A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) manned by researchers aboard the Ocean Exploration Trust’s E/V Nautilus captured exciting footage of an adorable sea creature. More than 8,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, the camera spotted a Grimpoteuthis, named the Dumbo octopus for its adorable big ears.
The small semi-translucent octopus has stubby arms, big eyes, and floppy ears. These cute creatures can only be observed moving in their natural habitat because at the surface they would disintegrate from the sun’s heat.
Dumbo octopuses grow to be 9 to 12 inches long and use very minimal energy to get around. Its arms protrude from its mantle (the bag shaped body), which are used to gently push off the sea floor.
These cephalopods glide around in the darkness, living very solitary and simple lives, unless they somehow bump into a potential mate. The research team was quite excited to cross paths with the octopus, as they are rarely seen, aside from when they are occasionally captured in deep sea fishing nets.
