Unveiling the depth: Third active octopus nursery found in deep-sea habitat off Costa Rican coast. Watch!

A team of international scientists have made a remarkable discovery of a new deep-sea octopus nursery at a low-temperature hydrothermal vent off the coast of Costa Rica. With this amazing find, the number of the world's known octopus nurseries now stands at three.

The researchers, as per the Schmidt Ocean Institute website, have also confirmed that the Dorado Outcrop, previously identified as a gathering site for deep-sea octopuses, is indeed an active nursery.

Other important discoveries

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As per the scientists, the octopus species found in the nursery may be a new species of Muusoctopus, a genus of small to medium-sized octopuses that lack an ink sac.

Furthermore, the expedition has provided evidence supporting the idea that certain deep-sea octopus species specifically seek out low-temperature hydrothermal vents for brooding their eggs. The site featured low-temperature hydrothermal venting at around sevendegreeCelsius.

Octopus Odyssey

The 19-day Octopus Odyssey expedition was led by Dr Beth Orcutt of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and Dr Jorge Cortes of the University of Costa Rica. The team of 18 researchers from various countries conducted their research aboard the research vessel Falkor.

Researchers discovered a previously unexplored unnamed outcrop where brooding octopuses were observed.They also witnessed the hatching of Muusoctopus octopuses, which helped dispel the notion that the Dorado Outcrop is unsuitable for octopus development.

When the nursery was initially discovered in 2013, it astounded scientists as it marked the first observation of female octopuses congregating to brood their eggs. However, no developing embryos were detected at the time, leading to doubts about the suitability of the conditions at the Dorado Outcrop for octopus growth.

The researchers used the ROV SuBastian, an underwater robot, to observe the seamounts and baby octopuses. The live dives were made available to the public in real-time through the live stream provided by the Schmidt Ocean Institute.

You can watch the fascinating underwater video here:

New seamounts with new animal species discovered

The expedition also explored five previously unknown seamounts in the northwestern region of Costa Rica's waters. These seamounts displayed thriving biodiversity, and the researchers suspect that many of the hundreds of animal species observed there may be new to science.

Dr Jyotika Virmani, Executive Director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, emphasised the significance of the discovery and said, "The discovery of a new active octopus nursery over 2,800 metres beneath the sea surface in Costa Rican waters proves there is still so much to learn about our oceans."

"The deep-sea off Costa Rica rides the edge of human imagination, with spectacular footage collected by ROV SuBastian of tripod fish, octopus hatchlings, and coral gardens. We look forward to continuing to help the world witness and study the wonders of our incredible ocean," she added.

Protection needed?

The seamounts, including the Dorado Outcrop, currently lack protection from human activities like fishing.

Half of the team involved in the expedition consisted of Costa Rican scientists, some of whom are reportedly working to assess the need for protection measures and the potential designation of marine protected areas for these seamounts.

In the laboratory, scientists will conduct examinations on sediment push cores, which hold immense value in terms of providing stratigraphic data about the seafloor and offering insights into microbial life.

As per Cortes, the expedition has not only provided valuable scientific data and samples but also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the richness of the deep-sea ecosystems in Costa Rica and the importance of their protection.

"This expedition to the Pacific deep waters of Costa Rica has been a superb opportunity for us to get to know our own country."

"The information, samples, and images are important to Costa Rica to show its richness and will be used for scientific studies, and outreach to raise awareness of what we have and why we should protect it."

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