Octopus Gallery

Roman seafood mosaic

Roman seafood mosaic. Mosaics consist of small pieces of coloured glass or stone, used to form an image or pattern on a floor or wall. This marine fauna mosaic is from the House of the Faun, in Pompeii, Italy, and accurately depicts over twenty forms of fish, shellfish and eels. At centre, an octopus attacks a lobster. Surrounding them are dogfish, morays, sea basses, sea breams, mullets, and electric rays. This mosaic is displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy

© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

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Wonderpus octopus

Wonderpus octopus (Octopus sp.) hunting on the seabed. This octopus changes its body shape and colour to confuse predators. It can take the form of a flatfish, sea snake, shrimp, jellyfish, crab, lionfish and many others. It can also mimic the movements of its chosen model. Photographed in Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

© GEORGETTE DOUWMA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY