'Ghost' Octopus Discovered: New species

Scientists have discovered what might be a new species of octopus - with a spooky resemblance to a cartoon ghost.


The small, white, specimen was found at a depth of about 2.5 miles (13,500ft) in the Pacific Ocean, near Hawaii.

The octopus did not have fins and all suckers were in one row on each arm, said Michael Vecchione, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The octopus "did not seem very muscular," he added.

"This resulted in a ghostlike appearance, leading to a comment on social media that it should be called Casper, like the friendly cartoon ghost," Mr Vecchione said.

"It is almost certainly an undescribed species."

It is unusual to find an octopus without fins so deep in the ocean, said Mr Vecchione.

The octopus was discovered during a search of the ocean floor by a remotely operated vehicle from NOAA's Okeanos Explorer.