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，彩虹色的亮度和色调会发生巨大变化。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理解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和常见的蝴蝶，管藤燕尾。这种蝴蝶的下翅膀表面有大片的彩虹色区域，这表明这个物种对潜在的捕食者来说是令人厌恶的，而在上翅膀表面（只有雄性）也是雌性在选择配偶时使用的。在野外、实验室和植物园的大型蝴蝶围场进行的实验和观察将评估发送者和预期接收者的相对位置和运动、预期接收者的感知能力以及自然界中可用的照明。这将对每个翼面分别进行，并仔细注意每个信号的功能以及预期接收者看到信号的环境——雌性在上翼面，捕食者在下翼面。行为实验将探讨虹彩的方向性对信号检测和有效性的影响。总的来说，这项研究有可能改变我们对动物在各种环境中如何实际观察和使用彩虹色信号的看法。除了智力上的优点外，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，通过在技术期刊和通俗文学上发表文章来激发广大读者的兴趣，利用现有网站（http://rutowski.lab.asu.edu和http://askabiologist.asu.edu/）和当地公共自然历史组织开展推广活动。

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.