A diminutive octopus, no larger than a golf ball and possessing a hue akin to the deep sea, was serendipitously encountered by a remotely operated vehicle piloted by researchers on the seabed adjacent to the Galapagos Islands.
“It’s minuscule! And it’s blue!” a scientist exclaimed with palpable excitement, as captured on video transmitted from the submersible, upon her initial observation of the cerulean-toned cephalopod.
The scientific contingent from the Charles Darwin Foundation had, at that very moment, identified a novel octopus species situated at a considerable depth of approximately 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) beneath the ocean’s surface, as detailed in research findings disseminated on Monday.
“My immediate intuition was that this was something truly extraordinary,” remarked Janet Voight, an acknowledged authority on octopuses, who was consulted for species identification, recounted.
Initially, the curator affiliated with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago was limited to examining photographic documentation of the creature.
Subsequently, its preserved remains were transmitted to her via mail.
“Upon its arrival, my reaction was one of sheer astonishment and delight. It is exquisitely beautiful,” Ms. Voight conveyed to Agence France-Presse.
Her interest was immediately piqued because the most closely related known octopus of a similar morphology resides off the coast of Uruguay, a location situated in a different oceanic basin on the opposite side of South America.
Typically, the classification of a new octopus species necessitates the dissection of a specimen to meticulously scrutinize its mouth, beak, dentition, and other anatomical features.
“As we possessed only a single specimen, I was disinclined to dismantle it,” Ms. Voight stated.
Instead, the team at the Field Museum employed advanced CT scanning technology, capturing thousands of X-ray images. These were then synthesized to construct a comprehensive three-dimensional model of the octopus, thereby revealing its internal anatomy.
“There is an unparalleled sense of discovery in dedicating a day to scrutinizing an entity previously unobserved by any human,” expressed Stephanie Smith, the director of the Field Museum’s X-ray laboratory, in an official statement.
‘Deep Purple Hue’
The newly identified species, designated Microeledone galapagensis, distinguishes itself for reasons extending beyond its superficial azure coloration, a shade presumed to represent one of nature’s most infrequent chromatic expressions.
This particular octopus appears to be the smallest member of the Megaleledonidae family, whose typical representatives are considerably larger and inhabit the Southern Ocean encircling Antarctica.
“Its remarkably short appendages, featuring but a single line of suckers, set it apart from the majority of octopuses with which we are commonly acquainted,” Voight elaborated.
Even in comparison to “other species characterized by diminutive arms and a solitary row of suckers, its distinctive coloration and the smooth texture of its dorsal surface further differentiate it,” she augmented.
Although the octopus exhibits a pale blue coloration on its dorsal aspect, its ventral side possesses a “profoundly deep purple,” according to Voight.
“We hypothesize that this specific color pattern serves as a protective mechanism. Should the octopus capture a prey item that itself luminesces, that emitted light could potentially attract predators, thereby endangering the octopus,” she elucidated.
“Consequently, the octopus deploys its darker-hued webbed membrane over the prey, thereby ensuring its own safety.”
Remarkably, the discovery of novel octopus species in the abyssal depths is not an uncommon phenomenon, particularly within regions that have undergone minimal exploration, which encompasses a vast expanse of the ocean floor.
“If one were to consolidate all the terrestrial landmasses on Earth, they would still fall short of encompassing the entirety of the Pacific Ocean,” Voight pointedly observed.
She further noted that her most recent encounter with a newly identified octopus species occurred in 2023, off the coast of Costa Rica.
The inaugural sighting of this novel blue octopus was documented in 2015 in proximity to Darwin Island, a geographical feature named in honor of the eminent English scientist whose sojourn to the Galapagos Islands was instrumental in formulating his theory of evolution.
Ms. Voight’s scholarly investigation into this species was formally published in the esteemed scientific journal Zootaxa.
