Aposematic
Warning colours are markings that warn predators that the owner isn't a good thing to eat - it may be poisonous, dangerous or simply taste bad. The colours are usually two contrasting ones, such as yellow and black, in stripes or blobs. This warning has evolved for maximum impact to as many species as possible, since even colourblind animals can see the patterns. So the stripes of a wasp tells you it can sting.
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Ant acid 
Mating millipedes
Defensive tactics
Land of the Tiger
The grey hornbill is an expert at defeating the defences put up by caterpillars.
In search of a poison dart frog
Human Planet
Charlotte Scott joins the skilled Emberá Katio blowpipe hunters in the wettest place on Earth, as they search for poison dart frogs.
Featured in the following TV programmes
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Catch Up
Life: Insects
Super-slow motion shows a bombardier beetle firing boiling liquid at its enemies.
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Archived
Human Planet
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Archived
Land of the Tiger: MONSOON FORESTS
On the final stage of his epic journey, Valmik travels to the lush monsoon forests of Assam,South India's Western Ghats and across the sea to Sri Lanka.
In search of a poison dart frog 
Common wasp 
European honey bee 
Harlequin ladybird 
Striped Skunk About
Aposematism (from apo- away, and sematic sign/meaning), perhaps most commonly known in the context of warning colouration, describes a family of antipredator adaptations where a warning signal is associated with the unprofitability of a prey item to potential predators. It is one form of "advertising" signal, with many others existing such as the bright colours of flowers which lure pollinators. The warning signal may take the form of conspicuous colours, sounds, odours or other perceivable characteristics. Aposematic signals are beneficial for both the predator and prey, who both avoid potential harm.
This tendency to become highly noticeable and distinct from harmless organisms is the antithesis of crypsis, or avoidance of detection. Aposematism has been such a successful adaptation that harmless organisms have repeatedly evolved to mimic aposematic species, a pattern known as Batesian mimicry. Another related pattern is Müllerian mimicry, where aposematic species come to resemble one another.
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Other Morphology Adaptations
Elsewhere on the web
- Aposematism (wikipedia.org)
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