While exploring the deep sea northeast of Hawaii’s Necker Island with a remotely operated vehicle, scientists aboard the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer were surprised to encounter what may be a never-before-seen octopus. Though the February 27 discovery was made at a depth of 4,290 meters (14,075 feet), the octopus belongs to a group of octopods that have not previously been observed at depths greater than 4,000 meters (13,123 feet). This octopus lacks pigment cells typical of most cephalopods, which gives it a ghostlike appearance.
BBC Earth
Northern Ireland
Despite the animal's all-white appearance, it's coloring does not result from albinism, a congenital condition that results in a loss of pigmentation. Göran Ericsson is a professor of elk and moose for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. He explained that, while the condition is rare, he sees news of white moose surface every year, and it’s possible the prevalence of these ghostly animals is increasing. “Hunters have chosen to not kill any moose that are light,†said Ericsson. In other words, with white moose being effectively protected, natural selection might be making the condition more common.
