Wonderpus (Mimic Octopus)

This footage of the extremely rare mimic octopus (about 20 inches leg spread) retreating into its hole in the sand was shot in the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia. The mimic octopus can mimic not only the coloration, but the shapes of other animals - no one is quite sure why it does so. Maybe it just likes to amuse itself by confusing the other reef creatures! The colors are washed out in the video; the stripes on its tentacles are actually quite bright red.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• scuba
• diving
• mimic
• octopus
• lembeh
• strait
• indonesia

[sepiachoice]

wunderpus /= mimic octopus.

[juliadeetruchsess]

wunderpus (this guy) is a type of mimic octopus

[lovingthedark]

You bet she is.

[DevilMaster]

According to Wikipedia, the scientific name of the mimic octopus is Thaumoctopus mimicus.

[sepiachoice]

Thanks bro.

[bubbleflappy]

@sepiachoice Wunderpus ≠ Mimic octopus

[playingthemayo]

Unlike the chameleon of the Indonesion mimic Octopus, we have no natrual camoflauge abilities!

[starstarstar42]

This r not prono?

[meepsquad101]

Wonderpus? That's what he said!

[Rayhan781]

it mimicks to get prey(mimics an apparent mate for the sea crab to lure it, etc)and to scare away predators(if it is attacked by a damselfish, it will mimic a sea snake, a predator of the damselfish)

[McSaggler]

watch?v=H8oQBYw6xxc

It's that one.

[puffherb]

the mimic octopus imitates up to 15 other species, the wonderpus is just a beautifully colored octopus.

[beanerforlife04]

are you serious?

this is called batesian mimicry

it does it to copy deadly animals (like the lion fish)so it doesnt get attacked?

[jetininjaman]

what is the difference between a mimic octopus and a

wonderpus?