1. A type of camouflage coloration in which an animal's upper body is darker and its lower body is lighter, making it less visible in natural light.
Usage: biology; zoology; plural form of countershading

Examples

• Many fish species use countershadings to blend in with their aquatic environments.
• Dolphins and sharks exhibit countershadings, with dark backs and light bellies.
• The penguin's countershadings help it avoid detection by both predators above and prey below.
• Countershadings are an effective evolutionary adaptation found in numerous marine animals.
• Scientists study countershadings to understand how animals use coloration for survival.
• The whale's countershadings make it harder for predators to spot it in the ocean.