CHINESE marine scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking discovery in the depths of the Pacific Ocean: a new species of Dumbo octopus named Grimpoteuthis feitiana.

The find, announced this week by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), adds to the growing catalog of mysterious life forms thriving in Earth’s least-explored ecosystems.

Characterized by ear-like fins resembling Disney’s flying elephant, Dumbo octopuses use their unique appendages to glide through waters up to 4,000 meters deep. The scientists discovered the new species at the Caroline Seamount in the Western Pacific Ocean, capturing it on camera during a deep-sea expedition using submersible technology developed by Chinese oceanographers.

Measuring approximately 20 centimeters in length, the octopus has a translucent orange-red body covered with soft, gelatinous-textured skin.

The researchers observed that as it swims, the octopus gracefully contracts and expands the membranes between its arms while flapping its ear-like fins. Inspired by the flying apsaras depicted in China’s Dunhuang murals, they named the octopus feitiana.

They also analyzed the phylogenetic relationships among octopus species and discovered that deep-sea octopuses reduce their metabolic demands by minimizing active swimming and slowing their movement — an adaptation that helps their mitochondrial electron transport systems maintain function. This enables them to thrive in deep-sea environments. The details of the discovery were recently published in the journal Organisms Diversity & Evolution.(Xinhua)