'Unusually Large' Dumbo Octopus Caught On Film
This is a video from an unmanned underwater rover being operated by a team aboard the research vessel Nautalis of an unusually large Dumbo octopus (named after their giant 'ears') roaming the ocean's depths in the Caribbean Sea. Researchers estimate the octopus to be almost five times the size of a normal Dumbo octopus. A MUTANT.
The Dumbo is a cirrate octopus, a type of deep-sea octopus that has thin strands (cerri) that extend from the bottom side of its arms along with the suckers. Its substantial fleshy web is responsible for this genus's other nickname, the umbrella octopus. There are more than a dozen different species in the genus. They live in many places around the globe and can survive at depths up to (or down to) several thousand meters below sea level.
The team aboard the Nautilus uses red laser dots to estimate the size of objects it sees in the ROV's video feed. And this Dumbo proved to be a big one. It was estimated to be a whopping meter long--a good five times the size of an average Dumbo.
When reached for comment about the unusually sized Dumbo octopus, Aquaman wouldn't return my calls. Presumably because his conch shell phone is broken. That, or he's still upset about that time I called him out for dating a whale. For the record though, I really did think he was dating a whale. He was spending so much time with her -- how was I supposed to know she was just a riding mount? YOU'RE AQUAMAN, WHY WOULDN'T YOU BE RIDING A F***ING SHARK?!
Keep going for the video.
Thanks to PYY, who agrees animals that look like other animals are some of the cutest. Unless there's one that looks like a blind mole rat, in which case that f***er is probably ugly.