Overview

• Researchers from CSIC observed a wild male Octopus vulgaris in Ibiza regenerating a bifurcated arm, resulting in a functional ninth limb.
• The bifurcated arm branches were used differently: one primarily for feeding and the other for exploratory behaviors, demonstrating specialized limb functionality.
• The study, published in the journal Animals, is based on five months of in situ underwater monitoring and over 2,000 documented behavioral events.
• This discovery provides insights into cephalopod neural regeneration, with implications for robotics, neuroscience, and regenerative medicine.
• The project, part of the Ecosuma initiative, was conducted by CSIC teams in Vigo and the Balearic Islands with funding from Spain’s Ministry of Science.