Octopus Coloring Sheet

---

---

How Do Octopuses Change Color? was made possible by: Make math simple and effective with CTCMath for grades k-12. Parabo Press. Print your nature memories and receive $10 off using the code NAT10.

---

How Do Octopuses Change Color?

Have you ever wished you could change color to blend into your surroundings? Imagine if you could shift from bright red to deep blue in the blink of an eye! Octopuses can do just that, and it’s all thanks to the incredible design God gave them.

Masters of Disguise

Octopuses are some of the most fascinating creatures in the ocean. They can change color, shape, and even texture. While the mimic octopus is famous for imitating other sea creatures, nearly all 300+ species of octopus have this incredible ability. Scientists are still discovering octopus species they were not aware of before, and one reason it’s so tricky is because these animals are so good at hiding in plain sight!

But how exactly do octopuses change colors? Let’s take a closer look at their God-designed skin.

How do Octopuses Change Color?

An octopus’s skin is made up of three special layers, each playing a role in its color-changing abilities.

1. Chromatophores – The Color Sacs

The top layer of an octopus’s skin is filled with tiny cells called chromatophores. Inside each chromatophore is a little sac of pigment—colors like black, brown, orange, red, and yellow. These sacs can expand or contract, revealing different colors on the octopus’s skin. What’s really amazing is that each chromatophore cell has 18-20 tiny muscles that control how much color is shown!

An octopus has millions of these cells. That’s why it can change color faster than you can blink—just by flexing its muscles!

2. Iridophores – The Shimmering Layer

Beneath the chromatophores is another layer of special cells called iridophores. These reflect light! Iridophores contain tiny crystal-like structures that create shimmering colors like blue, green, pink, silver, or gold, depending on how the light hits them.

3. Leucophores – The Blank Canvas

The deepest layer of octopus skin is made of leucophores. These cells scatter light and appear white, like a blank canvas for the other colors to shine on.

With all three layers working together, an octopus can shift its colors, blending into its surroundings or warning predators to stay away.

How Do Octopuses Change Shape and Texture?

Octopuses don’t just change color; they also change shape! They can make themselves look like rocks, seaweed, or even other animals.

1. No Bones? No Problem!

Octopuses are invertebrates, which means they don’t have backbones—or any bones at all! Their soft, flexible bodies allow them to squeeze into tiny spaces and take on different shapes.

2. Bumpy, Smooth, or Spiky?

Octopuses also have special skin structures called papillae, which they can raise or lower to change the texture of their skin. Papillae are controlled by muscle structures called hydrostats. These allow the octopus to create bumps, ridges, or even what look like spikes on its skin.

One of the most incredible examples of this is the hairy octopus. Discovered only in the early 2000s, this tiny octopus (only a couple of inches long) can look just like a piece of floating algae. Its ‘hair’ isn’t actually hair at all—it’s just raised papillae!

What Can We Learn from the Octopus?

Octopuses are experts at mimicry—they can imitate their surroundings and even other sea creatures. But did you know the Bible warns us about certain kinds of mimicry?

Be Careful of False Mimics

In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns, “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” Just like the mimic octopus can pretend to be something it’s not, people can sometimes pretend to teach truth while spreading false messages. How do we know what’s true? By reading and memorizing God’s Word and listening to the Holy Spirit.

The Right Kind of Imitation

While God warns us about false teachers, He does tell us to imitate Him. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.”

Just like an octopus’s colors reflect its surroundings, our lives should reflect Jesus—His love, truth, and kindness.

Octopuses are one of God’s most incredible underwater creatures. With color-changing skin, shape-shifting abilities, and camouflage skills, they are true masters of disguise. But while octopuses use their abilities to blend in, we are called to stand out and reflect the light of Christ!

So, next time you see a picture of an octopus, remember: God’s creation is full of wonders, and He made you wonderfully unique!