Octopus guarded eggs like no other mother has ever guarded her children before. Scientists have just recently announced their discovery of a deep sea octopus guarded eggs for a record-breaking time of four and a half years.
Brad Seibel, University of Rhode Island's animal physiologist, said, "This is the longest brooding or gestation of any animal on the planet. Elephants gestate for 20 to 21 months and some deep sea sharks carry their embryos around internally for a couple of years, but nothing is longer than this."
This newly discovered brooding period of an octopus guarded eggs actually represents the far end of an underwater parenting spectrum. On the other end lies the "broadcast spawn" strategy, which happens when an animal releases hundreds of thousands of eggs into the water. When this happens, majority of these eggs ends up getting eaten by various types of predators. However, since there are just so many of them, several do successfully make it to adulthood.
The discovered octopus guarded eggs is actually from the Graneledone boreopacifica species. It only produces a relatively smaller number of eggs, compared to others, specifically 155 to 165. This is perhaps why the octopus guarded eggs has watched over her offspring until the babies have finally developed and are more likely to survive on their own.
What makes this heroic act of the octopus guarded eggs even more amazing is that it appeared to have lain off eating for itself for a long duration of four and a half years. It would seem that the octopus guarded eggs is hell bent on protecting her eggs and has sworn off eating, at least until her baby octopuses can handle living by themselves.
Seibel said, "I think she keeps them clean, keeps sediment from accumulating on them. Also, the oxygen level is fairly low down there. So, she may ventilate the eggs by blowing water across them."
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