An Adorable Tiny Octopus Species Could Get the Official Name ‘Opisthoteuthis Adorabilis’

An adorable tiny octopus species being described at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) could be getting the official name Opisthoteuthis adorabilis due to its cuteness. The species is being described by Stephanie Bush, a postdoctoral fellow at MBARI who is responsible for coming up with the name, and she has proposed Opisthoteuthis adorabilis as a possible selection.

Bush and Opisthoteuthis adorabilis are the subject of a recent episode of Science Friday that is part of its upcoming Cephalopod Week.

photos via Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute