Robert Harding

Camouflage

Animals that are able to blend into their environments often have greater protection from their prey. Their power to disguise themselves helps them survive for longer and to breed. We found some great examples in our archives.
A leopard's eye, Panthera pardus, green-yellow in colour, looking through a narrow gap, hiding, Londolozi Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa - 1174-4951
Caribbean, Bonaire, Blenny fish looking out from reef. - 1116-29190
striped triplefin triplefin with parasitic crustacean on back camouflaged on sponge underwater Komodo Island Indonesia Indian Ocean Asia (Helcogramma striata) - 869-5172
Convolvulus Hawk-Moth, hawkmoth (Agrius convolvuli), Schwaz, Tyrol, Austria, Europe - 832-8996
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperato) next to gills of spanish dancer (Hexabranchus sanguineus) at night, Puerto Galera, Mindoro, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Asia - 920-2437
Luna moth (Actias luna), mating pair among hay-scented ferns - 817-123478
Lizard, White Sands, New Mexico, United States of America, North America - 508-25368
Largescale flounder (Engyprosopon grandisquama), Sulawesi, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia - 1103-236
Freshwater crocodiles, Northern Territory, Australia, Pacific - 756-1286
A sloth bear in a tree, Venezuela, South America - 312-1629
Long eared owl (Asio otus) in winter, Scotland, UK, Europe - 738-31
Edible frog (Rana esculenta) camouflaged in duckweed - 832-36999
Shrimp (Periclimenes scriptus) and Sea Anemone - 817-7069
Helmeted Iguana or Forest Chameleon (Corytophanes cristatus), Arenal, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica, Central America - 83-12614
Small Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia), female, Provence, South France, Europe - 832-934
Red eyed tree frog, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica - 641-5934
Blackbanded Jack (Seriolina nigrofasciata) the same individuals as in 8350, showing their ability to blend skin colour changes for camouflage purpose. Red Sea. - 978-67
Grasshopper - 817-4928
Longlure Frogfish (Antennarius multiocellatus), red in colour with superb camouflage against other sponges, Anse Chastanet, St Lucia, Caribbean - 970-225
Red-eyed Treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas), Costa Rica - 817-845
Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) running in snow, near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, North America - 764-194
Sand Goby (Pomatoschistus minutus), small fish with camouflage markings same as gravel seabed it sits on, St Abbs, Scotland, UK North Sea - 970-250
Marbled stargazer, Uranoscopus bicinctus, Indonesia, Indian Ocean, Komodo National Park - 759-1181
Snake Pipefish (Entelurus aequorus), hiding amidst Halydris sea oak, great camouflage, St Abbs, Scotland, UK North Sea - 970-68
Bearded scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis barbata) in perfect camouflage on stone coral, Gangga Island, Bangka Islands, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Molucca Sea, Pacific, Asia - 832-10155
Tail of crocodile disappearing into green algae water, Western Cape, South Africa, Africa - 852-17
Black panther (black leopard) (Panthera onca), Montana, United States of America, North America - 1185-1
pygmy seahorse, Hippocampus bargibanti, Australia, Pacific Ocean, Great Barrier Reef - 759-327
Mossy leaf-tailed gecko, camoflaged on the bark of a tree, Uroplatus sikorae, Andasibe, Madagascar, Africa, captive - 1113-99980
Green leaf-mimic katydid, Aegimia elongata, La Selva, Costa Rica - 1173-449
Green Silver-lines on a green leaf ridged, France - 860-286191
Katydid, Tettigoniidae sp, Sabah, Borneo - 1173-448
Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) sitting in snow, winter coat, Cairngroms National Park, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe - 832-379000
Panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis), Madagascar, Africa - 1131-13
Peron's tree frog (Litoria peronii) on branch, Hopkins Creek, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific - 940-75
A leopard, Panthera pardus, walks through the bush, looking away, sunlight on eye, branches in foreground, Londolozi Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa - 1174-5131
A rock monitor lizard, Varanus albigularis, emerging from a split in a dead tree trunk, Londolozi Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa - 1174-5195
Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) in sea anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor), Philippines - 1116-39715
A Slender Spongegoby (Phyllogobius platycephalops) and two different species of crabs. Attached to the goby are several parasites with egg cases, that will likely prove fatal over time. Many species live on the convuluted surface of this sponge, Philippin - 1116-39719
An adult yacare caiman (Caiman yacare), in the water at Pousado Alegre, Mato Grosso, Brazil, South America - 1112-3615
Adult proboscis bats (Rhynchonycteris naso) on tree in Yanallpa Caño, Ucayali River, Loreto, Peru, South America - 1112-3301
Ash colored morph of the endemic rattleless rattlesnake (Crotalus catalinensis), Isla Santa Catalina, Baja California Sur, Mexico, North America - 1112-3174
Robert Harding