Two species of octopi have attracted much attention as more underwater photographers have visited Indonesia and the surrounding areas - the Wonderpus (Wunderpus photogenicus) and the Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus). Whether videotaped rolling along the sea floor like a coconut or photographed disc-like similar to a stingray, the octopi captivate our curiosity.

Leslie Harris, one of Wetpixel’s Critter ID and Conservation forums moderators, has provided links to published literature on the formal descriptions and characteristics of each of the species, and to the observations of an aquarist with mimic octopi in captivity, who noted that on some occasions it played dead or even swam like a jellyfish. Continue to the forum discussion to learn more…