What is Dumbo Octopus?

About Dumbo Octopus

• They are known as the deepest living of all octopus species.
• Genus: Grimpoteuthis spp.
• They get their name from their distinctive flapping fins that bear a striking resemblance to the oversized ears of the iconic Disney elephant character.
• There are about 17 species of Dumbo octopus that belong to a group called “umbrella octopus,” because they are able to float with an umbrella-like look to their mantle. 
• Distribution: Worldwide in tropical to temperate latitudes
• Features:
  • They live on the seafloor or hover just slightly above it at depths of depths of 3000 to 4000 m (9800 to 13000 ft).
  • They are small animals, around 8 inches tall, and have a pair of fins located on their mantle and webbing between their arms.
  • The octopuses also have a single line of about 65-68 suckers along each arm.
  • Unlike most octopuses, this sea creature doesn’t have ink sacs, which are normally used as a defensive mechanism. 
  • It uses its ear-like fins to propel through the water and steers using its webbed arms.
  • Diet: It consumes snails, worms and other creatures that live near the ocean floor.

Q1) What is an Octopus?

Octopuses are sea animals famous for their rounded bodies, bulging eyes, and eight long arms. They live in all the world’s oceans but are especially abundant in warm, tropical waters. Octopuses, like their cousin, the squid, are often considered “monsters of the deep,” though some species, or types, occupy relatively shallow waters.

Source: US scientists spot rare 'dumbo' octopus during deep-sea dive