Does the Wunderpus exhibit mimicking behavior? I know they are different than Thaumoctopus (I believe that is the genus), but they look very similar. Also, do you guys agree that it is "mimicking" species or is it just showing off its aposematic coloration (I think they are venomous)?
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It appears aposomatic to me, but there is no hard evidence that they are toxic. I have seen no behavior exhibited by Wunderpus that I would call mimicking.
Roy
Roy
good word! I had to look it up.
Aposomatic - perhaps most commonly known in the context of warning colouration, describes a family of antipredator adaptations where a warning signal is associated with the unprofitability of a prey item to potential predators
I thought I read somewhere that all octopuses are 'poisonous', but most have little to no effect on humans.
Aposomatic - perhaps most commonly known in the context of warning colouration, describes a family of antipredator adaptations where a warning signal is associated with the unprofitability of a prey item to potential predators
I thought I read somewhere that all octopuses are 'poisonous', but most have little to no effect on humans.
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All cephalopods are 'venomous' not 'poisonous.' Something is only poisonous if you ingest it(swallowing bleach, insecticide, ammonia, et cetra). Where as venom is injected(snake bite, scorpion sting, et cetra), but I think you can consider both as 'toxic.'
OMG whatever.
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skywindsurfer;161918 said:
I get nervous with 'all' statements, especially with cephs because there is so much we just don't know. In this case, it appears that Metasepia are actually 'poisonous' as may be some of the bobtail squid.
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It's funny; I was just looking at this venomous v poisonous debate in the comments of an old YouTube video on blue ringed octopuses.
In English, the distinction seems not so clear. Even herpetologists refer to "four North American poisonous snakes" though none are toxic to consume; you can buy canned rattlesnake in meat in some stores.
I like the idea of using the words in the manner you suggest, but the English language doesn't seem to have maintained this precision. The distinction is lost when the words are too-readily used as synonyms.
Nevertheless, the distinction makes sense to me, and I'll be careful in my own usage.
In English, the distinction seems not so clear. Even herpetologists refer to "four North American poisonous snakes" though none are toxic to consume; you can buy canned rattlesnake in meat in some stores.
I like the idea of using the words in the manner you suggest, but the English language doesn't seem to have maintained this precision. The distinction is lost when the words are too-readily used as synonyms.
Nevertheless, the distinction makes sense to me, and I'll be careful in my own usage.
I figured what I said was obvious. I did mean venomous, I just didn't give a f*** enough to be so specific. I'll make sure to be more clear in the future.
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Sorry CaptFish. I wasn't trying to be condescending. Some people honestly don't realize the difference between the two and I was just stating the differences. As for the Metasepia I've read/heard about the toxicity of their flesh, but when I said venomous I was referring to their bit. Finally I know using the 'all' statement is a bit presumptuous like you said because there is just so much we don't know and there very well could be a 'non-venomous/poisonous' cephalopod out there that we don't know about.
Well, as I was mulling over my own question, I realized that it is not necessarily mimicking anything, i.e. lionfish, which is often used as one of the animals a "mimic" octopus is mimicking. The whole point of aposematic coloration is to "show-off" your toxicity (to use the safe word 
). So just as a lionfish spreads its fins out to display its coloration, so is the octopus (whether Thaumoctopus or potentially Wunderpus). Therefore, the mimicking may be coincidental, a behavioral stipulation of an aposematic organism. One could only argue mimicking if it is realized that all most "warning" coloration is similar, which would be why it works so well.
Thoughts?
). So just as a lionfish spreads its fins out to display its coloration, so is the octopus (whether Thaumoctopus or potentially Wunderpus). Therefore, the mimicking may be coincidental, a behavioral stipulation of an aposematic organism. One could only argue mimicking if it is realized that all most "warning" coloration is similar, which would be why it works so well. Thoughts?
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I am not sure if I am convinced that the Mimic is actually mimicking.
I have seen my octopuses "look" like their surroundings. From watching video, I think the difference is the Thaumoctopus can act like other animals (I have not seen video of Wunderpus doing this). Aculeatus does a good immitation of seaweed and most can hold still and look like an encrusted rock but the mimic seems to have a selection of options to appear as other living creatures.
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Well crap. RIP little guy.
Not sure what happened. Ammonia shows 0. Nitrate
Not sure what happened. Ammonia shows 0. Nitrate
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You didn't kill a unicorn. This is often the case with these guys. I have had a few small males that ended up exactly the same as yours. Not really sure what is going on...
What are you planning on doing with the body?
What are you planning on doing with the body?
Sorry AM, I am sure it had nothing to do with your care...
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