New Miniature Blue Octopus Species Discovered Near Galapagos

Khaosod•International•1d ago

Reader Briefing

A new species of tiny, blue octopus, 'Microeledone galapagensis', has been discovered by scientists in the deep waters of the Galapagos Islands.

•A new species of miniature blue octopus has been discovered by scientists in the deep sea near the Galapagos Islands.
•The octopus, named 'Microeledone galapagensis', was found at a depth of nearly 2,000 meters and is roughly the size of a golf ball.
•The discovery was made during an expedition by the research vessel E/V Nautilus.

•On May 29, 2026, international media reported on the discovery.
•Scientists discovered a new species of small, blue octopus at a depth of approximately 1,800 meters.
•The discovery occurred near Darwin Island in the Galapagos Islands during an underwater exploration mission by the E/V Nautilus.
•The octopus was found at a depth of almost 2,000 meters.
•The newly discovered octopus is the size of a golf ball.
•CT scans were used to create 3D models for analysis because only one sample was available, in order to confirm it was a new species.
•The 'Microeledone galapagensis' has short, stubby arms with a single row of suckers and a distinctive blue-purple color, believed to be a camouflage mechanism.
•Scientists stated that this discovery highlights the vast number of undiscovered species in the ocean, emphasizing how little is known about the deep sea.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Scientist (unnamed)

"It's so small! And blue!"

มันตัวเล็กมาก! แล้วก็สีน้ำเงิน!

Galapagos Islands(หมู่เกาะกาลาปากอส)ℹ️

The location where the new blue octopus species was discovered.

Darwin Island(เกาะดาร์วิน)ℹ️

A specific island in the Galapagos archipelago near where the octopus was found.

E/V Nautilus

The research vessel involved in the underwater exploration mission that led to the discovery.

Darwin Foundation(มูลนิธิดาร์วิน)

An organization that collaborated on the underwater exploration mission.

Galapagos National Park(อุทยานแห่งชาติกาลาปากอส)ℹ️

An organization involved in the underwater exploration mission in the Galapagos Islands.

New York Post(newyork post)ℹ️

The foreign media outlet from which the news was reported.

Jane Voight(เจน วอยต์)

A researcher who provided details about the challenges and methods used to study the new octopus species.