2008-11-29
When we talk about animal camouflage, the first creature that hits our minds is lizard. If we leave the earth surface and swim deeper we can find octopus a master of disguise.
Octopus can alter its color and skin texture to blend into its surroundings to fool away predators such as sharks which are keen to taste octopuses’ soft boneless bodies.
Octopuses are gifted with sacs of yellow, red, brown and black pigment called chromatophores which covers their bodies. They can control these pigments by contracting their muscles. In other words, Tightening certain muscles can also transform the texture of their skin to look like the smooth ocean floor or a craggy reef.
Mimic Octopus – The master of disguise
As we discussed, ordinary octopuses can change their colors to match their skin texture to match their surroundings but the Mimic Octopus is capable of systematically copying multiple species’ appearances which is a skill that mystifies sea scientists around the globe.
Mimic Octopus takes the form of venomous creatures in the sea such as lionfish, flatfish and sea snake.
How can an eight armed octopus look like a snake? This master hides six arms and shows only two to make its trick look very real.
This is a picture taken when mimicking a sea snake :
Mimicing a sea star:
It’s amazing, Isn’t it?
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Cassian Menol Razeek
I Learnt Today 