Taking mimicry to the next level?

First discovered in the mid 1980's the Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) was only officially described in 2005. The mimic octopus is so novel that a new genus was created in order to classify it (Norman & Hochberg 2005). Found initially in Indonesia specimens have been found as far away as New Caledonia and recently at Lizard Island in Australia (Cocker 2013). The mimic octopus' arm span reaches a maximum size of approximately 60 cm. They are mainly found in muddy inter-tidal/estuarine sand flats where they actively explore burrows made by small fish and crustaceans on which they feed (marinebio 2013).
What makes the mimicry of T. mimicus so unique is that it is able to mimic not only the shapes but behaviors of a multitude of species and modify its mimicry to a perceived threat. Norman, Finn & Tregenza (2001) noted that when harassed by territorial damselfish the mimic octopus would place six arms down  hole and display its other two with distinct black and white banding. Moving the arms in such a manner as to mimic a banded sea-snake, which happens to prey on damselfish.
 Figure 1. `Mimic octopus’: (a) sentinel state in mouth of burrow; (b) normal foraging colour pattern; (c) Flatfish mimicry; (d) Flatfish model, banded sole (Zebria ssp.); (e) lion-fish mimicry; (f) lion-fish model (Pteroissp.); ( g) sea-snake mimicry; (h) sea-snake model, banded sea-snake (Laticauda sp.). Photographs by M. Norman and R. Steene.


The mimic octopus is also reported to mimic jellyfish, sand anemones as well as the background colour and texture however the mimicry of other creatures is subjective as it is human interpretation that is classifying it (Norma, Finn & Treganza 2001).
It is hoped that the relatively unexplored estuarine environments of the tropics may yield other mimic species.

References:

Cocker, D 2013,'Documentation of the mimic octopus Thaumoctopus mimicus in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia', Marine Biodiversity Records, vol. 6, no. 14, pp. 1-2.

Norman, M Finn, J Tregenza, T 2001,'Dynamic mimicry in an Indo-Malayan octopus', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, vol. 268, no. 1478, pp. 1755-1758.

Norman, M Hochberg, F 2005,'The "Mimic Octopus" (Thaumoctopus mimicus n. gen. et sp.), a new octopus from the tropical Indo-West Pacific (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae), Molluscan Research, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 57-70.

MarineBio 2010, MarineBio Conservation Society, California, viewed 24 May 2014, <http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=260>.