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Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
Published on: May 21, 2019
Contrasting coloration in terrestrial mammals
1Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, Center for Population Biology, 1 Shields Avenue, University of California-Davis, CA 95616, USA. tmcaro@ucdavis.edu
Summary
Black and white pelage in 5000 mammal species suggests aposematism or conspecific signaling as primary drivers. However, the evolutionary reasons for contrasting coloration in many charismatic mammals remain largely unknown.
Area of Science:
- Zoology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Ecology
Background:
- Mammalian coloration plays a crucial role in survival and communication.
- Black and white pelage patterns are common in terrestrial mammals, but their evolutionary drivers are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey, collate, and synthesize research on contrasting black and white pelage coloration in 5000 terrestrial mammal species.
- To identify the most likely evolutionary drivers of contrasting coloration by examining patterns and combinations across different body areas and mammalian taxa.
Main Methods:
- Review of functional hypotheses for mammalian coloration.
- Examination of nine distinct black and white color patterns and their combinations.
- Analysis of coloration across various mammalian taxa and body regions.
Main Results:
- Aposematism (warning signaling) and conspecific signaling are the most consistent explanations for black and white pelage.
- Background matching may explain the evolution of white pelage in some species.
- Evidence for other functions like crypsis, dominance signaling, or thermoregulation is largely anecdotal.
Conclusions:
- The evolutionary significance of contrasting coloration in many well-known mammal species remains a mystery.
- While aposematism and conspecific signaling are strong contenders, further research is needed to fully elucidate the functions of black and white pelage in mammals.
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