Track Hurricane Paloma here.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Nature is fascinating, and some of Nature’s best work—or evolution rather—is illustrated by a group of animals that have evolved adapted to mimic leaves. Leaf mimics employ a heightened form of camouflage to evade detection from predators or prey. These animals make use of extraordinary color patterns, in addition to modified exoskeletons, skin, scales, and behavior to take camouflage to another level.  See more animal camouflage here.

INVERTEBRATES AS LEAVES

The “dying” leaf-mimic katydid below is a fascinating creature, and evolution natural selection has endowed it with the ability to mimic a dying leaf.

“Dying” leaf-mimic katydid image was found here and here.

.       .       .

Dead leaf butterflies are extraordinary creatures to observe up close.  The specimen below illustrates the intricate details chiseled out by adaptation through natural selection, which is a driving force of evolution.  The remarkable details help the butterfly evade predation by mimicking a dead leaf.

The dead-leaf butterfly image above was found here, but the actual image is by ToddinNantou on Flickr.
Image found here

.       .       .

The images and videos below show various species of leaf- and stick-mimicking praying mantises, including a dead leaf mantis (Deroplatys desiccata) and a violin mantis subadult (Gongylus gongylodes). The detail and similarity to vegetation in some species, like the specimen in the first image, is extraordinary.

Photo source for attribution here

The image above showing a dead leaf mantis (Deroplatys desiccata) camouflaged amongst some leaf litter was taken by Adrian Pingstone, and found here.

Violin mantis subadult was taken by Laurentiu on Picasa, and found here.

VIDEO: Leaf Mantis at 04:45:

VIDEO: A violin mantis catching a fly:

.       .       .

Another leaf mimic katydid positions itself below.  This specimen mimics a decomposing leaf instead of a dying leaf.

“Decaying” leaf-mimic katydid image (©Martin Shields) was found here and here.

.       .       .

Leaf insects or walkingleaves from the family Phylliidae are some of the best examples of leaf mimics.

Phyllium sp. image above by Sandilya Theuerkauf
Photo source for attribution here

Phyllium giganteum

Phyllium giganteum image by Drägüs was found here.

VIDEOS of walkingleaves:

From LiveScience: Ancient insects used advanced camouflage:

A fossil of a leaf-imitating insect from 47 million years ago bears a striking resemblance to the mimickers of today.
The discovery represents the first fossil of a leaf insect (Eophyllium messelensis), and also shows that leaf imitation is an ancient and successful evolutionary strategy that has been conserved over a relatively long period of time.

Hat tip to Dear Kitty. Some blog, and the fossil leaf insect image was found here.

d

d

d

.       .       .

An unidentified species of dead leaf insect

The unidentified dead leaf insect image by Amaury Olivier Laporte was found here.

.       .       .

Here are more examples of leaf-mimicking katydids.  The species directly below from Costa Rica is mimicking a dead or brown leaf.  Note the mottling or splotching of darker browns, which certainly allows this species to camouflage itself amongst decaying leaves very well.

Photo source for attribution here

Undergrowth dead-leaf katydid (Orophus sp.), Barro Colorado Island, Panama

This series of images shows several small-leaf katydids (Pseudophyllinae) from Peru and the Peruvian Amazon. The last image in the series shows a dead-leaf katydid nymph or an immature form of a small-leaf katydid.

The image showing the undergrowth dead-leaf katydid (Orophus sp.), and the series of images showing the small-leaf katydids were taken by artour_a on Flickr. Art has other images of animals from around the world and interesting examples of camouflage on Flickr.

You may or may not see the katydid in the image below right away, since it kind of jumped out at me when I first saw the image.  This specimen looks more like the katydids that use to get into my parent’s home in the United States if the door was left open too long at night during the summer months.

The green katydid image is by Mjlaff on Flickr.

This peacock katydid’s (Pterochroza ocellata) exceptional resemblance to a dead leaf is remarkable, but if its camouflage fails and a predator realizes it’s a potential meal, the peacock katydid has a behavioral trick—it can quickly flash a pair of false eyes by opening its wings to startle a predator.

The peacock katydid images are by Piotr Naskrecki on Flickr.

.       .       .

Photo source for attribution here

The children’s stick insect (Tropidoderus childrenii) is found in Australia, and it mimics Eucalyptus leaves.

.       .       .

Photo source for attribution here

This cuttlefish is trying its best to mimic a leaf.

.       .       .

VERTEBRATES AS LEAVES

Can you find the leaf mimic frog? Leaf mimicry isn’t exclusive to insects, since some vertebrates make use of this extreme form of camouflage.

The first two leaf-mimic frog images are by ©Wolf Holzmann and were found here and here. The third leaf-mimic frog image is by Hank & Priscilla Brodkin and was found here.

.       .       .

The South American or Amazon leaf fish (Monocirrhus polyacanthus) uses camouflage, mimicry, and stealth to hunt its prey. It will often sit in the water column at varying angles or sideways mimicking a dead leaf (note the individuals in the background). Its prey is quickly gulped into its hard to see large mouth.

Regarding the leaf fishes in the aquarium: South American leaf fish photo source for attribution. The author or licensor of this image does not endorse my work or me and their image is protected under an attribution license. The image showing South American leaf fishes in someone’s hand was found here, and in a fish aquarium here.

.       .       .

The Uroplatus, a genus of gecko endemic to Madagascar, are sometimes referred to as leaf-tailed geckos. The first image shows an individual hibernating during cooler Malagasy weather, and the leaf-tailed gecko uses its tail to mimic a leaf or camouflage itself as it hibernates.

Photo source for attribution here and here
Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) image found here

.       .       .

This robust ghost pipefish (Solenostomus cyanopterus) mimics a blade of sea grass, and rests at an angle similar to the South American leaf fishes above. Ghost pipefishes are relatives of pipefishes and seahorses and display some of the best camouflage found in nature. They are very ornate and showy like the weedy and leafy sea dragons. See more images of ghost pipefishes here.

Photo source for attribution here

Photo source for attribution here

Photo source for attribution here

Photo source for attribution here

Photo source for attribution here

Photo source for attribution here

There are two robust ghost pipefishes in this image:
Photo source for attribution here

Photo source for attribution here

.       .        .

See more animal camouflage

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::