Fun Facts About Dumbo Octopuses

The Dumbo octopus is named after Disney’s Dumbo the elephant character, from the eponymous movie, that was famous for its big ears.

Unlike most octopuses, the Dumbo octopus doesn’t have an ink sac because it rarely encounters predators in the deep sea.

The Dumbo octopus uses its ear-like fins to propel through the water and steers using its webbed arms.1

The Dumbo octopus is the deepest-living genus of all known octopuses.

It lives at least 13,100 feet (4,000 m) below the surface.

The largest Dumbo octopus ever recorded was 5 feet 10 inches (1.8 m) long and weighed 13 pounds (5.9 kg),

but most species are an average size of 7.9 to 12 inches (20-30 cm) long.2

The name dumbo octopus refers not just to one species but to an entire genus of deep-sea umbrella octopuses,

noted for their fins that resemble Dumbo the elephant’s ears (of Disney fame).