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Spatial and temporal variation in prey color patterns for background matching across a continuous heterogeneous
Marleen Baling1,2, Devi Stuart-Fox3, Dianne H Brunton2
1Unitec Institute of Technology Auckland New Zealand.
Ecology and Evolution
|March 19, 2020
Summary
Shore skinks (Oligosoma smithi) in New Zealand use coloration for camouflage and signaling. Their patterns match diverse habitats, balancing crypsis with seasonal needs for sex recognition.
Area of Science:
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Animal Coloration and Camouflage
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Camouflage via background matching is difficult in heterogeneous habitats with varying visual characteristics.
- Seasonal changes in coloration for intraspecific signaling can conflict with crypsis requirements.
- Understanding how prey balance background matching with signaling needs in complex environments is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate background matching variation in shore skinks (Oligosoma smithi) across a vegetation gradient.
- To assess potential signaling functions of skink coloration, including sex recognition.
- To determine trade-offs between crypsis and intraspecific signaling in coloration across seasons.
Main Methods:
- Quantified color patterns of a wild population of shore skinks.
- Analyzed dorsal and ventral coloration in relation to vegetation cover and seasonal/sexual differences.
- Assessed color condition-dependence in adults.
Main Results:
- Shore skinks exhibit background matching, with dorsal brightness and pattern complexity correlating with vegetation cover.
- Significant differences in ventral color saturation between juveniles/adults and sexes suggest a role in sex recognition.
- Crypsis showed minimal seasonal variation, despite some evidence for signaling functions of color.
Conclusions:
- Selection favors a combination of generalist and specialist background matching strategies in shore skinks.
- Coloration serves dual roles in crypsis and potentially intraspecific signaling (sex recognition).
- The study highlights adaptive coloration strategies in complex, heterogeneous environments.
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