In nature we can observe extraordinary animals. Many of them use complicated resources to confuse their predators or to attack their victims. In Supercurioso we have seen the Gecko Satanic Leaf Tail with its disturbing eyes or the coconut octopus. On this occasion we have approached another cephalopod known as Octopus Mimo. Although it seems impossible, it is capable of imitating more than 15 marine animals. Bestial!
Octopuses are considered the most intelligent invertebrates of the sea. They can improvise behaviors and also somehow use tools as we saw in the post about the coconut octopus . Scientists believe that the intelligence of cephalopods is due to their evolutionary history that involves successive adaptations from the loss of the shell that originally protected them.
The incredible Octopus Mimo
The octopus mime It is also known as "mimic octopus" or "mimic octopus", although its scientific name is "Thaumoctopus mimicus". He is known for his amazing ability imitating other marine animals. 15 different imitations have been counted.
The octopus mime lives in the tropical seas of Southeast Asia and was first discovered in 1998. It is a medium-large sized octopus that can easily measure 60 cm. and its main characteristic is the versatility when it comes to changing its appearance and flexibility. The aspect that it presents helps to carry out the transformations. Their arms, for example, have a pattern of brown and white spots, but they can vary enormously since they can present a white or black coloration, vary or move the pattern and even imitate the sand. It uses its ability both to defend itself from its predators and to attack its prey and does not need, like other animals, that the specimen that it is going to imitate is present to simulate that it is one of them. Its predators are large carnivores like small sharks or barracudas and in front of them it adopts the appearance of different species of poisonous fish, on the contrary when it wants to approach a prey that would flee when seeing an octopus, it imitates for example a crab and thus it obtains that do not escape
It is common for octopuses to change color and texture and mimic rocks, but the octopus mime It is the first species that is known to imitate another animal. The choice of the animal that you intend to imitate depends on the usual predators in the area where you live. If it is attacked by a damsel fish, the octopus mime it will imitate a sea serpent that is one of the predators of that animal, it hides six of the eight arms that it has and waves them in opposite directions besides transforming its colors.
The octopus mime it mimics both the movements and the physical appearance of 15 different species. Here are some more examples:
- A sole : imitate a sole by taking the form of a sheet by joining the arms to the side of the head and flattening the body.
- A lionfish : the lionfish is poisonous and has white and brown stripes. The mummy octopus changes color and gets its legs to take the shape of thorns. When a predator approaches it is easy for him to take it for that poisonous creature and move away to avoid it.
- A jellyfish : imitate them swimming very slowly on the surface while sinking the head between the arms so that they are evenly distributed around the body. He has previously inflated his head and his siphon.
- A Toadfish To pretend to be a toadfish, first of all, the mummy octopus changes its color and texture and then picks up six of its eight tentacles. With the two visible, it imitates the fins that allow this animal to travel along the seabed.
- A shrimp : When you think you can benefit from looking like a shrimp, the octopus mime it hides and only leaves the eyes in sight, as those marine animals do.
- A starfish : When he wants to look like a starfish, he stretches out on the ground and extends his arms while showing a membrane between them and the curve.
- A brunette : to pretend to be a brunette, the octopus mime buries 7 of its eight arms in a den and the eighth agitates it also showing a membrane.
In addition to imitating 15 different marine animals, the octopus mime he is capable of "playing dead". To do this he remains immobile and changes the color of his skin to a light gray tone that gives him the appearance of a solid and static mass. The imitations of this species are among those known as "imperfect mimicry". These are carried out by animals that can imitate faithfully do not. Scientists are still trying to discover the reason that leads them to wear a imperfect mimicry instead of a complete one they could exhibit without difficulty.
The skill of the intelligent octopus mime It is really amazing. Did you know this extraordinary cephalopod? Did you know that octopuses were so smart? If you want to meet other amazing animals, we invite you to read:
- The Purple Snail | 10 Curiosities of this incredible color animal
- The Panda Ant | 15 Curiosities of a very rare animal
- Dendrobates tinctorius, the dangerous blue frog
- The pink Grasshopper | Condemned to die Why?
Images: Steve Childs