Rainbow Blanket Octopus
Two extremely rare rainbow blanket octopuses were captured on camera during a night dive off the coast of Romblon, Philippines by Joseph Elayani. Its rapid color change is due to a reaction it has to the different light levels from the camera, and doubles as a defense mechanism against would-be predators. This rare species of cephalopod is native to tropical and sub-tropical regions deep down under the waves, thus they rarely m,ake contact with humans. Read more for a video and additional information.



On a related note, did you know that blanket octopuses are immune to the venomous Portuguese man o’ war? That’s right the male and immature females rip off their tentacles and use them offensive / defensive purposes. Similar to other octopuses, the blanket octopus uses ink to intimidate potential predators, and when threatened, the female unfurls her large net-like membranes that spread out and billow in the water, greatly increasing her apparent size.

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