Merrick here...

A reader sent in a brief follow-up to yesterday's report about CLOVERFIELD, in which we discussed rumors that the "creature" in the film is covered with scales (or somesuch) that, when dislodged, are actually monsters themselves.

Here's what his note said:

A friend if mine who
was [relation to the film deleted by editor] told me
there's thousands upon thousands of "parasites" on the big monster
that leap off and attack everything in sight after it's been hit by
some tank shells.

Supposedly they are sort of "Alien" looking with five
or six claw like legs.

PS - the movie is (sort of) a modern day version of "The Beast
from 20,000 Fathoms " . Which if you ever seen it was about a giant
monster attacking NYC.

Interesting. So, maybe the "parasites" our reader talks about here are essentially the "raptors" referenced in the article linked above?

Another thought...

We've been hearing very spotty (and wholly unconfirmed) implications that the creature in the film may have something to do with a whale. Personally, I can't quite visualize this - the image that springs to mind is goofy as hell.

Although...

Check out the CLOVERFIELD creature's roar ON THIS BLOG. The sound is (evidently) pulled from one of the film's viral sites. Strangely enough, I do hear a whale in this roar. Am I wrong? Or is this a rorschach kinda thing?

Or, there's always that secret ingredient that turns small fish into giant whales...is referenced in the history section of SLUSHO.JP

Or, it could just be that the "whale" rumor we've been hearing doesn't actually mean to imply the creature itself is whale related. Maybe JJsaurus' roar was simply processed from whale song, and someone misinterpreted this to mean the beast is actually a whale?

I need Advil now.

THE BEAST FROM 20,000 PHATHOMS, hunh? I can live with that.