Massive squid washes up on Tasmania

HOBART, Australia, July 11 (UPI) -- Australian scientists on Wednesday were examining the carcass of a 550-pound squid that washed up on the west coast of Tasmania.

"The main mantle of the squid is about 3 feet across and its length is about 25 feet," said the Tasmanian Museum's senior curator of invertebrate zoology, Genefor Walker-Smith.

"It's a very exciting discovery and we will be carrying out a number of tissue tests and take pictures and measurements on the animal today."

A beachcomber made the discovery Tuesday night and contacted the museum, the Melbourne Herald-Sun reported.

Museum curator David Pemberton said the Archotheuthis cephalopod was in very good condition and possibly had been dead for less than a day.

He said the entire specimen might be preserved to gather information on its biology and for display at the museum.