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The antipredator benefits of postural camouflage in peppered moth caterpillars

Lookup NU author(s): Dr John Skelhorn

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

Camoufage is the most common form of antipredator defense, and is a textbook example of natural selection. How animals’ appearances prevent detection or recognition is well studied, but the role of prey behavior has received much less attention. Here we report a series of experiments with twig-mimicking larvae of the American peppered moth Biston betularia that test the long-held view that prey have evolved postures that enhance their camouflage, and establish how food availability and ambient temperature affect these postures. We found that predators took longer to attack larvae that were resting in a twig-like posture than larvae resting fat against a branch. Larvae that were chilled or food restricted (manipulations intended to energetically stress larvae) adopted a less twig-like posture than larvae that were fed ad libitum. Our findings provide clear evidence that animals gain antipredator benefits from postural camouflage, and suggest that benefits may come at an energetic cost that animals are unwilling or unable to pay under some conditions.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Rowland HM, Burriss RP, Skelhorn J

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Scientific Reports

Year: 2020

Volume: 10

Print publication date: 10/12/2020

Online publication date: 10/12/2020

Acceptance date: 27/11/2020

Date deposited: 10/12/2020

ISSN (electronic): 2045-2322

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group

URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78686-4

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78686-4


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
NE/E016626/1

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