Iridescent Color Signals in Context: Interactions among Behavior, Perception, Function, and Light Environment

许多动物的视觉信号包括彩虹色，当观察者相对于反射表面的位置发生变化时，彩虹色具有显著的亮度和色调变化的独特性质。理解自然界中这些方向性颜色信号的产生和感知是一个比非方向性颜色更复杂的问题。这项研究将探索一种美丽的彩虹色普通蝴蝶--管状燕尾蝶。这种蝴蝶在下翼表面有很大的彩虹区域，这表明该物种对潜在捕食者的厌恶，也在上翼表面(仅限雄性)，这是雌性蝴蝶选择配偶时使用的。在野外、实验室和植物园的一个大型蝴蝶围栏中进行的实验和观察将评估发送者和目标接收者的相对位置和运动，目标接收者的感知能力，以及自然界中可用的光照。这将对每个翼面分别进行，并仔细注意每个信号的功能和预期接收者--上翼面的雌性和下翼面的捕食者--观看它的背景。行为学实验将探索虹彩的方向性对信号检测和有效性的影响。总体而言，这项研究有可能改变我们对各种环境下动物身上的彩虹色信号在自然界中实际上是如何被观看和使用的看法。除了学术价值，拟议研究的更广泛影响包括为本科生和研究生提供研究培训经验，特别是为在科学领域代表性不足的群体提供研究培训经验，通过在技术期刊和流行文献上发表文章激发广大受众的兴趣，以及利用现有网站(http://rutowski.lab.asu.edu和http://askabiologist.asu.edu/))以及当地公共自然历史组织开展外联活动。

The visual signals of many animals include iridescent colors which have the unique property of changing dramatically in brightness and hue when the viewer position changes relative to the reflecting surface. Understanding the production and perception of these directional color signals in nature is a more complex problem than for non-directional colors. This study will explore a beautifully iridescent and common butterfly, the Pipevine Swallowtail. This butterfly has large iridescent areas on the lower wing surface that signal this species distastefulness to potential predators, and also on the upper wing surfaces (males only) which is used by females in mate choice. Experiments and observations in the field, lab and a large butterfly enclosure at a botanical garden will evaluate the relative positions and movements of sender and intended receivers, the perceptual capabilities of intended receivers, and the available illumination in nature. This will be done separately for each wing surface with careful attention to the function of each signal and the context in which it is viewed by intended receivers - females for the upper wing surface and predators for the lower wing surface. Behavioral experiments will explore the implications for the directionality of iridescence for signal detection and effectiveness. Overall this study has the potential to transform our views of how iridescent color signals in animals in various contexts are actually viewed and used in nature. In addition to the intellectual merits, the broader impacts of the proposed research include providing research training experiences for undergraduate and graduate students, especially for groups underrepresented in the sciences, stimulating the interest of a broad audience through publication in technical journals and popular literature, and outreach activities using established web sites (http://rutowski.lab.asu.edu and http://askabiologist.asu.edu/) and local public natural history organizations.