Octopus That Can Mimic Other Animals
Paul the Octopus—the eight-legged oracle who made international headlines with his amazingly accurate football forecasting—isn’t the only talented cephalopod in the sea. The Indonesian mimic octopus, which can impersonate flatfish and sea snakes to dupe potential predators, may well give Paul a run for his money when it comes to “see-worthy” skills.
By creatively configuring its limbs, adopting characteristic undulating movements, and displaying conspicuous color patterns, the mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) can successfully pass for a number of different creatures that share its habitat, several of which are toxic.
Now, scientists from the California Academy of Sciences and Conservation International Indonesia have conducted DNA analysis to determine how this remarkable adaptation evolved. The research is reported in the September 2010 issue of the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
Filed Under: Animal & Plant Life
[...] findings — the fruit of what they say is the first direct investigation of flying fish aerodynamics — [...]
[...] Using powerful macro-equipment, the 42-year-old photographer Eddie Nurcombe is engaged in a labour of love to record the natural world. [...]