Introducing: the Rare Blanket Octopus

This remarkable sea creature resembles the softest, rainbow-colored blanket gently floating through the deep ocean. A video from USA Today shows some rare footage obtained by a diver of two of these elusive and fascinating creatures as they swam in waters off the coast of the Philippines. They are uniquely beautiful, but there are even more interesting facts about blanket octopuses than their looks.

Why Are Blanket Octopuses Rarely Seen?

The blanket octopus of the genus Tremoctopus is a rare creature to spot in the wild because it tends to only swim in the open ocean. However, the popularity of blackwater diving has given divers more opportunities to see and photograph these iridescent beauties swimming in open waters.

In blackwater diving, divers explore the open ocean far from shore. This gives divers a rare chance to see the many unique sea creatures that make their way from the deep ocean to feed higher up the ocean zones in open waters.

In the video we mentioned above, USA Today shows footage that a blackwater diver obtained near Roblon, Philippines. In the video, two rare, rainbow-colored octopuses can be seen drifting by.

How Did the Blanket Octopus Get Its Name?

The blanket octopus is named for its blanket-like tentacles that it furls and unfurls. The texture is a thin, colorful membrane with pink, purple, and green iridescent hues. However, it’s only the females that have the gorgeous flowing blanket, as the males are small, roughly the size of a walnut. The females stretch out their webbing when threatened to make themselves look as large as possible. A strong defense is critical for this species as it has no place to hide under rocks and crevices on the ocean floor. A blanket octopus is always in open water.

The Male and Female Blanket Octopus Make For An Odd Couple

Male and female blanket octopuses have one of the biggest size disparities in the world. Males are less than an inch long, while females may be up to six feet long and 40,000 times as heavy. Scientists don’t know why the size difference is so great, but they theorize that males may use up most of their energy on the hunt for a mate. Females need to be a larger size so they can lay and care for their eggs.

Mating is also done in a unique way for this species. Males have an arm that contains sperm. The male passes this arm to the female, who holds it in her mantle cavity until it is time to fertilize her eggs. When she lays her eggs, which can be up to 100,000, she then spreads the male’s sperm over the egg bundle.

Once the female lays her eggs, like other octopus species, she dies soon after. Most female octopuses will protect their eggs at all costs, not even leaving them to eat. This behavior leads to the female’s eventual starvation and death. Scientists have found that this behavior likely comes from hormones released from the optic glands.

Blanket Octopuses Are Immune to Jellyfish Stings

Unlike humans, blanket octopuses are not bothered by the stinging cells of jellyfish, even the deadly Portuguese man-of-war. They will even use man-of-war stinging tentacles as weapons by ripping them off the jellyfish and waving them at predators.

What Do Blanket Octopuses Eat?

Blanket octopuses are carnivores and eat a diet of small fish and crustaceans. They are sometimes seen hovering over coral reefs on the hunt for food, although they mainly swim in the open ocean.

Who Preys on Blanket Octopuses?

Blanket octopuses must always be on the lookout for danger. Larger fish, whales, and blue sharks are among the predators of the blanket octopus. When one of these predators appears, the octopus opens their tentacles and lets their billowy blanket scare predators away, appearing larger and more intimidating than they are. However, if this doesn’t work, they have another trick up their sleeve. They can detach their cape, either ensnaring the predator or distracting it from their escape.

Where Are Blanket Octopuses Found?

Blanket octopuses live worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters. Depending on the species, they may be found in different regions. There are four different species of blanket octopuses: Tremoctopus gelatus, Tremoctopus gracilis, Tremoctopus robsoni, and Tremoctopus violaceus.

Tremoctopus violaceus, or the Common blanket octopus, is the most common species to spot and has been seen in waters off the coast of Europe, Africa, and North America. Others are found in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean.