This species of octopus is known for its ability to mimic other creatures and this is the reason for its common name.
It grows up to 2 feet in length.
All octopuses have the ability change their color and texture. But the mimic octopus is the first octopus species ever observed to impersonate other animals, for example it was once observed to mimic a sea snake by black and yellow and burying six of its arms in sand and waving the other two in opposite directions.
It not only mimics their physical appearance but also their movements. Also, they change their color more rapidly than other octopuses.
It lives in Indo-west Pacific Ocean. The mimic octopus was officially discovered in 1998, off the coast of Sulawesi.
It commonly mimics the venomous lionfish. While swimming well above the bottom it spreads out all of its arms in a way that they look narrow and long fins of the lionfish. The mimic octopus mostly mimics the local predators in his area.