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Scientists discover new species of tiny blue octopus in Galapagos

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Scientists discovered a new species of tiny, blue octopus in the deep waters of the Galapagos Islands.
  • The octopus, named microeledone galapagensis, has a golf-ball-sized body and distinctive short tentacles.
  • The discovery was made during a 2015 deep-sea expedition using a remotely operated vehicle.

A new species of diminutive blue octopus has been discovered in the deep waters surrounding Ecuador's Galapagos Islands. Researchers from the Charles Darwin Foundation identified the creature, named microeledone galapagensis, which has captured attention for its adorable appearance and unique characteristics.

It's tiny!

· ResearchersResearchers exclaimed this upon first spotting the small blue octopus during the deep-sea expedition.

The tiny cephalopod, roughly the size of a golf ball, boasts a vibrant blue skin and belongs to the Microeledone genus within the Megaleledonidae family. Its physical traits, including short, robust tentacles with a single row of suckers, distinguish it from most other octopus species. The octopus exhibits a color pattern with a light dorsal side and a very dark violet ventral side, likely aiding in camouflage for hunting or predator avoidance in the deep sea.

This fascinating discovery occurred during a 2015 deep-sea expedition aboard the E/V Nautilus. While exploring the seabed near Darwin Island using a remotely operated vehicle, the research team spotted the small octopus walking on the sand. The specimen was later collected and transported to the Charles Darwin Research Station for preservation and analysis by octopus expert Janet Voight from the Field Museum in Chicago.

It's blue!

· ResearchersResearchers exclaimed this upon first spotting the small blue octopus during the deep-sea expedition.

Voight expressed her astonishment, stating, "I had never seen anything like it." The findings were published in the journal Zootaxa, detailing the unique morphology and habitat of this newly identified species. The discovery underscores the ongoing exploration and biodiversity research conducted in the unique marine environment of the Galapagos.

I had never seen anything like it.

· Janet VoightJanet Voight, an octopus expert from the Field Museum in Chicago, commented on the uniqueness of the newly discovered species after analyzing it.
About this summary

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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