Here in Amed there is a question that comes over quite often, was it a Mimic octopus or a Wunderpus that we’ve seen? And it happened again this week after a nice muck dive in our house reef.

To be honest, without a proper picture it’s usualy a bit hard to figure it out afterwards but differences exist between these two very close cousins. First of all, both the Mimic (Thaumoctopus mimicus) and the Wunderpus (Wunderpus photogenicus) are just amazing to observe underwater.

They have a huge ability to change shape and skin appearance which make them very fascinating creatures whom elegance catch the eye and leave you dazed. Depending on the situation they can look like a stingray, a sea snake, a Lionfish and some more with, it has to be said, a great advantage for the mimic in that skills.

Considering their size, they are small octopuses and are to be spotted in sandy or gravely area in relative shallow water. The excitement of such an encounter is usually so intense that it’s very easy to miss the very characteristic that make them different. The Wunderpus has well-defined white spots on the mantle (unique among individuals), and bars on the arms.

They lack a white border at the base of the suckers. It’s said as well that they have a more brown or reddish color but this difference may just come in comparison with the poorly defined dark and white markings on the mantle, and a bright white line along the base of the suckers that characterize the mimic.

If you love octopuses and would like to meet one these astonishing specimens, just come and visit us at Twofish Divers Amed, we’ll do our best to make it happen ! Happy Diving !