A Humboldt squid, one of the ocean's most enigmatic creatures, was captured alive this week by a Bodega Bay fisherman and taken for observation at Bodega Marine Lab, where it appears to be struggling for survival.

The powerful, 25-pound squid is among the first healthy specimens to be taken into captivity. It has been feeding since its capture on Monday, but it appears to be withering in the tank, said Will Borgeson at the marine laboratory.

With commercial fishermen recently catching jumbo squids for seafood, the live capture was arranged by John Grissim of Point Reyes Station, publisher of the journal Marine Watch. Grissim undertook the project on behalf of Dr. Clyde Roper of the Smithsonian Institution.

Named for its habitat in the Humboldt current along the South American coast, the jumbo squid began appearing off the northern California coast last winter, Borgeson of the Marine Lab said.

"They're typical of South America, and it's just the El Niño conditions that won't seem to go away that brought them up here," he said. "Prior to last fall, the Channel Islands were the most northern sighting."

On Monday, skipper Jim Hie found a shoal of squid about 20 miles offshore and with a jig line snagged a 20 pounder swimming about 500 feet below the surface, Grissim said. While pulling that squid to the surface, a second one rose up and attacked it.

Unharmed by fishermen's hooks and unexhausted from any fight, the second squid was landed with a net and tossed into the live bait well of Hie's 28-foot sportfishing boat. It was met onshore by Grissim and biologists from the Bodega Marine lab.

Among the peculiarities of the species are its tremendous central nervous system, which gives it acute control over its 10 muscular tentacles and the ability to change colors instantaneously or produce dazzling patterns on its skin.

Whether the squid uses those colors for camouflage or to communicate with other members of its shoal remains a mystery, Grissim said.

Despite their social nature, however, Humboldt squid are aggressive feeders that will prey on their own kind and have even attacked divers when confronted, he added.

"They seem quite fearless," Grissim said. "They'll eat anything."

Since the five-foot squid was placed in the Marine Lab tank, it has been offered anchovies, sardines, and salmon. Although the squid has eaten some of the larger fish, it still seems be languishing, said Borgeson, who is working with two other scientists to keep it alive.

Borgeson said the team is videotaping the squid's behavior and will send the footage to Dr. Roper in Washington, DC. Although none of the Marine Lab scientists are squid specialists, he said, they are doing their best to keep it healthy.

"[The squid] seem to be very intelligent," he said. "I find them very charismatic."

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