Tiny Blue Octopus Species Discovered in Galápagos Deep Sea

A new species of bright blue octopus, called Microeledone galapagensis, has been discovered in the Galápagos Islands. This little octopus, about the size of a golf ball, was first spotted in 2015 by a research team using the submersible Nautilus at a depth of 5,800 feet close to Darwin Island. The team was excited when they captured footage of the octopus gliding along the ocean floor with their remote-operated vehicle. Janet Voight, who used to be the curator of invertebrates at the Field Museum in Chicago, later verified its classification. This octopus is the tiniest known member of the Megaleledonidae family, typically found in the Southern Ocean. The Charles Darwin Foundation revealed this finding on Monday.