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'Cute Little Guy': Scientists Discover a Tiny Blue Species of Octopus by the Galápagos Islands
Key takeaways
- The new species was named Microeledone galapagensis in honor of the location where it was collected.
- The eight-armed cutie made its debut in 2015, when researchers were conducting a deep-sea expedition in the Pacific Ocean aboard the EV Nautilus.
- “He’s tiny!” one researcher said during a livestream of the discovery. “Is that a cute little guy or what?” said another.
The new species was named Microeledone galapagensis in honor of the location where it was collected. Charles Darwin Foundation Deep below the waters off the Galápagos Islands resides a tiny blue octopus that fit in the palm of a hand. But scientists only recently identified this adorable animal as a new species, nearly a decade after it was first spotted.
The eight-armed cutie made its debut in 2015, when researchers were conducting a deep-sea expedition in the Pacific Ocean aboard the EV Nautilus. Their remotely operated underwater robot recorded the tiny creature at a depth of about 5,800 feet—and scientists were immediately enamored.
“He’s tiny!” one researcher said during a livestream of the discovery. “Is that a cute little guy or what?” said another. Someone else even compared it to a plush toy.