Grimpoteuthis sp., (aka “Dumbo” octopus) was spotted on the seafloor 3,500 meters below the ocean surface offshore of Monterey Bay.
Cirrate octopuses have a small, internal shell and two fins on their head, separating them from other octopuses (Incirrata), which have neither.
This group includes the famous dumbo octopus, Grimpoteuthis, as well as flapjack octopus, Opisthoteuthis, and some lesser known genera.
They are usually found on or near the deep seafloor, where they use the finger-like cirri on their arms to catch small crustaceans, worms, and other prey items. ⠀
You want to introduce your girlfriend?
Ghostly critters from the deep sea: CIRRATE OCTOPUS
Making a rare appearance just in time for Halloween, this ghostly-looking orange cirrate octopus was recently observed by MBARI’s ROV Doc Ricketts swimming over the Taney Seamounts. These finned octopuses belong to an order of animals called Cirrata named for the presence of hair-like structures called ‘cirri’ on their arms which may aid these animals in the capture of food.
0kin:
for @hydraheads <3
Source: neaq
From Если в лесу сидеть тихо-тихо by Suzanne Byalkovskaya, 1989. More pictures and information in fairyroom.ru (it’s so pretty!)
(via aceweyoun)
Source: lune-luminosite
Spot on!
Meet the two-spot octopus (Octopus bimaculoides), now in Tentacles. This medium-sized octopus (mantel length is 7 inches, arms 23 inches) is named for its main identifying features, the two bright blue eyespots on either side of its mantel.
The glowing eyespots may trick predators and prey alike into thinking that the blue-eyed beauty marks are its actual eyes. Meanwhile the cunning two-spot octopus lives to see another night while feasting on a shelled morsel.
This octopus is found in deep waters from central California to northern Baja, California. This species, like many species of cephalopods, lives for a brief 1-1.5 years.
Prowling coral colonies, the Caribbean reef octopus (Octopus briareus) is built to blend in. This camouflage artist flashes through skin textures and shades of blue, green, red and brown–allowing it to sneak up and envelop prey in a gauzy web of tentacles.
Get up close in our Tentacles exhibition
