MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) | Flapjack octopus: This charming cephalopod made headlines for cuteness @MBARIvideo | Uploaded November 2020 | Updated October 2024, 19 hours ago.
The flapjack octopus Opisthoteuthis is a cirrate octopus. A small pair of fins on their mantle and webbed arms allow them to either drift or pulse like a jellyfish just above the seafloor. Scientists believe the finger-like cirri lining each arm are used to detect and capture small prey such as small crustaceans, polychaetes, and molluscs living in the mud.
Many cephalopods die shortly after they spawn, but Opisthoteuthis is able to continuously spawn throughout their lifetime. Their eggs require up to three years to develop and hatch. Given the length of time for egg development, it is thought these species may be relatively long-lived, but little is known about their natural history.
In 2014, MBARI researchers collected flapjack octopuses in Monterey Bay for a collaborative exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Upon a closer look, they discovered that the individuals collected were actually an undescribed species. The scientists have started the process to formally describe and name this charismatic cephalopod, so stay tuned.
Common name: Flapjack octopus
Scientific name: Opisthoteuthis
Reported depth range: 130 meters – 2,350 meters (430-7,710 feet)
Size: up to 50 centimeters (20 inches)
Editor: Ted Blanco
Writer: Larissa Lemon
Production team: Kyra Schlining, Susan von Thun, Nancy Jacobsen Stout
For more information see:
mbari.org/products/creature-feature/flapjack-octopus-landing-page
The flapjack octopus Opisthoteuthis is a cirrate octopus. A small pair of fins on their mantle and webbed arms allow them to either drift or pulse like a jellyfish just above the seafloor. Scientists believe the finger-like cirri lining each arm are used to detect and capture small prey such as small crustaceans, polychaetes, and molluscs living in the mud.
Many cephalopods die shortly after they spawn, but Opisthoteuthis is able to continuously spawn throughout their lifetime. Their eggs require up to three years to develop and hatch. Given the length of time for egg development, it is thought these species may be relatively long-lived, but little is known about their natural history.
In 2014, MBARI researchers collected flapjack octopuses in Monterey Bay for a collaborative exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Upon a closer look, they discovered that the individuals collected were actually an undescribed species. The scientists have started the process to formally describe and name this charismatic cephalopod, so stay tuned.
Common name: Flapjack octopus
Scientific name: Opisthoteuthis
Reported depth range: 130 meters – 2,350 meters (430-7,710 feet)
Size: up to 50 centimeters (20 inches)
Editor: Ted Blanco
Writer: Larissa Lemon
Production team: Kyra Schlining, Susan von Thun, Nancy Jacobsen Stout
For more information see:
mbari.org/products/creature-feature/flapjack-octopus-landing-page
