The Dumbo Octopus, also known as the Grimpoteuthis, is a fascinating octopus due to the fact that not too much is known about this little guy. They live in the deep ocean, and are naturally fairly rare, which makes finding out more about them even more difficult. But that does not mean that we do not have some awesome information about these octopi.
Anatomy and Behavior
These guys are well known for the huge fins that protrude from their head, like giant ears. Hence the name, "Dumbo."These ears are fascinating, as the help them to move through the water, whilst they use their tentacles to steer themselves around. Their tentacles are also used for finding food as they hover around the surface of the ocean floor.
They are foraging predators, meaning that they consume mainly fish that live near the sea floor. Since the Dumbo Octopus lives so deep in the ocean, they do not have many predators, and they are rarely harmed by fishing nets. The cutest apart about these little guys, is that they are only about 8 inches long, making them very small for an octopus.
Distribution and Habitat
These guys seem to be mainly concentrated in the upper Atlantic ocean. However, due to a lack of information, we do not know exactly how widespread they can reach. They do live in the deep ocean, meaning that the Dumbo Octopus is more used to a far colder and darker environment than most other octopi might be used to.
There is a lot more that we have to learn from these guys. And as we work harder to research the ocean floor, the more we will learn about the Dumbo Octopus and many other marine species.
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