Aposematism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌæpə(ʊ)sɪˈmætɪz(ə)m/

Definitions

1. The strategy of utilizing vivid coloration or patterns to signal toxicity or undesirability to predators is observed in various species within nature
2. Certain organisms adopt striking colors or designs to communicate their harmful or unpalatable nature to potential threats in order to deter predation
3. A survival tactic where organisms display bright colors or distinctive patterns to indicate their toxicity or unpalatability to avoid being eaten by predators is prevalent in the animal kingdom

Etymology: Edward Bagnall Poulton, an English evolutionary biologist, coined the term in 1890 in his book The Colours of Animals, where he needed a name for bright colours that warn predators off. He built it from Ancient Greek: "apo" meaning "away from," and "sema," a sign or token, the same root behind "semantic." The sense is literal: a colour that signals "keep away." Poulton did not invent these words from nothing. He sought help with the choice, noting that his friend Arthur Sidgwick had kindly helped him pick the words. The result is a deliberately precise scientific coinage rather than an old word that drifted in meaning. The noun names the phenomenon itself, the use of conspicuous colouring as a defence, as seen in the brightly coloured poison frog.