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In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant [1] to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be 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
Anti-predator adaptation in action: the kitefin shark (a–c) and the Atlantic wreckfish (d–f) attempt to prey on hagfishes. First, the predators approach their potential prey. Predators bite or try to swallow the hagfishes, but the hagfishes have already projected jets of slime (arrows) into the predators' mouths.
Leafy sea dragon avoids recognition by predators, with alga-like coloration, protuberances and behaviour. Underwater camouflage is the set of methods of achieving crypsis—avoidance of observation—that allows otherwise visible aquatic organisms to remain unnoticed by other organisms such as predators or prey.
The costs associated with distractive or disruptive crypsis are more complex than the costs associated with background matching. Disruptive patterns distort the body outline, making it harder to precisely identify and locate. [34] However, disruptive patterns result in higher predation. [35]
A wide range of animals, e.g. lizards, birds, rodents, and sharks, behave as if dead as an anti-predator adaptation, as predators usually take only live prey. [ 15 ] In beetles, artificial selection experiments have shown that there is heritable variation for length of death-feigning.
Mimicry is a form of defense which describes when a species resembles another recognized by natural enemies, giving it protection against predators. [2] The resemblance among mimics does not denote common ancestry. Mimicry works if and only if predators are able to learn from eating distasteful species.
Nests in areas with higher predation rates have been found to contain more pulp on these cocoons than nests in low predation areas. [8] Animals use the techniques of crypsis or camouflage, concealment, and mimicry, for avoiding detection.
Tonic immobility occurs after the predator has detected and or made contact with the prey, and is likely used to prevent further attack by the predator or consumption of the prey. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Because tonic immobility occurs later in the predator attack sequence, it is considered a secondary defense mechanism and is therefore distinct from freezing.