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The dumbo octopus uses it's big "ears" to move around. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The cutest little critter in the deep ocean just might be the dumbo octopus. It has large, rounded fins on its body that resemble the ears of Dumbo, Walt Disney’s animated elephant. And like the adorable little elephant, the dumbo octopus uses those big “ears” to get around.
Biologists have identified about 20 species of dumbos, which are also known by the scientific name Grimpoteuthis. They’re found all around the world. They’re not seen very often, though, because they live at depths of about two to two-and-a-half miles — deeper than any other octopus.
A typical dumbo octopus is quite small — only about 8 to 12 inches long — although the largest yet seen was about six feet long and weighed 13 pounds.
The octopus’s body is shaped like a bell, and its arms are webbed so that when they’re spread out, they make the creature look a bit like an umbrella. And unlike most other species, the dumbo octopus doesn’t have a specific mating season. Instead, the female can lay eggs at any time, usually hiding them under a small rock or shell to protect them from predators.
The dumbo can get around in several ways. But its main mode of propulsion appears to be flapping those big ear-like fins. They allow the octopus to move slowly across the ocean floor in search of snails, worms, and other prey. And when it snags something, it swallows it whole instead of ripping it apart as other octopuses do. It then slowly flaps its “ears” and continues on its way — slowly gliding through the ocean depths.
