What term describes coloration or patterns that make an animal conspicuous to potential predators?

Aposematic coloration refers to bright and conspicuous colors or patterns that signal to predators that an animal is toxic, poisonous, or otherwise harmful. This type of coloration serves as an advertisement to potential predators, warning them to avoid the animal due to the risk of a negative experience, such as illness or a painful encounter.

While disruptive coloration, camouflage, and cryptic coloration all involve strategies to avoid detection, they do not inherently signal danger to potential predators. Disruptive coloration breaks up the outline of an animal against its background, while camouflage helps an animal blend in with its environment, making it less visible. Cryptic coloration aids in concealment by mimicking the colors and patterns of the surroundings, allowing the animal to remain unnoticed. In contrast, aposematic coloration is about standing out to communicate danger, thus providing a distinct advantage for survival in the animal kingdom.