AY Honors/Animal Camouflage/Answer Key

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1. Define the following terms as related to animals hiding in nature.

a. Camouflage

The method of concealing by making it appear to be a part of the natural surroundings by color or shape in the animal’s body. Camouflage works for both predator and prey; to avoid being found and eaten or to keep from being seen by prey until too late. The Sea horse’s body mimics the shape, colors and texture of the coral in its habitat. A slender stick insect looks just like a tall blade of grass or twig, Leafy Sea Dragon looks just like seaweed, Leaf Insect looks like a dying leaf, The tiger swallowtail Caterpillar has two eyespots on its rear that makes it look like a snake’s head. The Snowshoe Rabbit changes colors with the seasons and the octopus and gecko change colors with its surroundings.

b. Adaptation

Adaptation is how the animal stays alive so it can find food, escape danger, defend themselves, and their young, adjust their bodies to hot or cold temperatures or loss of habitat. The ability to hide itself from predator and prey because of behavioral or physical characteristics of an animal example: holding still like a log so an alligator is not spotted, the opossum playing dead, The armadillo that rolls up into a ball, having a tail that breaks off as in the gecko, having a tail look like it’s head as in the rubber boa. Long legs and sharp beaks of birds, the Mountain goat’s foot, the Camel’s ability to go without water for long periods. Adaptation can also refer to color changes from season to season as in the snowshoe hare, Arctic Fox, Adaptation is the ability to store food within their bodies like bears do for hibernations, the fur on a fox’s tail is thick in winter to provide extra warmth and prevent it from freezing, Blubber on Walrus. Body parts such as the large ears of the Fennec Fox allow heat to escape its body and help it stay cool; the darkling beetle tilts its body forward and allows the dew droplets on its back to fall into its mouth. Adaptation to dark such as bats, moles, and fish that live deep in the ocean.

2. Explain the purpose of animal camouflage.

Camouflage protects the animal from predators and helps predators to hunt without being seen. Camouflage is a way to protect the young animals from being seen so they might grow up.

3. Describe and give an example of each of the following types of animal camouflage:

a. Concealing coloration

Concealing coloration is an animal's ability to use color to hide its presence by visually blending into its surroundings.

• Deer: deer species are often two toned, with a lighter underside that helps them blend into the landscape. It is often hard to spot a deer that is not moving.
• Sharks and dolphins: some species are dark on top and light on the bottom. From the top the shark blends with the dark water, but viewed from the bottom the shark does not contrast so much with the light filtering down from the sun. This helps them reduce being spotted by predator and prey.
• Snowshoe Hare: they turn white during the winter to blend in with the snow.
• Octopi:
• Chameleon: they adapt their color to the surrounding background.

b. Disguise

Animals looking like or imitating other animals that their enemies would overlook or never eat. This can be easily confused with concealing coloration because, though the animal does blend in with its background, there is more to it than that. In disguise camouflage, the animal has the shape and color of something else. The Leafy Sea Dragon avoids notice by camouflaging itself as a piece of seaweed. The Javanese leaf insect is an amazing imitation of a real leaf. The Thorn bugs look like thorns on a rose plant. The Stick insect looks like a stick.

c. Mimicry

In mimicry camouflage, an animal looks like some other animal as a form of protection.

Jumping Spider

Clearwing Moth

Cockroach

King snake

d. Disruptive coloration

In disruptive coloration, spots, strips or even patches are used to conceal an animal’s presence.

Zebra

Tiger

Fawn