Stunning Clip Captures an Octopus Changing Colors While Dreaming in a Way We’ve Never Seen Before
Octopuses are remarkably intelligent, oftentimes comparable to critical thinking exhibited by humans, particularly that of a 3-year-old. While these cephalopods are still under research, their superior intellect is attributed to their bizarrely complex bodies with nine brains and eight arms. They are said to be one of the first intelligent species on the planet, with the ability to solve puzzles and untie knots, according to Smithsonian Ocean. Marine biologist David Scheel unveiled a different side of the marine mollusk in a YouTube documentary shared by Nature on PBS (@naturepbs) showcasing its ability to camouflage.
Scheel, a professor at Alaska Pacific University, spoke in awe as an octopus in his aquarium, said to be dreaming, shifted colors primarily in its mantle– the muscular bag-like structure bearing essential organs, per the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “Last night, I’ve witnessed something never seen recorded before,” he said, focusing the camera on the octopus named Heidi. The expert figured the octopus was dreaming from the gradually spilling colors on its body and even went on to narrate a plausible dream. “So here she’s asleep, she sees a crab and her color starts to change a little bit,” Scheel continued as Heidi transitioned from pale white to yellowish hues. The octopus then turns from light to absolute dark, which Scheel explained occurs when octopuses move away from the bottom of the sea.
Intricate patterns of shifting colors emerged as Heidi wobbled in the water. All of a sudden the texture alters, and thorny structures pop out of the octopus’s skin in geometric patterns. “This is a camouflage, like, she’s just subdued a crab and now she’s going to sit there and eat it, and she doesn’t want anyone to notice her,” said the marine biologist. Immensely fascinated by her special abilities, Scheel noted how such behavior is not even minutely relatable to most animals existing on the surface of the Earth. “I mean just to be able to see all the different colors just flashing one after another…That really is fascinating,” he said. The clip is a part of the documentary, Octopus: Making Contact, released in September 2019.
Dr. Scheel raised the octopus under his supervision and has demonstrated her ability to solve puzzles, using tools and her escaping tactics. Heidi has also developed an interesting relationship with the family and recognizes faces. Playing with Scheel’s daughter appears to be one of her favorites. Octopuses are essentially masters of camouflage, used to blend in with their surroundings to catch prey and escape the notice of predators. It is also used to attract mates, as per another Smithsonian Ocean report. Their exceptional evolution has allowed them to develop other defense mechanisms like spraying ink. The video clip went viral on social media with dozens of people left intrigued by the octopus’ camouflage mechanism.
@iliveinaconstantstateoffea9634 wrote, “Aw. How cute. Her little shut eyes and how she's curled up sleeping. She looks so comfy and so cute” @Antiliani quipped, “Just imagine our dreams appearing on our skin.” @JimEckhardt penned, "Blown away. Such a beautiful, intelligent creature. One of my all-time favorites for sure. Have had one encounter with a baby in a rock pool and it was mesmerizing. So inquisitive and shy. Beautiful to watch for ages." Honestly, many of the users reacted to the post with hilarious jokes. “She is choosing wallpaper for the aquarium,” someone else @Bisha100 chimed, and @KennDawg__ joked, “She doesn’t want anyone to notice her” as 2.1 million people see her.”
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