History Main / ChameleonCamouflage

* Some animals in polar regions have white covering on their bodies to blend in with the snow. In the arctic, some of these animals change color seasonally so they can blend in with the snow in winter and with the grass in spring.

* Actual chameleons may not do this, but many cephalopods (specifically octopuses, squids and cuttlefish) ''do'', both to hunt prey and to hide from predators. They can do this by manipulating their chromatophores, pigment-containing cells in their skin.

* Dagomon from ''Anime/DigimonXrosWarsTheYoungHuntersLeapingThroughTime.''

* Actual chameleons may not do this, but several species of octopus and cuttlefish ''do'', both to hunt prey and to hide from predators.

Worth noting that [[HollywoodChameleons most real chameleons can't actually do this]], though a few other species (like some types of octopuses and cuttlefish) actually can.

** In the backstory, the [[OurElvesAreBetter Bosmer (Wood Elves)]] are said to possess this ability. It is so powerful that they "would sometimes walk into the shade of a single tree and vanish."

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' universe, [[OurElvesAreBetter Night Elves]] can Shadowmeld, allowing them to turn invisible as long as they don't move by merging into the shadows. Also in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', rogues, druids and hunters all have some kind of stealth or camouflage ability that allows them to fuse with their surroundings and be partially or totally invisible.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': The Saturnians' {{invisibility cloak}}s are more like camouflage suits, which is why they supplement them with telepathy to ensure they're not seen and why Di, who can NoSell telepathic control and suggestions, still doesn't notice them at first when she has no reason to think there's anyone else around.

Worth noting that [[HollywoodChameleons real chameleons can't actually do this]], though a few other species (like some types of octopuses and cuttlefish) actually can.

* One episode of ''Series/TheAvengers'' had a villain escape prison and attempt to murder John Steed with such a gimmick.

* From ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', Susan Sto Helit, Granny Weatherwax and her apprentice Tiffany Aching have powers to do this. The young Vetinari learns this in ''Discworld/NightWatch'' (to the point that [[{{Irony}} he nearly fails his Camouflage class for nonattendance]]), and Vimes has an uncanny ability to blend neatly into shadows.

** In the backstory, the [[OurElvesAreBetter Maormer (Sea Elves)]] are said to possess this ability. It is so powerful that they can "disappear by walking into the shade of a single tree."

* In the various ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' incarnations this is known as thermoptic camouflage, presumably because it also works in infrared.

* In ''Manga/OnePiece'' the minor villain Zeo is a carpet shark fishman, and can change his color to blend with the ground and apparently disappear. Played for Laughs when he gets stomped and clubbed by his own men.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'', Randall is able to do this.

* This is the only thing Warren is really good at in Stuart Gibbs ‘’Spy School’’ novels, with TheNicknamer dubbing him Chameleon. occasionally he takes it to far, such as when he puts on wood stained to blend in with wooden furniture and can’t get it off the next day, causing a professor to mistake him for a table and out a book on his head.

* In ''Liturature/TheLostWorld1995'', the ''Carnotaurus'' that stalk some of the group have this ability, able to seamlessly blend in with any surroundings. They are so effective at what they do that ''[[TheDreaded raptors]]'' are scared to cross through their territory at night.

* In the ''Wings of Fire'' series, the [=RainWing=] species of dragon can do this simply by concentrating.

* The person responsible for the killings in ''Series/TheXFiles'' novel ''Goblins'' has this ability, which is a result of a secret government project that is seeking to create the perfect spy/assassin who can blend into his/her surroundings.

* ''Tabletopgame/DungeonsAndDragons''

* ''TabletopGame/GammaWorld''. The Chameleon Powers mutation allowed its user to change its colors and blend into the surroundings.

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''

* The ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' has the Spartan-[=III=]s who often wear Semi-Powered Infiltration (SPI) armor in the expanded fiction. Nowhere near as good of armor as the MJOLNIR worn by Spartan-[=II=]s and some elite [=III=]s like Noble Team, but it does have photo-reactive paneling that is described as working similar to a chameleon. Halo also notably has Active Camouflage, but that falls more under the trope VisibleInvisibility.

* ''[[Literature/PumpSixAndOtherStories Fluted Girl'' has Burson, the head of security for Lady Belari. It's not made explicitly clear what he is ''exactly'' (and if he ever was human, rather than UpliftedAnimal or a trans-gen clone), but part of his extensive, military-purpose BioAugmentation is a skin that takes the colour of his surroundings and objects he touches, in very quick manner. He's a master of StealthHiBye, but on the flip-side, he has zero control over the ability, it just happens without his control.

* The ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' has the Spartan-[=III=]s who often wear Semi-Powered Infiltration (SPI) armor in the expanded fiction. Nowhere near as good of armor as the MJOLNIR worn by Spartan-[=II=]s and some elite [=III=]s like Noble Team, but it does have photo-reactive paneling that is described as working similar to a chameleon. Halo also notably has Active Camouflage, but that falls more under the trope VisibleInvisibility

Worth noting that [[HollywoodChameleons real chameleons can't actually do this]].

* In the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series, Espio the Chameleon has this ability, and in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', it's required to pass certain stages.

* Modern military camouflage works on this principle. It doesn't exactly mimic the background but by having colors generally found in nature in random shapes and sizes it breaks up the outline of the wearer and causes them the blend into the background