The deepest depths of our oceans are some of the most mysterious places on the planet. Little is known about the expansive seafloor, but scientists are constantly finding out more about bottom dwellers that inhabit this environment.
More than four miles under the Indian Ocean, scientists managed to videotape the elusive “dumbo” octopus. Named for their adorable large “ears,” this is the deepest depth that any cephalopod has been observed. The deepest previous sighting was at 3.2 miles as part of an expedition 50 years ago off the coast of Barbados. Because of the significant depth, scientists think this could be a new species that is different from shallower dwellers, but they can’t confirm the suspicion without collecting samples for observation.
This finding expands the potential range for cephalopods to 99 percent of the seafloor and offers even more evidence to support octopus’s incredible resilience to extreme environments.
Source study: Marine Biology – First in situ observation of Cephalopoda at hadal depths (Octopoda: Opisthoteuthidae: Grimpoteuthis sp.)
