Third ever deep-sea octopus nursery discovered in Costa Rica
%2Favatars%2FBUoTZ6lM79yi.jpg&w=96&q=75)
%2F2023%2F06%2F30%2Fimage%2Fjpeg%2FFlx6N4WuHRXkRjqOry1g6sFU5uc2rMSY0NI3XiNl.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
The third ever deep-sea octopus nursery has been discovered at a low-temperature hydrothermal vent offshore of Costa Rica by scientists at the Schmidt Ocean Institute. The discovery proved that the first known aggregation of deep-sea octopus, the Dorado Outcrop, is an active nursery.
This is according to a press release by the institution published on Wednesday.
The newly-found octopus could potentially be a new species of Muusoctopus, a genus of small to medium sized octopus without an ink sac. Additionally, the expedition reinforced the idea that some species of deep-sea octopus seek out low-temperature hydrothermal vents for brooding their eggs.
The research and corresponding expedition was led by Dr. Beth Orcutt of the U.S.-based Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and Dr. Jorge Cortes of the University of Costa Rica.
The site was first spotted in 2013 and, initially, the researchers believed that the area was inhospitable for developing octopus young. But the new find negates that fact.
“The discovery of a new active octopus nursery over 2,800 meters beneath the sea surface in Costa Rican waters proves there is still so much to learn about our Ocean,” said Schmidt Ocean Institute Executive Director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani.
“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.”
The scientists are now looking to determine if the seamounts warrant protection and should be designated marine protected areas.
“This expedition to the Pacific deep waters of Costa Rica has been a superb opportunity for us to get to know our own country,” said Cortes.
“The expedition had a significant number of local scientists and students which will accelerate our capacity to study deep regions. 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.”
The mission saw the use of an underwater robot, ROV SuBastian, to aid the researchers in their observation of the seamounts and baby octopuses.
“The discovery of these low-temperature vent sites is difficult and can only be found with submersible vehicles like Schmidt Ocean Institute’s highly capable ROV SuBastian,” said in the statement Orcutt.
The Schmidt Ocean Institute will continue its crucial work around Central America for the remainder of this year as part of a larger 10-year expedition plan.
SHOW COMMENT (1)
/2023/08/30/image/jpeg/vlh3lJBM999gqrPTzbqoTrkcJDVlMQrGOQyIUNRJ.jpg "Why are Americans so obsessed with UFOs? Alien hunters weigh in")
/2023/08/12/image/jpeg/1xpgw9M0j07fJWL4SukxFDjALW7dwwo6wjsgbU0t.jpg "Magnetic fields reveal lost undersea worlds")
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/nsmar7gjdLlrBOi4PzKAxGav2HZeyKXWXa9TmEya.jpg "Honda releases its first-ever series production V8 engine")
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/ezxP0CaCL9js7IHPU0dL2DKNgCnpXB2eKl21dunq.jpg "Canadian telecom uses AI cameras to fight wildfires")
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/QdiwYUSgm1SXYVNR6hYJTGg57873RFdy9P7IZvzo.jpg "Solar cars can reduce global charging needs by half")
/2023/09/23/image/jpeg/KzTBVU7rOz7nuu8hM1QcRJbzrKzWPh1yq3SNc8qx.jpg "MRI reveals long-term organ abnormalities after COVID-19")
/2023/08/15/image/jpeg/3ADnsR8aU7X67YVp1xAQ4daq6u8JVlTTLmG0Rx6c.jpg "What is pre-war steel, and why are people stealing it?")
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/P7SdZBzocsfspOZPW3sqPoEMP3rzACvEMBZrtiNE.jpg "Gold nanoclusters could be the key to hydrogen energy")
/2023/07/09/image/jpeg/zJQEuHMS5v67BKugegCEa7K59vq1AI7lMk8IRyXa.jpg "AI and robots might be the future of battery development")
/2023/08/31/image/jpeg/RCklqoUliiOZrZ9TKBHqXIlgLKpe8S7RGLk87bzO.jpg "Giorgio Rosa, the engineer who built his own island")