What is the difference between a giant squid and a colossal squid?

Question

Size? Also how are squid so different from the octopus?

Answer 1

the main difference is that colossal squid are bigger than giant squid, as their name suggests. colossal squid can be up to 14 meters long, whereas giant squid have only been recorded to reach a maximum of 13 meters long. furthermore, the giant squid's mantle is only about two meters long, since its tentacles make up most of its length. however, the colossal squid has a longer mantle and shorter tentacles.

octopus are different from squid in many ways:
firstly, octopuses don't have a pen in their mantle, unlike squids, which is a remnant of their ancestors' shell. it's a skeletal structure made of calcium carbonate, which gives squids their rigidity and rocket-like shape. octopuses are much more squishy because they don't have any skeletal elements, and they can contort their bodies to fit through very small crevices, and even shift the positions of their internal organs.

octopuses have eight tentacles, usually equal in length, whereas squid have ten tentacles, with two being longer than the other eight. squid also have lateral fins on their mantles, with which they can swim, octopuses only use their tentacles for swimming, but they can also use them for walking on the sea bed.

here's a video of octopuses walking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zD1GQJHcq0

and one of them contorting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHHgjeB-cSI

and here's a video of a squid to see the difference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV2iUCXl7uI

Answer 2

the way you describe its size :)

seriously,

The Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), sometimes called the Antarctic or Giant Cranch Squid, is believed to be the largest squid species. It is the only member of the genus Mesonychoteuthis. Though it is known from only a few specimens, current estimates put its maximum size at 12–14 metres (39–46 feet) long, based on analysis of smaller and immature specimens, making it the largest known invertebrate.

Giant squid, once believed to be mythical creatures, are squid of the Architeuthidae family, represented by as many as eight species of the genus Architeuthis. They are deep-ocean dwelling animals that can grow to a tremendous size: recent estimates put the maximum size at 10 m (33 ft) for males and 13 m (43 ft) for females from caudal fin to the tip of the two long tentacles (second only to the colossal squid at an estimated 14 m (46 ft), one of the largest living organisms). The mantle length is only about 2 m (7 ft) in length (more for females, less for males), and the length of the squid excluding its tentacles is about 5 m (16 ft). There have been claims reported of specimens of up to 20 m (66 ft), but no animals of such size have been scientifically documented.

Answer 3

well, collossal squid are about 15 to 20 ft longer than giant squid and inhabit more southern waters wheras the giant squid can be found close to new zealand. As for the difference between squid and octopus is that the octopus has eight tentacles, a rounded more free moving head, and tend to hide out in caves and whatnot, while the squid has no definite amount of tentacles, an angular stiffer head for more hydrodynamic movement, and hunts in open water.

Answer 4

Octopus has a tiny head with 8 arms (not tentacles), which are all equally sized.

Squids have a long head with fins attached. They have tentacles (ranging from 6 to 12) of which 2 are specialised and longer than the others.

Octopus moves forwards, whereas squids are backward swimmers.

All Octopi (plural of Octopus) can camouflage by changing skin color and texture, whereas only a few squids actually need this as they live in dark zones of ocean.

However, both have same escape mechanism - squirting ink.

Answer 5

i do no longer understand. it rather is morphology, length, nutrition plan, habitat, the sea intensity which they colonize, the sea area ( distribution ), survivality, approach they employed to seek for prey, reproduction, taxonomy, etc.

Answer 6

Bigger penis in Colossal......its true

Answer 7

mmmmmm calamari...