Size and contrast increase the divertive effect of eyespots

Karin Kjernsmo, Miranda Grönholm and Sami Merilaita

Behavioral Ecology, 2019, vol. 30, issue 1, 159-165

Abstract: Eyespots can protect prey by diverting predator attacks, but what makes an eyespot divertive? Using 3-spined sticklebacks and artificial prey, we studied how manipulation of 2 visual properties of the eyespot, size, and internal contrast, while keeping prey conspicuousness constant, influence where attacking fish direct their strikes. An increase in size and internal contrast, independently of each other, significantly increased the divertive effect of eyespots. This increases our knowledge about the selection pressures that shape eyespots.

Keywords: deception; deflection; diversion; eyespot; Gasterosteus aculeatus; predation; protective coloration; visual attention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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