Polvo-mímico camuflado de rocha é capturado por equipe de resgate

UPDATE... https://fb.watch/nk_I0204ow/ Thanks to Tracey and son Jacob, who contacted us concerned for a seemingly, unwell Octopus, along the banks of Noosa River. Upon arrival it had disguised itself, appearing as a rock. We had it Identified by Australia Zoo, as the Mimic Octopus. We weren't 100% convinced it was healthy, so it was a trip to SEA LIFE Underwater World Mooloolaba for a full assessment. The Mimic was discovered off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia in 1998 at the bottom of a muddy river mouth. It grows to about 60cm. There are around 300 octopus' species in the world, with many able to blend into their surrounds, but the Mimic takes things to the next level. The amazing thing about the Mimics behavior, is that they have evolved a defense that relies on predators seeing them, rather than not seeing them, unlike many of their octopus relatives that use camouflage to hide. The mimic has an impressive number of impersonations at its disposal. It can change its skin color, texture, shape and behavior to mimic animals such as Eels, Stingrays, Jellyfish, Crabs, Seahorses and even venomous Lionfish and Sea Snakes along with others. It is highly intelligent and has the learning ability to adapt its mimicry in new environments. The Mimic Octopus remains a mystery to science.

Posted by Wildlife Noosa on Wednesday, August 30, 2023