Optimal background matching camouflage

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Vol. 284; no. 1858; p. 20170709
• Main Authors: Michalis, Constantine, Scott-Samuel, Nicholas E., Gibson, David P., Cuthill, Innes C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 12.07.2017; The Royal Society Publishing
• Edition: Royal Society (Great Britain)
• Subjects: Animal Coloration; Animals; Behaviour; Birds; Birds - physiology; Camouflage; Color; Color matching; Crypsis; Defensive Coloration; Environment; Humans; Optimization; Pigmentation; Polymorphism; Predation; Predatory Behavior; Prey; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Visual Perception; Visual Search; crypsis; defensive coloration; camouflage; visual search; animal coloration

Background matching is the most familiar and widespread camouflage strategy: avoiding detection by having a similar colour and pattern to the background. Optimizing background matching is straightforward in a homogeneous environment, or when the habitat has very distinct sub-types and there is diver...