Colors have much more significance in the animal world than mere appearance―in fact, most animals are partially colorblind. Colors can be a flirty opening line, they can be a smiling glance of approval, or even a hurtful cold shoulder. They serve as vital camouflage suits, they act as mobile phones, and even as sunscreen! Coloration is the most visible expression of an organism's genetic pattern. After several million years of evolution, most animals have by now achieved the color pattern most suited for their natural habitat and role in the local food chains. Evolutionarily, it would be impossible for a color mutation to survive unless it was beneficial in some way. Virtually every animal (and plant, for that matter) in the world relies on their coloration for either protection from predators, concealment from prey, or sexual selection. This article focuses on the former two applications of color patterns in the animal world. Protective coloration can work in several ways, such as defensive or predatory camouflage, warning coloration, mimicry, distraction, etc. A large number of animals use their color patterns to blend into their environment. Tree-dwelling animals may be colored like bark, or may have patterns that help them blend into leaves. Terrestrial animals are often clad in drab shades of brown to help them pass by unnoticed in their dusty/muddy environment. Snow-dwelling animals often have white fur that helps them conceal themselves against the constant wall of white. Many animals possess scattered patches of varying colors that help them blend into the jungle environment; many predators use this technique to great effect. Some animals, such as the pygmy sea horses, have developed incredible color and patterns that help them blend into their environment. This defensive tactic is called crypsis. Here are some animals that use this technique. In a phenomenon commonly observed in the tundras, several animals sport different coats in the summer and the winter. The winter coats of these animals are white, helping them blend in with the omnipresent mass of snow and ice. In the winter, the white coats help these animals either escape from predators or ambush prey. As summer rolls around, the white coats make way for brown-and-black coats, which help the animals hide in the summer landscape. Here are some examples of such animals. These are two closely related hares. The one on the left is the arctic hare in its winter fur, and the other is the snowshoe hare in its summer coat. These are the two seasonal plumage patterns of the ptarmigan, or rock ptarmigan. The arctic fox, a major predator for both arctic hares and ptarmigans, also changes its own coat according to seasonal shifts. Some animals go one step further than the ones you just read about, and actually change their colors at will. The chameleon is, of course, the most famous example of this phenomenon. However, they aren't the only ones who can change their color; numerous aquatic organisms also have this ability. Like in the case of chameleons, and contrary to popular misconception, these color changes aren't always for camouflage. Oftentimes, the colors are meant as messages to members of the same species. Changing colors is used to signal sexual availability, or to warn other animals of the same species. Here are some of the animals that could make a better Mystique than Jennifer Lawrence. Countershading is observed in almost all higher animals in the world. Animals such as dolphins, sharks, penguins, deer, cheetahs, etc., have much darker dorsal (back) sides than ventral (front). Though it does help terrestrial animals such as deer, it is mainly useful for oceanic predators. Sharks, dolphins, and penguins, notably, have an almost white belly, steadily transitioning into a dark gray-black back. This makes these predators harder to spot from below, where their faint ventral side is hard to distinguish against the sunlight, and above, where their dark backs blend into the dark depths of the ocean. Numerous animals have evolved to be virtual facsimiles of other animals or objects. This provides the mimic with a huge advantage, by allowing it to hide in plain sight. Animals mimicking an inanimate object, such as a leaf or a twig, can rest around leaves and twigs with their safety virtually assured. Animals mimicking other animals, which is called mimesis, often mimic more dangerous, feared animals than themselves. This gives the weaker mimic better chances of not being attacked. Here are some of the best mimics in the animal world. In the animal world, being conspicuously colored is almost always a disadvantage. Often though, bright colors act as warnings to potential predators. Brightly colored prey animals are more likely to be venomous, poisonous, or harmful in some other way. Many unpleasant-tasting butterflies and moths are colored in bright warning shades, and bright frogs are best left alone. Many benign animals have, in fact, evolved to resemble other harmful animals, and escape their own predators by mimicking the harmful organisms (as described in the previous section). Here are some well-known examples of animals that use coloration as a warning. Some animals don't bother with hiding themselves, warning potential predators that they may be poisonous, or even faking toxicity. These animals rely on coloring patterns that make it difficult for the predator to trace and catch them. For instance, many noctuid moths conceal their brightly colored rear wings behind their drab front wings. If a predator attacks, the moths suddenly display their rear wings, giving them just enough time to make an escape while the predator is disoriented. A surprising example of this coloring pattern comes from the African savannahs. Zebras, with their unique striped pattern, may appear to be sitting ducks for lions and leopards, but they have an ingenious trick up their sleeve. When zebras run together, the collage of the stripes on the zebras makes it difficult for their predators to identify and target an individual. If a single animal strays away from the group, it is indeed easy to pick off, but their pattern gives them better communal odds at survival. All animals use their color patterns for some vital purpose, mostly to avoid becoming a prey. Some animals use a protective armor to ward off predators. As far as the use of color is concerned, these are the major applications of color patterns in the animal world, and some of the animals which best employ it.