The Mimic Octopus (November 15)

A Mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimics) crawls across the volcanic sand of Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. This rare and intelligent creature has the ability to mimic the behavior and color patterns of other species.

In 1998, a new type of octopus was discovered – the mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus). It has the amazing ability to change shape, color, texture and swimming patterns in seconds to impersonate poisonous marine animals. This brown and white striped octopus is 2 feet long with pencil thin tentacles about ten inches long. This octopus lives off the sandy shores of the Indonesian islands. Scientists are astounded at the wide variety of marine animals that this mimic octopus can transform itself into within seconds. It can transform itself to look like the poisonous flat fish or the poisonous lion fish. When damselfish are near, it transforms itself to look like the poisonous sea snake; sea snakes are a known predator of damselfish.

Scientists have documented the mimic octopus doing 15 different imitations in order to escape its predators. This means that the mimic octopus knows which animals will threaten the predator that is threatening him! How does evolution explain the mimic octopus’s ability to know the predator’s predator and then impersonate it? God gave to the mimic octopus the intelligence to discern which dangerous marine creature to mimic–so the predator would be afraid–AND the ability to mimic the predator’s predator. The mimic octopus testifies to God’s creativeness and skill!