The incredible discovery was captured on video nearly 2.4 miles below the surface by a remotely operated vehicle as researchers explored the canyon and spotted it Share this article Share this article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy link Link copied Bookmark this Comment
Marine biologists were left in awe when they captured on video an unusual octopus that bears a striking resemblance to the Disney character Dumbo at a depth of three kilometers. The unique sea creature was captured at a depth of almost 3.8 kilometers by a remotely operated underwater vehicle.
A pink sea creature suddenly began flapping its ear-like fins while scientists were exploring a canyon. The stunning footage, which shows the creature bearing a striking resemblance to the beloved 1941 Disney character Dumbo, was captured during an expedition to explore the Mar del Plata underwater canyon. The vast canyon is located in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 300 kilometers east of the Argentine city of the same name.
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Marine biologists believe this is the first recorded sighting of a dumbo octopus in Argentine waters, according to What's The Jam.
The expedition is led by the US-based Schmidt Ocean Institute, in collaboration with Argentina's National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) and the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development.
The pink creature, spotted last Tuesday (August 5), belongs to the Dumbo octopus genus (Grimpoteuthis). There are seventeen species in this genus, each with distinctive fins protruding from the mantle above the eyes.
They are the deepest-sea octopuses known, adapting well to extreme conditions of high pressure and freezing temperatures. Unlike most octopuses, which use jet propulsion, the Dumbo octopus has a gelatinous body and moves by flapping its fins.
Just a few days earlier, on July 26, the same expedition discovered a “cheeky” starfish with a groove resembling the bottom between its tentacles. Social media users were quick to point out its striking resemblance to Patrick Star from the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon.
Kristen Kusek of the Schmidt Ocean Institute commented: “The 'butt' is fine and it's not really a butt, but it's funny to see how much people like it.”
“This is due to the circulation of sea water in his body – a completely normal process.”
Each arm of the Dumbo octopus has a row of approximately 65 to 68 suckers, as well as hair-like projections called antennae.
This places them in the feathered octopus category. They typically reach lengths of between 20 and 30 centimeters, but the largest specimen of this charming cephalopod was an impressive 1.8 meters long and weighed 5.9 kilograms.
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They are known to inhabit ocean depths ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 meters, covering both the bathyal and abyssal zones, where sunlight does not penetrate and the water is very cold.
In 2020, a dumbo octopus was discovered at a depth of almost 7,000 meters in the Java Trench of the Indian Ocean, suggesting that these creatures also live in the deepest parts of the ocean, known as the heidal zone.
John Ablett, senior curator of molluscs at the Natural History Museum in London, described the dumbo octopus as “significantly different” from other species on the museum's official website.
He described them as “very blob-like and gelatinous,” giving them an “otherworldly, alien-like appearance,” especially when brought to the surface of the ocean.
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Sourse: www.express.co.uk
