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Permanent Camouflage
The skin, fur, scales or feathers of many animals are colored so that they blend in with their environment naturally. This is an example of permanent camouflage. The animals do not change colors, either seasonally or instantly in response to danger. Examples of animals with permanent camouflage coloring include deer, tartan hawkfish and cryptic frogs. With certain species such as the tartan hawkfish, which is white with a red plaid pattern, it is hard to understand how such garish coloring helps them blend in, but a look at their environment reveals the answer. Tartan hawkfish live near gorgonian fans, which are red and white. The hawkfish blend perfectly with the gorgonian fans.
Seasonal Camouflage
Animals that live in regions that experience drastic environmental changes between seasons typically undergo seasonal changes to help them stay camouflaged. The arctic region is a perfect example of this. In summer months, the ground is mainly green or brown, depending on whether there is ground cover or dirt. During the winter, the ground is covered by snow. Animals with brown coloration are easy to spot against the snow. Animals living in this area, such as the snow owl, arctic fox and snowshoe hare, shed their hair or feathers in the fall and grow white fur or features to blend into the snow.
Background Adaptation
Background adaptation refers to the ability of certain animals to alter their skin color to better blend in with their environment. A well-known example of this is the chameleon. Many other animal species exhibit color-changing properties as well, including flounder, several types of anoles and some species of tree frogs. Because mammals and birds are covered with feathers or hair, which cannot change color instantly, this ability is limited to reptiles, amphibians and fish.
Diet-Related Camouflage
Some animals, such as a tiny sea animal called a nudibranch, change skin color based on their diet. These animals feed on coral, so as they eat a specific type of coral, the pigments from the coral are deposited in the skin, changing the animals' color. When the nudibranch moves on to a different species of coral, different pigments are deposted in its skin.
Hormone-Related Color Change
Some fish are able to adapt to the colors of a new environment using hormones. As the fish picks up visual cues in the new environment, it triggers the release of hormones that affect body pigmentation. This change occurs gradually until the fish's coloring blends in with its new surroundings.