Scientists have discovered at least four new octopus species in a roughly 260-kilometre square area off the coast of Costa Rica.
A mother octopus broods her eggs near a small outcrop of rock unofficially called El Dorado Hill.
One of the new species - dubbed the Dorado Octopus for the unofficial name of the outcrop it was found on - was discovered at one of these hydrothermal springs.
The other three species were found away from the hydrothermal springs in the deep sea nearby.
The Schmidt Ocean Insititute says this allows local scientists and students to easily access the samples, helping inform strategies for managing the region's deep seas.
Researcher Fiorella Vasquez (University of Costa Rica) processes a deep-sea octopus sample in the main laboratory during the "Octopus Odyssey (too)" expedition off Costa Rica.
In 2024, the Falkor (too) will be operating off the coast of Peru and Chile, welcoming more scientists from South America on board. »