Crypis and Warning

Crypsis and warning coloration in a snake

Two individuals of the eyelash viper, *****, a venemous snake species, photographed at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. The eyelash viper hunts for small vertebrates at night, employing a sit and wait srategy by perching on tree trunks. During the day they are potentially exposed to predators, such as birds.

Is crypsis (the color displayed by the snake on the left) or warning coloration (the bright yellow snake on the right) a more effective strategy of protection? The continued coexistence of these two forms in suggests that either strategy confers survival benefits to the snakes, and that both types reproduce successfully.

Behaviorally, carrying the warning coloration may not change the snake's movements when foraging or when hidden during the daytime. Contrast this with the yellow headed blackbird, in which the male's coloration may be a handicap that attracts potential predators.