Mimic Octopus
By Aurora Nichols
Description and Anatomy of the Mimic
The mimic octopus is a creature similar in size and appearance to an octopus. These fast moving creatures are usually a dark brown with white stripes, though ones with tan stripes or even black stripes have been seen. There are tentacles protruding from a body positioned in the center, with large eyes atop the body. Like the octopus, there are no bones present in its body, though there is a mouth. The images below, from left to right, display an adult mimic, a baby mimic, and another adult.
History and Evolution/Adaptations
A relative newcomer compared to other species, the mimic was discovered a mere seventeen years ago off the coast of Indonesia, in a river mouth. For two years, the mimics were observed doing what they do best, mimicking. They have evolved to have chromatophores like their ancestors, and tentacles to mimic. Their environment determines what previous knowledge of the surrounding species the mimic has. Each generation adapts to know the species of the area. Below there is an image of a mimic mimicking other species.
Jobs and Characteristics
The mimic's characteristics have certain jobs. The chromatophores mimic color patterns of dangerous species. The tentacles mimic the shape of dangerous species and local plant life. These creatures' bodies allow them to hunt and then hide from a predator who may want to make a snack of the mimic.
Why did I Choose This?
The mimic has seemed very interesting to me since the video containing the mimic was shown during Science. Creatures with a seemingly inherited knowledge of their surroundings and the ability to change their bodies are very interesting to me.