Often confused for its close relative, the Mimic Octopus, the Wonderpus is a fascinating creature to encounter while diving. Found only in a few places throughout the world, this beautifully photogenic species is unforgettable. Let’s take a closer look.
Wonderpus Basics
The Wonderpus, or Wunderpus Photogenicus, as it is known, was only discovered in the 1980’s when divers began encountering the species in shallow tropical waters. Finally described by science in 1997, it has so far been found in Bali and Sulawesi, all the way north to the Philippine Islands, and east to Vanuatu.
Much like the mimic octopus, the Wonderpus is capable of disguising itself; unlike its relative, it is normally encountered at dusk and dawn, rather than at midday, when it emerges from its den. Preferring muck environments, where it shares habitat with such creatures as Pegasus Sea Moths, Ghost Pipefish, crustaceans and nudibranchs, it feeds on shrimp and small fish. When not busy transforming its color and texture, its normal appearance features a brownish red background with a pattern of white bars and spots which are unique to each individual, like fingerprints. A small species, this octopus is usually between 7 and 14 inches across, making it even more difficult to spot.
Like other octopus, the Wonderpus has well developed eyes, which sit up on short stalks, allowing it an excellent view of its surroundings. If you are very lucky, you may get to see the Wonderpus hunting; it will often swim through the water in search of an unsuspecting prey animal, with two arms extended in front of its body, and the other six trailing behind. After stalking its victim, the octopus will pounce in a dramatic display of motion and color, in which it shapes its arms into flattened, netlike shapes to capture its lunch with ease.
A second hunting tactic involves what scientist call speculative net casting, in which the octopus makes its way along the bottom, casting it’s “net” at random intervals, thereby trapping small fish and other creatures, then consuming them.
Often difficult to spot, thanks to its chameleon-like capacity for camoulflage, the Wonderpus sometimes mimics other species and is particularly adept at making itself look like a lionfish or sea snake. This causes would-be attackers to keep their distance. When threatened by an attacker which hasn’t been fooled, the Wonderpus is capable of a defense tactic called arm autonomy, in which an arm can be automatically detached to act as bait for an attacker. Some specimens which have been studied show evidence of having lost several arms, then regenerating them, much like some lizards are capable of losing their tails if captured. Predators include flounder and scorpionfish, and some have witnessed the Wonderpus fleeing from Mantis Shrimp, although it is not known whether these sharp-clawed creatures are Wonderpus predators, or if the two species are in competition with one another.
Not much is known about the Wonderpus life cycle; the species does very poorly in captivity, living for less than a year. Like other sea life, these animals are threatened by pollution and habitat loss, and despite their poor prognosis in aquaria, they are sought by collectors. Count yourself lucky indeed if you encounter a Wonderpus; particularly if you happen to capture it with your camera!