Viral video captures rare glass octopus in all its glory

The glass octopus is found in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the world (Image credit: @TheOxygenProj/Twitter)

Footage of a rarely-seen octopus with almost transparent skin has left the internet in awe. The glass octopus, so named for its see-through body, lives in deep waters of the ocean where sunlight doesn’t reach. There have been very few sightings of the octopus in the wild, thanks to its elusive nature and the depths at which it survives.

On the belated occasion of World Octopus Day, which is celebrated on October 8, The Oxygen Project shared a stunning video of the glass octopus (Vitreledonella richardi) which has gone viral on Twitter.

“The glass octopus (Vitreledonella richardi) is a very rarely seen cephalopod found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. These beautiful creatures are found in the deep sea where sunlight doesn’t reach,” the organisation wrote while sharing the video, which they credited to Schmidt Ocean Institute.

Happy belated #WorldOctopusDay!

The glass octopus (Vitreledonella richardi) is a very rarely seen cephalopod found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. These beautiful creatures are found in the deep sea where sunlight doesn’t reach.

Video by @SchmidtOcean pic.twitter.com/fXgYPYDSUG

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— The Oxygen Project (@TheOxygenProj) October 9, 2022

Using a remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian, scientists were able to observe two glass octopuses.

“During the expedition, scientists made two rare sightings of a glass octopus, a nearly transparent species whose only visible features are its optic nerve, eyeballs and digestive tract. Before this expedition, there has been limited live footage of the glass octopus, forcing scientists to learn about the animal by studying specimens found in the gut contents of predators,” the institute said in a statement.