This Elusive Deep-Sea Animal Can Swallow Its Prey Whole
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
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The animal in question is the dumbo elephant octopus- also known as the cutest octopus
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Dumbo octopuses get their name from their elephant ear-like fins, resembling to the title character of Disney's 1941 film Dumbo
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The largest Dumbo octopus recorded was 1.8m long and weighed 5.9kg but, on average
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These mysterious octopuses are considered endearing because of their mostly small and squat appearance
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The 'umbrella' of a Dumbo octopus's webbed arms works like a net to help trap prey, which the cephalopod swallows
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When they pounce on their prey, they spread their webbed arms around their target, enclosing it to prevent it from escaping, and swallow it whole
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They can change their skin colour to create a brighter bottom and a darker top, which makes them less visible in the open sea
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ndtv.com