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Scientists Dressed Horses Like Zebras To Figure Out Why They Have Stripes (vice.com)
Why do zebras have stripes? From a report: Evolutionary biologists have proposed many possible theories, such as camouflage or vision aids for recognizing individual zebras. But in recent years, pest control has emerged as the leading explanation for zebra stripes. Researchers led by Tim Caro, an evolutionary ecologist at UC Davis, set out to test this idea in the field. The results, published Wednesday in PLOS ONE, reveal that stripes are a powerful deterrent to horse flies, a common nuisance that suck blood and bite flesh. The experiment managed to find the most delightful way to help explain these uniquely patterned coats -- by getting horses to cosplay as zebras.
I remember reading somewhere that the stripes were a product of evolution. Apparently, it is to confuse their primary predator, the lion. Since lions see only in black and white, the stripes are designed to confuse and disorient the lion.
I remember reading somewhere that the stripes were a product of evolution. Apparently, it is to confuse their primary predator, the lion. Since lions see only in black and white, the stripes are designed to confuse and disorient the lion.
Yes that is one theory. However it hasn't really been objectively verified. Kind of hard to do a double blind study on something like that if you get what I'm saying. That theory might be true or it might be completely irrelevant to how it happened. Most zebras are not killed by lions so it's quite plausible that lions did not create a significant evolutionary pressure regarding the stripes.
Since lions see only in black and white,
Lions see color just fine. Not quite the same as us but definitely not black and white.
Zebra-style horse blankets have been available since a couple of years and precisely for this reason, get less trouble with flies.
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I think the next step is to see if the same applies to smaller animals. take a cat, paint a white stripe down its back and see what happens...
They've tried that and it results in amorous skunks with bad French accents.
Biting insects are merely a 'nuisance' when not carrying an epidemic or with reasonable feeding levels.
Biting insects may have propagated a devastating plague applying pressure to the population. The warm climate might have also facilitated an overpopulation of biting insects so severe it would actually substantially impact the nourishment of the animals they fed on.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
I think this is more stripe-dressing scientists, but we might be splitting mares here.
Not questioning the conclusion, I just wonder why the other animals living in the same environment don't show the same sort of adaptation. Perhaps other species have stronger pressures from other threats. Or maybe a favorable mutation in some proto-zebra.
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Yes they should have painted them instead, it's a stupid conclusion