Sorority Noise

sea creature of the day is the wolf eel i love these silly fellas!!! they are very beautiful to me

Blanket octopus (Joseph Elayani)

Meet the charming cephalopod that made headlines for cuteness—Opisthoteuthis spp.

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 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 this 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 exhibition 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. Learn more about the fantastic flapjack on our website.

Photos by Meg Mindlin

megmindlin.com

Invertebrate exhibit— Natural History Museum, Los Angeles.

Tumblr should appreciate Two Crabs by Vincent Van Gogh more

It's two crabs, whats not to love

A scorpion and a crawfish.

Thought about making this a longer comic but for now it’s just me fooling around with ink + digital painting

(lyrics are from Half Life by the Symposium)

Today is Wet Beast Wednesday!

Today's wet beast is: Blanket Octopus

Olive's Wet Beast Fact: these venomous beauties range drastically in size, with the males around the size of a walnut, and the females up to 6 feet long. Personally, I think they look more like Cinderella's torn up dress than they do a blanket, but whatever.

Stay tuned for more Wet Beast Wednesdays!

Daily fish fact #276

Goblin shark!

This deep sea shark is able to rapidly extend its jaws, quickly engulfing prey!