An image of a Caribbean reef octopus protecting its eggs in a den was captured on camera during an underwater shoot off the eastern coast of Florida.
Image of the octopus with eggs captured by Mr. Kovacs during his diving trip. (Photo: Steven Kovacs).
Photographer Steven Kovacs accidentally captured the moment of this octopus during a night dive at Riviera Beach, according to Telegraph.
This species of octopus is known as Octopus briareus, characterized by its unique blue and green skin, which can easily change color thanks to specialized cells.
The Octopus briareus is often difficult to spot as they are quite small and inhabit deep ocean areas, typically surfacing at night.
“Some species of animals can take years and hundreds of dives to see because they are very rare and hard to detect. It’s like a treasure hunt in the ocean; they are not only small but also very few and located in remote areas,” Mr. Steven Kovacs shared.
The photographer added, “The challenge of night diving is not taking photos but discovering the creatures drifting in the water.”
According to experts, various larvae and crustaceans often move to nutrient-rich surfaces to feed at night and hide during the day.
