Mimic octopus
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
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Friday Cephalopod: Unreal
Category: Organisms
Posted on: January 23, 2009 10:25 AM, by PZ Myers
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Comments
Posted by: Paulo Pinto | January 23, 2009 10:32 AM
So nice!
Posted by: PGPWNIT | January 23, 2009 10:37 AM
I see the devil in that beast.
Posted by: Bumdark | January 23, 2009 10:38 AM
Come on, PZ, at least put a bucket under your chin when you go all 'Homer-before-food' ... :P
Posted by: Mrs. Grackle | January 23, 2009 10:46 AM
Didn't they feature this fellow on that show "Evolve"? I think I saw him in the Shape episode. He is certainly a most excellent creature, but I am partial to stripes, anyway.
Posted by: Faithful Reader | January 23, 2009 10:48 AM
Wow. Such beautiful creatures.
Posted by: Mena
|
January 23, 2009 10:48 AM
Speaking of unreal cephalopods, how about a cute piece of 3D art as a bonus?
http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=145548
Posted by: Claire | January 23, 2009 10:49 AM
Absolutely beautiful.
Posted by: Olowkow | January 23, 2009 10:51 AM
Is this one a "septopus"? Why only 7 arms? They can mimic a sea snake, and all kinds of other creatures. Very cool.
Posted by: IvanM | January 23, 2009 10:55 AM
It looks like a heptopus to me, or is that part of the whole mimicking thing? :^p
Posted by: IvanM | January 23, 2009 10:57 AM
Darn it, Olowkow, you beat me to it.
Posted by: Heather | January 23, 2009 10:59 AM
This has always been my FAVORITE octopus. I first saw this beauty on PBS. It is simply amazing how many different creatures it can mimic.
Posted by: llewelly | January 23, 2009 11:02 AM
Reminds me of haliphron atlanticus. In that species, the males have a highly modified arm, used for sex, which is normally kept tucked away in a pouch. (However this specimen does not resemble haliphron atlanticus , except in having seven arms. )
Posted by: Olowkow | January 23, 2009 11:04 AM
HEPTO SEPTO, same thing I guess, Greek vs Latin. Nice videos here:
http://www.oceanfootage.com/stockfootage/Mimic_Octopus
but not a nice as what Heather mentioned on PBS or on Discovery.
Posted by: Brad D | January 23, 2009 11:06 AM
Where's it's head??? It looks like some sort of mutant sea star to me.
How would this play in the cephalopod world?
-Tis but a scratch.
-A scratch? Your arm's off!
-No, it isn't.
-Well, what's that, then?
-I've had worse.
-You liar!
Posted by: CG | January 23, 2009 11:16 AM
to BradD@14
The head is underneath. That's exactly what it's trying to look like. It fools prey into coming close by looking like something innocent and then WAHPAH (that's a bitch-smack sound) he grabs it up and eats it!
Posted by: mayhempix
|
January 23, 2009 11:21 AM
Finally proof of evolution!
This is an octopus on its way to becoming several snakes.
I wonder why it decided to do it now?
Posted by: Berlzebub | January 23, 2009 11:32 AM
Going by this picture, it actually looks to me like the arm was severed (sacrificed?). There's a spot just to the right (clockwise) of the top arm where it appears an arm should be.
Still, it's a really cool picture.
Posted by: ehobbit | January 23, 2009 11:40 AM
I stared at the "face" for too long, then when I closed my eyes it was still there in negative relief :0
Posted by: Lemming | January 23, 2009 11:42 AM
The question, ever pressing, is what do YOU see when you leer at the enigmatic Rorshchach-topus? Depends who you are, yes. Rorshchach-topus, however, sees only moral absolutes.
Needs a trenchcoat.
Posted by: Glen Davidson | January 23, 2009 11:45 AM
Is it a painting? It looks like one, which makes me wonder what the reason for only seven visible tentacles is.
This one should be a movie, really, since they're so cool looking like a sea serpent, or lionfish.
I think my favorite morph is still the cuttlefish that makes itself look for all the world like a stout fish. In a way it's less weird than what the mimic octopus looks like, but somehow the cuttlefish looking like a real fish seems so improbable.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/6mb592
Posted by: Mrs Tilton | January 23, 2009 12:03 PM
Agree with GD @20. Whether or not it is actually a painting, it should be, and on my wall.
Posted by: Alverant | January 23, 2009 12:09 PM
Is it edible?
Posted by: Crystal D. | January 23, 2009 12:13 PM
The mimic octopus is amazing, I could never get tired of watching videos of those guys. How amazing and cool. A real blow to creationism if I've ever seen one.
Posted by: AndySin | January 23, 2009 12:14 PM
I had to study this octopus for an exam question once, it's a fantastic creature. Not only does it mimic other sea creatures such as the lionfish, sea snake and flat fish (or skate?) it knows when is the best time to do it too. For example it will mimic the poisonous sea snake when other predators are around in order to avoid them. It's really an outstanding feat of evolution.
Posted by: LisaJ | January 23, 2009 12:16 PM
Just amazing, beautiful. I learned about the giant squid axon in my Systems Neuroscience class this morning, and how it provides rapid neural transmission. Just thought that was fitting.
Posted by: Patricia, OM | January 23, 2009 12:38 PM
Wow, it's colored like a silver laced Wyandotte.
OK, I'm chicken obsessed.
Posted by: Chris | January 23, 2009 2:51 PM
Awesome! That's my favorite cephalopod.
Posted by: SEF
|
January 23, 2009 2:58 PM
@ 14 + 15:
I disagree. The head and body is relatively small in this species (compared with the size of the tentacles). The head is on top in the centre, where the tentacles meet, and the body is hanging down from that (in picture terms) in the 5 to 6 o'clock position. It has slightly blacker pigment than the deep brown striping of the arms. It is also outlined by white spiny protrusions. The location of the missing arm appears to be the 2 o'clock position.Posted by: marcus | January 23, 2009 3:11 PM
Four words: "Octopus:The ultimate Guide". More words: Fabulous! Watch it. Live it.
Posted by: Babatunde | January 23, 2009 3:13 PM
The Bo Diddley of african music!
In honor of our first African-American President
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wp1PKuqwPk
Posted by: Rey Fox | January 23, 2009 3:25 PM
I'd hang that on my wall.
Posted by: Joe G. | January 23, 2009 8:13 PM
The post category should read 'orgasms.'
I know I came.
Posted by: Samantha Vimes | January 24, 2009 5:07 AM
The eighth arm could be simply out of sight, I think; it looks like the rock has a sort of bend or crevasse there that the arm could be out of sight in, anchoring the rest of it.