Mimic Octopus - an unusual chameleon from the deep sea - video

The Mimic Octopus – Thaumoctopus mimicus, is a creature that inhabits the tropical waters of Southeast Asia. It is a species of octopus reaching up to 60cm in length, which has evolved very strong mimicry abilities. It was discovered in the waters of the Pacific Ocean in 1998 off the coast of Sulawesi, an Indonesian island in the Malay Archipelago.

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This species is able to imitate the behaviour and movement of more than fifteen different creatures, such as sea snakes, wingsnakes and stingrays. The Mimic Octopus bends and twists its body in amazing ways and changes colouration in the blink of an eye. These abilities allow it, when faced with the threat of a particular predator, to pretend to be an unattractive target or higher up in the food chain.

This is not the first discovered species of octopus that has the adaptive ability to change shape or colour. However, for the first time we are dealing with a creature that mimics other creatures and chooses its camouflage according to the predator that appears. The rich suit of possibilities allows to deceive even such sea hunters as barracudas or small sharks.

The basic food of this unusual creature is small fish, crabs and other small organisms. Also in acquiring food, octopuses of this species use their unique abilities, impersonating animals that their potential prey is not afraid of.

Source: wikipedia