Big-finned jellyhead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big-finned jellyhead |
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| Cirroteuthis muelleri observed during the Arctic 2005 Exploration, NOAA-OE | |
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The big-finned jellyhead, also known as Cirroteuthis muelleri, is a special kind of octopus. It was the very first octopus from the "cirrate" group to be officially named by scientists in 1836. This octopus is related to another group called Cirrothauma. Today, Cirroteuthis muelleri is the only species in its group that scientists officially recognize. It lives mainly in the Arctic Ocean and the northern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. However, similar octopuses might live in the southern parts of the world too.
Contents
What Does the Big-Finned Jellyhead Look Like?
Cirroteuthis muelleri can grow up to about 400 millimeters (or 16 inches) long. This measurement is from the tip of its body to the end of its arms. Some older reports mistakenly said it could reach 1.5 meters (about 5 feet), but that was incorrect. This octopus is usually off-white or light purple. The inside of its arms and the webs between them are brownish-purple.
Body Features
- Head and Eyes: It has a head with well-developed eyes that have lenses, just like yours.
- Beaks: Its upper and lower beaks, which it uses to eat, are thin and not very strong.
- Body: The octopus's body is soft and jelly-like, making it quite delicate.
- Arms and Webs: All its arms are almost the same length. There are two see-through webs that connect the top and bottom sides of its arms. These webs end in a small bump.
- Suckers: The first 7 or 8 suckers on its arms are shaped like cups and sit on thick stalks. The second and third suckers are the biggest. After these, there are about 30 more smaller suckers with delicate stalks.
- Cirri: Between the suckers, you can see noticeable fleshy strands called "cirri." These can be up to 19 millimeters (about 0.75 inches) long. They are longest in the middle part of the arms. Both the suckers and the cirri do not reach the very tip of the arms.
- Fins: The octopus has wide, elliptical (oval-shaped) fins on its body. These fins are longer than the width of its head.
- Mantle and Funnel: The opening of its mantle (the main part of its body) is narrow, and its funnel, which it uses for jet propulsion, is long.
Where Does the Big-Finned Jellyhead Live?
Cirroteuthis muelleri is a deep-sea creature. This means it lives far down in the ocean. You can find it in the cold waters of the Arctic region, the northern Atlantic Ocean, and the northern Pacific Ocean. There have also been a few sightings of similar octopuses near New Zealand and Australia. These might be a new species of Cirroteuthis that scientists haven't named yet.
What is the Big-Finned Jellyhead's Home Like?
This octopus is "benthopelagic." This fancy word means it lives very close to the sea bed, usually swimming or drifting within about 10 meters (33 feet) of the ocean floor. It is typically found at depths greater than 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet).
At these extreme depths:
- Almost no sunlight can reach.
- The water temperature is very cold, around 4°C (39°F).
- Scientists can only observe these octopuses using special submersible vehicles. This makes them very hard to study and collect.
Even though they are hard to find, these octopuses seem to be quite common in the seas around Greenland.
What Do We Know About the Big-Finned Jellyhead's Life?
Scientists have learned a few things about Cirroteuthis muelleri by studying specimens caught near the ocean floor.
Reproduction
In one study, three female octopuses were caught at depths between 3,000 and 3,300 meters (about 9,800 to 10,800 feet). Scientists discovered that these octopuses lay large eggs. They lay their eggs one by one directly on the ocean bottom.
Diet
Scientists also looked at the stomach contents of 18 Cirroteuthis muelleri specimens to find out what they eat. Their diet mainly consists of small creatures that live on or near the seafloor. These include:
- Small crustaceans, like tiny shrimp-like animals (such as Calanoida, Mysidacea, and Isopoda).
- Polychaetes, which are a type of segmented worm (like Polynoidae).
The largest shrimp-like animals they ate were about 14.6 millimeters (0.57 inches) long. The longest worms were about 24.3 millimeters (0.96 inches) long.
Images for kids
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Various views of C. muelleri from a Census of Marine Life cruise to the Canadian Basin
