Deep-sea discovery: Researchers find unknown octopus species

Our planet is made up mostly of water – and most of its vast oceans have not even been explored yet. We still don’t know what creatures hide in the depths of the world’s oceans. But sometimes they do come to light.

Using a diving robot that can penetrate deeper parts of the sea, an international research team has made a spectacular discovery in the Pacific Ocean. On a seamount off the coast of Costa Rica, the scientists found a large breeding colony of four previously unknown octopus species, which apparently use the local hydrothermal vents as a nursery.

The first mission and discovery took place in June 2023. Six months later, the research team revisited the octopus colony and found that it appeared to be active year-round. They also found other octopus species outside the hydrothermal vents.

The four species found in June have already been identified by two researchers and are currently being described. One species belongs to the genus Muusoctopus, which occurs in the deep sea. The octopuses were dubbed “Dorado Octopus” and are named after the place where they were found – a small rock unofficially called “El Dorado Hill”. The other species do not yet have a name.

As the research team was able to observe, the dorado octopus uses the hydrothermal vents to hatch its eggs. As seen in photos from the expedition, the octopuses crawl onto rocks to reproduce. The scientists suspect that they protect themselves against predators in this way.

But there is one downside: the female octopus dies as soon as the small octopuses hatch. However, this is normal for cephalopods.