crypsis

English

Etymology

Probably directly from Ancient Greek κρύψις (krúpsis, “hiding, concealment”); compare Latin crypsis. Doublet of krypsis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪpsɪs/

• Audio (Southern England):

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Noun

crypsis (uncountable)

1. (biology) The ability of an organism to avoid observation.
   • 2013 May-June, William E. Conner, “An Acoustic Arms Race”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, pages 206–7:

     Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close […] above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them. Many insects probably use this strategy, which is a close analogy to crypsis in the visible world—camouflage and other methods for blending into one’s visual background.

Related terms

• cryptic

See also

• mimicry