Gallery: Absurd Creature of the Week: The Octopus That Does Incredible Impressions of Fish and Snakes

  • Image may contain Animal Reptile Snake Invertebrate Octopus and Sea Life
    Mark Norman
    01

    MS2

    A mimic octopus doing its best impression of the things I saw that one time I ate too much of a pot brownie. Or maybe it’s an impression of a lionfish.
  • Image may contain Ocean Outdoors Nature Water Sea Aquatic Animal Sea Life Reef Coral Reef and Fish
    WaterFrame/Alamy Stock Photo
    02

    common lionfish Pterois volitans Lombok Indian Ocean Indonesia. Image shot 2007. Exact date unknown.

    Yep, definitely an impression of a lionfish.
  • Image may contain Animal Reptile Snake Asphalt Tarmac Ground and Road
    Roger Steene
    03

    MS4

    Here the octopus mimics a highly venomous sea snake.
  • Image may contain Animal Reptile Sea Snake Sea Life Snake and Lizard
    Gerard Soury/Photodisc/Ocean/Corbis
    04

    COLUBRINE SEA KRAIT

    The snake in question.
  • Image may contain Gravel Road Dirt Road Tarmac Asphalt Animal Machine Coil Spiral and Rotor
    Ethan Daniels/Alamy
    05

    Mimic octopus Thaumoctopus mimicus Lembeh Strait north Sulawesi Indonesia Pacific Ocean. Image shot 10/2007. Exact date unknown.

    This one looks like a banded sole, which would actually be a great name for a band.
  • Image may contain Water Ocean Outdoors Nature Sea Animal Sea Life Reef Aquatic Coral Reef and Fish
    Michele Westmorland/Corbis
    06
    A banded sole in the flesh.
Read More
The Nvidia Shield TV Is 7 Years Old. It Just Got a $100 Price Hike
The price of anything with memory is skyrocketing thanks to AI. Aging streaming devices are no exception.
Ryan Whitwam, Ars Technica
Muse Creates Detailed Profiles of All Your Friends and Family
Millions have downloaded Meta’s AI agent Muse. But getting it to do your bidding comes with privacy costs.
Lily Hay Newman
How to Collect CDs
Fed up with paying to stream music you’ll never actually own? Give the little silver disc a spin. Here’s how to start a CD collection or get more out of one you already have.
Orlando Mendiola
The Best E-Readers if You Don’t Want a Kindle
Want to untether your reading from Amazon? These Kindle alternatives deserve a spot on your nightstand.
Nena Farrell
I Tried to Make My Backyard Mosquito-Free. Here’s What Worked
After years of testing repellents, traps, and sprays, I found a few ways to keep the bugs at bay—and plenty that aren’t worth the effort.
Christopher Null
A Decade-Long Experiment Is Unlocking the Mysteries of the Ocean’s ‘Deep Reefs’
Scientists left structures up to 100 meters under the surface. Here’s what they found when they retrieved them 10 years later.
Byrd Pinkerton
Best Chewy Promo Codes: $20 Off October 2026
Explore Chewy coupon codes for $30 off, $20 off your first order of $49, 50% off pet food, and more October 2026 discounts.
Molly Higgins
Best Surfshark Promo Codes for October 2026
Save up to 87% with a Surfshark coupon code, 3 months of VPN free today, and more from WIRED.
Gear Team
DoorDash Promo Code: 50% Off for October 2026
Explore today’s top DoorDash promo codes for $25 off your first order, free delivery, and 50% off DashPass for students and select users.
Molly Higgins
Top Hoka Coupon Codes: 30% Off in October 2026
Unlock free expedited shipping or 10% off with today’s Hoka discount codes, plus save up to 30% with the best discounts for October 2026.
Boutayna Chokrane
Top Klook Promo Code: 25% Off October
Maximize your travel budget with our expert guide to finding Klook coupons, app-exclusive deals, and payment discounts on tours, hotels, and transport.
Molly Higgins
Top Brooks Promo Code 20% Off for 2026
Enjoy 20% off your first order with a Brooks coupon code, plus top discounts and deals on our favorite Brooks running shoes.
Boutayna Chokrane