A ‘Dumbo’ octopus was recorded at the deepest level ever, 7,000m down in the Java Trench. This funny looking octopus was recorded by a lander machine on the ocean floor.
This is the deepest sighting of an octopus to date, with the previous recording being only around around the 5,000m mark. After viewing the recording, researchers identified the eight-legged creature and the ‘Dumbo’ octopus species, so called for their large, ear-like fins.
These findings were published in the journal Marine Biology, explaining that the finding increases the potential habitat of octopuses from 75 to 99% of the sea floor.
According to CNN, researchers believe that this may be a new species of the Grimpoteuthis, a kind of deep-sea umbrella octopus.
The team had been completing dives as part of the Five Deeps Expedition. Lead scientist Dr Alan Jamieson explained that they had been expecting some fish and crustacean sightings during their deep dives, but were surprised to see the octopus.
‘It shows that are still surprises to be made with big animals. Quite often you hear about new species and they tend to be tiny worms and small crustaceans,’ he told CNN, ‘This is a great big octopus.’
He said he hoped this cute discovery in the deepest part of the ocean might encourage people to be less afraid of the deep.
Image credit: Screenshot from Video
