Which octopus is famous for imitating lionfish, flatfish and sea snakes?

The mimic octopus is famous for imitating lionfish, flatfish and sea snakes.

This octopus, commonly identified as Thaumoctopus mimicus, lives in shallow tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. It changes its body colour, posture, movement and shape to resemble other animals. The displays can make it look like a venomous lionfish, a banded sea snake or a flatfish gliding across the seafloor.

These imitations are thought to help the octopus avoid predators. The animal can choose different models depending on the threat nearby, rather than performing only one fixed display. Its flexible arms and rapid colour-changing skin make the deception possible.

The mimic octopus is sometimes confused with ordinary camouflage. Camouflage helps an animal blend into its surroundings, whereas mimicry makes it resemble another recognizable animal. Researchers continue to study how often each imitation is used and exactly which predators it deters.