Dancing with Mimicry

Henley, Paige

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/128163 Copy

Description

Title

Dancing with Mimicry

Author(s)

Henley, Paige

Issue Date

2025

Keyword(s)

• octopus
• slug

Date of Ingest

2025-05-08T12:26:51-05:00

Abstract

In the wild, octopuses have been noted to display behaviors of mimicry to evade predators. Octopuses have also been pinned as independent creatures who do not often interact with their own species. However, a seemingly symbiotic friendship began to bloom between this sea hare and octopus reubescens. Housed together for months, one could often find the octopus resting upon this red sea slug. Whether this relationship developed out of a state of curiosity to understand the other alive being in her tank or to discover if the sea hare is friend or foe, it is blaringly clear that the octopus has captured the sea slugs upward gaze, long protruding whiskers, and slim bulbous eyes in this photo. Note the octopus's skin color changing to match the sea slugs deep red skin and creating cartilage spindles upon the top of her eyes and down her mantle to mock the sea hare's "ears" and the flaps down its back. Whether this is out of instinct or to mesh herself closer to the sea hare, one thing is abuntantly clear: This octopus demonstrates keen intelligence and awareness of what it means to exist.

Type of Resource

• still image
• text

Language

eng

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Paige Henley

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