Octopus camouflage (Thaumoctopus mimicus, Norman et Hochberg 2005) is the only species of octopus Thaumoctopus. lives in the tropical seas of Southeast Asia, was only officially discovered in 1998 off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Inhabit the nutrient-rich waters of estuaries.
Measure up to 60 cm in length. Its natural color is white with brown stripes, very variable even in a few seconds.
This animal can imitate the physical appearance and movement of more than fifteen different creatures, including sea snakes, lionfish, flatfish, sea stars, crabs, molluscs, jellyfish and sea anemones [1].
Can you do the twisting their body, hiding in some parts sand and changing its color.
This species mimics the species most suitable to scare the predator is in front, thus obtaining the maximum effect.
addition to knowing how to change color at an incredible speed, this seas Asian mime, described scientifically only in 1998, he also manages to imitate in form and way of moving several poisonous or dangerous animals, keeping predators at bay.
If you have to swim on a sandy bottom, for example, is the imitation of toxic Thaumoctopus sole peacock, bringing his arms around the flattened body, mottled stain and swaying a few centimeters of sand.
If you must move in midwater, here it is becoming darker and stiffen the tentacles, imitating the stings of venomous lionfish.
Finally, if pursued by a predator fish, sticks his head in a hole in the bottom of the stric accentuates its livery and leaves out only two arms., In a convincing simulation of a poisonous sea snake. The mimic octopus
is also probably the only species in the world to have combined the two main categories of mimicry, that is the camouflage (in colors and shapes which can be confused with the environment) and the baptismal mimicry (imitation of dangerous animals ).
The first is the specialty of molti animali, dai camaleonti alle lepri artiche, dai gufi ai fasmidi, insetti il cui corpo imita alla perfezione ramoscelli e foglie.
Un esempio classico di mimetismo battesiano è invece quello delle farfalle sudamericane Caligo, sulle cui ali sono disegnati realistichi occhi di gufo, destinati a spaventare uccelli malintenzionati. E' anche bellissimo il travestimento da ape delle inofensive mosche sirfidi.
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