New Octopus Species Described from Galapagos Deep Sea

Marine biologists recovered a small blue octopus during a 2015 expedition near Darwin Island in the Galapagos archipelago. The animal was observed at a depth of 1,773 meters by a remotely operated vehicle deployed from the research vessel E/V Nautilus.

The specimen could not be assigned to any known species after initial examination. Researchers sent photographs to Janet Voight at the Field Museum for further assessment.

Voight stated that a complete morphological analysis was required to confirm a new species. Because only one individual had been collected, the team avoided dissection and instead performed x-ray computed tomography to produce a three-dimensional model.

Coauthor Stephanie Smith noted that the nondestructive imaging preserved the type specimen for future study. The scans revealed details of the tentacles, skin texture, and funnel-shaped organ used in classification.

Voight said the find highlights how little is known about deep-sea ecosystems. She added that the Pacific Ocean covers far more area than all land combined and remains largely unexplored. The study provides the formal description and scientific name for the new octopus.