The rarely observed, ghostly white ‘Dumbo’ octopus delights scientists remotely exploring an underwater volcano.
Commonly called a ‘dumbo’ octopus, because this deep-sea cephalopod has lateral fins that resemble big elephant ears. Little is known about the ghostly white Grimpoteuthis octopus’s behavior, because it’s rarely observed.
Crew aboard the E/V Nautilus had an exciting encounter with the rare, ghostly white cephalopod. The Nautilus was surveying an unexplored area of Davidson Seamount, an inactive volcano.
The rocky habitat hosts large coral forests, sponge fields, and abundant unidentified species.