Mimic octopus
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The Indonesian Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) is a species of octopus that has the uncanny ability to mimic other sea creatures.
This octopus is up to 60 cm (2 feet) in length, with brown and white stripes or spots covering its body.
Living in the tropical seas of South East Asia, it was not officially discovered until 1998, off the coast of Sulawesi – before that, divers thought they were seeing other common animals which the octopus was mimicking.
This octopus is able to copy the physical likeness and movement of different species like sea snakes, flounder, lionfish, and flatfish. It accomplishes this by contorting its body and tentacles and changing color.
External links
- [TONMO.com Octopodidae Forum] - includes mimic octopus discussions
- [National Geographic.com Article]
- [Island Dream's photo]
- Norman, Mark D.; Finn, Julian; Tregenza, Tom (2001): Dynamic mimicry in an Indo-Malayan octopus. Proceedings of the Royal Society, 268, p.1755–1758 [2001 paper describing the discovery (PDF)]
- Norman, Mark D. & Hochberg, F. G. (2005): The "Mimic Octopus" (Thaumoctopus mimicus n. gen. et sp.), a new octopus from the tropical Indo-West Pacific (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) [Scientific description (Abstract)]
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