Four New Octopus Species Discovered in Deep-Sea Off Costa Rica

Researchers also uncover a skate nursery in the same region, marking significant advancements in deep-sea exploration and biodiversity understanding.

Four new species of deep-sea octopus have been discovered off the coast of Costa Rica in an area around hydrothermal springs.
One of the new species, named the Dorado octopus, was found brooding its eggs in warm springs on the seafloor, a behavior that is believed to accelerate the incubation process.
Along with the octopuses, a skate nursery, nicknamed the 'Skate Park', was also discovered in the same region.
The discoveries were made by an international team of researchers during two expeditions in 2023, using a remotely operated underwater vehicle.
The collected specimens, numbering over 310, will be archived at the Museum of Zoology at the University of Costa Rica, marking one of the first times that all biological specimens from a deep-sea expedition will be stored within the Latin American country from which they were acquired.