Some squids emit light with their bodies to get lost in the sunlight falling from above. Colors are much more important in the animal world than appearance.

In fact, most animals are partially color blind. Animals can use colors for flirting, for a benevolent greeting, and even for defense. Colors for animals can serve as life-saving camouflage, a cell phone and even sunblock.

Coloration and evolution

Coloring is the most visible expression of the genetics of the body. After several millions of evolution, most animals have acquired the color most suitable for their natural habitat and for the role they play in the food chain.

In the process of evolution, color mutations could only persist if they were useful in any way. Almost every animal and even a plant on our planet relies on its color, protecting itself from predators, stalking prey or attracting individuals of the opposite sex.

Protective coloring can act in several ways: to serve as a protective camouflage from predators, used to prevent or distract.

Coloring as a predator disguise

A huge number of animals use their color to merge with the environment. So, animals living on trees can be painted under the color of the bark or underwear patterns that help them get lost in the foliage. Terrestrial animals often have a taupe color that helps them move undetected on the ground. The body of animals living in the snow is often covered with white hair, which helps them become invisible on a white background. Many animals living in the jungle are spotty. Such a protective coloration is also known as cryptic coloration. Let us now consider the most interesting animals using cryptic coloring.

Cryptic animals

Dwarf seahorse

These incredible creatures, perhaps, have the best protective color. Tiny seahorses, only one and a half centimeters in length, blend perfectly with their natural habitat, coral reefs, making good use of both their size and their amazing color. Dwarf seahorses were discovered by chance on corals that were caught for study.

Forest Goat

This fantastic South American bird is another camouflage expert in the animal kingdom. The feather pattern of these birds looks like dried bark and branches, providing them with an excellent refuge. Forest goats spend most of the day sitting on branches, revealing themselves only when they open their beak or flap their wings to fly into the dark in search of insects.

Gigantic White-Footed

White-footed goats are relatives of the goats, and they use the same tactics for protection. The color of the plumage of gigantic white-footed animals goes well with the trees on which they sit, which makes it very difficult for predators to find them.

Common goat

Having a kinship with forest goats and gigantic white-footed, common goats usually have a brown-black color, which hides them well in ground nests.

Owl

Owls are nocturnal predators that spend most of the day hiding in hollows. Their plumage merges with the tree and in the daytime it is very difficult to distinguish them from the background of the tree.

Shiny Pointed Snake

This graceful miracle of nature spends almost all the time on a tree, and for this she has a serious reason. This snake of amazingly green color easily merges with foliage, which makes it practically invisible until it starts to move slowly.

Mantis

This predatory insect lurks in the green grass, patiently waiting for its prey, delivering a mortal blow at the right time.

Ryabok

These land birds are browned to help them hide in their sandy habitat.

Caterpillar

Caterpillars use two types of coloration: protective coloration and warning coloration. Many caterpillars are colored just like the plants on which they live, which is why it is not easy for birds and other predators to see them.

Crocodile

In muddy rivers, the habitat of crocodiles, these predators lie motionless, waiting for their prey, which often takes crocodiles for lifeless logs. By scanning the surface of the water, crocodiles can keep almost their entire body under water. This allows them to get pretty close to an unsuspecting victim, and go on a lethal attack.

Dwarf african viper

This gray snake perfectly matches its desert habitat. Like all snakes, this is an excellent ambush predator that hides under the sand in anticipation of prey. Above the sand rises only the head, which is quite difficult to notice.

Australian copperhead snake

Most snakes are masters of camouflage. The Australian copper-headed snake or muzzle, one of the most deadly snakes, has a body covered with a striking pattern of randomly arranged spots that merge with grass, leaves and branches.

Wart

This predatory fish is almost impossible to detect when it is in ambush, waiting for its prey. In this form, the wart reminds an ordinary stone covered with corals at the bottom of the ocean, right up to the moment of its attack.

Lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar

All these wild cats on the hunt rely on cunning and ambush, so they need to get as close to the victim as possible. The golden fur of a lion hides it in the golden brown landscape of the African savannah. Lions try to get as close to the victim as possible, thereby compensating for their insufficient speed. Their camouflage is extremely useful for achieving this goal.

Tigers prey mainly in wooded areas, in areas covered with tall grass. Since tigers usually hunt at dawn or dusk, noticeable stripes at other times help them move unnoticed in tall grass.

Leopards and jaguars hunt in densely forested areas. The pattern in the form of rosettes on their body helps them hide in constantly moving shadows cast by leaves in the sunlight.

Seasonal color changes

This phenomenon can be observed in the tundra, where some animals change their coat in winter and summer. The winter coat of these animals is white, helping them to merge with the constant masses of snow and ice. In winter, white coat helps animals to hide from predators, or to wait for prey in an ambush. With the advent of summer, white wool is replaced by brown-black wool, helping animals to hide in the summer landscape.

These animals include, first of all, hare, partridge and Arctic fox, which eats just hares and partridges.

Adaptive Color Change

Some animals have gone even further than all the animals described above, since they learned change your color as desired.

Chameleon

The chameleon is undoubtedly the most famous example of such animals. However, the chameleon is not the only one who can change color in this way, many Arctic animals also have this ability. As in the case of the chameleon, contrary to popular belief, these animals do not always change color to protect themselves. Quite often, a color change is a message to representatives of the same species. Such a color change may indicate a readiness for mating. The chameleon mainly uses its ability to change color to express its mood, although also to merge with the environment.

Cuttlefish

Unlike a chameleon, cuttlefish uses this ability primarily for protective purposes. She evaluates the environment and takes on the appropriate color. Surprisingly, cuttlefish can change the color of the whole body in less than a second. Cuttlefish also use the ability to "flare up" as a means of communication. Other cephalopods, such as octopuses and squids, also have this ability.

Flounder

Flounder moving along the ocean floor can change its color in accordance with the color of the seabed. When the flounder lies at the bottom, it is not easy to notice.

Gradual color shading

This color is observed in almost all highly developed animals. Upper body of dolphins, sharks, penguins, deer, cheetahs, etc. darker than the bottom. Although such a coloration also helps terrestrial animals such as deer, it is most beneficial to ocean predators.

Sharks, dolphins and penguins have an almost white belly, which gradually turns into a dark gray or black back. Thanks to this coloration, these predators are not easy to replace both below from the background of sunlight, and above, where their backs merge with the color of the ocean.

Mimicry

There are animals that have learned to imitate other animals or objects. This ability to imitate gives them a huge advantage, allowing them to effectively hide. Creatures that mimic an inanimate object, such as a leaf or a twig, can rest peacefully among leaves and branches without worrying about their safety. Animals imitating living things (this is called mimetism) often imitate more dangerous and more terrible animals than themselves. Thus, they protect themselves from predators. Here we bring to your attention the very best copycats.

Leaf

This incredible miracle of evolution cannot be detected when it is hiding in a tree. These insects are strikingly reminiscent of the leaves of trees. They even move like a leaf under the blow of the wind. Some leaf leaves even have rough edges, which makes them even more like leaves.

Owl Eye Butterfly

Like many butterflies with large spots in the form of eyes on the wings, the “eye” of the butterfly “owl eye” is designed to scare away potential predators. These butterflies are mainly hunted by lizards and frogs. Spots resembling the eyes of an owl help butterflies save lives.

Ghost

Creepers are harmless insects that feed on nectar and pollen. Many creepers imitate the more dangerous and poisonous wasps. Thus, they are saved from animals fearing wasps.

In the animal kingdom, noticeable coloring is almost always a disadvantage. However, bright coloration may also serve as a warning to potential predators.

Brightly colored animals are more likely to be poisonous, dangerous, or tasteless. Many tasteless butterflies and moths are painted in bright warning colors. And it’s better not to touch the brightly colored frogs. Many harmless animals in the process of evolution appeared coloring dangerous animals, helping them avoid predators.