This Is Why I Love Mermay🥹

This is why I love mermay🥹

An octopus mermaid and a lionfish mermaid perched on a colorful coral reef.

The octopus person is tan, with wide, spiraling tentacles that are striped, and go darker at the ends.
The lionfish mermaid is large, with muscular arms and a strong jaw. It is calmly watching the octopus from a higher piece of coral.

the same painting, but the octopus has stretched out its tentacles and changed its face, body, and tentacle color to imitate the lionfish.

close up of octopus mermaid mimicking a lionfish

There are many creatures in this world that earn the definition of "people." Their paths to sentience are as diverse as the shapes and sizes in which they come. For mermaids, mimicking humans and hunting them in packs led to intelligence, language, and society.

Mollusks never hunted humans. They stayed in the depths and communed amongst themselves and eventually with the mermaids who shared their habitat. Long before humans knew of their existence, mollusk and cephalopod people were part of many bustling mermaid societies.

Small wonder, then, that humans referred to as mermaids on every occasion in which we encountered them. As far as sailors knew, things that swim are fish, and thus octopus are fish, and thus octopus people are mermaids.

In truth, mermaids evolved from fully formed fish, which had long split off from the ancestor of mollusks. The other phylum was forging a new path without bones. Thus, sentient creatures who arose from mollusks could not be mermaids any more than they could be fish.

But the name has stuck around. "Octopus mermaid" is more easily parsed than "Octopus person," despite the scientific community's insistence on the latter. Those that make a distinction have coined the term Cecaelia for them, but this has yet to catch on. Beneath the waves, mermaids refer to them by a variety of names, depending on the language. In sea common, the term they use directly translates to "Mirror."

This arose because cephalopods have skin made of chromatophores; cells that flex to reveal and hide their color. These "mermaids" use this trick to create a pseudo face on the top of their mantle, with which they interface with actual fish-mermaids. Their real eyes are held on either side of their head, in the place where our ears would be. To further the illusion, the arms branch and split in a simulacrum of mermaid form: head accessories, two arms, a chest, waist, and tail. So creatures that evolved to mimic humans were in turn imitated, though for different reasons.

There are none more talented at disguise than the mirror known as the Mimic Octopus. This creature is able to stretch its form and change its colors to look like a variety of animals to hide, intimidate, or entertain.

This specimen is seen conversing with a lionfish mermaid on a peaceful coral reef. At first, the colors and shape shift only gently, as the mimic is relaxed in its natural form. Suddenly, it stretches out its spiraled tentacles, the subtle stripes growing into thick bands to match the venomous spines of its lionfish companion.

The two of them continue their conversation, punctuated by the cecaelia's kaleidoscope of shifting skin. Perhaps this is how they laugh.

If you are curious about other people of the sea, you can find more research in the following libraries: High Resolution || Mermaid Requests || Discord || @worldofvonder

good evening Tumblr peeps

I bring you some bunny!Ghost

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simon ghost riley ghost cod

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ann-without-the-e

6 years ago

This piece was inspired by a song called Lonely Angel by Lauren Synger from the game #Bendyandtheinkmachine by @TheMeatly and @MikeMood. I didn’t want to get sued for copy-write #bendyandtheinkmachine #mikemood #bendy #themeatly #aliceangel #laurensynger #bendythedancingdemon #mood #emotions #love #lonely #lonleyangel https://www.instagram.com/quokkatoons/p/BvhYSFgFIom/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=112w96d9qp7nl

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love bendy emotions mood lonely bendyandtheinkmachine themeatly mikemood aliceangel laurensynger bendythedancingdemon lonleyangel

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ann-without-the-e

1 month ago

If this ends up being canon I’ll fucking cry tears of joy

I really can't get over this post by @ficandkaboodle about V admiring Copia but being shy vs. Copia interpreting everything as a personal attack, so I had to draw it. No idea what their dynamic is actually going to be, but I want to play in this space for a bit.

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ghost band reposting art

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ann-without-the-e

6 years ago

Prompt was cauldron, clogs, cassette tape, and firefly. I forgot the clogs and tape. Whoops UWU. Speaking of UWU look at the green bottle and her shoes

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ann-without-the-e

6 years ago

💔Mindy’s backround💔

Mindy was born on June 23rd 1835. She was dropped off in an alleyway because her parents had to abondon her. They were being hunted and didn’t want their daughter to die at such a young age. Mindy was found by a group of poor women who raised her until they were killed in a protest that turned into a riot. Mindy was 5 at the time and soon adapted to living alone. She learned how to beg and sometimes, steal food. But one day, a woman named Wilma discovered Mindy and took her in. Mindy was 11 at this time and Wilma worked in the asylum. Wilma soon discover that Mindy had some interesting behaviors and had her tested for a mental illness. She was, indeed, mentally ill. So they moved her to the asylum. But over time, Mindy never grew and neither did the asylum itself. Sure the employees and patients would pass away but Mindy never did. And the building never aged. It always looked new. Mindy is physically 15 but has the personality of a happy 6 year old. She is still smart and knows basic math and language arts. 💔Fun Facts💔: 💔Mindy has a Teddy bear that was her mother’s and named him Henry. She takes Henry everywhere and shares all the lasers gossip with him. 💔Mindy is currently 183 years old. No one knows how she keeps living. 💔Mindy loves crazy socks. She has a whole collection of them!

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mindy

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ann-without-the-e

10 months ago

I NEED THESE

photocards of the demon cats

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ann-without-the-e

6 years ago

Just messing around on paint tool sai...😋 https://www.instagram.com/quokkatoons/p/BvGJ8HBF03d/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1jc8v9zzosrlc

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ann-without-the-e

10 months ago

WE’VE BEEN FED! OM NOMNOMNOMN

Copia

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papa emeritus iv ghost bc the band ghost cardinal copia frater imperator

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ann-without-the-e

5 years ago

Date Night! Idk I was just sketching one day and this is what it ended up being... https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz0TuxKleL9/?igshid=yn3e7etsqgi2

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ann-without-the-e

6 years ago

Selfie of me and my OC’s Mayella and Atlas! #drawing # oc’s #selfie #traditionalart https://www.instagram.com/quokkatoons/p/BuNEnWMFyHO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=34ls6tcvz03k

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drawing selfie traditionalart

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