'Monster Octopus' with 32 Legs Found in Gyeongnam... What Is the Cause?

A 32-legged octopus was caught in the sea at the boundary between Sacheon-si and Goseong-gun, Gyeongnam. [Image source=Gyeongnam Ilbo]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] An octopus with 32 legs has been discovered, drawing attention.

According to fishermen in Sacheon City, Gyeongnam Province, the octopus was caught on the 15th while fishing near the maritime boundary of Goseong County.

Since it is currently the octopus closed season (a period during which the capture and collection of aquatic plants and animals are prohibited for resource protection), they initially planned to release it, but upon noticing its unusual appearance, they examined it and found it had as many as 32 legs.

Although this phenomenon is rare, it is known to be caused by hyperplasia occurring during the healing process of wounds on the octopus's legs.

In Japan, there have been cases in 1957 and 1998 where octopuses with 85 and 96 legs respectively were found.

The fishermen said, "This is the first time we've seen such an octopus in our lives," and added, "We are keeping it just in case it might be needed for research purposes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.