Cerbalus Aravensis, a giant spider was discovered in Israel.  Reigning in at 5.5 inches to 6 inches across it is huge.

To put it into context and to share in my own skin crawling realization on just how big that is I want you to remember the Alien movies.  Remember those nasty face-huggers that would crawl around and leap out at it’s unsuspecting victim, wrapping it’s self around their face.

The size of this spider is around the size of the face-huggers from the Alien movies.  That is huge

It’s a nocturnal hunter using trap doors to get it’s prey.

(via Cryptomundo)

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I really enjoyed watching Sanctuary episode 208 Next Tuesday.  In it they were hunting a Vampire Squid off the Gulf of Mexico.  In the setting it’s a rare, docile abnormal and I wondered what is the real Vampire Squid like?

Unlike in the show the real Vampire Squid or Vampyroteuthis infernalisgets to a maximum of one foot in total length.  Big enough to battle a scorpion but not big enough to pull a person under the water.

They also differ by having a webbing connecting the eight arms so it could not do battle with those individual arms.  It does have two additional filaments that are like a squid’s tentacles which do reach well beyond their arms.

What I found particularly fascinating about the Vampire Squid are all of the light-producing organs covering it.  It has great control over the individual organs that they can produce a disorienting light show with them, varying the intensity and size.  If only I could have one in my fish tank, turn off the lights, sit back and enjoy the show.

I wished Sanctuary would have spent more on their version of the Vampire Squid.  What makes them an abnormal beyond their intelligence?  Part of me hoped they would be more of a humanoid octopus hybrid.

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The Main Office of Tourism website gets a tip of the hat today for featuring the International Cryptozology Museum on their site (Maine Office of Tourism website).

They did this without any approach from the museum, and we find this encouraging in terms of our efforts to elevate the public educational mission of the museum, as a gateway to adventure and scientific exploration for tourists, travelers, and Maine residents.

It’s always nice to see the main stream engage in adventures of imagination and mystery recognizing that need in all of us.

It’s important for those state and public resource site to not only feature the touristy places, theme parks, commercial centers but also the more abstract cultural spots as well.

Kudos!

(via Cryptomundo)

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I really don’t know what to make of this thing:

The previously unknown species has been found off Brazil’s Bahia coast. It is more than six feet long, has small teeth, and has no scales covering its gelatinous body. It is a fish, not a serpent, of course (Cryptomundo).

I’ve made no secret out of the fact that natural bodies of water freak me out, and this real jelly/fish is just bazar.

What do you think this is?

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Check out this crazy armored fish!  It was identified as an armored suckermouth catfish.  Cryptomundo has a great write up on this prehistoric creature.  Thank goodness that it’s an herbivore.

Seeing this really makes me wonder what else is out there in the rivers and lakes.  I wonder if destination truth could find a live one of these.

(via Cryptomundo)

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A man sent this photograph to a newspaper of Bariloche and planted a new seed of doubt about the existence of this mythical animal. This time, the image was captured in Mascardi Lake (Cryptomundo).

I would love to believe that this photo is real, but I just can’t.  I love the idea of a lake monster living anywhere in the world, but this picture is a little too perfect for me to trust it.

Part of me thinks it is a turtle head, and part of me thinks it is just a photoshopped picture.  I really wish it was more though.

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This image is interesting, and I am not sure exactly what it is.  Since the “angel”  appears to have a reflection in the floor, I am sure that it is not  a light flare from a flash on the monitor.

The WCNC video is moving and heart warming, but leaves many questions unanswered.  The only thing I can say for sure is that this is an interesting picture.

(via Charlotte Observer)

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There was a crocodile sighting in Massachusetts on December 9th 2009.  The police received two separate calls with reports of a Crocodile swimming in Fiske Pond.  They investigated both calls but found nothing.  They reassured the public that if a croc was in the water it would be lethargic due to the chilly temperatures.

This whole thing reminds me of the movie Lake Placid which was set deep in the Main woods.  It’s about a killer croc living in the lake eating people. It wasn’t a very good movie with a lot of unbelievable events in it like a crocodile leaping out of the water and pulling a helicopter down.  Actually the only shining moment was seeing Betty White cuss, I laughed so hard.

Now I may have to reconsider how unbelievable the premise actually is…

(via Cryptomundo)

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