Lusca

The lusca is a name given to a sea monster reported from the Caribbean. It has been suggested by cryptozoologists that the lusca is a gigantic octopus, far larger than the known giant octopi of the genus "Enteroctopus".

ightings

Many reports of the creature are from the blue holes, off Andros, an island in the Bahamas. The St. Augustine Monster (an example of a globster), which washed up in 1896 on the Florida coast, is considered one of the better candidates for a possible lusca specimen. These claims, however, are doubtful; recent evidence suggests the St. Augustine Monster, like many globsters, was simply a large mass of decomposing adipose tissue from a Sperm Whale. Most scientists dismiss the lusca as a large example of the giant or Colossal squid.Fact|date=May 2008

ize

The Lusca is said to grow over convert|75|ft|m long, or even convert|200|ft|m longfact|date=July 2008, however there are no proven cases of other octopus species growing to half these lengths. To attack properly on the surface, the octopus would have to have one tentacle on the sea floor to balance itself; this would mean that such accounts, if real, would have to take place in relatively shallow water. Other descriptions also mention that it can change colour, a characteristic commonly found in smaller octopuses. The supposed habitat is rugged underwater terrain, large undersea caves, the edge of the continental shelf, or other areas where large crustaceans are found, which is supposedly what they feed on.

Lusca and other sea monsters

Although the general identification of the lusca is with the colossal octopus, it has also been described as a either a multi-headed monster, a dragon-like creature, or some as a kind of evil spirit. But as the lusca has usually been described as an octopus-like monster, it may have connection with such other reported cephalopod-like sea monsters such as the kraken, although notably too, the kraken was described as having crab-like and whale-like features.

ee also

* Bloop
* Slow Down
* Giant squid
* Trunko

References

* [http://www.geocities.com/capedrevenger/giantoctopus.html Giant Octopus]
* [http://www.keganpaul.com/product_reviews_info.php?products_id=643&reviews_id=215 "The Kraken and the Colossal Octopus"]
* [http://www.strangemag.com/globsters1.html The St Augustine Giant Octopus]