New, stunning video from a deep-sea vehicle reveals a rare view of the Dumbo octopus aka Grimpoteuthis.

“Dumbo octopuses” or “Dumbo octopods” are named such because of their  ear-like fins protruding from the top of their head-like bodies,  resembling the ears of Walt Disney’s loveable flying elephant Dumbo.

At the moment scientists know that there are 37 different types of the Grimpoteuthis.

From the video description:

Cirrate, or finned, octopods (which are also known as “dumbo” octopods because the fins on the sides of their bodies make them look like the flying elephant in the Disney cartoon) can be divided based on their behavior. One group spends a lot of time sitting on the bottom but sometimes gets up and swims by a combination of fin flapping and jellyfish-like pulses of the arms and web. Members of the other group seem to spend all of their time up in the water and not on the bottom.

The team aboard the Nautilus uses red laser dots to estimate the size of objects they sees in their video feed. This Dumbo proved to be a big one — close to a full meter long – five times the size of an average Dumbo.

By Hypatia Livingston

"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all."Writer, thinker, researcher, philosopher.

One thought on “Video: Giant Dumbo Octopus Sighting”
  1. Wow, that is one strange looking octopus. I like how as technology advances we get to see more and more of deep sea life. This is a rare occurrence for regular people that may never get the chance to experience the wonders of the natural world.

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