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Species
dumbo octopus
GENUS
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumMollusca
- ClassCephalopoda
- OrderOctopoda
- FamilyOpisthoteuthidae
via GBIF
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 55
- With media
- 1
- Family
- Opisthoteuthidae
- Collections
- SBMNH, YPM, SIO, NHMUK, NMV, USNM
- Recorded in
- United States, Australia, Antarctica, Argentina
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Opisthoteuthidae
- Image
- Dumbo-hires (cropped).jpg
Show 4 more facts
- topic's main category
- Category:Grimpoteuthis
- Commons category
- Grimpoteuthis
- taxon name
- Grimpoteuthis
- taxon rank
- genus
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~9 min read
Encyclopedic overview
7 sectionsContents
- Range and habitat
- Species and taxonomy
- Movement, characteristics, and food supply
- Breeding
- Threats
- References
- External links
Grimpoteuthis is a genus of pelagic cirrate (finned) octopods known as the dumbo octopus. The name "dumbo" originates from their resemblance to the title character of Disney's 1941 film Dumbo, having two prominent ear-like fins which extend from the mantle above each eye. There are 17 species recognized in the genus.
The Dumbo octopus has a gelatinous body and uses fin propulsion for movement, which also helps it to conserve energy in its extreme deep-sea environment. These unique physical traits distinguish it from other octopuses, which primarily rely on jet propulsion. Prey include crustaceans, bivalves, worms and copepods. The average life span of various Grimpoteuthis species is 3 to 5 years.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Grimpoteuthis” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.