- Joined
- Nov 19, 2002
- Messages
- 4,674
I've received the following questions from a journalist re the 'mimic', and although I could answer them I would only be referring to the works of others. I'd sooner place the journalists questions online here so that those folk with infinitely more experience with mimics could answer them. I'll direct the journalist here for the answers to her questions.
The questions are as received by me (it relates to an article in a forthcoming kids book):
...............
1. The author of our article wrote that the arms of a mimic octopus are as thin as a pencil. I haven't been able to find any source for this, but it
doesn't seem to be true looking at the photos available online. Can you
confirm or deny this?
2. The author has also described it as having "two bulging eyes that help it see well in the murky waters where it lives." Can you let me know if this is a fair statement? Do we have any idea how well this octopus can see?
3. Finally, we say that the mimic octopus is an "amazing escape artist. If its disguise doesn't fool a predator, the octopus squirts black ink from a tube on its body." I know most (all?) octopuses produce ink as a defense, but I haven't found anything that says this species of octopus does. Can you confirm?
4) Also, is the 'tube' the ink comes from 1) actually a tube, and 2) ON or IN the octopus's body?
................
The 'tube' obviously refers to the siphon, and I would have assumed the octopus did have an ink sac.
Any comments would be apreciated.
Thanks for your help!
The questions are as received by me (it relates to an article in a forthcoming kids book):
...............
1. The author of our article wrote that the arms of a mimic octopus are as thin as a pencil. I haven't been able to find any source for this, but it
doesn't seem to be true looking at the photos available online. Can you
confirm or deny this?
2. The author has also described it as having "two bulging eyes that help it see well in the murky waters where it lives." Can you let me know if this is a fair statement? Do we have any idea how well this octopus can see?
3. Finally, we say that the mimic octopus is an "amazing escape artist. If its disguise doesn't fool a predator, the octopus squirts black ink from a tube on its body." I know most (all?) octopuses produce ink as a defense, but I haven't found anything that says this species of octopus does. Can you confirm?
4) Also, is the 'tube' the ink comes from 1) actually a tube, and 2) ON or IN the octopus's body?
................
The 'tube' obviously refers to the siphon, and I would have assumed the octopus did have an ink sac.
Any comments would be apreciated.
Thanks for your help!