Home / Environment / Rare Seven-Arm Octopus Stuns Aberdeenshire Coast
Rare Seven-Arm Octopus Stuns Aberdeenshire Coast
3 Dec
Summary
- Mysterious tentacles on a Scottish beach identified as a rare seven-arm octopus.
- The deep-sea creature lives hundreds of meters below the surface.
- Remains are preserved for further scientific study and potential museum display.
What initially appeared to be unusual tentacles washed ashore on an Aberdeenshire beach have been identified by marine biologists as the remains of a rare seven-arm octopus. The discovery was made at Forvie National Nature Reserve, where local staff were alerted to the find on Sunday. After some investigation, experts confirmed the specimen to be Haliphron atlanticus, a deep-sea species typically residing hundreds of meters below the ocean's surface.
Reserve staff initially noted the large diameter and suckers of the remains, ruling out common local species. Speculation ranged from giant squid to other deep-water creatures, but the absence of teeth on the suckers led to further inquiry. Marine biologist Dr. Lauren Smith emphasized the rarity of such a find, noting that the species lives at depths exceeding 500 meters, making its appearance in the North Sea a significant puzzle.
The recovered remains have been frozen for detailed scientific study, with the possibility of some specimens being preserved for museum display. This extraordinary discovery underscores the vast unknowns of deep-ocean environments and highlights the value of community wildlife reporting in scientific research. The exact circumstances of how the seven-arm octopus reached the shore remain a mystery, possibly due to deep-sea currents or fishing activities.
