Rattlesnake colouration affects detection by predators
Rattlesnake colouration affects detection by predators
复制标题
响尾蛇的颜色会影响捕食者的发现
作者：
M. Harmel;H. Crowell;J. Whelan;Emily N. Taylor
隐藏，或动物避免被其他动物发现的能力，受到动物颜色和图案的强烈影响。隐蔽性对于伏击觅食者来说可能特别重要，因为它们大部分时间都在地面上，因此可以从不显眼的捕食者和猎物中贝内。本研究的目的是调查响尾蛇皮肤着色的可能性，它被发现和攻击的捕食者，攻击的潜伏期（时间），和攻击频率上的每个物理身体部分的模型。粘土模型代表四种常见的响尾蛇颜色变体（浅色，深色和两种中间颜色模式）部署在两种不同的栖息地类型（林地和开阔地），捕食者在模型上留下的标记随着时间的推移被量化艾德。我们发现，轻蛇模型，这与基板的对比度很小，是不太可能被攻击，并比黑暗的模型类型，这与基板有较高的对比度后被攻击。捕食者以相似的频率攻击模型的各个身体部位。我们的数据表明，深色响尾蛇，这有最大的对比，
Crypsis, or the ability of an animal to avoid detection by other animals, is strongly impacted by an animal ’ s colouration and pattern. Crypsis may be especially important for ambush foragers, which spend much of their time above ground and therefore bene fi t from being inconspicuous to predators and prey. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rattlesnake skin colouration on the likelihood of it being detected and attacked by a predator, on the latency (time) to attack, and on the attack frequency on each physical body section of the models. Clay models representing four commonly observed rattlesnake colour morphs (light, dark and two intermediate colour patterns) were deployed in two different habitat types (wooded area and open fi eld), and the marks made on the models by predators were quanti fi ed over time. We found that light snake models, which have little contrast with substrate, were less likely to be attacked and were attacked later than darker model types, which have higher contrast with substrate. Predators attacked the various body segments of the models at similar frequencies. Our data suggest dark-coloured rattlesnakes, which have the most contrast with the