Hope you’ve all had a wonderful Easter weekend*, and had a chance to share some time with family and ponder interesting existential questions, such as “What’s the deal with the rabbit bringing eggs? Aren’t they supposed to be mammals that don’t lay eggs?!?”
Today’s subject mimicking a flounder
Well, today’s BoFN post may help put some of that questioning to rest, because it addresses a single species that resembles several different classes of animal. I’m not sure if this is the first ever time we’ve delved into the animal kingdom (our popular Bone Wars! post clearly set a precedent), but this one may be the most interesting…
I wonder if famed celebrity impersonator Rich Little could do a mimic octopus impersonation, or if the mimic octopus’ Rich Little impression would be more convincing?
Today’s subject is Thaumoctopus mimicus
Frankly, I don’t think I can do a better description than Wikipedia does, so I’ll borrow some of their text just to show how versatile the mimic octopus’ behavior can be:
“It is unknown how many animals the mimic octopus can imitate. What is known is that most of the animals that it chooses to mimic are poisonous. Some of the more common animals the mimic octopus imitates are the following:
Lion fish – The lion fish is a poisonous fish with the brown and white stripes and spines that trail behind it on all sides. When the octopus changes its color and shapes its eight legs to look like spines, it is indeed conceivable that to the eyes of a potential predator, what might otherwise look like suitable prey, appears in fact as a highly venomous creature that should be avoided.
Sea snake – If under attack, a mimic octopus may hide completely in a hole except for two of its legs, which it sticks out in opposite directions. What remains in view is a long thin object with white and black bands running across the elongated body. Again the prospect of tangling with the highly venomous sea snake is something many predators would not attempt, and they therefore may swim away, leaving the octopus unharmed.
Flatfish – By pulling its arms together on one side, and flattening out his body while moving forward along the ocean floor, the mimic octopus imitates a flatfish.
Jellyfish – The Mimic Octopus will act as a Jellyfish sometimes to frighten and discourage certain predators. It does this by puffing up its head and siphon and letting its arms trail behind it. The octopus will then impersonate the motions of a jellyfish swimming by going to the surface and then slowly sinking with its arms spread evenly around its body.” – Italicized text from this Wikipedia page
Seriously folks, it’s crazy impressive stuff! This video will show you the talented mollusk in action (the narration starts at 0:15):
Enjoy your Mondays everyone!
*Has anyone else noticed some of their snarkier friends calling Easter “Zombie Jesus Day” lately? It seems like the new “in” thing to do.
How have we not heard of this yet? It is indeed the Rich Little of the Sea, the Karma Chameleon of the Underworld. Truly a master of deceit. How do mimic octopi even fall in love with each other to mate if they are constantly morphing? What if a lion fish falls in love with WHAT HE THINKS is another lion fish, only to be foiled–like a scene from “The Crying Game”? And wouldn’t this make a great superhero? Certainly better than Aquaman. Clearly Jim Carrey would have to play him.
Haha, I think we have a screenplay in the making! 🙂
I’m sure this is a fantastically wise and savvy comment, Kerbey, but you lost me at Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleoooonnnnn.
It is totally wise and concerning shapeshifting. Although Boy George has done some shapeshifting as well. Perhaps he is kin to a mimic octopus. A British one.
You come and go…. you come and go.
Darn it, now that song is stuck in my head too! 🙂
Love that nature clip! And love Kerbey’s comment comicalities these days!
For sure… it has actually earned Kerbey a Wednesday slot – she’ll be taking one of Amb’s Wednesdays! She’ll be making her debut this week! Woohoo!
Really? I was actually going to say, “Dave, hire this woman!” but held back because I’m not that high up the administrative chain! So, it’s a little late now, but, “Dave, hire this woman!”
Haha, sounds good! She’s hired! The great thing about our “pay” scale is that we don’t have to worry about any gender pay disparities 🙂
*Has anyone else noticed some of their snarkier friends calling Easter “Zombie Jesus Day” lately? It seems like the new “in” thing to do
That’s a new one for me.
Yeah, resurrected Christ is just like a zombie!
And let’s call Christmas Chucky Doll Day! Because the baby Jesus is just like the Chucky Doll in Child’s Play!
Haha, that last one is a VERY new one for me! 🙂
Down with Zombie Jesus Day. He came back in a perfect body, not a bloody, groaning one.
Haha, fair point!
(That was s’pozed to be sarcasm, by the way.)
Haha, I figured that out already, but it’s always a risk with the internet that it gets misconstrued that way 🙂
an entirely new direction! Who knew?
As the author of this post, I can honestly say no one knew. Up until a zoologist friend’s Facebook status last night, I had no idea what the topic of my Monday post would be. A pleasant, and fascinating, surprise!