Perfectly Hidden

Today in my animal behavior class we discussed different types of defense mechanisms evolved by animals to make themselves less conspicuous.  Crypticism is the physiological adaptation to be conspicuous but look like something else- something inedible to a predator or harmless to prey.  For example, a leafy praying mantis looks like a mushroom growing out of the side of a tree trunk when surrounded by actual mushrooms.  Camouflage, on the other hand, is a species adaptation to blend in with its surroundings very inconspicuously.  An example is this very small thorn spider I noticed in Maui.