(WHDH) — For the first time, scientists on Cape Cod say they were able to study and film a newly-hatched dumbo octopus.
Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution say they found the rare octopus after exploring a chain of underwater mountains.
“It was the first time that such a deep-sea octopus was observed directly during hatching,” says Liz Shea of the Delaware Museum of Natural History
After placing the octopus in a container of seawater after it hatched, researchers say they were surprised to see the animal immediately started moving its fins in synchrony.
“As the video by Dr. Shank shows, the dumbo octopus immediately behaves like an adult animal about ten times its size,” says coauthor Alexander Ziegler from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of the University of Bonn.
The dumbo octopus, measuring just a few centimeters, is known to be one of the most mysterious creatures of the sea. It lives at dark depths between 9,000-13,000 feet.
The octopus gets its name from their large eyes and round fins that resemble elephant ears.
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