White oval squids camouflage elements

A schematic overview of the different camouflage elements, with drawn depictions of squid in different color configurations and postures.

An overview of the different camouflage components that the white oval squid, or shiro-ika, employ when assembling their camouflage strategy. A-D) are coloration patterns, E-M) are postures, I-M) are states of movement. The squids can mix and match these elements depending on their environment and have been observed to coordinate components with adjacent squids to enhance their collective camouflage.

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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