SCP-6216


Item#: 6216
Level3
Containment Class:
euclid
Secondary Class:
{$secondary-class}
Disruption Class:
dark
Risk Class:
warning

mimic.jpg

SCP-6216 instance observed courting a male Tartarailurus asheworthii (Asheworth's catshark) while crudely imitating a female counterpart.


Special Containment Procedures: Total containment of SCP-6216 has been deemed unfeasible and unnecessary. Tracking devices are to be implanted in all identified instances. Disinformation protocols are to be enacted in the unlikely event of civilian documentation or recovery of SCP-6216 instances.

SCP-6216-03 is currently under observation at DSS1-72. All expeditions conducted into SCP-6216-03 are to have written approval from Site Director Douglass. Specialized light fixtures have been attached to the Esposito Module at DSS-72 to better facilitate SCP-6216-03 docking events as per Protocol 6216-A03.

Description: SCP-6216 is a previously undocumented species of tartaropelagic2 fauna capable of polymorphism via anomalous means, which is largely used to engage in aggressive mimicry. Since the completion of DSS-72, a total of 6 individual instances of SCP-6216 have been identified, all of which initially appeared to be various tartaropelagic fish before DSS-72 personnel noted their unusual appearance and feeding behaviors.

Currently, personnel have identified SCP-6216 instances imitating 132 distinct tartaropelagic species, however there is believed to be no upper limit on this number. The vast majority of SCP-6216 sightings occur during ROV expeditions, and are subject to standard ROV tag-and-release protocol.

Addendum 6216.01: SCP-6216 Behavior
The metamorphosis of SCP-6216 is poorly understood, however it is inferred from Hume measurements that the process involves a certain degree of ontokinetics. The process is energetically demanding, and as such, instances are observed to only undergo metamorphosis every few days. It is believed that SCP-6216 instances rely on a combination of echolocation, electroreception, and chemoreception to identify prey and facilitate feasible metamorphoses into suitable forms.

SCP-6216 instances typically metamorphose into female instances of other tartaropelagic fauna in order to increase the probability of encountering male counterparts, but have also been observed to imitate male instances on occasion. Upon such encounters, SCP-6216 instances will imitate mating patterns of the mimicked species, which may last anywhere from 30 seconds to several days, before incapacitating and consuming its prey. Researchers have proposed that this unusual interaction may be orchestrated to obtain genetic material from prey species to improve its mimicry.

Additionally, SCP-6216 instances have been observed to engage in mating behaviors while metamorphosed as the same or similar species. Notably, these interactions do not conclude with the consumption of any involved party, however the viability of these encounters for reproductive purposes remains a subject of study by DSS-72 personnel.

Addendum 6216.02: Physical Description
No SCP-6216 instance has been found in an unmetamorphosed state thus far, with genetic samples revealing few similarities to known organisms.

In spite of SCP-6216's success in predatory mimicry amongst prey populations, visual analysis shows that SCP-6216 instances cannot accurately recreate visual non-bioluminescent appearances. Instances universally retain a distinct dark red coloration, which is used to identify undocumented instances. However, SCP-6216 instances have been noted to take on forms outside that of local fauna, the most notable example being SCP-6216-03.




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