Thaumoctopus mimicus

(Norman & Hochberg, 2005)

Vernacular names
English : Mimic octopus
French : Pieuvre mimétique

Classification
Class : Cephalopoda
Order : Octopoda
Family : Octopodidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can reach an arm length of about 60 cm. Eyes are protruding from head with a horn-like appendage over them. Coloration usually white with brownish-black rings on head and tentacles. It can change coloration and skin texture.

Range and habitat
The species lives in the Indo-Pacific area, only in Indonesian waters around the islands of Bali and Sulawesi. Lives in sandy and muddy bottom areas, usually near estuaries, to 37 meters deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not listed
Status : The species has a very small range and is often caught for the aquarium trade. Pollution could also be a major threat.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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