The Mimic Octopus, Thaumoctopus mimicus, inhabits muddy estuary bottoms in the tropical waters of Southeast Asia, and was only discovered in 1998.
This species feeds mostly on small fish and crustaceans, searching crevices and burrows in the seafloor where it can also conceal itself to avoid predators.
It reaches up to 60 cm (2 feet) in length, and is normally marked with brown and white stripes or spots.
However, it has the ability to rapidly change color and shape, mimicking more than 15 different species to avoid predators and other threats, according to the situation it finds itself in.
For example, when attacked by territorial damselfish, it takes on the appearance of a banded sea krait, a natural predator of the damselfish. The octopus turns black and yellow and hides six of its eight arms, waving the remaining two in opposite directions to look like the snake.
When traveling across the ocean floor, the octopus flattens its body and undulates, matching its body color to that of the sandy substrate and giving it the appearance of a venomous species of flounder.
In the open water, the octopus can hover above the substrate with its arms spread, trailing behind its body to mimic the poisonous fins of a lionfish.
You can see flounder, lionfish, and sea snake mimicry by an octopus in this video.
Matthew Oldfield is a freelance photographer based in Bali, Indonesia, specializing in editorial and documentary images from both above and below the waves. He works primarily with charities, NGO’s, and other organizations working to conserve the environment, endangered species, and disappearing cultures.
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