tldrdailynews.com logo
Tag

Octopus

All articles tagged with #octopus

Palm-sized blue octopus crowned a new Galápagos species
science1 day ago

Palm-sized blue octopus crowned a new Galápagos species

Scientists have identified Microeledone galapagensis, a palm-sized blue octopus discovered in the Galápagos in 2015. Using CT scanning to build a 3D model, researchers placed the female in the Megaleledonidae family and noted its close relation to M. mangoldi. Found about 1,773 meters (5,800 feet) below the surface, the species highlights deep-sea biodiversity and high endemism in the Galápagos and underscores how much remains unknown about the deep ocean as climate change reshapes these ecosystems.

via CNN|
#ct-scanning#deep-sea-biodiversity#galapagos
Tiny Blue Galápagos Octopus Earns a New Species Name via 3D CT Scan
science2 days ago

Tiny Blue Galápagos Octopus Earns a New Species Name via 3D CT Scan

A golf-ball-sized blue octopus living in deep waters off Darwin Island in the Galápagos has been formally described as a new species, Microeledone galapagensis, after researchers used nondestructive CT scanning to build a detailed 3D model of its anatomy. The study underscores how much remains unknown about deep-sea life and the value of exploration and conservation.

via WIRED|
#ct-imaging#deep-sea#galapagos-islands
Colossal Cretaceous Kraken? Study hints at 60-foot octopuses in ancient seas
science26 days ago

Colossal Cretaceous Kraken? Study hints at 60-foot octopuses in ancient seas

A Science study using 15 fossil octopus beaks and AI-based size estimates suggests 60-foot octopuses may have been apex predators in the Late Cretaceous (72–100 million years ago), capable of preying on large creatures like sharks and mosasaurs, though some paleontologists call the 60-foot figure extreme and caution that more evidence is needed.

via Yahoo|
#apex-predators#beaks#late-cretaceous
Cephalopod brains reveal a smarter path to intelligence
science26 days ago

Cephalopod brains reveal a smarter path to intelligence

Cephalopods like octopuses have large, highly intelligent brains built very differently from ours—neural cords in their arms and a donut-shaped brain around the esophagus—yet they show memory, problem solving, and rapid camouflage. Scientists are mapping their circuits, comparing dopamine signaling to vertebrates, and using genome data and CRISPR to develop lab-friendly models, highlighting both convergent principles and entirely novel brain solutions, while navigating cross-border ethical considerations and technical hurdles.

via Yahoo|
#brain#cephalopod#evolution
Ancient Kraken: Fossil jaws reveal 60-foot octopuses ruled the dinosaur seas
science1 month ago

Ancient Kraken: Fossil jaws reveal 60-foot octopuses ruled the dinosaur seas

New analysis of 15 fossil jaws from Japan and Vancouver Island, plus 12 more from Japan using digital fossil mining, estimates Late Cretaceous octopuses ranged 23–62 ft and were likely apex predators, with wear on their beaks indicating they crushed hard prey—making them among the largest invertebrates and possibly rivals to marine reptiles and sharks.

via CBS News|
#cephalopods#dinosaurs#fossils
Ancient sea giant: a 19-metre octopus haunted the prehistoric oceans
science1 month ago

Ancient sea giant: a 19-metre octopus haunted the prehistoric oceans

Analysis of exceptionally preserved fossil jaws from Japan suggests giant octopuses could reach up to 19 metres in total length, potentially the largest known invertebrates and top predators in the Cretaceous seas, capable of crushing shells and bones of large prey; uneven jaw wear hints at one-sided feeding and possibly advanced brain function, though exact form and speed remain uncertain and no stomach contents have been found; the research is published in Science.

via BBC|
#ancient-oceans#invertebrates#octopus
Ancient 19-meter octopuses crushed bones in Cretaceous seas, study finds
science1 month ago

Ancient 19-meter octopuses crushed bones in Cretaceous seas, study finds

Fossil beak analysis reveals giant Cretaceous octopuses up to about 19 m long that crushed bones and shells with powerful jaws, possibly rivaling mosasaurs in the oceans. Nanaimoteuthis haggarti may be the largest known invertebrate, with wear patterns and lateralization indicating sophisticated predation. Researchers reclassified several beaks and uncovered additional specimens (12 more beaks from 72–100 million-year-old rocks) using digital imaging, reshaping views of the Cretaceous marine ecosystem. Findings published in Science.

via The Guardian|
#beaks#cretaceous#octopus
Ancient 60-Foot Octopuses Dominated the Cretaceous Seas
science1 month ago

Ancient 60-Foot Octopuses Dominated the Cretaceous Seas

New fossil analysis shows Nanaimoteuthis octopuses reached up to 19 meters (60 feet) in the Cretaceous and may have been apex predators, using a large body and long arms to catch prey; wear on their jaws suggests they crushed hard-shelled animals, and researchers used 3D grinding tomography and AI to reconstruct their size and ecology, expanding our view of ancient marine ecosystems.

via CNN|
#apexpredator#cretaceous#fossils
Oldest 'octopus' fossil reclassified as nautiloid
science1 month ago

Oldest 'octopus' fossil reclassified as nautiloid

A fossil long hailed as the oldest octopus, Pohlsepia mazonensis from Mazon Creek (~311–306 million years ago), has been re-examined with advanced imaging. Using synchrotron X-ray, micro-CT, SEM, and multispectral imaging, researchers found no octopus features (no eight-arm anatomy, no internal shell, no ink sac, no hooks) and no ocular pigments. They identified a preserved radula and dental pattern that match nautiloids, revealing it died, decomposed, and was flattened into mud, preserving soft tissue as two-dimensional stains. This makes Pohlsepia the oldest confirmed nautiloid soft-tissue fossil in the Paleozoic, and the study suggests other Mazon Creek fossils could yield similar revelations.

via Ars Technica|
#fossils#mazon-creek#nautiloid
Ancient fossil labeled oldest octopus debunked: a nautiloid, not an octopus
science1 month ago

Ancient fossil labeled oldest octopus debunked: a nautiloid, not an octopus

A 300-million-year-old fossil once hailed as the world’s oldest octopus has been reclassified as a nautiloid after new analyses, including synchrotron imaging and detailed geochemistry. The researchers found a radula with many rows of teeth inconsistent with octopuses, explaining why the fossil looked octopus-like as it decomposed. Discovered at the Mazon Creek site near Chicago, Pohlsepia mazonensis’ true identity underscores how advanced technologies are reshaping paleontology by revealing hidden anatomy that old methods missed.

via Yahoo News New Zealand|
#fossil#nautiloid#octopus
Clever Octopus Triggers Tug-of-War with Hidden BRUVS Camera on Tuvalu Reef
science2 months ago

Clever Octopus Triggers Tug-of-War with Hidden BRUVS Camera on Tuvalu Reef

National Geographic Pristine Seas deployed baited underwater cameras on a Tuvalu reef; a day octopus (Octopus cyanea) grabbed the weighted canister, tugged it toward a nearby rock, and used its arms and taste receptors to investigate and try to access the sardines inside, moving a heavy 10–15 kg rig in a display of problem‑solving.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|
#animal-intelligence#bruvs#marine-biology