Flapjack octopus Coloring Pages

A Mysterious Deep-Sea Octopus! The Flapjack octopus!

Do you know about the super cute and mysterious Flapjack octopus that lives way down at the bottom of the deep sea? It looks totally different from a regular octopus! It looks like a fairytale fairy or a parachute, and it is a super popular deep-sea creature!

• It does not swim by stretching out long arms like a regular octopus. Instead, it floats gently around using its whole body.

• Because it looks so adorable, many people love it in picture books and as cute characters!

Where Does It Live? The Dark and Cold Deep-Sea World

The Flapjack octopus lives way down in the deep ocean where no sunlight can reach at all.

• Its home is the dark and super cold deep sea, 200 to 1,000 meters under the water!

• It floats quietly right above the sand or mud at the bottom of the ocean, looking for tiny shrimp swimming by.

Name Secrets! "Masks" and "Pancakes"?

The funny Japanese name and English names for the Flapjack octopus hide lots of secrets about its body shape!

• Japanese Name Origin: When brought up from the sea, its body gets squished flat and looks like a Japanese mask ("men"). That is why it is called Mendako in Japan!

• English Names: In English, people call it an Umbrella Octopus because its spread-out arms look like an umbrella. They also call it a Japanese pancake octopus because it turns flat!

• Scientific Name Secret: In its scientific name "Opisthoteuthis depressa," the word "depressa" actually means "squished" in Latin!

Flapping Fins That Look Like Super Cute Ears!

The best thing about the Flapjack octopus is the little fins near the top of its head!

• They look just like bunny ears or cartoon ears, and they are so cute!

• It flaps these fins nicely to glide smoothly through the water like a little helicopter.

Flat Pudding? A Super Soft Body!

The body of a Flapjack octopus is mostly made of water, making it super soft and squishy!

• In the water, it looks like a round dome. But if you take it out on land, its own weight squishes it flat like flat pudding or a pancake!

• Because it has no hard bones at all, it can live easily under the strong water pressure of the deep sea.

Like a Parachute! 8 Arms Connected by Webbing!

A regular octopus moves its 8 arms around separately, but the Flapjack octopus has a special secret!

• It has a thin, large skin called webbing between its 8 arms, so all of its arms are connected together.

• When it opens its arms, it looks like a frilly skirt or a parachute, which looks super neat!

Only One Row of Suckers! Different From Regular Octopuses

Regular octopuses have 2 rows of suckers on their arms, but the Flapjack octopus is a little different.

• The suckers on a Flapjack octopus's arms are lined up in just one single row.

• It has tiny hairs around its suckers. These help it feel tasty food moving around, even in the dark ocean!

No Ink Spitting? A Deep-Sea Secret!

You might think octopuses spit black ink to run away, but the Flapjack octopus does not spit ink at all!

• The deep sea where the Flapjack octopus lives is already pitch black, so spitting ink would not help at all.

• Because of this, the sac that holds ink shrank away over time. When it wants to hide from enemies, it stays still and blends into the sand!

How Big Is It? As Small as a Notebook!

The Flapjack octopus is pretty small and cute compared to other octopuses.

• Even a grown-up Flapjack octopus is only about 20 centimeters long (about the length of a notebook)!

• It is super light too, so you could easily scoop it up with both hands.

Bright Orange and Red Colors! A Camouflage Trick

Even though it lives in the dark deep sea, the Flapjack octopus has a very pretty color!

• It usually has a bright orange, red, or pink color.

• Red light cannot reach deep into the water. Being red lets it blend right into the darkness so enemies cannot see it. That is an amazing hiding trick!

Super Delicate! You Are Super Lucky if You See One at an Aquarium!

The Flapjack octopus is a very gentle creature that is sensitive to changes around it.

• It does not like changes in light, sound, or water temperature. That is why it is known as one of the hardest animals in the world for aquariums to care for!

• If you get to see a Flapjack octopus swimming happily at an aquarium, you are super lucky!

How to Choose Colors: Pick Cute and Bright Colors!

The Flapjack octopus has cute, bright colors for a deep-sea creature. Here are some tips on choosing colors to make it look just like a real one!

• Main Body Color: Try using bright orange or vermilion to match a real Flapjack octopus. If you want a cute storybook look, pastel pink is perfect too!

• Belly and Back of the Webbing: Use light cream or yellow ocher for the bottom of the belly and behind the leg skin. It will give your picture a real look and feel!

• Sweet Little Eyes: Color around the big, round eyes with cream or light yellow. Then, draw the middle of the eyes clearly with dark brown or black.

How to Color a Soft, Squishy Body!

A Flapjack octopus is round, soft, and shaped like a dome—just like pudding! Thinking about light and shadows helps make it look soft and 3D.

• Light on Top: Leave the very top of its head uncolored so the white paper shows a little. This makes it look shiny and squishy where the light hits!

• Shadows Below: Add soft shadows along the bottom of the head and in the spaces between the legs. Gently layer a slightly darker red or reddish-purple over your main orange. This gives it a nice, round, soft 3D look!

Tips for Coloring Flappy Ears and Wavy Legs!

Here are tips to color the cute ear fins and wavy leg skin of the Flapjack octopus!

• Head Fins (Ears): Use bright yellow or orange on the tips, and blend into a darker red near the bottom. Blending colors makes it look like the fins are flapping happily!

• Wavy Skirt Fold Lines: Use the nice wavy lines on the legs. Put a darker red or shadow color in the dips. Color the raised parts with bright orange to make it look like a frilly skirt!

Tool Tips for Cute Eyes and Smooth Texture!

Use your art tools well to show off the soft body of the Flapjack octopus.

• Layering Colored Pencils: Press hard for dark colors and light for soft colors. This makes smooth color changes on the round body. Gently layering the same color over and over makes it look extra squishy!

• Blending Crayons: Color a bit thick with your crayon. Then, gently tap and rub it with your fingertip. This gives the skin a smooth look!

• Shiny Eyes: Leave a tiny white spot in the middle of each eye. This creates a shiny highlight and makes the eyes look extra sweet!

Color Freely! Your Own Fantasy Deep-Sea World

There are no wrong answers in coloring! The best part is using your favorite colors and dreaming up your very own fun Flapjack octopus.

• Color Freely! You do not have to use real orange! Try a "Dream Rainbow Flapjack Octopus" or a "Shiny Light Blue Flapjack Octopus." Color freely! Using your favorite colors makes your picture come alive!

• Draw a Magical Deep-Sea Background! Color the white space around your Flapjack octopus with dark navy or purple to make a dark sea floor! Add glowing sea creatures and floating water bubbles using yellow or light blue. It will look like a real view of the deep ocean!

Fins like "ears" that flap up and down

Those little things sticking out on the sides of its head aren't actually ears—they are "fins" for swimming! As it floats gently in the deep sea, it flutters these small fins so sweetly as it swims. It is super cute and very popular at aquariums!

No Ink Needed in the Dark Deep Sea

Normal octopuses spray black ink when running away from enemies, but the Flapjack octopus cannot spray ink. In the pitch-black deep sea where light cannot reach, spraying ink does not help at all. That is why it is said that over a very long time, their ink sac (the pouch that makes ink) shrank away.

When you lift it out of the water, it "squishes flat"

Most of a Flapjack octopus's body is made of water, so it is super soft! Its body is built to handle the heavy water pressure deep in the ocean. If it comes up to shallow water or land, it cannot handle gravity and flattens right out just like a rice cake! People say it got the Japanese name "Men-dako" (flat octopus) because of this flat look.

A "big skirt" spreading between its legs

If you look closely at the arms of a Flapjack octopus, you will see that they are connected by a thin web. It looks just like a skirt or an open parachute! The web helps them stay afloat as they drift and dance gracefully near the bottom of the deep sea.

Very delicate and "hard to keep"

The Flapjack octopus is super cute, but it is actually very delicate and sensitive to changes around it. It really does not like bright lights, loud sounds, or water temperature changes. That makes it very hard to keep in an aquarium! If you see one at an aquarium, please watch it quietly and gently.