Rare Nine-Legged Octopus Discovered Off Coast Of Japan

A rare nine-legged octopus has been discovered off the coast of Japan.

The unusual creature was caught in Shizugawa Bay in the town of Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, on 13 November.

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The fisherman who caught it only noticed the bonus leg as he was boiling it, and subsequently contacted the Minamisanriku Nature Center (MNC).

Takuzo Abe, a researcher at the MNC, said that octopuses have the ability to regenerate limbs that are severed, and it is possible this ninth leg was added when healing a wound to the leg it has grown out of.

The octopus has now been preserved in alcohol and put on display at the MNC.

According to The Mainichi, 46-year-old Takuzo said: "(This octopus) is a phenomenon demonstrating the diversity of nature.

"I want to leave this for posterity and use it to get more people to know about the abundant nature of Shizugawa Bay.

"I hope it becomes an opportunity for people to learn about the abundant mysteries of the ocean."

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Meanwhile, in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, beachgoers were recently urged to stay away from a washed up curled octopus.

The octopus, which was dubbed Curly the Kraken, set up residence on the north prom shoreline at the beach a fortnight ago.

But there were concerns it may be harassed by people or dogs, as its arrival attracted crowds, according to Grimsby Live.

Grimsby News and Picture Service

Resort manager, Scott Snowden, said the creature must be protected and has told visitors to keep their distance.

Snowden said: "It is quite a rarity to have one on our doorstep. We would urge people to respect nature and let it enjoy its natural habitat.

"Unfortunately, we have had dogs trying to disturb it and my big worry is the number of people gathering to have a look.

"We all have a duty to keep a social distance and that includes from the octopus.

"There have been some quite large groups and we cannot have that in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"The responsible thing to do is to leave it to its natural ways."

Topics: Weird, Animals, Japan

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey