Tiny octopus so cute scientists may name it 'adorabilis'



A tiny, pink octopus might be named adorabilis by scientists because of its cute appearance.

The creature, which was discovered in 1990, is from the genus Opisthoteuthis, the same group as the flapjack octopus.

Stephanie Bush of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute told Smh.com.au: "New species are discovered every year, not all of them get described, it can take a lot of time, years sometimes."

She added: "I don't see any obvious reason why it would be inappropriate."

"It's easy to pronounce and popular with the public."

According to ABC, other species that have been deemed adorable include Lophornis adorabilis, the white-crested coquette hummingbird.

Researchers do not know much about the octopus species, apart from it living in deep cold waters.

The 12 individuals that have been studied have so far all been female.

Dr Bush said she is trying to incubate a batch of octopus eggs in her laboratory but says they may not hatch for two or three years because the cold temperature of the deep ocean causes them to develop slowly.

Last year, scientists discovered the deepest swimming fish ever recorded.

The translucent white fish had wing-like fins and a tail resembling that of an eel.

An international team of researchers took part in an expedition to Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the world's oceans, and discovered the never-before-seen species, thought to be a snailfish more than five miles below sea level.

The weird-looking creature was found 8,145m beneath the waves. Several other new species were discovered on the trip.

Dr Alan Jamieson, from Oceanlab at the University of Aberdeen, said: "We think it is a snailfish, but it's so weird-looking; it's up in the air in terms of what it is.

"It is unbelievably fragile, and when it swims, it looks like it has wet tissue paper floating behind it."



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