Conspicuous colours reduce predation rates in fossorial uropeltid snakes

Cyriac, Vivek Philip; Kodandaramaiah, Ullasa

doi:10.7717/peerj.7508

Cited by 22 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Second, we performed a laboratory predation experiment using domestic chicks as predators. We chose domestic chicks because they were easily available, and they have been used in many predation experiments that have successfully tested other anti‐predator hypotheses (Cyriac & Kodandaramaiah, 2019; Skelhorn, Rowland, Speed, & Ruxton, 2010; Skelhorn & Ruxton, 2010). We presented chicks with a cage containing a web with or without a spider and with or without a detritus decoration built by C. monticola spiders (Figure 2), under two kinds of backgrounds (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detritus decorations as the extended phenotype deflect avian predator attack in an orb‐web spider

Gong

et al. 2020

Functional Ecology

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1. A number of strategies that divert attacks of visually guided predators, such as birds, have evolved multiple times in animals. Detritus web decorations built by certain orb-web spider species are thought to deflect avian predator attacks away from spiders and towards their web decorations. Still, empirical evidence for this function and its adaptive significance is lacking. The orb-web spider, Cyclosa monticola, adorns its web using a linear detritus decoration consisting of moults, egg sacs, prey remains and leaf litters. 2. In the present study, we investigated whether detritus decorations constructed by C. monticola spiders divert attacks of avian predators away from spiders. We first employed colour modelling to compare spider bodies and detritus decoration colouration from the perspective of domestic chicks and blue tits. We then experimentally tested the deflection hypothesis in the laboratory using naïve chicks as predators. We put the chicks in a cage containing a web either with (S+) or without (S−) a spider and either with (D+) or without (D−) detritus decoration (a total of four types of webs: S+D+, S+D−, S−D+ and S−D−) under both natural habitat background and white background. 3. We found that the colour of C. monticola spiders is indistinguishable from that of their detritus decorations for both chicks and blue tits with both backgrounds. Laboratory predation experiments showed that with both backgrounds, chicks attacked the spiders much less frequently when their decorations were present on the webs (S+D+; natural habitat: 20%, white background: 30%) than when their decorations were absent (S+D−; natural habitat: 95%, white background: 85%), resulting in greater spider survival advantage. 4. We also found that the rate of attack of spiders and their decorations was not random; the decorations were more likely to be attacked than spiders, regardless of the ratio of surface area of decorations to spider bodies when both spiders and decorations were presented (S+D+). Therefore, our results support a deflection, rather than concealment hypothesis for web decorations. | 2111 Functional Ecology MA et Al.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detritus decorations as the extended phenotype deflect avian predator attack in an orb‐web spider

Gong

et al. 2020

Functional Ecology

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“…Therefore, from this, it can be postulated that tail-shields serve no role in sexual selection in R. philippinus, and instead are more likely to function in locomotion and/or predator avoidance. Uropeltid snakes are known to be preyed on by boars and birds (Rajendran, 1985), and it has been argued that the cephalic mimicry of the tail-shield directs potential attacks from these predators away from the head and toward this more resilient structure (Cyriac & Kodandaramaiah, 2019;Gans, 1986a;Melvinselvan & Nibedita, 2016).…”

Section: Sexual Dimorphismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Uropeltid tail-shields are mysterious in their origin and function. Although the current dominant view is that uropeltid tail-shields play a role in cephalic mimicry to divert attention of predators away from the typically small, inconspicuous head while to some extent simultaneously protecting the tail (Cyriac & Kodandaramaiah, 2019;Gans, 1976Gans, , 1986b, other functions have been proposed, such as blocking burrows (Gans, 1976;Gans & Baic, 1977) and in locomotion (Clark, 1966). Tail-shield dimorphism might be expected if this structure is involved in sexual selection or is involved in some role in which male and female ecology or behavior differed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intraspecific morphological variation in the shieldtail snakeRhinophis philippinus(Serpentes: Uropeltidae), with particular reference to tail‐shield and cranial 3D geometric morphometrics

Huntley

Gower

Sampaio

et al. 2021

J Zool Syst Evol Res

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The Uropeltidae, a family of small, fossorial snakes endemic to south Asia, are characterized by highly modified head and tail morphology. Their secretive nature has led to a dearth of research regarding intraspecific variation in morphology and tail function.Linear morphometrics of external size and shape and scale counts were combined with 3D geometric morphometric analysis of high-resolution computed tomography scans of crania and bony tail-shields to assess intraspecific morphological variation in 35 specimens of Rhinophis philippinus. Cranial and tail-shield shape differences are slight and subtle, though both exhibited significant allometry. Significant sexual dimorphism was found only in numbers of ventral scales, numbers of subcaudal scales, and tail length. There is no evidence of sexual dimorphism in head, cranial or tailshield shape and size. It is hypothesized that strong functional constraints, induced by head-first burrowing in R. philippinus, have led to strong stabilizing selection in head and cranial shape, with functional constraints outweighing any influence of sexual selection. Lack of tail-shield sexual dimorphism (despite strong tail length dimorphism) suggests a common function in both sexes, likely related to predator avoidance and defense. K E Y W O R D Sallometry, fossorial, morphology, sexual dimorphism RÉSUMÉLes Uropeltidae, une famille de petits serpents fouisseurs endémiques de l'Asie du Sud, sont caractérisés par une morphologie de la tête et de la queue très modifiée. Leur mode de vie difficile à étudier est à l'origine du manque de connaissances concernant la vari-

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“…In squamates, colour is one of the major physical features interacting with both the biotic and the abiotic environment. When dull, colours are often considered cryptic and help avoid detection by predators, while when bright, coloration patterns, on the other hand, often act as signalling traits, for example advertising unpalatability to predators (e.g., Cyriac & Kodandaramaiah, 2019), or individual condition (e.g., Weiss, 2006). Indeed, detection and social interaction are also often important functions of coloration, and species‐specific colour patterns can strongly influence interactions with conspecifics, for example during male–male competition; (Brattstrom, 1971; Bruinjé et al, 2019; Smith, Cadena, Endler, Porter, et al, 2016; Thompson & Moore, 1991; Whiting et al, 2006) or attraction of potential mates (e.g., sexual selection; Kamath, 2016; Klomp et al, 2016; LeBas & Marshall, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untangling the structural and molecular mechanisms underlying colour and rapid colour change in a lizard, Agama atra

et al. 2021

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With functions as diverse as communication, protection and thermoregulation, coloration is one of the most important traits in lizards. The ability to change colour as a function of varying social and environmental conditions is thus an important innovation. While colour change is present in animals ranging from squids, to fish and reptiles, not much is known about the mechanisms behind it. Traditionally, colour change was attributed to migration of pigments, in particular melanin. More recent work has shown that the changes in nanostructural configuration inside iridophores are able to produce a wide palette of colours. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying colour, and colour change in particular, remain unstudied. Here we use a combination of transcriptomic and microscopic data to show that melanin, iridophores and pteridines are the main colour‐producing mechanisms in Agama atra, and provide molecular and structural data suggesting that rapid colour change is achieved via melanin dispersal in combination with iridophore organization. This work demonstrates the power of combining genotypic (gene expression) and phenotypic (microscopy) information for addressing physiological questions, providing a basis for future studies of colour change.

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Conspicuous colours reduce predation rates in fossorial uropeltid snakes

Cited by 22 publications

References 73 publications

Detritus decorations as the extended phenotype deflect avian predator attack in an orb‐web spider

Detritus decorations as the extended phenotype deflect avian predator attack in an orb‐web spider

Intraspecific morphological variation in the shieldtail snakeRhinophis philippinus(Serpentes: Uropeltidae), with particular reference to tail‐shield and cranial 3D geometric morphometrics

Untangling the structural and molecular mechanisms underlying colour and rapid colour change in a lizard, Agama atra

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