Wavelength-discrimination behavior in the grasshopper Phlaeoba

Wasserman, Gerald S.; Kong, King-Leung

doi:10.1016/0042-6989(82)90006-2

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The trend for less-frequent strikes on prey by conspicuous males together with the higher rate of strikes that were successful by males painted inconspicuously support the hypothesis that conspicuous coloration reduces foraging efficiency through a reduction in aggressive crypsis. Because C. collaris is an ambush predator that primarily takes orthopterans capable of detecting wavelengths corresponding to the green body hues of males (Kong et al 1980;Wasserman and Kong 1982;Bailey and Harris 1991), green/yellow coloration may make lizards more visible to prey. The observation that males painted inconspicuously had a higher foraging success strongly suggests that brown coloration promoted their ability to remain inconspicuous until prey approached to within effective striking distance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If increased predator attacks force conspicuously colored individuals to spend more time taking refuge (Martín and López 2001) which for AL collared lizards are abundant rock crevices , then the ability of lizards to scan for prey should be compromised, reducing their food intake. There is also considerable evidence that orthopterans (the major prey of collared lizards at AL) discriminate spectra ranging from 525 to 570 nm and respond strongly to wavelengths that appear green to humans (Kong et al 1980, Wasserman and Kong 1982, Bailey and Harris 1991. Green is the primary hue developed by 2y1 male collared lizards ) that spectral data have shown are the most conspicuous against the background at the AL site (Macedonia et al 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

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A growth cost of experimentally induced conspicuous coloration in first-year collared lizard males

Baird

2008

Behavioral Ecology

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I used painted first-year collared lizard males in the field to test the hypothesis that conspicuous coloration imposes a growth cost, either because it makes lizards less cryptic to their prey or because conspicuous color attracts predators forcing increased refuging by lizards. To make males more conspicuous, I painted them green and yellow to match hues of older territorial males, made another group inconspicuous by painting males brown like females, and painted a control group with water. I then compared rates of travel, the frequency, and the percentage of strikes on prey that were successful. I recaptured males periodically to record cloacal and substrate temperatures, to measure growth rate, and to retouch paint. Time spent refuging, travel rate, and both cloacal and substrate temperatures were similar in the 3 groups. Males painted conspicuously had slower growth than males in the other treatment groups. Inconspicuous males initiated strikes on prey more than 4 times more frequently than conspicuous males, and the number of strikes that resulted in prey capture was higher in inconspicuous males, suggesting that conspicuous coloration reduces foraging opportunities because it makes first-year males more visible to their prey. Rapid growth during the first season is necessary for collared lizard males to become large enough to compete for breeding territories as 2 year olds. Therefore, conspicuous coloration may develop gradually in first-year collared lizard males to maintain crypsis, which promotes food intake sufficient for rapid growth to large size that has important consequences for future reproductive success.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A growth cost of experimentally induced conspicuous coloration in first-year collared lizard males

Baird

2008

Behavioral Ecology

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“…However, based on electroretinogram analyses, weta appear to be blind at the red end of the visible spectrum, similar to many other insects (Field 2001). Orthopteran insects such as weta have rarely been studied with respect to wavelength selective behavorials, spectral preferences, colour vision or colour learning (Zufall et al 1988;Behmer et al 2005, but see Wasserman and Kong 1982;Bernays and Wrubel 1985). Therefore specific information on weta vision capabilities and colour selection are lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

What weta want: colour preferences of a frugivorous insect

Fadzly

Burns

2010

Arthropod-Plant Interactions

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Plants use colours as signals to attract mutualists and repel antagonists. Fleshy-fruits are often conspicuously coloured to signal different types of information including fruit maturity and spatial location. Previous work on fruit colour selection focus on large diurnal vertebrates, yet fruit colours are perceived differently by frugivores with different types of visual systems. Here, we tested whether a nocturnal, frugivorous, seed-dispersing insect selects fruits based on their pigmentation and whether different lighting conditions affect fruit colour selection. We captured 20 Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens) from a forest reserve on the North Island of New Zealand and brought them into laboratory conditions to test their fruit colour preferences. The fruits of Coprosma acerosa, a native shrub species that naturally produces translucent, blue-streaked fruits, were dyed either red or blue. Fruits were then offered to weta in a binary (y-maze) choice test in two light conditions, either at night during a full moon or under artificial light conditions in the lab. Weta preferred unmanipulated, naturally blue-streaked fruits and artificially-blue coloured fruits over those dyed red. Furthermore, their colour preferences were unaffected by light environment. Our results therefore suggest that weta can discriminate between colours (using colour vision) in both light and dark light environments. Their consistent preferences for colours other than red indicate that weta might be responsible for the unusual colours of fleshy-fruits in New Zealand.

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“…Behmer et al 2005, but seeWasserman & Kong 1982;Bernays & Wrubel Because each of these taxa have different visual systems and activity periods, the unusual fruit colours present in the New Zealand flora may be a reflection ofWotton 2002;Duthie et al 2006). However, this explanation for Whelan 1990;Herrera 2002).Past studies on the fruit colour preferences of frugivores have focused on diurnal seed dispersers and previous experiments have been conducted in daytime light conditions.…”

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confidence: 99%

Visual Signalling in Plant-Animal Interactions

Fadzly¹

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<p>The process of visual signalling between plant and animals is often a combination of exciting discoveries and more often than not; highly controversial hypotheses. Plants and animals interact mutualistically and antagonistically creating a complex network of species relations to some extent suggesting a co evolutionary network. In this study, I investigate two basic research questions: the first is how plants utilize aposematic and cryptic colours? The second is how animals are affected by the colour signals broadcasted by plants? By using the avian eye model, I discover how visual signals/colours from plants are actually perceived, and the effects of these signals on birds (not human) perception. Aposematism and crypsis are common strategies utilized by animals, yet little evidence is known of such occurrences in plants. Aposematic and cryptic colours were evaluated by studying different colouration strategy through the ontogeny of two native heteroblastic New Zealand plants: Pseudopanax crassifolius and Elaeocarpus hookerianus. To determine the potential effect of colour signals on animals, I investigated an evolutionary theory of leaf colours constraining the conspicuousness of their fruit colour counterparts. Based on the available data, I also conducted a community level analysis about the effects of fruit colours and specific avian frugivores that might be attracted to them. Finally, I examined the fruit colour selection by a frugivorous seed dispersing insect; the Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens). My result shows that aposematic and cryptic colours are successfully applied by plants to either warn or remain inconspicuous from browsing herbivores. The evidence I presented lends support to the Moa browsing hypothesis in relation to constraining the conspicuousness of their fruit colour counterparts. Based on the cryptic plant colourations. However, the same level of selective interaction could not be inferred for frugivore fruit colour selection based on avian vision. I demonstrated that leaf reflectance does not constrain/influence the conspicuousness of fruit colours. There was also no fruit colour diversity based on geographical location. Fruit colour alone is not sufficient to influence a specific frugivore assemblage. Other environmental factors and species interaction must be taken into account. Weta proved to possess colour vision capable of colour perception even in low light conditions. Weta also consistently selected naturally blue streaked and manipulated blue coloured fruits of Coprosma acerosa in a binary test. This supports the idea of weta co- evolving with fruit colours of certain divaricating plants in New Zealand. I suggest that the fruit colours of New Zealand are shaped by the combined selection pressure from birds, lizards/geckos and weta.</p>

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Wavelength-discrimination behavior in the grasshopper Phlaeoba

Cited by 5 publications

References 13 publications

A growth cost of experimentally induced conspicuous coloration in first-year collared lizard males

A growth cost of experimentally induced conspicuous coloration in first-year collared lizard males

What weta want: colour preferences of a frugivorous insect

Visual Signalling in Plant-Animal Interactions

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