Newly discovered Costa Rican octopuses expand deep-sea registry.
In an adventurous expedition last month, a team of scientists explored the depths of the seafloor off the coast of Costa Rica. What caught their attention was a captivating scene: baby deep-sea octopuses gently emerging from a cluster of unstable, semi-transparent eggs.
The researchers were excited to reveal that these enigmatic marine creatures belong to a newly discovered species, temporarily named the "Dorado octopus." And there's more to the story-on top of that, the team identified three additional new species of deep-sea octopuses.
As per a release, scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor (too) have discovered at least four new deep-sea octopus species in a 100-square-mile-sized area off Costa Rica.
The international science team discovered the new species during two 2023 expeditions examining seamounts off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The team found two octopus nurseries affiliated with hydrothermal springs during their first expedition in June. Six months later, scientists returned to the nurseries and confirmed they appeared to be active year-round. They also observed several other new octopus species away from the hydrothermal springs.
This discovery is a big step forward in our understanding of the hidden ecosystems in the deep ocean. It helps us learn more about the various life forms down there, making scientific exploration even more exciting. These new species, especially the unnamed one, add to the growing collection of amazing sea creatures, revealing the wonders hidden beneath the ocean's surface.