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Scientists discover new deep-sea octopus near Galapagos Islands
CT scans let researchers identify the rare species without dissecting the only known specimen, preserving key anatomy for formal classification.
- On Monday, Field Museum researchers officially described Microeledone galapagensis, a new octopus species discovered near the Galápagos Islands during a 2015 deep-sea expedition using high-resolution CT scans.
- Researchers aboard the E/V Nautilus first spotted the creature in 2015 near Darwin Island at about 5,800 feet depth, initially suspecting it belonged to the Thaumelodone genus before further analysis proved otherwise.
- Using non-destructive CT imaging, Field Museum X-ray lab manager Stephanie Smith and curator Janet Voight revealed anatomical differences including a unique single tooth and smooth skin, confirming reclassification into Microeledone.
- Published in the journal Zootaxa, findings illustrate deep-sea biodiversity while Voight noted the discovery reminds us that "extraordinary things" exist in "inky ocean depths" requiring protection from threats.
- Climate change and deep-sea mining threaten such undiscovered species, with an estimated 91% of marine life remaining unknown as oceans absorb more than 90% of greenhouse gas heat.
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A small blue creature surprised the researchers in the depths of the Galápagos. Scientists from the Charles Darwin Foundation found, at 1,773 meters of depth, an amazing... The article "Right away, I understood that it was special": researchers discovered a new aquatic species in the depths appeared first on Current Values.
Researchers have officially announced the discovery of a new species of octopus that was first seen in 2015.
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Total News Sources114
Leaning Left18Leaning Right12Center35Last UpdatedBias Distribution54% Center
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54% Center
L 28%
C 54%
R 18%
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