NO WONDER THEY'RE RARE! YJIG LONDON (REUTER) - SCIENTISTS WHO PHOTOGRAPHED TWO PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN SPECIES OF OCTOPUS SAY THEIR FIRST AND ONLY OBSERVATION OF THE RARE CREATURES COULD EXPLAIN THEIR SCARCITY -- THE TWO MALES WERE TRYING TO MATE WITH EACH OTHER. THEY SAID THE TWO OCTOPI, PHOTOGRAPHED BY A SUBMARINE 2,500 METRES (8,000 FT) BENEATH THE PACIFIC, MIGHT HAVE BEEN REACTING TO A SCARCITY OF FEMALES IN THE AREA. ONE SCIENTIST SAID THE OCTOPI, BOTH OF WHICH REMAIN UNNAMED, MIGHT MAKE THE BEST OF THEIR SHORT LIFESPAN BY TRYING TO MATE WITH EVERY OCTOPUS THEY ENCOUNTERED, "RATHER THAN TO LEAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REPRODUCTION UNEXPLORED". 13-OCT-0043. HHK032 HA102035 NEVK ENDS