Deepest Octopus - Dumbo Octopus

Grimpoteuthis is a genus of pelagic umbrella octopus that live in the deep sea. Prominent ear-like fins protrude from the mantle just above their lateral eyes. They have a U or V shaped shell in their mantle which gives them a bell shaped appearance. Some species are short, squat and yellow, while others resemble a jellyfish with one big brown walking shoe. Some have suckers, in addition to spines, on all 8 webbed arms while others look like a regular octopus with the addition of blue or other colored "ears". These octopuses are commonly nicknamed "Dumbo octopuses" or "Dumbo octopods" in reference to how the ear-like fins protruding from the top of their head-like bodies resemble the ears of Walt Disney's flying elephant Dumbo. There are at least 13 to 14 species recognized in the genus.^[1] each having a different aspect from all the others. These features could be larger ears or different colours. As these animals live at the bottom of the sea they have a very small food supply. Prey include crustaceans, bivalves, worms and copepods.^[2] The average life span of various Grimpoteuthis species is 3 to 5 years.

All species of Grimpoteuthis are bathyal creatures, living at extreme depths of 3,000 to 4,000 metres (9,800 to 13,100 ft) with some living up to 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) below sea level, which is the deepest of any known octopus.^[3] They are some of the rarest of the Octopoda species. They have been found worldwide in the waters of New Zealand, Australia, Monterrey Bay, Oregon,Philippines, Martha's Vineyard, Papua New Guinea and Azores. They can flush the transparent layer of their skin at will, and are pelagic animals, as with all other cirrate octopuses. The largest Dumbo octopus ever recorded was 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) in length and weighed 5.9 kilograms (13 lb).^[4] The average size for most species is 20–30 centimetres (7.9–12 in) in length. The average weight is still undetermined.