Camouflage

thumb|upright=1.35|The peacock flounder can change its pattern and colours to match its environment. thumb|upright=1.35|A soldier applying camouflage face paint; both helmet and jacket are disruptive coloration|disruptively patterned.|alt=photo of a soldier putting on camouflage face paint

In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be part of a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and mimicry. Crypsis can involve visual, olfactory (with pheromones) or auditory concealment. When it is visual, the term cryptic coloration, effectively a synonym for animal camouflage, is sometimes used, but many different methods of camouflage are employed in nature.

general appearance of an animal resulting from the reflection or emission of light from its surfaces

early evidence for Darwinism from animal coloration

painting by Andy Warhol

deception by non-human animals