The Mimic Octopus

The Mimic Octopus
The mimic octopus is named for its stunning ability to mimic not one, but at least three dangerous animals that share its tropical ocean home. it can strike poses and change colors to make itself look like a venomous lionfish, a venomous sea snake, and a poisonous fish called the banded sole.

Like other octopuses, the mimic octopus can easily change the shape and color of its rubbery body. many octopuses use these abilities to camouflage themselves, squeeze into hiding places, and communicate with one another. the mimic octopus, however, is the first species known to imitate dangerous sea creatures to defend itself.

To imitate the sole, the octopus pulls its eight arms together into a wedge-shaped bundle and jets forward. this makes it look like a flat-bodied sole rippling through the water. to mimic a lionfish, the octopus spreads out its arms and lets them dangle so that they look like the lionfish’s venomous, flared fins. it mimics a sea snake by changing its brown and white stripes to black and yellow, then tucking most of its body and all but two of its arms into a burrow. the two exposed arms wriggle and squirm like writhing sea snakes.

The mimic’s performances have been caught on film. researchers suspect that the octopus may mimic stingrays, jellyfish, and other sea animals.