Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus)

Also known as Indonesian Mime Octopus, Indonesian Mimic Octopus, Mime Octopus

Description

Also known as Indonesian Mime Octopus, Indonesian Mimic Octopus, Mime Octopus.

Found singly, on sandy bottoms, often in holes vacated by other critters, over coral and rocky reefs.
They feed on crustaceans and fish.
Length - 48cm
Depth - 0-37m
Widespread Indo-West Pacific

This wonderful Octopus is found on sea floors often buried in the sand with just the eyes showing.
The Octopus will copy the colour, shape and movement of other sea creatures either to deter predators or to attract prey.
He has been observed changing shape to imitate crabs, flounders, jellyfish, lionfish, mantis shrimp, sea anemones, sea snakes, sea shells, sea stars and stingrays.

Octopus make their homes in holes in the reef or bury in the sand.
They can often be found by the tell tail debris outside the holes.
Octopus feed by grabbing their prey with their tentacles or by spreading their skirt (the webbing between their tentacles) over the reef and hoovering up underneath.
They have a beak for biting their prey, the bite quickly paralyses their prey.
Some of the smaller Octopus are venomous to humans. Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimic_octopus

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