Skip to main content


One of my favorite animals is the very rare blanket octopus. Few people have seen them firsthand. https://youtu.be/QJcXMPJ9XN8

The female has a spectacular ‘cape’ enclosing her tentacles, making her look larger to predators. She can grow >6.5ft or 2m!

The male is smaller than a walnut. He weighs 40,000x less than the female measuring 2.4cm.

Blanket octopus are the most extreme example of female vs male size discrepancy across the (non-mircoscopic) animal kingdom. #nature #science #SharedPlanet

This entry was edited (1 year ago)
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

wikipedia says they're immune to portuguese man o' war and steal their stingers to use as a weapon. holy shit
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

In Tusky, the "hide media" icon made your attached image inadvertently more intriguing
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

omg 😍 that is so amazing 🤩 thanks so much for sharing this!!🙏
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Sure, the male looks small. But has anyone measured his confidence?
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

The uniqueness of species we have on our planet never fails to astound me ❤️ 🌎
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

She's beautiful! I'm off to find more pictures and start a folder of them, because I really want to try and capture it in paint! So lovely!
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Just extraordinary. Sometimes when I throw my hands up in exasperation at the stupid that surrounds me, things like this remind me that humans, in the grand scheme of Earth, should be humbled by the flora and fauna with which we are surrounded.
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

...so how many dives did you log before getting this wonderful shot? Impressive and educational all at once!
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Ah okay, thanks!
That was even more beautiful to watch as a video.

(As a life-long enthusiast photographer with some diving experience, I have a deep appreciation for what it takes to actually get footage like this. Clearly pro quality work. Sadly, there wasn't a photographer credit attached to the USA Today clip, only a stupid "caught on camera" blurb.)
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Dudebros: Males are naturally superior!!

Nature: Yeah, about that...

Lo, thar be cookies on this site to keep track of your login. By clicking 'okay', you are CONSENTING to this.