mimicus's imitation of flatfish is far from perfect, it may be 'good enough' to fool predators where it lives, in the world's center of marine biodiversity," says Dr. It may fool predators into thinking the octopus is a toxic flatfish (such as the peacock sole, Pardachirus pavoninus, or the zebra sole, Zebrias spp.) it may obscure the octopus's outline against the black-and-white sandy bottoms or it may serve as an honest warning sign of the mimic's unpalatable flesh. The researchers suggest several possibilities for why this bold coloration would be advantageous. In evolutionary terms, this last step represents an extremely risky shift in defense strategy. mimcus began displaying bold color patterns while impersonating a flatfish-both during daily forays away from its den and at rest. 2) Next, they developed the flatfish swimming technique and the long arms that facilitate this motion. mimicus ancestors evolved the use of bold, brown-and-white color displays, employed as a secondary "shock" defense to surprise predators if camouflage fails.
mimicus lineage evolved several key traits: 1) First, T. Using DNA sequences to construct a genealogy for the mimic octopus and more than 35 of its relatives, the researchers ascertained the order in which the T. They focused on the mimic's ability to flatten its arms and head and swim along the sea floor like a flatfish, while simultaneously exhibiting a bold, brown-and-white color pattern. Because it is relatively rare for an animal to develop such a high-risk, conspicuous defense strategy, the authors of the recent study hoped to gain insight into the evolutionary forces that fueled this behavior by conducting genetic research on the mimic octopus and its relatives. This daredevil maneuver is thought to help T. However, this talented species often chooses to make itself more conspicuous to predators by mimicking flatfish, lionfish or sea snakes that display high-contrast color patterns. Like its relatives, the mimic octopus is very capable of hiding from hungry predators by blending into its background. Credit: Bill Macdonald Productions, (c) California Academy of Sciences Several of the flatfish that share the octopus's Indonesian habitat are toxic, including the peacock sole ( Pardachirus pavoninus) and the zebra sole ( Zebrias spp.). A mimic octopus swims like a flatfish to confuse potential predators. The research is reported in the September 2010 issue of the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. Now, scientists from the California Academy of Sciences and Conservation International Indonesia have conducted DNA analysis to determine how this remarkable adaptation evolved. By creatively configuring its limbs, adopting characteristic undulating movements, and displaying conspicuous color patterns, the mimic octopus ( Thaumoctopus mimicus) can successfully pass for a number of different creatures that share its habitat, several of which are toxic.
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