Although it is likely that the mimic octopus’s behaviour
is the result of natural selection, it is worth considering
the possibility that it may also be sexually selected.
Complex behaviours may simply be courtship displays
misinterpreted as mimicry. Alternatively, mimicry may
have originally evolved as a result of selection for predator
deterrence, but may now also be used in mate choice.
There is evidence for sexual selection on song repertoire
in various birds, and an analogous situation might occur in the mimic octopus if
females prefer males with large impersonation repertoires.
However, at present there is no evidence to support this
possibility: both sexes show mimicry behaviour, all
animals were well separated (50^100 m apart) and all
displays were observed in the absence of conspecifics.