Dumbo Octopus
Members of the genus Grimpoteuthis, these critters are the deepest-living octopus known to science and can be found near the seafloor at depths of up to 13,000 ft (4,000 m). These adorable cephalopods flap their ear-like fins as they move through the water—a behavior that inspired scientists to name the genus Grimpoteuthis after Disney’s flying elephant. Unlike many other octopuses, Dumbo octopuses do not have ink sacs. Some scientists think it’s because they rarely encounter predators in their extremely remote, deep-sea habitats.
Photo: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Wikimedia Commons
Credit: American Museum of Natural History.
[Image and description found here. Dumbo octo gif found here; more cephalopod stuff here.]
Tacky Raccoons 