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This year's Halloween has been enriched by several phantasmagorical surprises of nature. First, there was news of the 11 November flyby of the Earth by the "Death Comet". Then, on October 23, 2018, scientists aboard the E / V Nautilus landed on a white octopus with translucent "Wings" that looked more like a ghost of space than the eight legs shellfish we are used to to have.
the cephalopods scientific name is Grimpoteuthis. However, thanks to the two ear-shaped fins on the sides of his body that he uses to navigate the water, he is better known as the octopus dumbo, the name of Disney animated l & # 39; elephant. The marine animal also has eight legs connected to its body by a veil of skin, which are used to accelerate the pace against The predators like tunas or sharks. dumbos can also crawl on the seabed using their the tentacles.
While the specimen caught on tape was mainly white, dumbos, like all other octopus, can change the color of their skin at will, mixed with the environment. However, they do not produce ink often used as a defense mechanism by other octopus. Instead, some members have developed sharp spines on their tentacles.
There are more than a dozen known dumbos species. While most are small, measuring between 8 and 12 inches long, some can grow to over 6 feet long. Although mollusks have huge bulging eyes that they can barely see. However, since dumbos live in the deepest and darkest parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, where nothing is visible, the lack of prevent their. Instead, they learned to use cupping on their tentacles to feel their environment.
Their deep sea habitat makes it difficult to search for cephalopods. That is why observation extraordinary animals is met with such joy. The latest specimen, captured in front of a camera by Hercules, the E / V Nautilus unmanned robotic submarine robot (ROV), was discovered two miles underwater around Davidson Seamount, an extinct volcano located in the National Marine Sanctuary from Monterey Bay California.
As the beautiful creature appeared, the scientists exclaimed in amazement: "Oh, that's so cute," "I like a cephalopod," and "the world loves a dumbo." As he could hear them, the octopus, which had been calmly beat his two big fins, decided to make a show by opening his tentacles to reveal his umbrella of legs. The performance sparked even more excitement. "Yes, it's a show," said one team member, delighted, "you're going to be famous," said another.
The Dumbo Octopus was not the only thrilling discovery recently recorded by the ROV. A few days after the discovery of the rare cephalopod, Hercules encountered a massive nesting place where over a thousand sea-octopus were crammed into the rocks with their eggs. Even more interesting, it was pink bubblegum coral fields and sponges 10 feet tall than Chad King, Nautilus & # 39; chief scientist, described as "something quite out of a Dr. Seuss book". Since the region is considered swarming with life, one wonders what other fascinating The creatures that the scientist will discover next.
Resources: Natgeo.com, ipfactly.com, livescience.com
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