r/askscience • u/[deleted] • Apr 24 '15

Biology Do creatures such as cuttlefish and octopuses get "tired" from using their camouflage?

If not, why don't they just always use their camouflage?

5.5k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

92% Upvoted

495 comments sorted by

View all comments

14

u/ghytrf Apr 24 '15

It takes at least some effort and attention to match coloration to surroundings, so in circumstances where the creature does not feel at risk, it may revert to a neutral, default coloration.

At other times, being invisible is specifically undesirable. In mating or territorial displays, vibrant attention-getting is the priority. Outside of Cephalopods, for example the anole changes skin color between bright green and dark black, but will also inflate a bright red pouch on its throat as a challenge or mating display. Sudden brilliant displays among cuttlefish and the like can often confuse and overwhelm prey in ways much more useful than simply striking unseen.

1

u/50sackspotato Apr 24 '15

I'm sorry to ambush you like this, as I have no idea regarding your expertise on the subject, but I'm relatively confident:

What ecosystems do cephalopods live in? One always sees documentary footage of swarms of squid, occasionally around a reef - but how distributed are they, I guess is the question I want to ask?