A devoted deep-sea octopus mom has broken a record for parental self-sacrifice after spending 4½ years with her arms wrapped around her eggs until they hatched.

The researchers found that eggs at this site hatch after about 21 months – far shorter than the four years or more it takes for other known deep-sea octopus eggs. “Usually, colder water slows ...

While the true gender of Terrance came as a bit of a shock, the family figured the eggs were likely unfertilized and left it at that. But in February, they began to hatch. It’s likely that ...

A) A two-spot octopus alongside the two 'biologically meaningful' surfaces of its life: crab (food) and egg cases (offspring). B) Scanning electron microscope images of the bacteria on each surface.

Sepela et al., Cell 2025 A scanning electron micrograph showing a distinct array of bacteria on the surface of eggs that had been rejected by a brooding mother octopus. Sepela et al., Cell 2025 ...

Caption: The mother octopus was curled over a clutch of about 160 teardrop-shaped, olive-sized eggs, visible on the upper left, that were attached to a rock from May 2007 to September 2011.

So scientists were startled to find thousands of octopus huddled together, protecting their eggs at the bottom of the ocean off the central California coast. Aug. 23, 2023 Aug. 23, 2023 2 min read ...

The researchers found that eggs at this site hatch after about 21 months — far shorter than the four years or more it takes for other known deep-sea octopus eggs.