Wonderpus octopus larvae (Photo: Wu Yung-sen)

“Taking photos in a gravity-free environment seems like I am chasing alien creatures up and down. That’s exactly how I feel!”

The depths of the ocean are a powerful draw for researchers, experienced divers, and photographers alike. The vast bodies of water which cover over 70 percent of the planet’s surface are still being explored and documented. Lured by mystery, blackwater photographers dive at night into icy, pitch-dark depths. Taipei-based photographer Wu Yung-senhas been deep sea diving and photographing marine life for four years. On a recent blackwater dive—unable to see the bottom and surrounded by impenetrable space—he chanced upon a rare larval Wunderpus octopus. A stunning image captures the encounter; it shows the delicate and transparent baby octopus encasing its own brilliantly red brain, a sight few ever witness in the wild.

The Wunderpus octopus—called Wunderpus photogenicus, literally meaning photogenic wonder—was only first officially described by researchers in 2006. The animal is still understudied compared to other octopi. The species lives in the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean south of the Philippines. The adults are a rusty red with white spots and stripes. They possess an ability to contort themselves to mimic other similarly shaded sea creatures, such as the venomous spiny lion fish.[…]

Source: Photos of Rare Octopus With Completely Transparent Head