dispels many of the crazy myths that giant cephalopods are dangerous to humans.

Real giant squid, Architeuthis dux, are thought to get to 59 feet and weigh up to 1980 pounds. That is a lot of Calamari! Giant octopuses, Enteroctopus dofleini, when stretched out arm tip to arm tip may reach 30 feet. The giant cuttlefish, Sepia apama only grows to a meter.

Despite their large size, until recently scientists had never observed or photographed a live giant squid in its natural environment. Recently Dr. Steve O’Shea captured the first live giant squid. He figured out that baby giant squid can be captured in the plankton. Japanese scientists, Drs. Kubodera and Mori recently photographed the first live adult giant squid off Japan's Ogasawara Islands. They used a baited hook and a camera lowered 900 meters down to capture over 500 images of the 26 foot (8 meters) squid.

Giant pacific octopuses are much less elusive. Divers off the northwest coast of North America often encounter them. Giant pacific octopuses are often on display at public aquariums. South Australia is the place to go to see giant cuttlefish.

Despite their portrayal as monsters in movies, there is no evidence that any species of giant cephalopods dine on sailors. Either that or no one has lived to tell about it. Yo ho Yo ho A pirate's life for me.

Pirates Abel, Dr. Sam and Dr. James.

The Cephalopod Page (TCP), © Copyright 1995-2024, was created and is maintained by Dr. James B. Wood, Associate Director of the Waikiki Aquarium which is part of the University of Hawaii. Please see the FAQs page for cephalopod questions, Marine Invertebrates of Bermuda for information on other invertebrates, and MarineBio.org and the Census of Marine Life for general information on marine biology.