# Shapeshifting Octopus **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 20, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394 "2012-02-20T04:14:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/21 "2012-02-21T21:32:28Z")
> [@Ura-Maru](#): > > Octopuses, octopi, and octopodes are all correct, in ascending levels of doucheyness. So sayith the amazingly attractive [Merriam-Webster chick](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFyY2mK8pxk). > > As for ‘how did that evolve,’ it’s not really that hard, because their insane, ninja-esque camo is made up of three components, and each of them has considerable value on its own. > > First, thier flatscreen-tv skin. That’s basic (but good) camouflage, and almost everybody in their family can do it to some extent. So can several other creatures. > > Second, thier general flexablity and ability to re-texture their skin. That’s another version of camo, and again, not that uncommon. Almost every mammal can do this, in fact. Including yourself, though it’s less impressive without fur. > > Third, and this is the tough one, they’re SMART. Smart enough to think, “If I look like THIS, he’ll jump to THAT conclusion!” That’s pretty impressive, (I think only the cleverer mammals and a couple of birds are able to duplicate it) but once you get your brain to this level, it enables you to use your skin and shape to thier best advantage. And then you’ll start selecting even more strongly for adaptable skin and shape. > > – > There’s a built in saftey. The four-year lifespan. It garentees that they die off before they can learn enough to overthrow us. It also prevents them from developing sufficent emotion to raise . . . unpleasant ethical issues. Of course, they can still cause some damage if they escape into normal society, but that’s what the Tentacle Runner agents are for. Hmmmm, so mimic octopi+extended lifespan+weapons= C’Thulhu? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/22 "2012-02-21T23:08:44Z")
I keep seeing the thread title as **Shoplifting Octopus**. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/23 "2012-02-21T23:20:41Z")
I for one welcome our coming Dominion overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/24 "2012-02-21T23:57:42Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I keep seeing the thread title as **Shoplifting Octopus**. New user name? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/25 "2012-02-22T19:55:19Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I keep seeing the thread title as **Shoplifting Octopus**. That _would_ be cool, I admit. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/26 "2012-03-02T12:23:08Z")
Bumpety bump - [check this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-LTWFnGmeg). I’m specifically talking about the sequence between 1:17 - 1:30. What the fucking fuck? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/27 "2012-03-02T13:26:30Z")
its mimicking the [frogfish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogfish). fascinating creature that has a more limited form of mimicry. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394/28 "2012-03-02T13:28:02Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I’m specifically talking about the sequence between 1:17 - 1:30. What the fucking fuck? It looks like something from a video game to me. Cool octopi indeed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shapeshifting-octopus/613394.md?page=1)