A fear of the sea is real for so many people. And to be fair, it’s pretty understandable.
There’s so much we don’t know about what’s out there in the world’s waters as scientists are yet to explore more than 80 percent of the ocean.
Plus, included in the things we do know about it are the likes of sharks and killer whales. So, you know, a very valid fear to have.
But one old viral video that has people jumping in shock is actually of an octopus chilling on the sea floor.
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Famous for their round bodies and eight long arms, the sea animals can radically alter their shape to squeeze through tiny gaps. And it seems that’s not the only thing they can dramatically change.
Marine biologist Roger Hanlon was filming his dive when he came across what looked like an underwater bush, just a big plant siting among some smaller plants on the sea floor. But then he ended up screaming ‘bloody murder’.
Like magic, a huge octopus suddenly reveals itself having been incredibly camouflaged.
Hanlon was blown away by the transformation and he previously said on the Science Friday radio show: “No one comes even close to the speed and diversity of appearances.”
There is a group of underwater creatures called cephalopods which includes octopi like the one captured in the video, as well as squid and cuttlefish.
The inkfish can match the colour and texture of the surroundings in fractions of a second reports Discover Magazine. They can change both the size and shape of ‘dynamic spots of pigments on their skin called chromatophores’.
The marine biologist pointed out that while the animals are colour blind they are still ‘capable of creating colour-match patterns’. So, a combination of those chromatophores and reflectors underneath enables the sea creatures to ‘blend in with vegetation, rocks, or smooth surfaces almost imperceptibly’.
Watch Hanlon’s video here (and prepare for the jump scare):
Users who watched the clip on YouTube found it ‘truly amazing’ and ‘astounding’.
One wrote: “Cloaking device level: infinity.”
Another commented: “Nature is amazing, it’s like some ancient alien aquatic morphing species lol.”
Others said it ‘just blows their mind’ as someone else put: “I find this creature to be intriguing, amazing, beautiful and terrifying all at the same time.”
One also joked: “Octopus: I took me half a day to camouflage and now you come along and ruin everything, F**K OFF I'M DONE HERE!”
Jess Battison