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23 results for “background matching”
Data from: Background matching can reduce responsiveness of jumping spiders to stimuli in motion
<p><span>Motion and camouflage were previously considered to be mutually exclusive, as sudden movements can be easily detected.</span> <span>Background matching, for instance, is a well-known, effective camouflage strategy where the color and pattern of a stationary animal match its surrounding background. However, background matching may lose its efficacy when the animal moves, as the boundaries of the animal become more defined against its background. Recent evidence shows otherwise, as camouflaged objects can be less detectable than uncamouflaged objects even while in motion.</span><span> Here, we explored if the detectability of computer-generated stimuli varies with the speed of motion, background (matching and unmatching) and size of stimuli in six species of jumping spiders </span><span>(Araneae: Salticidae)</span><span>. Our results showed that in general, the responsiveness of all six salticid species tested decreased with increasing stimulus speed regardless of whether the stimuli were conspicuousness or camouflaged. Importantly, salticid responses to camouflaged stimuli were significantly lower compared to conspicuous stimuli. There were significant differences in motion detectability across species when the stimuli were conspicuous, suggesting differences in visual acuity in closely related species of jumping spiders. Furthermore, small stimuli elicited significantly lower responses than large stimuli across species and speeds. </span><span>Our results thus suggest that background matching is effective even when stimuli are in motion, reducing the detectability of moving stimuli.</span></p>
Data from: Testing background matching and disruptive colouration in a sexually dichromatic grasshopper: a computer detection experiment.
<p>Cryptic colouration is an adaptative mechanism against predators. Colour patterns can become cryptic through background matching and disruptive colouration, which breaks up the outlines of an animal because the pattern does not coincide with the shape and outline of the animal’s body. Background matching could be advantageous in chromatically homogeneous microhabitats, whereas disruptive colouration can be favoured in visually heterogeneous microhabitats. Grasshoppers of the genus <em>Sphenarium</em> (Orthoptera: Pyrogomorphidae) inhabit very heterogeneous environments and exhibit both strategies. Adults show substantial continuous variation in colouration and longitudinal and transverse bands on the thorax and abdomen. However, males often exhibit considerably more variation in the number of longitudinal and transverse bands than females, which tend to have more uniform colouring (flatter patterns). In this study, we analysed the cryptic properties of the colour patterns of males and females of <em>Sphenarium </em><em>zapotecum</em><em> </em>Sanabria-Urbán, H. Song & Cueva del Castillo and tested the effectiveness of background matching and disruptive colouration using humans as ‘predators’ in a computer detection experiment. We found that the females and males are dichromatic and seem to follow different cryptic strategies in their colouration: males are more disruptive to the background than females, whereas females have a higher level of background matching. In addition, in visually heterogeneous areas, predators spent most time searching for striped male morphs with lower background matching and higher disruptive properties, as well as for female morphs with high background matching, potentially increasing prey survival. As background matching is associated with females and disruptive colouration with males, our results could help explain the evolution of sexual dichromatism in this and other species of grasshoppers of the genus <em>Sphenarium.</em></p> <p> </p>
Data from: Background matching can reduce responsiveness of jumping spiders to stimuli in motion
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Data from: Background matching, disruptive coloration and differential use of microhabitats in two neotropical grasshoppers with sexual dichromatism
<div class="a3s aXjCH msg-1980557116638596178"> <div> <div class="m_-1980557116638596178WordSection1"> <p>Cryptic coloration is an adaptative defensive mechanism against predators. Color patterns can become cryptic through background coloration-matching and disruptive coloration. Disruptive coloration may evolve in visually heterogeneous microhabitats, whereas background matching could be favored in chromatically homogeneous microhabitats. In this work, we used digital photography to explore the potential use of disruptive coloration and background matching in males and females of two grasshopper species of the <i>Sphenarium </i>genus in different habitats. We found chromatic differences in the two grasshopper species that may be explained by local adaptation. We also found that the females and males of both species are dichromatic and seem to follow different color cryptic strategies, males are more disruptive than females, whereas females have a high background matching with less disruptive elements. The selective pressures of the predators in different microhabitats and the differences in mobility between sexes may explain the color pattern divergence between females and males. Nevertheless, more field experiments are needed in order to understand the relative importance of disruptive and background matching coloration in the evolution of sexual dichromatism in these grasshoppers.</p> </div> </div> </div>
Plastic background colour matching in the springbok mantis
<p><span>Within-species variation in colour phenotypes is widespread in animals. One mechanism by which such variation can be maintained is plastic background matching, where individuals plastically develop a similar colour to that of their surroundings. A few examples are known from insects that exhibit green-brown colour polyphenisms. But the extent to which plastic colour responses are shaped by other factors, such as genetic variation in plasticity or the interaction of other environmental cues, is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the plasticity of body colouration in the springbok mantis, <em>Miomantis caffra</em>—a species where hatchlings emerge brown in colour and typically change to green but sometimes remain entirely or partly brown through successive moults. We reared 350 mantises from 10 full-sib families on a green or brown background under a high or low temperature and a high or low humidity using a fully-factorial, split-brood design, and recorded colour phenotypes (all green, all brown, or mixed colouration) after 14 weeks of development. We found very strong evidence of developmental plasticity for background matching: the green background induced a higher incidence of the all-green phenotype, whereas the brown background produced more of the all-brown and mixed phenotypes. The all-green phenotype was also universally more common under higher humidity, and under higher temperature when the background was green. However, not all body parts showed the same level of environmental sensitivity: the steepest reaction norms were observed in the mid-legs and hindlegs, potentially reflecting the selection for disruptive colouration of the body outline in browner environments. Using model comparison techniques, we found little evidence of genotype-level variation in colour plasticity—a pattern likely the result of strong viability selection for camouflage. Our study shows how developmental plasticity in colouration can be triggered directly by the colour of the environment and indirectly by climatic cues associated with habitat colouration. We argue that this high level of developmental plasticity has likely evolved due to the diversity of habitats but the sedentary lifestyle of this sit-and-wait predator.</span></p>
Behavioural choice and background matching facilitate camouflage in the European garden spider
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Plastic background colour matching in the springbok mantis
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Data from: Background matching, disruptive coloration and differential use of microhabitats in two neotropical grasshoppers with sexual dichromatism
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Data from: Colour pattern variation forms local background matching camouflage in a leaf-mimicking toad
<p>Optimal camouflage can, in principle, be relatively easily achieved in simple, homogeneous, environments where backgrounds always have the same color, brightness, and patterning. Natural environments are, however, rarely homogenous and species often find themselves viewed against varied backgrounds where the task of concealment is more challenging. One result of variable backgrounds is the evolution of intraspecific phenotypic variation which may either be generalized, with multiple similarly cryptic patterns, or specialized, with each discrete color form maximizing concealment against a single component of the background. We investigated the role of phenotypic variation in a highly variable population of the Neotropical toad <em>Rhinella margaritifera</em> using visual modeling and a computer-based detection task. We found that phenotypic variation was not divided into discrete color morphs and all toads were well camouflaged against the forest floor. However, although the whole population may appear to consist of random samples from the background, the toads were a particularly close match to the leaf litter, suggesting that they masquerade as dead leaves, which are themselves variable. Furthermore, rather than each color form being equally effective against a single background, each toad was specialized towards its own particular local surroundings, as suggested by a specialist strategy. Taken together, these data highlight the importance of background matching to a nominally masquerading species, as well as how habitat heterogeneity at multiple spatial scales may affect the evolution of camouflage and phenotypic variation.</p>
Data from: Colour pattern variation forms local background matching camouflage in a leaf-mimicking toad
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Data from: Natural selection in novel environments: predation selects for background matching in the body colour of a land fish
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Data from: Background matching ability and the maintenance of a colour polymorphism in the red devil cichlid
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Data from: Intertidal gobies acclimate rate of luminance change for background matching with shifts in seasonal temperature
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Spatial and temporal variation in prey colour patterns for background-matching across a continuous heterogeneous environment
<p>In heterogeneous habitats, camouflage via background-matching can be challenging because visual characteristics can vary dramatically across small spatial scales. Additionally, temporal variation in signalling functions of colouration can affect crypsis, especially when animals use colouration seasonally for intraspecific signalling (e.g. mate selection). We currently have a poor understanding of how wild prey optimise background-matching within continuously heterogeneous habitats, and whether this is affected by requirements of intraspecific signalling across biological seasons. Here, we quantified colour patterns of a wild population of shore skink (<i>Oligosoma smithi</i>), a variably coloured lizard endemic to New Zealand, to 1) investigate whether background-matching varies across a vegetation gradient; 2) assess potential signalling functions of colour; and 3) to determine whether there is a trade-off between requirements for crypsis and intraspecific signalling in colouration across seasons. Although all pattern types occurred throughout the vegetation gradient, we found evidence for background-matching in skinks across the vegetation gradient, where dorsal brightness and pattern complexity corresponded with the proportion of vegetation cover. There was also a significant disparity between ventral colour (saturation) of juveniles and adults, and also between sexes, suggestive of sex recognition. However, there was little indication that colour was condition-dependent in adults. Despite some evidence for a potential role in signalling, crypsis did not greatly differ across seasons. Our study suggests that selection favours a mix of generalist and specialist background-matching strategies across continuously heterogeneous habitats.</p>
Data from: Background colour matching increases with risk of predation in a colour-changing grasshopper
Cryptic colouration can be adjusted to the local environment by physiological (rapid) change, and/or by morphological (slow) change. The threat-sensitivity hypothesis predicts that the degree of crypsis should respond to the risk of predation (assuming some cost to crypsis). This has not been studied for morphological colour changers, so we manipulated the colour of the rearing substrate (black versus white) and the perceived risk of predation (higher versus lower) for the grasshopper Sphingonotus azurescens. Over a period of several weeks, both nymphs and adults greatly adjusted the brightness of their body towards that of the substrate. Moreover, when individuals were exposed to a greater simulated predation risk (disturbance by hand), they became even more similar in brightness to their substrates, apparently augmenting their degree of crypsis. This study on a morphological colour changer shows that the degree of cryptic colouration (body brightness) is under individual control and appears to change adaptively in response to increased predation risk. In addition, based on analyses of systematic differences in colour in lab-reared offspring, we found indications that even in colour changers there is genetic variation in colouration among individuals, and that populations have diverged adaptively. Such integration of factors determining the cryptic phenotype improves our understanding of the natural selection and constraints imposed on crypsis, which influence both its optimization and evolution.
Data from: Conflict between background matching and social signalling in a colour-changing freshwater fish
The ability to change coloration allows animals to modify their patterning to suit a specific function. Many freshwater fishes, for example, can appear cryptic by altering the dispersion of melanin pigment in the skin to match the visual background. However, melanin-based pigments are also used to signal dominance among competing males; thus colour change for background matching may conflict with colour change for social status signalling. We used a colour-changing freshwater fish to investigate whether colour change for background matching influenced aggressive interactions between rival males. Subordinate males that had recently darkened their skin for background matching received heightened aggression from dominant males, relative to males whose coloration had not changed. We then determined whether the social status of a rival male, the focal male's previous social status, and his previous skin coloration, affected a male's ability to change colour for background matching. Social status influenced skin darkening in the first social encounter, with dominant males darkening more than subordinate males, but there was no effect of social status on colour change in the second social encounter. We also found that the extent of skin colour change (by both dominant and subordinate males) was dependent on previous skin coloration, with dark males displaying a smaller change in coloration than pale males. Our findings suggest that skin darkening for background matching imposes a significant social cost on subordinate males in terms of increased aggression. We also suggest that the use of melanin-based signals during social encounters can impede subsequent changes in skin coloration for other functions, such as skin darkening for background matching.
Data from: Accuracy of background matching and prey detection: predation by blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) indicates intense selection for highly matching prey colour pattern
1. Although background matching decreases prey detectability, resemblance between camouflaged prey and their visual background is seldom perfect. This could be because even a moderate resemblance might provide sufficient protection, and additional adjustment of colour pattern might give little benefit. Alternatively, close resemblance to background may not be attained due to trade-offs or constraints. To understand selection on colour patterns of camouflaged prey and the existence of inaccurate background matching, it is necessary to investigate how detectability of a colour pattern varies with its resemblance to the background. 2. We trained wild-caught blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to search for artificial prey. We manipulated the resemblance of the artificial prey items to the visual backgrounds. 3. For the first half of the twelve repeated prey presentations we found a non-linear relationship between resemblance and detectability, such that for prey that had high background matching, a change in resemblance resulted in a larger change in detectability than an equal change in resemblance did for prey with lower background matching. However, for the second half of the presentations this relationship was linear. Moreover, in a two-patch-type habitat a prey pattern that was a compromise between the two different backgrounds did after few initial presentations equally well as the prey pattern that matched highly one of the backgrounds. 4. Our results indicate an intense selection for close matching in a single background. Yet, in the heterogeneous environment that consisted of two backgrounds the compromise, which only loosely resembled either background, provided good protection. Therefore, we conclude that cryptic colour patterns that bear only a loose resemblance to a given background, and thus represent inaccurate background matching, may be adaptive outcomes.
Data from: Background colour matching increases with risk of predation in a colour-changing grasshopper
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Data from: Conflict between background matching and social signalling in a colour-changing freshwater fish
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Data from: Accuracy of background matching and prey detection: predation by blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) indicates intense selection for highly matching prey colour pattern
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