Rare video captures dumbo octopus using ears to travel the deep sea

Date:

It’s not a flying elephant with big ears, but there’s a sea creature that does share a few features with the beloved Disney character, including its name and its method of transportation.

Deep sea explorers came upon this rare creature known as a dumbo octopus on Sept. 13 while their research vessel was 5,500 feet deep down on the North Pacific Ocean floor.

The animal is known for propelling itself using its “famous ear-shaped fins to find food, then gobble their prey up whole, feasting on a variety of deep sea critters such as copepods, isopods, bristle worms, and amphipods,” according to the Ocean Exploration Trust, which captured the animal on video during a livestream.

Using a remotely operated exploration submersible fittingly named the Hercules, the OET team spotted the ghostly dumbo octopus and its “flappy ears,” as one researcher said, “on an unnamed seamount in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.”

Another researcher said they were “glad we got to see a live one,” as spotting the creature is a rarity due to their deep habitat.

The dumbo octopus is thought to be the deepest-living octopus, diving up to 13,000 feet below the surface. It’s typically under a foot long, though they can measure up to 6 feet. The one OET found this month measured around 2 feet.

But as the Nautilus expedition continues to dive into this “largely unexplored” section of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands’ monument, only time and research will tell what other visuals of animals like the dumbo octopus will come to the surface.

SEE MORE: Scientists discover unidentified golden organism off Alaskan coast


Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

Russia fines Google more than entire world’s GDP

A Russian court has fined Google two undecillion roubles...

‘We earn £100,000. We are not worse off after the Budget’

Hannah ClarkeChancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled Labour's first Budget...

Capital Trends in the Global Energy Transformation Wave: Opportunities and Challenges Coexist

Author: James Anderson The intensification of global climate change and...

PhotonPay Showcased Travel Payment Solutions at Travel Tech Asia 2024

PhotonPay, an innovative digital infrastructure service provider, showcased its...