Warts are the secret to identifying these bumpy octopuses

One species of wart-encrusted octopus looks very much like another — which is why zoologists are taking a good, hard look at those warts: turns out, they could help scientists tell these exceptionally bumpy octopods apart.

Remotely operated vehicles (also known as ROVs) are giving scientists an unprecedented peek at deep sea creatures. That includes these warty octopuses — collectively grouped under the genus Graneledone. But because the species look so similar, it’s hard for scientists to say whether the one glimpsed through a submersible’s viewfinder is a known species, a new one, or a known one in an unusual spot.

That information makes a difference when it comes to figuring out which species need protection, and where — something...

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