During a deep-sea expedition off the coast of Hawaii, scientists had the rare opportunity to observe a dumbo octopus. The dumbo octopus is a unique and elusive species that spends most of its time in the ocean’s depths, making sightings extremely rare. These octopuses have a distinct appearance, with fins resembling Dumbo the elephant’s ears, hence their name. The expedition team used a remotely operated vehicle equipped with high-definition cameras to capture footage of the adorable creature, gaining valuable insights into its behavior and habitat. This discovery is significant for researchers studying the diverse marine life found in the deep sea..
Finding one of these creatures is a needle-in-a-haystack problem: This genus of octopus is uncommon and, because it is able to live at depths of 13,000 feet, its underwater habitat is massive and inaccessible — at least for humans.
The ocean is vast and can be lonely, so females keep eggs in different stages of development so they can mate with a male when they’re lucky enough to encounter one. Females go all the way to the bottom of the ocean to lay their eggs on rocks.
More than a dozen species of dumbo octopuses have been discovered. The largest dumbo octopus recorded was nearly six feet long, according to the environmental group Oceana, but most are much smaller. Because it doesn’t encounter other predators often in the deep sea, dumbo octopuses have no ink sacs as other cephalopods do.
“When I saw it on the screen, I couldn’t even say anything,” Jaina Galves, who was controlling the underwater camera, told ABC News. “My jaw was just on the floor.”
The footage was captured by a remotely operated vehicle launched by the E/V Nautilus, a research vessel owned by the nonprofit Ocean Exploration Trust.
The team is exploring the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a more than 500,000-square-miles sanctuary in the Pacific larger than all U.S. national parks combined.
Scientists have released rare footage of a dumbo octopus, the deepest-living of all known octopuses. The dumbo octopus gets its name from its ear-like fins that it uses to propel itself through the water in search of food. These octopuses are uncommon and are able to live at depths of 13,000 feet, making them difficult to find. More than a dozen species of dumbo octopuses have been discovered, with the largest recorded one being almost six feet long. The footage was captured by a remotely operated vehicle exploring the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii.
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