Deep-sea expedition stumbles upon 'garden' of more than a THOUSAND brooding octopus mothers off Monterey

Researchers encountered a massive group of brooding octopuses off California
The octopus mothers are in the middle of brooding, or sitting atop their eggs
Deep-sea octopuses in the area are known to brood for upwards of four years

Published: 17:38 EDT, 29 October 2018 | Updated: 17:47 EDT, 29 October 2018

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More than a thousand octopus mothers have been spotted congregating off the coast of California in an otherworldly scene unlike anything observed before.

Octopuses are known to brood their young for exceptionally long periods of time, and have been seen guarding their eggs in large groups.

But, experts say the ‘garden’ of cephalopods seen near Monterey Bay’s Davidson Seamount is the most massive cluster they’ve ever encountered.

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More than a thousand octopus mothers have been spotted congregating off the coast of California in an otherworldly scene unlike anything observed before

Jaw-dropping footage captured by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with the E/V Nautilus expedition shows the undersea landscape dotted with a seemingly endless speckling of octopuses.

Each of the creatures sits with its tentacles wrapped around itself, its body tucked into a nook.

The cephalopods are in the middle of what’s known as brooding, in which they sit atop their eggs for months or even years on end.

In a study published back in 2014, scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute revealed the deep-sea creatures in the area brood for upwards of four years.

Experts say the ‘garden’ of cephalopods seen near Monterey Bay’s Davidson Seamount is the most massive cluster they’ve encountered. Each of the creatures sits with its tentacles wrapped around itself, body tucked into a nook

Jaw-dropping footage captured by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with the E/V Nautilus expedition shows the undersea landscape dotted with a seemingly endless speckling of octopuses

While the behaviour itself isn’t unusual, stumbling upon over a thousand of them certainly is.

‘Never before seen in such massive aggregations, females were brooding eggs near shimmering fluid seeps – previously unknown to occur in this region!’ the E/V Nautilus team tweeted along with footage of the remarkable encounter.

Researchers shared images of the huge brooding group in a post highlighting the stunning octopus sightings they’ve had so far in the expedition – or, as they’ve dubbed it, ‘Octopalooza.’

The cephalopods are in the middle of what’s known as brooding, in which they sit atop their eggs for months or even years on end

Researchers shared images of the huge brooding group in a post highlighting the stunning octopus sightings they’ve had so far in the expedition

The photo gallery also included a look at the adorable white dumbo octopus the team came across last week.

These cephalopods are also commonly known as umbrella octopus.

This particular creature was spotted during the first of a series of dives at the Davidson Seamount, and with its small wing-like fins flapping slowly through the dark and a ‘web’ that fans out like an umbrella, it bears an uncanny resemblance to a cartoon ghost

During the dive, the team used the ROV to look at an unexplored ‘oasis’ region that sits southeast of the feature, where there are fields of coral and sponge.

Last week, the team revealed they'd encountered a 'ghostly' white dumbo octopus near the Davidson Seamount

HOW DO OCTOPUSES DEFEND THEMSELVES?

One of the most effective ways octopuses avoid predation is by camouflaging with their environment.

They have special pigment cells allow them to control the colour of their skin, much like chameleons.

As well as colour change they can manipulate the texture of their skin in order to blend in with the terrain.

As well as camouflage they can escape predators by using a 'jet propulsion' method of escape, where they rapidly shoot out water to propel them through the water rapidly.

The jet of water from the siphon is often accompanied by a release of ink to confuse and evade potential enemies.

The suckers on the tentacles of the eight-legged beasts are extremely powerful and are used to drag prey towards a sharp beak.

As well as protection from other animals, it has been recently found that octopuses can detect the ultrasonic waves that preempt a volcanic eruption or earthquake, giving them enough time to escape.

‘At first the ghostly octopod drifted past the camera on ROV Hercules flapping its pair of wing-like fins, then it inverted its web, spreading it like an umbrella to reveal the eight arms each with a single series of suckers and two series of finger-like muscular structures called cirri,’ the team said.

The team estimates the octopus was about 60 centimeters long (2 feet).

The area near the Davidson Seamount stretches from 3,100 to 3,600 meters deep, and is home to basaltic rocky reef.

Researchers are hoping to survey the area and document the presence of deep-sea life, along with collecting water and sediment samples, and environmental data.