Tasmanian Globster Explained

The Tasmanian Globster was a large unidentified carcass that washed ashore 2sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 north of Interview River in western Tasmania, in August 1960. It measured 20sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 by 18sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 and was estimated to weigh between 5 and 10 tons. The mass lacked eyes and in place of a mouth, had "soft, tusk-like protuberances". It had a spine, six soft, fleshy 'arms' and stiff, white bristles covering its body.

The carcass was identified as a whale by L.E. Wall in the journal Tasmanian Naturalist in 1981,[1] and a later electron microscopy analysis of the collagen fibers confirmed this.[2]

The term globster was coined in 1962 by Ivan T. Sanderson to describe this carcass, and another journalist dubbed the corpse Sea Santa that same year.

References

-41.56°N 144.87°W

Notes and References

  1. Harris, J.M. 2005 Web site: Mammal Records from the Tasmanian Naturalist . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090912234000/http://www.tasfieldnats.org.au/TasNatArticles/TasNat127/TN127-HARRIS.pdf . 2009-09-12 . The Tasmanian Naturalist 127: 20-41
  2. Pierce, S., S. Massey, N. Curtis, G. Smith, C. Olavarría & T. Maugel 2004. Web site: Microscopic, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics of the Chilean Blob and a Comparison With the Remains of Other Sea Monsters: Nothing but Whales.. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725155711/http://www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/206/3/125.pdf. 2011-07-25. Biological Bulletin 206: 125-133