The ancestors of octopus are still alive

While octopus belongs to the "ancestor" of Megaleledone setebos living in shallow water to catch the sun, many of its descendants accept the lack of light in the ocean floor.

>>> 'Aliens' under the sea

The study of octopus evolution is part of the largest marine life statistics project ever. The project began in 2000 with the participation of more than 2,000 scientists from 82 countries and will end in 2010.

" We gather many octopus species on the seabed and take them to Cambridge University in England for DNA testing. A leading British expert will examine the relationship between octopus species and how to evolve. for 30 million years, "said Dr Don O'Dor, a project participant.

Biologist Jan Strugnell of Cambridge University, who is responsible for the octopus's DNA analysis, added that she found the common ancestor of many octopus species. It is Megaleledone setebos - a shallow water species in the Antarctic waters. Jan affirmed that changes in the sea play an important role in the evolution of many new species.

Megaleledone setebos is the common ancestor of many octopus species on the ocean floor. (Photo: BBC)

According to Don O'Dor's explanation, in Antarctica, fresh water forms ice crystals, leaving salt and oxygen to the surrounding water. After storing oxygen and salt to a certain extent, the water around the iceberg sinks down because of the heavy . Thanks to that, oxygen is brought down to deep water. Some branches of octopus Megaleledone setebos move down there to live. Current currents continue to carry oxygen everywhere, including the deepest parts of the ocean

" Before that process started, there was no oxygen at the bottom of the ocean ," Don insisted.

Dr. Jan Strugnell's research also shows us the octopus's adaptive life process. For example, they lose ink bags because in the dark environment at the bottom, octopus does not need self-defense weapons.