Top Postdoc: Octopus Skin(care)

Photography by Chelsea Bennice, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow,
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Coastal marine ecosystems are among the most important providers of biodiversity and ecosystem services, but at the same time are heavily impacted by threats that could risk the health of key species to marine food webs. Despite their small size, microbes play a crucial role in the physiology of animal hosts; however, little is known about bacterial symbionts with octopus and whether such associations aid in octopus health. During scientific SCUBA dives, the octopus’s skin was gently swabbed to identify and characterize their skin microbial community. This is the first study to characterize the octopus skin microbiome for wild octopus species, octopus vulgaris and Macrotritopus defilippi. Turns out, they have a unique microbiome they add to their skincare routine. Understanding the importance of bacterial symbionts can provide insight to the physiology and ultimately the health of these important animals inhabiting many marine environments.
Mentor: Jeanette Wyneken, Ph.D., professor, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science