DPG is a comprehensive underwater photography website and community for underwater photographers. Learn underwater photography techniques for popular digital cameras and specialized professional underwater equipment (wide angle, macro, super macro, lighting and work flow). Read latest news, explore travel destinations for underwater photography. Galleries of professional and amateur underwater photography including wrecks, coral reefs, undersea creatures, fashion and surfing photography.
Dive Photo Guide

News

Who’s Mimicking Whom? Jawfish Hitches Ride on Mimic Octopus
By Joseph Tepper, January 5, 2012 @ 10:51 AM (EST)
Source: Huffington Post

In just the last decade, the mimic octopus has been crowned the king of mimicry, turning from lionfish to eel to flatfish in the blink of an eye. But a new video (see below) reveals that the mimicker has become the mimicked.

In the video by researcher Godehard Kopp,  a black-marble jawfish leaves the safety of his sandy hole to hitch a ride on the similarly colored octopus.

"It's a pretty unique observation of mimicry-- most of the time, a mimicking animal doesn't actually follow the model it is mimicking," said researcher Luiz Rocha. "But the mimicry wouldn't work otherwise for this jawfish."

While the discovery of unique interactions like this is what makes the ocean special to many divers and photographers, researchers warn it may not last much longer without human action.

“Unfortunately, reefs in the Coral Triangle area of southeast Asia are rapidly declining mostly due to harmful human activities," said Rocha. "We may lose species involved in unique interactions like this even before we get to know them."

RELATED ARTICLES

LATEST EQUIPMENT

Sea & Sea YS-D130R
Sony a7 Mark V
Backscatter Optical Snoot OS-3 for Hybrid Flash
Nauticam NA-C50
Backscatter Octo 3500
Seacam Optical Precision Port (OPP)
Backscatter Atom Flash AF-1
Backscatter Mini Flash MF-3
Ikelite Housing for Nikon Z5 II
Isotta Universal Smartphone Housing
Marelux MX-A1 II
Ikelite Ecko Fiber
Retra Flash Pro Max II
SeaLife SportDiver S Smartphone Housing
Keldan Video 8XR
Be the first to add a comment to this article.
You must be logged in to comment.
Sponsor
Newsletter
* indicates required
Travel with us

Featured Photographer




Sponsors