Different camouflaging behaviors by white oval squid

A collection of photographs showing the wide range of different colorations and camouflaging behaviors by single and groups of oval squid in a research tank.

Different camouflaging strategies employed by white oval squid, or shiro-ika.  A) Two squids create an overlapping effect by merging their chromatic components. B) Three animals stacked next to a rock. C) Hiding under a live rock while blending into the surroundings. D) Disruptive camouflage pattern with fins resting over the substrate, resulting in a gradual transition from substrate to the disruptive pattern. E) Two animals with mottled patterns, hiding between a branch and a rock. F) Two stacked animals with dark, mottled patterns that obscure their contours. G) Hiding next to an algae-covered rock with a mottled color pattern and raised arms to blend in.

Date:
21 November 2025
Credit:
Nakajima et al., 2025.

Copyright OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 沖縄科学技術大学院大学). Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

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