There are 18 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #5 by Helium's members.
glocidia (offspring). When the unsuspecting pike is drawn to the sac, the mussel will open the sac and the glocidia will rush into the pikes face. After flowing through the gills, the glocidia will use dracula like teeth to attach themselves to the outer skin of the pike and be carried upstream.
Another form of camouflage is aposematic coloration. This is a warning system to all species. When an animal or insect has yellow or red coloring, this is like a flag waving to alert the predator to danger. Animals, insects or reptiles bearing these colors or certain markings are often poisonous to whatever eats them or attempts to. This has been learned previously and the victim of this interaction is not going to make the same mistake twice. Snakes with red and yellow patterns are venomous and quite deadly. However, there are other snakes with the same coloration that are harmless. You have to know how the pattern goes to determine whether you are in danger or not. Remember this phrase, "Red on black, I'm a friend of Jack. Red on yellow, I can kill a fellow." This sort of camouflage is also called Batesian mimicry. To avoid being eaten, a rather harmless or tasty species will mimic a dangerous one, hoping to avoid predators.
The forms of camouflage may not always work, but most of the time they do. If smaller species were not able to hide themselves, they would most likely become extinct. The nature of camouflage is an interesting feature for species to have, so be careful when you come across these crafty creatures so you don't give them away.
Learn more about this author, Michelle Reed.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:
by Alex Zak
As the famous evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould would have answered, the question "why" is not valid in evolution.
by Jon Eccles
Camouflage, like any other animal trait, is built up slowly by natural selection.
People looking to disagree with this often
Once upon a time, members of the British army wore bright red tunics, with two white sashes across them. And people wondered
We know from our studies that evolution is the pattern that nature uses to ensure final and ultimate perfection of her forms.
Throughout the diverse food web of life, animals and insects can be predator or prey. Because of this uncertain life, each
View All Articles on:
How and why animals developed camouflage
Add your voice
Know something about How and why animals developed camouflage?
We want to hear your view.
Write now!
Cast your vote!
Click for your side.
Featured Partner
Sunshine Week is a nonpartisan, good-government effort led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, but with a c...more
hide