Four New Deep-Sea Octopus Species Discovered off Costa Rica

One species, the 'Dorado octopus', may have evolved to use warmth from hydrothermal vents to accelerate egg incubation.

Four new species of deep-sea octopuses were discovered off the coast of Costa Rica during two expeditions in 2023.
One of the newly identified species, nicknamed the 'Dorado octopus', is believed to have evolved to use warmth from hydrothermal vents to accelerate the incubation process of their eggs.
The Dorado octopus is similar to the pearl octopus, a species found brooding eggs near hydrothermal vents off central California.
The other three new species were found farther from the hydrothermal vents, with one of them being an enigma due to its unique features.
The expeditions also identified a rare deep-sea skate nursery and three new hydrothermal springs.