The Mimic Octopus and the Immortal Jellyfish

Mimic octopi and immortal jellyfish are some very peculiar sea creatures. The behaviour theyre named after is very strange indeed! They are both very different from each other, but also have some notable similarities. One thing they have in common is their habitat. Both of these animals are sea creatures. Though, mimic octopi live in nutrient-rich estuarine bays of Indonesia and Malaysia while immortal jellyfish derived from the Caribbean but cargo ship carrying has led them to populate all of the earths temperate to tropical waters! On the contrary, mimic octopi and immortal jellyfish both have different conservation statuses, opposites in fact! Mimic octopi are an endangered species. The environment they live in is not allowing them to thrive very well. Immortal jellyfish on the other hand arent exactly least concern. Some scientists are concerned the immortal jellyfish may over populate due to its strange behavior, which is another distinctive difference between the two animals. Immortal jellyfish actually have the ability to theoretically live forever, giving it the title the immortal jellyfish. Thats because these little creatures can go through a process no other animal can go through, at least not with their entire body. It is called: transdifferentiation. This is when mature cells become different types of cells. When the jellyfish feels it is in danger or has reached the end of its life cycle, instead of dying, its life cycle is put into reverse and it can actually revert itself into a polyp colony. This cycle could theoretically keep on going, to allow this animal to technically live forever. But this guy isnt the only on with a strange ability. The mimic octopus should seriously be winning an Oscar award! It has the uncanny ability to instantly change its shape to mimic other sea creatures, confusing even the type of animal it is mimicking! And all of the animals the mimic mimics are venomous. The mimic octopus does not have any venom of its own, so it mimics other poisonous creatures living in its habitat to ward off its predators. The mimics mimic lion fish, flat fish, sea snakes, sting rays, sole fish and several other animals. These octopi are like masters of charades and natures greatest actors! Studies show that

the mimic octopus can mimic at least 15 different sea creatures, and even something that can be described as looking something like a furry turkey with human legs. Likewise, both these animals share a similar diet: they are both carnivores. The mimic octopus feeds on fish, crabs and worms, while immortal jellyfish feed on zooplankton, fish eggs and small mollusks. However, both have different predators. Mimics are prey to barracuda and small sharks, whereas immortal jellyfish are prey to tuna, swordfish, moonfish, triggerfish and some types of sea turtles, especially the leatherback sea turtle. Yes, the immortal jelly is over populating, but it has many predators, is succumb to disease and illnesses, and will also die out from lack of food and other living requirements. Also, in their polyp colony, they are unable to move making them vulnerable to attack from other animals. Despite being two completely different animals, both still share similar physical characteristics. They are both invertebrates and they both have tentacles. They still look very different though. Mimic octopi grow up to 60 cm long, while immortal jellyfish grow only up to 4.5 mm! Thats really small! Immortal jellies are bell-shaped, transparent with their stomachs a distinctive red colour. They grow up to 90 tentacles. Mimics have 8 tentacles like a regular octopus. Their bodies are covered with brown and white stripes or spots. They have pigment sacs in their skin to change its pattern and colour, as well as a brain, unlike jellyfish. However, mimics lack a sense of hearing. These incredibly interesting creatures with their unique abilities are what make them so different from other animals. In my opinion, both are winners. In behavior, both are tied, as the mimic can mimic and the immortal jellyfish is, well, immortal. Physical appearance goes to the mimic octopus, as they can actually take on the appearance of other poisonous creatures and is MUCH larger than the immortal jellyfish. The immortal jellyfish win in habitat, conservation status and life span as they live in all the earths oceans, they are least concern, as it is a low chance they will become endangered and life span as they can theoretically live forever. Intelligence goes to the mimic, as they know when to mimic what animal to avoid predators. These animals are so amazing and I really cant choose a definite winner between them!

Bibliography:
Mimic Octopus:

http://www.dive-the-world.com/creatures-mimic-octopus.php www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/behold-amazing-shapshifting-mimicoctopus=videp.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimic_octopus Immortal Jellyfish: deepseanews.com/2013/07/are=jellyfish-immortal/ www.boredpanda.com/turritopsis-nutricula-immortal-jellyfish/ life-sea.blogspot.ca/2011/07/life-of-immortal-jellyfish/ www.seathos.org/tag/immortal-jellyfish/ animals.pawnation.com/can-turritopsis-nutricula-live-forever-3728.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turritopsis_nutricula Pictures: http://blog.nus.edu.sg/lsm1303student2013/2013/04/11/and-the-oscar-goes-to-an-octopus/ http://synapsebristol.blogspot.ca/2013/03/weird-and-wonderful-immortal-jellyfish.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimic_octopus http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/magazine/can-a-jellyfish-unlock-the-secret-ofimmortality.html?_r=0 Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kLSiE-eNjw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-LTWFnGmeg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFLSqvFO_Aw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LupKa4ecU5Q