Video of Blue-Ringed Octopus

Check out this video of a Blue-Ringed Octopus. It's really cool to see how its appearance changes from when it's "at rest" to when it feels threatened - those blue rings flare up! Truly a marvel of mother nature...

Octopus Poem: Pirouette of the Octopus

It has come to my attention that there has been a sore lack of poetry on Everything Octopus. I think it's time to change that! Here's a poem written by Lisa Bergman, after her passion for octopuses was awakened by PBS's "The Octopus Show".

Your arms outstretch-
A radiant star bursting in the ocean.
A gymnast in waters-
Such elegance and power!
Your mysterious intelligence
Excites the curiosity.
From the deepest oceans to the shallowest streams
I know your dances I always will see.

If only all could know
Your beauty, strength, and mind
And see the works of God's hands in you
Right before their very eyes.

-- Lisa Bergemann, 2001

Adorable Handmade Plush from Etsy.com

This is the cuteness! Check out this beautiful handmade plush from Etsy seller, Hansigurumi. In addition to the vermilion octopus below, there are a slew of others including a blue octopus, Dumbo Octopus, and various patterns for your very own octopus creations. Other animals are available too, but who cares when there's OCTOPUSES!!!


Product Description
Who would make a sweeter companion than this sanguine cephalopod, aglow with fiery volcanic charm?

This is a hansigurumi original plush creation, handcrafted with precision and love, swathed in mottled hues of vermillion, maroon, cerise, cinnamon, and goldenrod. Hand-knitted a hefty size in luscious wool yarns, this sweet creature is a perfect treat for yourself or that special octopus enthusiast in your life!

From a smoke-free and pet-free home. Please note that this creature is intended for display purposes and gentle handling, and is not an appropriate toy for small children.

Video of Dumbo Octopus Under Observation

Check out this video of a Dumbo Octopus at the Microbial observatory for Fe-oxidizing bacteria at Loihi Seamount Hawaii. The way it moves is so beautiful and unique!

Species: Grimpoteuthis or Dumbo Octopus

The octopuses of the genus Grimpoteuthis are also known as "Dumbo Octopuses" from the ear-like fins protruding from the top of their head-like bodies, resembling the ears of Walt Disney's flying elephant. They are benthic creatures, living at extreme depths: 3000-4000 meters, and are some of the rarest of the Octopoda species. They can flush the transparent layer of their skin at will, and are pelagic animals, as with all other cirrate octopuses, and unlike many other incirrate octopuses.

They hover above the sea floor, searching for worms, bivalves, pelagic copepods, and other crustaceans. They move by pulsing their arms, shooting water through their funnel, or by waving their ear-like fins. They can use each of these techniques separately or all simultaneously. The males and females are different in their size and sucker patterns. The females lay eggs consistently, with no distinct breeding season.

• Dumbo Octopuses are found at considerable depths, typically living from 100-5,000m depth, although one was sighted at 7,000m, the deepest depth of any cephalopod.
  
  
• There are about 37 species, currently assigned to four genera. Many are poorly understood.
  
  
• Dumbo Octopuses can grow to 20cm.
  
  
• They are found in every ocean.
  
  
• This creature is typically benthic, living on or close to the bottom of the ocean floor, though some may be found some meters from the seabed where they drift, with arms outspread.
  
  
• These deep-dwelling octopus swim by flapping their large ears and/or by expansion and contraction of their webbed arms. They are graceful swimmers and capable of rapid escape when threatened.
  
  
• Bottom-dwelling species eat crustaceans, worms and bivalves. Those hovering above the bottom tend to eat pelagic copepods. They are unusual in that they mainly swallow prey whole.
  
  
• The Dumbo Octopus swims by flapping its large ears and/or by expansion and contraction of its webbed arms. They are graceful swimmers and capable of rapid escape when threatened.