Hitchhiking really sucks! Octopus endures a rollercoaster ride after latching onto a dolphin's belly


This energetic dolphin had to carry an unexpected passenger during its leap through the waves when an octopus clung to its stomach.

The dolphin was being observed as part of a foursome near the island of Kalamos, off the west coast of Greece, when researchers noticed the unusual double act flying through the air.

Bizarrely, the cephalopod had managed to attach itself to the bottlenose dolphin's genital slit.

Clinging on: The octopus is thought to have attached itself after the dolphin tried to prey on it

Uninvited friend: The bottlenose dolphin leaps through the air despite the attentions of the rather clingy octopus

Expert observing the strange phenomenon said the dolphin continued to swim with the other three creatures and did appear to be distressed.

The dolphin is said to have made two further leaps before finally shaking the octopus off.

The photographer who spotted the dolphin believes it may have attempted to prey on the octopus, only for the battling molusc to attach itself to the dolphin instead.

Photographer Joan Gonzalvo told New Scientist : 'I have never seen anything like this.

'My hypothesis is that the dolphin might have attacked - tried to prey on the octopus - and somehow to avoid it the octopus just attached to the dolphin's belly.'

Stuck on you: The dolphin is said to have leapt from the waves twice before finally shaking off the octopus