counter-illumination
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.7|Principle of the counter-illumination camouflage of the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans. When seen from below by a predator, the animal's light helps to match its brightness and colour to the sea surface above.
Article
16 sectionsContents
- In marine animals
- Mechanism
- Counter-illumination and countershading
- Photophores
- Matching light intensity and wavelength
- Autogenic or bacteriogenic bioluminescence
- Purpose
- Hiding from predators
- Hiding from prey
- Defeating counter-illumination camouflage
- Military prototypes
- For ships
- For aircraft
- Notes
- References
- External links
thumb|upright=1.7|Principle of the counter-illumination camouflage of the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans. When seen from below by a predator, the animal's light helps to match its brightness and colour to the sea surface above.
Counter-illumination is a method of active camouflage seen in marine animals such as firefly squid and midshipman fish, and in military prototypes, producing light to match their backgrounds in both brightness and wavelength.