coloring that conceals or disguises an animal's shape
Camouflage pattern resembling the general environment. The ventral surface of the wings of the Polyphemus moth, Antheraea polyphemus is cryptically colored to resemble dried leaves. See also aposematic, disruptive, and flash coloration.
A pattern of colors that makes an animal hard to see. It may be a pattern that is similar to the background on which the animal lives, or one that seems to break up the animal's outline (also called "disruptive coloration"
The resemblance, by virtue of color and pattern, of an organism to its habitual background. This resemblance is usually enhanced by a variety of co-adapted behaviors (e.g., stillness, selection of appropriate substrates, resting attitudes, etc.).
Cryptic coloration is a type of coloration in which an organism matches its background, hiding (camouflaging) it from predators and/or prey (like the peppered moth).
Cryptic coloration is a type of camouflage that makes potential prey difficult to spot against its background. Overall, it is a coloration that allows an organism to become less distinguishable from its background - a camouflage defense mechanism. Thus, the creature is less likely to be spotted and subsequently less vulnerable to predation.
