Mimic Octopus

Photo: Kimberly Tripp Randal · CC BY-NC

Mimic octopus are encountered seasonally at Port Vila Bay, where they hunt the open sand between rubble patches — their preferred habitat — mimicking flatfish, lionfish, and sea snakes as a defence against predation. Spotting one in full mimicry mode, rippling its arms in the lateral undulation of a flounder as it crosses an exposed sand patch, is one of the defining experiences of Indo-Pacific muck diving. Their appearance in Efate waters marks the eastern edge of this species' range, making Port Vila Bay an important location for its Pacific distribution.