Animal Mimicry: Not Just for Halloween
“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation”
– Oscar Wilde
Copycats, mimicry and camouflage are common themes among the natural world. Animals and plants imitate others or their surroundings to either hide from their predators or trick their prey. Since tomorrow is a day for masquerading as something else, here are some amazing examples of animal mimicry that would surely make them a winner in any costume contest.
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The Walking Stick
No, this is not referring to a staff or cane; this is referring to an insect. Also known as stick-bugs, ghost insects or phasmids, these creatures are experts at the camouflage game. Since they already look like sticks (sometimes sticks with leaves), in the right environment, it can be nearly impossible to separate these guys from a regular set of twigs. Some of them also have the ability to change colors, and even their eggs are camouflaged—usually resembling a plant seed. Other animals have nothing to worry about with these guys; they are herbivores, which is quite ironic if you think about it.
The Indonesian Mimic Octopus
True to its name, this octopus is a master of disguise. It has the ability to change color and can masquerade as 15 other creatures! Other sea life it has been known to imitate include: sea snakes, brittle stars, lionfish, flatfish, stingrays, flounders, jellyfish, giant crabs, sea anemones, mantis shrimp and even sea shells; and it does this by altering the movement and shape of its body and tentacles. Being able to mimic so many different creatures gives this guy quite the advantage. Pending on what other animals are in the area, they can choose from the different animals to lure in prey or scare away potential predators. Due to the color variations and other factors, the Mimic Octopus has been greatly confused with the Wonderpus, though they are not the same creature.
The Leafy Sea Dragon
Another one of the aquatic environment, this relative of the seahorse is a clever little hider. Their appearance does indeed resemble that of a small sea dragon, though they cannot breathe fire or anything of the sort. Their camouflage comes from leafy appendages that sprout from different points of their body, enabling them to blend in with other marine plants. Like the mimic octopus, the leafy sea dragon also has the ability to change colors; but that depends on a number of factors, including age, location and stress level.
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The Arctic Fox
Not to leave mimicry to the sea and insect kingdoms alone, this playful canine also has a few tricks up its sleeve. The arctic fox is able to change colors with the changing seasons, from a brown hue in the summer months to a snow white during winter. Because of this simple, seasonal adaptation, the arctic fox is able to sneak up on prey and hide from predators, like the polar bear.
The Ribeiroia
If the previously mentioned animals were not impressive enough for you, then this one is a definite winner. This creature is actually a form of flatworm parasite, and transforms into several different creatures through its lifetime. A basic life cycle goes like this: Adults –who find residence in the intestines of birds—lay their eggs (1). The eggs pass through with the bird’s waste and hatch into miracidia (2). The miracidia finds itself a freshwater snail, in which they turn into a redia (3). The redia produces cercariae(4), which then make their way to a metamorphosing frog tadpole, and encyst there as metacercariae(5). This causes abnormalities in the developing frog (such as extra limbs), which is eventually eaten by a bird, and the cycle starts all over again as the eggs finally become adults (6). That’s 6 changes in their lifetime! Not to mention that while they are transforming, they also hide under the cover of 3 separate animals (birds, snails and frogs).
There are many other types of great copycats in nature, both predator and prey alike. By imitating the appearance or sounds of others and their surroundings, this sneaky trait has ensured the survival of many creatures over the years. If you want some great ideas to fool your friends next Halloween, or if you want to rid yourself of a fellow, annoying copycat in your life, look to nature; you’ll find a whole world of tricks and traps waiting for you there.
By Heidi Marshall
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Tags: animal mimicry, camouflage, disguise, halloween
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