Octopus Says Do Not Touch
Octopuses conceal themselves in their surroundings using chromatophores—cells that can change pigment dynamically—to match the colors of the seafloor, reef systems, and even other animals. But they also change the size and shape of projections on their skin, allowing them to replicate textures and look just as much like the ocean’s sandy bottom as bumpy corals. If all else fails, the animals can disappear in an inky smokescreen they expel from the same hole used for propulsion, respiration, and excretion.
