May 19, 2015
Eight arms, hundreds of disguises. The mimic octopus shifts shape and color to imitate more intimidating animals--fanning arms out like a lethal lionfish or slithering like a sea snake. Meet this mimicry master in our Tentacles exhibit
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Eight arms, hundreds of disguises. The mimic octopus shifts shape and color to imitate more intimidating animals--fanning arms out like a lethal lionfish or slithering like a sea snake. Meet this mimicry master in our Tentacles exhibit
Last chance! Share your love of #MBATentacles on Instagram or Twitter and you could win one of eight packs of eight tickets to the Aquarium! Sweepstakes ends Friday. Enter now
Have our eight-armed animals captured your imagination? Check out these submissions to our #MBAtentacles sweeps and share your own on Instagram or Twitter--you could win! Learn more
Have you entered our #MBATentacles sweeps yet? Your submissions so far are crazy, creepy, cute, cuddly and just plain cool! Submit yours today via Twitter or Instagram and you could win. Learn more
Have you entered our sweeps? These captivating cephalopod creations may inspire you! Share your love of #MBATentacles with photos, art and impressions and you could win. Learn more
Is it a Fish? A Snake? A Jelly? Actually, it’s a Mimic Octopus—and We Have One on Exhibit in Tentacles!
Ever wish you could become someone else? The mimic octopus can. In less time than it takes to say “alter ego,” this curious cephalopod can become a venomous lion fish. Or a sea snake. Or a jelly.
“It will mimic these other animals when it’s threatened,” says Aquarist Chris Payne. “To become a snake, for instance, it will display black-and-white bands, extend two arms lengthwise and bury the other arms in the sand.”
In another favorite trick, it outspreads all its tentacles like a big prickly ball, to resemble the spines on a lion fish. Or it expands its mantle to look like a giant jelly. It all says one thing to a potential predator: Stay clear!
We’re one of the few aquariums to display this fascinating species (Thaumoctopus mimicus), which was only discovered in 1998, says Chris. Ours came from Japan, and is almost two feet from tip to tip. Its native habitat is sandy estuaries in the Indo-Pacific region. Come find it if you can!
Learn more about our Tentacles exhibit Watch the mimic octopus become four different animals
Our aquarists can get pretty wrapped up in their work! Share YOUR love of cephalopods on Instagram or Twitter and you could win one of eight packs of eight tickets to the Aquarium! #MBATentacles Learn more