Mad as a Marine Biologist

Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) by Samantha Craven So that previous pic was supposed to be a gif! Check out this awesome mimic escape! As if a testament to this animals extraordinary camouflage and mimic abilities, it was only discovered in 1998. It mimics the physical likeness and movements of more than 15 different species, including sea snakes, lionfish, flatfish, brittle stars, giant crabs, sea shells, stingrays, flounders, jellyfish, sea anemones, and mantis shrimp by contorting its body and arms, and changing colour. Even more incredible, the mimic may decide which animal to impersonate depending on local predators. For example, when the octopus was being attacked by damselfish, the octopus was observed to appear as a banded sea snake, a damselfish predator. The octopus impersonates the snake by turning black and yellow, burying six of its arms, and waving its other two arms in opposite directions. Easily confused with the Wonderpus (Wunderpus photogenicus), the Mimic is easily distinguished by a consistent white line bordering it’s arms. And you know, when it mimics. 

Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) by Samantha Craven

So that previous pic was supposed to be a gif! Check out this awesome mimic escape!

As if a testament to this animals extraordinary camouflage and mimic abilities, it was only discovered in 1998. It mimics the physical likeness and movements of more than 15 different species, including sea snakes, lionfish, flatfish, brittle stars, giant crabs, sea shells, stingrays, flounders, jellyfish, sea anemones, and mantis shrimp by contorting its body and arms, and changing colour.

Even more incredible, the mimic may decide which animal to impersonate depending on local predators. For example, when the octopus was being attacked by damselfish, the octopus was observed to appear as a banded sea snake, a damselfish predator. The octopus impersonates the snake by turning black and yellow, burying six of its arms, and waving its other two arms in opposite directions.

Easily confused with the Wonderpus (Wunderpus photogenicus), the Mimic is easily distinguished by a consistent white line bordering it’s arms. And you know, when it mimics. 

Notes

  1. acannibalisticsandwich reblogged this from mad-as-a-marine-biologist and added:
    Octobots rollout? :3
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    Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) by Samantha Craven So that previous pic was supposed to be a gif! Check out this...
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  25. eccentricallyfabulous reblogged this from mad-as-a-marine-biologist and added:
    SO intriguing :)
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  31. madladyrandom reblogged this from scinerds and added:
    The Mimic Octopus is cool, but the Wonderpus has a better name.
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