Scientists have discovered a new species of giant Pacific octopus swimming right under their noses. Suspected for years, this is the first time researchers have confirmed the species both genetically and visually.
Distinctive fleshy “frills”
Called the “frilled giant Pacific octopus,” the mysterious creature has a bumpy ridge across its body, weird fleshy “eye lashes” and two white spots on its head.
Scientists published two papers on the species in the American Malacological Bulletin in November; one on its genetics and one on its body patterns. The research is part of Alaska Pacific University’s Alaska Octopus Project.
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The giant Pacific octopus—or Enteroctopus dofleini—is the largest known octopus in the world. Living around the coastal Northern Pacific, the animals are found from Japan to California. The monstrous beasts can weigh over 150 pounds.
The existence of another species has been suspected since at least 2012, Earther reports. Alaska Pacific University and US Geological Survey researchers found different DNA among giant Pacific octopuses in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. After taking tissue samples, the scientists had released the animals back into the wild.
This left the task of visual identification to Nathan Hollenbeck. He cataloged the distinguishing features of the species as part of his undergraduate senior thesis.
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Shrimp fishing bycatch
Instead of hunting down for the animals himself, Hollenbeck left the catching up to local shrimp fishers. This allowed him to take a proper look at the creatures when accidently caught in hauls of shrimp. Every now and then, giant octopuses find their way into a baited shrimp pot—often with their bellies full of the shellfish.
“Usually the octopuses have eaten the shrimp,” he told Earther, “so there’s a lot of shrimp shells and legs and antennae.”
David Scheel, Hollenbeck’s advisor and co-author on the research, said: “Presumably, people have been catching these octopuses for years and no one ever noticed,” Earther reports.
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Less invasive genetic testing
As well as documenting the way the newly-discovered species looks, Hollenback and his team tested a swabbing method of DNA sampling. Rather than snipping chunks of tissue from the animals like the 2012 researchers, his team used a simple foam-tipped swabs and some salty preservation buffer.
They were able to match the different DNA samples to the weird-looking frilled octopuses. Related but distinct, they are a “genetic sister” to the standard giant Pacific.
Different bodies, different lifestyles
What seem like quite small differences between the species might be indicative of more distinct lifestyles. The frill, for example, might be a sign of these differences.
Scheel told Earther, “I’ve been thinking: why would an octopus have a ledge coming off its body like that? Maybe we’re seeing differences in their habitat selection and ecology reflected by differences in their body.”
Further work must be done to properly catalog the new species which, as yet, has no official Latin name.
This article was first written by Newsweek
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