Full Breakdown
New Deep-Sea Octopus Species Discovered Near the Galápagos Islands
5/25/2026, 9:36:55 PM
Discovery of a Tiny Blue Octopus Near Darwin Island
In July 2015 an ROV from the research vessel E/V Nautilus filmed a bright-blue octopus on an underwater mountain near Darwin Island, the northernmost Galápagos island. The animal, about the size of a golf ball, was recorded at roughly 1,800 m depth. Video showed the individual and two similar specimens. The expedition was a joint effort of the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galápagos National Park Directorate.
Imaging and Taxonomy
With only one specimen, researchers used non-destructive micro-CT scanning, producing thousands of X-ray slices that formed a high-resolution 3-D model of the beak, internal organs and 13 eggs. The octopus has stubby arms with a single row of suckers, smooth skin, a light-blue dorsal mantle and a deep-purple ventral side. It was placed in the family Megaleledonidae (some sources list Megaledonidae) and named *Microeledone galapagensis* (alternatively *galapagoensis*).
Researchers and Official Response
The description was led by Janet Voight, curator emerita of invertebrates at the Field Museum, who first identified the octopus as new. Stephanie Smith, manager of the museum’s X-ray CT lab, performed the scans; Alexander Ziegler of the University of Bonn was senior author. Salome Buglass, marine scientist at UCLA and former Charles Darwin Foundation researcher, helped sort specimens and draft the paper. The team highlighted the collaboration between the Charles Darwin Foundation, the Galápagos National Park Directorate and the Field Museum, and noted that the find will inform future biodiversity monitoring in the archipelago.
Significance and Conservation
The discovery shows how much of the Pacific deep sea remains undocumented and demonstrates the value of non-destructive imaging for type specimens. Adding a new cephalopod provides baseline data for assessing ecosystem health and guiding marine-protected-area management in the Galápagos. Researchers stress that the ocean’s volume far exceeds Earth’s land area, implying many similar species await discovery. The sheer scale of the Pacific Ocean underscores the potential for many undiscovered species.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Media differ on the species epithet (galapagensis vs. galapagoensis), the family name (Megaleledonidae vs. Megaledonidae) and the journal of publication (Zootaxa vs. Zoologica). Only one specimen has been examined, leaving population size, distribution and ecological role unknown.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Right away, I knew it was something really special,” — Janet Voight, curator emerita, Field Museum
- “There's nothing like spending the day looking at something no other human has ever seen,” — Stephanie Smith, manager, Field Museum X-ray CT laboratory
- “Discoveries like these remind us how much of the deep ocean in Galápagos remains unexplored.” — Salome Buglass, marine scientist, UCLA
What’s Next
The team plans additional ROV surveys of nearby seamounts to locate more specimens and assess population density. The new data will contribute to ongoing efforts to understand and protect deep-sea ecosystems in the Galápagos.
