Doctor encounters rare blanket octopus while fishing in Misamis Oriental

While fishing in the waters off Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, a doctor came across an unusual sea creature that caught his attention because of its colorful, blanket-like appearance.

In Kuya Kim's report in "24 Oras" on Thursday, Neal Rana said he spotted what initially looked like a rectangular organism floating in the water.

"It's a rectangular-like organism. It is swimming away from us. So we went in that direction to investigate," Neal shared.

"The organism really looks like a piece of floating bacon because it doesn't have an identifiable head. And there are patterns," he added.

But the unusual sighting did not stop at one creature.

"It turned out there were two of them. The bigger one was around a meter long. Then there was another one that was smaller," Neal said.

Neil added it was his first time seeing the creature and that he initially had no idea what it was.

The creature captured on video was identified as a rare type of pelagic octopus known as the blanket octopus, or Tremoctopus.

According to marine biologists, blanket octopuses are found in oceans around the world and are known for the distinctive webbing between the arms of females.

This webbing can be spread out when the animal feels threatened, making it appear much larger and resembling a blanket or cape—an adaptation that can help deter predators.

"This webbing is a very special adaptation that aids in their protection against predators and helps them catch food; it acts like a large blanket that they can spread out, making them appear larger when they sense danger," marine biologist Glenville Castrence said in Filipino.

Blanket octopuses are also known for having one of the most extreme differences in size between males and females in the animal kingdom.

Male blanket octopuses can grow to only around 2.4 centimeters, while females can reach up to about six feet in length.

Because blanket octopuses are rarely encountered, Castrence advised the public not to touch or collect them if spotted in the wild.

"Do not touch it; simply observe it from a safe distance. Since it is rarely seen or because its population is very small, it is better to just observe and release it rather than collect it. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA News