Galápagos Islands receives rare blue octopus holotype

A rare blue octopus, identified as a new endemic species named Microeledone galapagensis, has returned to the Galápagos Islands. The specimen, roughly the size of a golf ball, will be preserved at the Charles Darwin Research Station to aid in the study of the archipelago’s biodiversity.

The species was first discovered in 2015 at a depth of over 1,700 meters in the northern part of the Ecuadorian archipelago. Following its initial collection, the specimen was sent to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, where it was officially classified and named in 2022.

Upon its return to the Galápagos, the specimen was handled with care by researchers. It has been designated as the holotype, serving as the official reference specimen for the species. It will now be housed within the research station’s extensive collection of marine and terrestrial organisms.