Rare Deep-Sea Octopus Discovered Near Darwin Island
AFP
Paris: A newly discovered deep-sea octopus species found near the Galapagos Islands has amazed scientists with its striking blue and purple colouring and unusual physical features, according to research published Monday.
Researchers from the Charles Darwin Foundation identified the species nearly 1,800 metres below the ocean’s surface near Darwin Island in the Pacific Ocean. The discovery was detailed in the scientific journal Zootaxa.
Octopus expert Janet Voight, a curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, said she immediately realised the creature was unique when first shown photographs of it.
“Right away, I knew it was something really special,” Voight told AFP.
The species, named Microeledone galapagensis, is notable for its small size, smooth skin, short arms and single row of suckers. Scientists believe it belongs to the Megaleledonidae family, whose members are usually much larger and commonly found in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.
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Voight said the octopus also surprised researchers because its closest known relative lives off the coast of Uruguay on the opposite side of South America.
Instead of dissecting the only known specimen, researchers used advanced CT scanning technology to create a detailed 3D model of the animal’s internal anatomy. Thousands of X-ray images were compiled to study its features without damaging the rare specimen.
Stephanie Smith, head of the museum’s X-ray lab, described the experience as extraordinary, saying there was “nothing like spending the day looking at something no other human has ever seen.”
The octopus displays a light blue colour on its upper body and a deep purple underside — a rare colour combination in nature. Scientists believe the darker underside may help conceal glowing prey from predators in the deep ocean.
The first sighting of the species was made in 2015 near Darwin Island, named after British naturalist Charles Darwin, whose visit to the Galapagos Islands contributed to the development of the theory of evolution.
Voight noted that discovering new octopus species in the deep sea is not uncommon because vast areas of the ocean floor remain unexplored.
