Rare ‘rainbow-like’ octopus sighting off Lady Elliot Island

Master Reef Guide and marine biologist, Jacinta Shackleton, has kicked off the new year with a once-in-a-lifetime experience, coming face-to-face with a rare Blanket Octopus in waters off Lady Elliot Island in the first week of January.

Having conducted research and diving the reef around Lady Elliot Island on Queensland’s Southern Great Barrier Reef for almost four years, it's the first time Jacinta has come across the technicoloured marine mollusc, demonstrating the rarity of its sighting.

“Seeing one in real life is indescribable. I was so captivated by its movements, it was as if it was dancing through the water with a flowing cape. The vibrant colours are just so incredible, you can’t take your eyes off it,” Jacinta said.

“I’ve truly never seen anything like it before and don’t think I ever will again in my life. This day has got to be one of my all-time favourite reef experiences and I’m already planning to blow up some large-scale prints to hang in my house to celebrate the moment.”

A fascinating fact about this species is that the female Blanket Octopus can grow to between one and two metres in length, whereas males grow to around 2.4cm, meaning this species has the largest gender size discrepancy in the marine world. The name ‘Blanket Octopus’ comes from the webbed ‘cape’ or ‘blanket’ that trails behind the female, a feature the males do not display.

No stranger to extraordinary sightings off Lady Elliot Island, Jacinta also  encountered a rare Ornate Eagle Ray in 2020 and a fever of more than 100 distinctive Cownose Rays in 2021, both attracting widespread coverage.

Photo and video by @jacintashackleton