{"id":4774,"date":"2015-06-19T07:57:38","date_gmt":"2015-06-19T07:57:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/revoscience.com\/en\/?p=4774"},"modified":"2015-06-19T08:02:32","modified_gmt":"2015-06-19T08:02:32","slug":"the-cute-tiny-octopus-scientist-may-name-it-adorabilis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/the-cute-tiny-octopus-scientist-may-name-it-adorabilis\/","title":{"rendered":"The cute tiny octopus-Scientist may name it adorabilis"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"(Screenshot<\/a>
(Screenshot from YouTube\/Science Friday)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deep in the ocean\u2019s cold, dark waters lives a species of wide-eyed octopus that will surely warm your heart with pure cuteness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Up until now, these peculiar creatures have gone unnamed. Now, scientists are preparing to formally name the species, and they\u2019re considering the one word that captures this tiny cephalopod\u2019s essence:\u00a0Opisthoteuthis adorabilis<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Naming Rights<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers have been collecting and studying these unidentified cephalopods since 1990, but no one undertook the exhaustive process to scientifically identify them. Scientists need to study newly discovered creatures \u2014\u00a0inside and out \u2014\u00a0to clearly describe how they are unique from other species that may be closely related. New species identifications, including a name, are then published as articles in scientific journals.<\/span><\/p>\n

This species belongs to the Opistotheuthis genus, which includes octopus species that are notable for their compressed shape and stumpy, webbed limbs. The naming task in this case falls on Stephanie Bush, a researcher at the\u00a0Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute<\/span><\/a>, who has been working hard to classify these aquatic animals.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Fitting Name<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Bush and her team are caring for these creatures in super-chilled, dark aquariums in order to study their internal and external anatomy. The tiny cephalopods have gelatinous, fragile bodies with huge eyes. They spend their days spreading their webbed tentacles and floating through the water, using tiny fins that look like hippo ears to steer. Bush has also dissected the creatures to describe their internal anatomy. And since she\u2019s put in the time, she\u2019s earned exclusive naming rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone that\u2019s describing the species you get to pick what the specific name is,\u201d Bush told\u00a0Science Friday<\/span><\/a><\/em>. \u201cOne of the thoughts I had was making itOpisthoteuthis adorabilis<\/em>\u00a0because they\u2019re really cute.\u201d