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From leaf-tailed gecko to pygmy sea horses: 6 fascinating animals that perfect the art of camouflage
The animal kingdom employs camouflage for survival, allowing creatures to evade predators. Here's a look at these magnificent creatures closely.
The animal kingdom is a harsh world where danger lurks in every corner. One wrong move and you can end up being preyed on. The law that runs the jungle is survival of the fittest. One of the ways nature helps animals stay hidden from predators is camouflage. The first name that pops into our mind when we hear the word is a chameleon. But from insects looking like leaves to sea creatures changing colours in seconds, several other animals possess this fascinating art of disguise, as per the BBC. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko
Not only are they blessed with mottled skin in hues of tans, greens, greys, and browns, they are also able to mimic a human-like scream. When they are resting on Madagascar’s forest floor during the day, the greyish green fringed flaps on the sides and lower jaws of the geckos spread out against the surface of the tree trunks, logs, and leaves. This tactic hides their outline, making them invisible to a predator’s eye.
Leaf-Litter Toad
Endemic to South America, these toads are experts at camouflaging themselves as a dead leaf. The credit goes to their visually flabbergasting skin pattern. This special characteristic not only protects them from predators but also helps them prey on insects found in piles of dead leaves covering the forest floor.
Wrap-Around Spider
Found in parts of Oceania and Australia, wrap-around spiders have a concave belly, allowing these creepy-crawlies to flatten themselves around the curve of a tree. They come with oval discs running across their abdomen, offering the perfect masking against the branches. As a result, predatory birds often fail to find them.
Pygmy Sea Horse
Dubbed as the world’s smallest sea horses, these species reside in Southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle. They have raised bump-like features called calcified tubercles, which match the polyps of the surrounding coral. Interestingly, when they are around some coloured coral, their tint changes accordingly. The size of pygmy sea horses and their camouflage abilities help them to blend seamlessly into their tropical coral reef habitat, ensuring a lower risk of predation.
Decorator Crab
True to its name, decorator crabs adorn themselves with coral, sponges, and seaweed, making these creatures difficult to see amongst all the marine life forms. When they choose to deck themselves in a suitable ornament, their shells get stuck with tiny, velcro-like hairs. Some decorator crabs cover themselves with stinging anemones or toxic seaweed, causing predators to think twice before getting any closer.
Arctic Hare
Although they look pretty much like a normal hare during the summer season, in winter their coat turns into a brilliant shade of white. It makes them almost impossible to spot against the snowy landscapes. Additionally, their eyes are situated on the sides of their heads, allowing them to see everything around them with 360° precision without even moving a muscle.
FAQs
Where is the Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko found?
It resides in Madagascar.
Which species is the world’s smallest seahorse?
The pygmy seahorse is classified as the world’s smallest seahorse.
