tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006705555958035182024-02-07T07:25:44.877-05:00Caterpillar EyespotsFollow me as I investigate the ecology and evolution of caterpillar eyespots.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-70836508395905784712015-09-15T08:10:00.002-04:002015-09-16T22:21:02.038-04:00How do we know eyespots mimic eyes?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKH9q-hPXeInlDjarsOAwuPBcM_j8KPcy5NXCKI4LekcEEP8tAS4UDC6NS9qGf8_xWYK8dUf_9A_GCdB6npcczNzwDVv64SCGIe_2aH4yyUIBNe8RdDojJZ04H1M3NU9KWpMUqs0oa_0M/s1600/Papilio+canadensis+Head-on+crop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKH9q-hPXeInlDjarsOAwuPBcM_j8KPcy5NXCKI4LekcEEP8tAS4UDC6NS9qGf8_xWYK8dUf_9A_GCdB6npcczNzwDVv64SCGIe_2aH4yyUIBNe8RdDojJZ04H1M3NU9KWpMUqs0oa_0M/s640/Papilio+canadensis+Head-on+crop.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canadian tiger swallowtail (<i>Papilio canadensis</i>) caterpillar in its defensive posture.</td></tr>
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Many animals possess large, conspicuous eye-like markings, and the longstanding claim by naturalists is that these spots mimic eyes. The implication that follows is that large eyespots intimidate insect-eating birds from their attack because these birds think they are confronted with one of their own predators. In caterpillars, this inference is often taken a step further, and it is suggested that caterpillars with eyespots are actually mimicking bird-eating or venomous snakes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ-Ej1zDiezbqbZYszn6Qdv_Twuz1qV21wYd5Z6zeXVsDFhkJBgTnZZ-M_UsjbsZwcLPEG1uRMm_e2umD_L2-4oxU4yZnFqByGB7-Wk6Z0WkwPOLKLqvKgebuNOHrBiRC9Sb0lfRMBxg/s1600/Papilio+canadensis+-+defensive+with+ruler.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ-Ej1zDiezbqbZYszn6Qdv_Twuz1qV21wYd5Z6zeXVsDFhkJBgTnZZ-M_UsjbsZwcLPEG1uRMm_e2umD_L2-4oxU4yZnFqByGB7-Wk6Z0WkwPOLKLqvKgebuNOHrBiRC9Sb0lfRMBxg/s640/Papilio+canadensis+-+defensive+with+ruler.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A "bird's eye" view of a Canadian tiger swallowtail caterpillar in it's defensive posture.</td></tr>
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There are many good reasons to expect that these claims may in fact be true (see <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/09/dan-janzens-view-startle-mimicry-and.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/107/26/11659.abstract">here</a>), but there has been growing interest in testing the validity of this claim. This work has been spearheaded by a research group in the UK led by <a href="http://sensoryecology.com/people/martin-stevens.html">Dr. Martin Stevens</a>, who suggests that eyespots may intimidate insect-eating birds simply because many animals avoid attacking prey with large, conspicuous markings. Their research group has conducted some <a href="http://sensoryecology.com/research-themes/warning-signals.html">compelling research</a> that illustrates that this may in fact be a plausible alternative (<a href="http://www.currentzoology.org/temp/%7B81704A59-EB3A-44E0-988A-4C8557EB90E4%7D.pdf">Stevens and Ruxton 2014</a>), despite the claims regarding eye-mimicry made by various researchers. Last year some colleagues and I developed an experiment to test the claim that the eyespots make caterpillars intimidating to birds because of the resemblance to eyes (i.e., eye mimicry), and not simply because they are conspicuous markings.</div>
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First, we had to come up with a way to design different kinds of prey items that possessed equally conspicuous markings, but where these markings differed in in how eye-like they were. Instead of doing this by changing the shape or colour of the eyespots themselves, as others before us had done (<a href="http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/3/525.abstract">Stevens<i> et al</i> 2008</a>, <a href="http://www.actazool.org/temp/%7BB8B87CEC-7052-4F0E-870E-D3AA7B5FCD1B%7D.pdf">Stevens <i>et al</i> 2009</a>), we changed the body position where they eyespots were located. Specifically we created three different kinds of artificial caterpillars:</div>
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<div>
<ol>
<li>No eyespots (Control)</li>
<li>Eyespots towards on end of the body (Eye-like)</li>
<li>Eyespots in the center of their body (Less eye-like)</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3NmWc6JNcDolq-5HjKqKLr-dwYQ4PNn5NqvtLGm-ZprJp5Fv173j5u-0yKj0BeUPe-Txhg5BxES9uyFJjsRMCJPoZsrUcLvYWWtXuP_J3DgIA1-7UVM8owuhJ-7EAsqsFO8J2PZ1rmc/s1600/eye-mimicry+exp+design.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3NmWc6JNcDolq-5HjKqKLr-dwYQ4PNn5NqvtLGm-ZprJp5Fv173j5u-0yKj0BeUPe-Txhg5BxES9uyFJjsRMCJPoZsrUcLvYWWtXuP_J3DgIA1-7UVM8owuhJ-7EAsqsFO8J2PZ1rmc/s400/eye-mimicry+exp+design.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Eyespots are not the only feature which has been implicated in the apparent mimicry of snakes by these caterpillars. Many of these caterpillars also swell their anterior body segments when confronted with a predator. This makes their anterior section look more head-like (at least to human observers). The same logic applies here, if these enlarged segments intimidate birds because it makes the caterpillar appear to be something dangerous like a snake, then it should only be effective when the end of the caterpillar is swollen. In a parallel experiment, our three caterpillar-types here were:</div>
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<div>
<ol><ol>
<li>No enlarged segments (Control)</li>
<li>Enlarged segments at one end (Head-like)</li>
<li>Enlarged segments in the center of the body (Not head-like)</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMiHQHW7RUcMzzE38dreIdoHOMznlwNdjEBiQQZz8e84-VDpOe5k1xN84E2dhW7WuOmB2VeLLyW7FIiEKrYOkbJ-ewkCWdeoqekzXiEq-mJJ5tog2RsqKj7cJOJHcqjgO-uCPHmCedjY/s1600/Head-like+exp+design.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMiHQHW7RUcMzzE38dreIdoHOMznlwNdjEBiQQZz8e84-VDpOe5k1xN84E2dhW7WuOmB2VeLLyW7FIiEKrYOkbJ-ewkCWdeoqekzXiEq-mJJ5tog2RsqKj7cJOJHcqjgO-uCPHmCedjY/s400/Head-like+exp+design.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We presented these caterpillars to naive domestic chicks who had never seen a caterpillar or a snake in their life. Nine individual chicks were each presented with a single artificial caterpillar from of the 6 types outlined above. We measured two things: </div>
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i) <b>Inspection time</b>: the time until the chick closely approached the prey to examine it.</div>
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ii) <b>Latency to attack</b>: the time until the chick pecked the prey item.</div>
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<h3>
<b>Results:</b></h3>
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The results couldn't have been clearer. Eyespots and swollen body segments are only intimidating to the chicks when placed in an eye-like or head-like context. When compared to the control prey, chicks delayed their attack longer, and inspected the prey longer, when confronted with artificial caterpillars that has eyespots or a swollen "head". Note however that this was not the case if the swollen segments and the eyespots were not placed in a head-like context.<br />
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Have a look at the figure below:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeROmRIS5Y_POXaql1wZuVqgJJPGAQyOfQCU-Nz-loDPeZ0TuOmjqWzYvPp1j_YNy7XydJ3Jc975dukWg5llfC_k_lV3s1s_4Yau_mfQOLpM8RwyEFSgjJbtF_kVsU6pFoO-NLuMndXU/s1600/mimcry+exp+results.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeROmRIS5Y_POXaql1wZuVqgJJPGAQyOfQCU-Nz-loDPeZ0TuOmjqWzYvPp1j_YNy7XydJ3Jc975dukWg5llfC_k_lV3s1s_4Yau_mfQOLpM8RwyEFSgjJbtF_kVsU6pFoO-NLuMndXU/s640/mimcry+exp+results.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figure originally published in Skelhorn <i>et al</i> 2014, Behavioral Ecology.</td></tr>
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So at least in caterpillars it appears that we have some solid empirical evidence to suggest that these two traits are likely mimetic. Also, both of these traits appear to work in isolation from each other, as we had <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/defensive-posture-eyespots-protect.html">observed previously in a field experiment</a>. Our results here reinforces another key result from <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2015/05/body-size-affects-evolution-of-eyespots.html">our previous work</a> - that the birds' aversion to these traits appears to be <b>innate</b>, or genetically pre-programmed as <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/09/dan-janzens-view-startle-mimicry-and.html">Dan Janzen has long suggested</a>.</div>
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The full version of our paper can be found here:</div>
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<a href="http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/08/24/beheco.aru154">Skelhorn, J., Dorrington, G., Hossie, T. J., & Sherratt, T. N. 2014. The position of eyespots and thickened segments influence their protective value to caterpillars. Behavioral Ecology 25:1417–1422</a></div>
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<h3>
Other recent work:</h3>
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More recently, there has been research illustrating that eyespots on the wings of butterflies do in fact mimic eyes (<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/282/1806/20150202">De Bona <i>et al</i> 2015</a>). In this paper the researchers presented birds with images of an owl's face with or without eyespots, but also presented birds with three different types of butterfly images:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<ol><ol>
<li>Butterfly with real eyespots (Positive control)</li>
<li>Butterfly with modified eyespots (Less eye-like)</li>
<li>Butterfly with eyespots digitally removed (Negative control)</li>
</ol>
</ol>
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They found that real eyespots worked as well as real owl eyes in deterring the birds from their attack. Real eyespots were also more effective than the inverted eyespots, which were equally conspicuous but less eye-like, and images with real eyespots worked better than the no-eyespot control.</div>
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<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/282/1806/20150202">De Bona, S., Valkonen, J. K., Lo´pez-Sepulcre, A. & Mappes, J. 2015. Predator mimicry, not conspicuousness, explains the efficacy of butterfly eyespots. Proceedings B: Biological Sciences 282: 20150202</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-20451918662032549102015-05-11T19:08:00.001-04:002015-05-12T13:37:38.577-04:00Body size affects the evolution of eyespots in caterpillars<br />
Eyespots are an incredibly widespread strategy used by animals to protect themselves from predators. There are examples from all over the world, and from many different animal groups. Although they are well-known from the wings of butterflies and moths they are perhaps even more common in caterpillars. In fact, there are examples of caterpillars with eyespots on every continent except Antarctica, and from many different families of butterfly and moth.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-huHxyZfO0YiK7Z_b2NolhrnWfzLuLa4flqk7HRHe4jG4UtTrU7clkqIGFDKuwiAM0aYSrnOtj3inGQxI-LjAv-0u0_ma8CjurNwwTSY4ulV0fdDHXGlKSlQEoxHgBEVWM08b09vR57g/s1600/CaterpillarsWithEyespots_map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-huHxyZfO0YiK7Z_b2NolhrnWfzLuLa4flqk7HRHe4jG4UtTrU7clkqIGFDKuwiAM0aYSrnOtj3inGQxI-LjAv-0u0_ma8CjurNwwTSY4ulV0fdDHXGlKSlQEoxHgBEVWM08b09vR57g/s640/CaterpillarsWithEyespots_map.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examples of caterpillars with eyespots from various places across the globe</td></tr>
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Conventional wisdom has long suggested that eyespots help deter attacking predator by resembling the eyes of the predator's own enemies (see this <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/282/1806/20150202">recent paper</a> on butterfly eyespots!). In caterpillars, the claim is often taken one step further: caterpillars with eyespots are generally thought to mimic dangerous snakes that might attack a hungry insect-eating bird. My research has set out to test this claim and to better understand how mimicry in this system operates.<br />
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After 4 years of research on the topic we have convincing evidence that 1) eyespots can protect caterpillars from insect eating birds under natural field conditions (see posts <b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html">here</a></b> and <b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/defensive-posture-eyespots-protect.html">here</a></b>), 2) eyespots are not simply conspicuous signals, but probably do in fact mimic eyes (see paper <b><a href="http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/content/25/6/1417.abstract">here</a></b>), and 3) that many of these caterpillars engage in behavioural mimicry to enhance protection (<b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/defensive-posture-eyespots-protect.html">here</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.actazool.org/temp/%7B7DFC6E38-09E0-4DEF-94DF-51EBAF60494A%7D.pdf">here</a></b>). With this baseline knowledge in hand my co-authors and I set out to ask bigger questions. Why do some caterpillars have eyespots, but not others? What drove the evolution of eyespots in some caterpillars, while other species evolved different defenses like camouflage or aposematism?<br />
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<h3>
<b>Generating Hypotheses:</b></h3>
After familiarizing myself with the various species of caterpillars with eyespots (you can do this for yourself <a href="https://www.flickr.com/groups/eyespots/"><b>here!</b></a>), it became clear that many of these species are relatively large. In addition, eyespots tend not to occur small early <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instar">instars</a> of these caterpillars, but only show up in the larger late instars. For example, the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar shifts its strategy from <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/06/papilio-canadensis-caterpillars-1st.html">resembling a bird dropping when small</a>, to <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/07/5th-instar-full-eyespots-displayed.html">having eyespots when they get bigger</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OgvOuDKHWZe7fSdYuCVTm2842iN7TNtzscYHc_J4ajxqqyyHPilYkluTuMMdYIGFYGOQyFa-ivY8_SN0aa665Ql6RBkr7LDsmvp_nFAcN2zQdaYdyM9xim0EDvYVBUYGkEDOdPpYW1o/s1600/Papilio_canadensis_instars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OgvOuDKHWZe7fSdYuCVTm2842iN7TNtzscYHc_J4ajxqqyyHPilYkluTuMMdYIGFYGOQyFa-ivY8_SN0aa665Ql6RBkr7LDsmvp_nFAcN2zQdaYdyM9xim0EDvYVBUYGkEDOdPpYW1o/s640/Papilio_canadensis_instars.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
<div>
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (<i>Papilio canadensis</i>) progressing through instars. Photos: T. Hossie.</div>
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Using this set of observations we came up with a few reasons <i>why </i>this might be the case:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Being large makes it harder to hide, so big caterpillars need to find another way to escape predation. Mimicking a dangerous snake offers a solution.</li>
<li>Large prey are a bigger meal for insect-eating birds, meaning that these predators have a vested interest in seeking out large caterpillars and eating them upon discovery. If this is the case, large prey need better protection from these highly motivated predators and have to do something extreme to dissuade their attackers - like mimic one of the bird's own predators!</li>
<li>Effective mimicry might depend on body size. Maybe only large caterpillars are big enough to convincingly resemble a legitimate threat.</li>
</ol>
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<h3>
<b>Validating Our Initial Observation:</b></h3>
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Now it was time to do some science! First we had to confirm our original inkling that large-bodied caterpillars are in fact more likely to evolve eyespots. To do this we assessed the presence/absence of eyespots from photos and recorded maximum body size in the final caterpillar instar. We did this for as many species as possible for one well studied group of moths (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">Sphingidae</a>). Next we tested if larger species were more likely to have eyespots. Since many of these species are closely related and share similar traits (e.g. size, or presence/absence of eyespots) not because they each evolved them separately, but instead because they descended from a common ancestor we used a "<a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/03/how-do-you-figure-out-why-species.html">phylogenetic comparative analysis</a>". This enabled us to statistically "remove" this effect of shared ancestry and see if the relationship between body size and eyespots remains.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6K3kvvEHVt2lbhyYU9-K9F3OhoELWPGc9s1egH80IJZVkWf1mIqMl1eJmWHqzBphZFe7rDfL_imZtgwhyphenhyphen3RzOnbLn2qLbEa-lHXdnviQUX3j1ZGMuCh7PPDr-uHXA4r4TJHHNfGMT3Q/s1600/Subgroup_common_ancestor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6K3kvvEHVt2lbhyYU9-K9F3OhoELWPGc9s1egH80IJZVkWf1mIqMl1eJmWHqzBphZFe7rDfL_imZtgwhyphenhyphen3RzOnbLn2qLbEa-lHXdnviQUX3j1ZGMuCh7PPDr-uHXA4r4TJHHNfGMT3Q/s640/Subgroup_common_ancestor.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our full list of species from our analysis and their shared evolutionary history (left). I have highlighted a sub-group (right) to illustrate the importance of controlling for shared ancestry when you are <span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">using species-level data to </span>look for a relationship between two traits. Note that the species highlighted on the right are more likely to be both large and have eyespots than you expect by chance alone because they descend from a species which was large and had eyespots.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEsrl5u9LOzNk87BF-UZSTeZWvFJfcwlbUWPlKhisMJLoNqGHQbEck9Uo4zGIdJlkcUI21lgwJE8LZt2JsboGMqo9JbxjtxK4Oytlc7jMgwgTTJJdanrEePxKyzcVdDKKD3iUZDEEu30/s1600/Subgroup_multiple_origins.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEsrl5u9LOzNk87BF-UZSTeZWvFJfcwlbUWPlKhisMJLoNqGHQbEck9Uo4zGIdJlkcUI21lgwJE8LZt2JsboGMqo9JbxjtxK4Oytlc7jMgwgTTJJdanrEePxKyzcVdDKKD3iUZDEEu30/s640/Subgroup_multiple_origins.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I have highlighted a different potion of the phylogeny. Clearly there is less of an effect of common ancestry on the relationship between body size and eyespots, and it appears more likely that eyespots appear evolved multiple times independently. Interestingly, although <i>Hemeroplanes triptolemus</i> and <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> are closely related they probably evolved eyespots independently because these markings occur on different parts of therr bodies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Our analysis confirmed our original observation that eyespots tend to occur on caterpillar from species that attain larger body sizes (even after controlling for shared ancestry), suggesting an evolutionary relationship between these traits.<br />
<br />
It was now time to conduct experiments to determine the mechanism. Broadly speaking, two processes could be driving this relationship: i) relatively low survival of small caterpillars with eyespots (e.g., compared to small caterpillars with no eyespots), and ii) relatively high survival of large caterpillars with eyespots (e.g. compared to large no-eyespot caterpillars). Of course both processes could also be happening concurrently. We set out to look for these patterns using both a field experiment and a lab experiment. Both experiments used "pastry" caterpillars (fake caterpillars made of flour and lard, then dyed with food coloring), as we have done previously (<b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html">here</a></b>, <b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/defensive-posture-eyespots-protect.html">here</a></b>, and <b><a href="http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/content/25/6/1417.abstract">here</a></b>).<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Identifying the Mechanism: Field Experiment</b></h3>
In this experiment we created four different prey types arranged following a 2x2 design:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Small-bodied caterpillars without eyespots </li>
<li>Small-bodied caterpillars with eyespots </li>
<li>Large-bodied caterpillars without eyespots </li>
<li>Large-bodied caterpillars with eyespots </li>
</ul>
<br />
For the prey with eyespots we hand-pained eyespots onto the prey. We pinned one of each caterpillar type to the branches on 96 trees in the forest and let wild birds attack them over a period of 90h. We checked up on these caterpillars 3 times a day and recorded any prey that had peck marks or were missing - these were considered "killed". Over the course of the summer, this process was repeated 6 times in different areas for a total of 576 prey deployed and tracked!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLP41aJBqSYwtPRyig5DgPdJIMGS98GgE16KlE7KI8AB1pGZtvUMP_S-2tnA2uGK4-FLlL7327_Bx9Rd80ye9uWZhh5-amZ6S4WF0oPCrbptp66syYFzx9ZtWZaMdEMqAQ2DE-HVZaMk/s1600/14_NE_08-30a_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLP41aJBqSYwtPRyig5DgPdJIMGS98GgE16KlE7KI8AB1pGZtvUMP_S-2tnA2uGK4-FLlL7327_Bx9Rd80ye9uWZhh5-amZ6S4WF0oPCrbptp66syYFzx9ZtWZaMdEMqAQ2DE-HVZaMk/s640/14_NE_08-30a_1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our artificial caterpillars (made of flour and lard) deployed in the field. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We found that small prey with no eyespots had the highest survival, probably because they were hardest to find. Interestingly, adding eyespots to these prey substantially reduced survival. We think that adding eyespots made these small prey easier to find, but didn't make them intimidating to the attacking birds. Large prey with or without eyespots had about the same survival, though both had lower survival than small prey without eyespots. This seems to indicate that adding eyespots didn't make large caterpillars any easier to find, perhaps because large-bodied prey are already highly conspicuous. We were a bit surprised that eyespots didn't reduce survival in large prey (as we have seen in previous studies <b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html">here</a> </b>and <b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/defensive-posture-eyespots-protect.html">here</a></b>), but some additional analyses showed that eyespots benefit large prey in some microhabitats more than others (a result we plan to follow up with future research). Either way this experiment convincingly shows that the effect of eyespots on survival depends on the caterpillars body size - eyespots are strongly detrimental to small prey and are either neutral or protective in large-bodied prey.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Identifying the Mechanism: Lab Experiment</b></h3>
One possible weakness of our field experiment is that we scaled eyespot size with body size, meaning that large-eyespot prey had bigger eyespots than small-eyespot prey in absolute terms. We chose to do this because the in real caterpillars with eyespots these markings scale proportionally as they grow. However, the design of our field experiment leaves a possible confound - it could be that <i>eyespot size</i> is what's really driving the difference in how effective these marking are, not the relationship between body size and eyespots as we had proposed*. If this was the case, a caterpillar would have to be relativity large to possess eyespots big enough to deter birds, and small caterpillars would be constrained to having markings too small to be effective. Maybe the attacking birds cue into eyespot size as an indicator of whether the animal they are examining is one of their predators or a prey item.<br />
<br />
Given this possibility we had to design an experiment where we could disentangle the effects of eyespot size from the relationship between body size and presence of eyespots. We also wanted to confirm the results of our field experiment using a distinct system and environment which would allow us to make a more detailed assessment of how predators react to our experimental caterpillars. Our lab experiment consisted of 6 different prey types:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Small-bodied caterpillars without eyespots </li>
<li>Small-bodied caterpillars with small eyespots</li>
<li>Small-bodied caterpillars with large eyespots</li>
<li>Large-bodied caterpillars without eyespots </li>
<li>Large-bodied caterpillars with small eyespots</li>
<li>Large-bodied caterpillars with large eyespots </li>
</ul>
<br />
Our model predators for this experiment were naive domestic chicks. These are baby chickens that have never seen a caterpillar or snake (or other predators) before in their life. Each chick was placed into an arena where a single pastry caterpillar from one of the 6 treatments pinned to a tree branch. We recorded the time it took the chick to go up and inspect the prey ("time to first inspection"), and the time from first inspection to attack ("inspection time"). The total time from the beginning of the trial to attack (i.e., the sum of time to first inspection and inspection time) is the overall <i>latency to attack</i>, which is a measure of survival. We also recorded "approach-retreat" behaviour, when chicks quickly retreated from the prey upon inspection.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqyIIIX__YwLzYwX5husFiwmekUYXerk_cU2TCSqG2CSAha8TM1KEEcRmCvTbYuiQzRspew7Iv-TGFMnfyCMz5aFPG29CMKGPqAsXDiit-2RJrADZwLYpdi3J5gmBHbDCvDXkPul_2BQ/s1600/Lab_experiment_cartoon2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqyIIIX__YwLzYwX5husFiwmekUYXerk_cU2TCSqG2CSAha8TM1KEEcRmCvTbYuiQzRspew7Iv-TGFMnfyCMz5aFPG29CMKGPqAsXDiit-2RJrADZwLYpdi3J5gmBHbDCvDXkPul_2BQ/s640/Lab_experiment_cartoon2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A schematic of our lab experiment set up. Chicks become stressed if fully isolated for long periods of time, so we included "buddy" chicks in a separate compartment (isolated but visible) so the experimental chick would feed and behave normally. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here we found that small caterpillars without eyespots took a long time to find, but small caterpillars with small or big eyespots were found and eaten right away. In general, chicks were hesitant to approach large caterpillars, and once approached they were inspected longer prior to attack than any of the small prey. Interestingly, after the first inspection large caterpillars with small eyespots were inspected for about the same amount of time as caterpillars without eyespots, but large caterpillars with large eyespots were inspected much longer than any other treatment. In addition the approach-retreat behaviour was almost exclusively observed in chicks that were presented with large caterpillars with large eyespots.<br />
<br />
In general these results tell us that in order for eyespots to effectively deter birds from attacking caterpillars both body size and eyespots probably need to be large. Eyespots (big or small) do not appear to protect small caterpillars which strongly suggests that the effect of eyespots on survival depends on both body size, and not simply on eyespot size. In large-bodied caterpillars small eyespots do not enhance survival, only large eyespots do. This seems to suggest that for caterpillars to deter their attackers they require large body size <i>and </i>large eyespots.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Conclusions & Summary:</b></h3>
In small caterpillars, eyespots reveal their location to their predators but fail to intimidate those attackers regardless of eyespot size. On the other hand, large caterpillars are already so conspicuous that adding eyespots does little to make them easier to find. In addition, large caterpillars can benefit from large eyespots which deter attacking birds (at least in some microhabitats). The lab experiment also shows that even chicks which had never seen a snake before were intimidated from attacking large caterpillars with large eyespots. The aversion to these caterpillars therefore appears to be innate, that is birds may be genetically pre-programmed to fear things that look like the eye or face of a dangerous predator (<a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/09/dan-janzens-view-startle-mimicry-and.html">as suggested by Dan Janzen</a>).<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Caveats & Future Work:</b></h3>
Another important point to make is that eyespots are not the only solution to the problem of being a large and conspicuous caterpillar. For example the <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/in/in62100.pdf">Frangipani hornworm</a> (<i>Pseudosphinx tetrio</i>) caterpillars are large and poisonous, and may even be <a href="ftp://169.158.189.34/pub/Biotropica/1980s/1980/12-1/Biotropica-1980-12-1-p77.pdf">coral snake mimics</a>!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZP7cPRMqBBZ5MPS5kXM9BxqFuv63jc1Tlb_NntwfOOaCDnYKJzIvOUXCAjBFKW6GbXKFzgxaE0Z53H7FBFz3uQjEJihL0mr9Bd3zL3VBbnQrZKiXROw6alhZveN17n9Bc6C-2RQQBZE/s1600/1024px-Chenille_Guadeloupe_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZP7cPRMqBBZ5MPS5kXM9BxqFuv63jc1Tlb_NntwfOOaCDnYKJzIvOUXCAjBFKW6GbXKFzgxaE0Z53H7FBFz3uQjEJihL0mr9Bd3zL3VBbnQrZKiXROw6alhZveN17n9Bc6C-2RQQBZE/s640/1024px-Chenille_Guadeloupe_2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frangipani hornworm (<i>Pseudosphinx tetrio</i>) caterpillar. A large caterpillar which can attain body sizes up to 11.3 cm. Instead of having eyespots this species appears to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aposematism">aposematic</a>, and may even mimic coral snakes.<br />
Photo by: KoS. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Eyespots are also common in other families where caterpillars tend to be much smaller (e.g., <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skipper_%28butterfly%29">Hesperiidae</a>). These small caterpillars often live and feed inside leaf shelters for most of their life prior to metamorphosis. Leaf shelters might make it more difficult for attacking birds to estimate the caterpillar's body size (i.e., by obscuring much of its body) and force birds to flee from the possible threat instead of gamble with their life. In our research described above we found that eyespots were generally detrimental to small prey because they made them easier to find, but perhaps by inhabiting leaf shelters these small prey are able to minimize their conspicuousness (even with eyespots) while simultaneously maximizing the “startle” effect of the markings when they pop out of a leaf shelter besieged by an insect-eating bird. I like to think of this as a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-in-the-box">Jack-in-the-box</a>" effect, and this is currently being examined.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRfDYkAN0VCcoUFVaUJa3PfdSZ2gvwWdSSZnRu-ib2pGvBkbk8i90YdChjGYd7H7r6-BDuWBGnKO2Fx6K0SQtwO1eYEJuIlTOOsI92NHiAtvaZyfoMf5U3ytxkE_aQENFpuJmJYPbmSw/s1600/Hesperiidae_eyespots_Janzen2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRfDYkAN0VCcoUFVaUJa3PfdSZ2gvwWdSSZnRu-ib2pGvBkbk8i90YdChjGYd7H7r6-BDuWBGnKO2Fx6K0SQtwO1eYEJuIlTOOsI92NHiAtvaZyfoMf5U3ytxkE_aQENFpuJmJYPbmSw/s640/Hesperiidae_eyespots_Janzen2010.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 5 cm-long final instar caterpillar <i>Ridens panche</i> (Hesperiidae) peeking out of its leaf shelter.<br />
Photo from Fig. 2 of <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/107/26/11659.abstract">Janzen et al 2010</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our manuscript is now available in <i>Early View</i>. To read about this research in more detail <b><a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/05/06/1415121112.abstract">click here</a></b> to get the full-text version of the scientific article. If you are unable to get a copy, please feel free to contact me directly for a PDF reprint.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Citation:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/05/06/1415121112.abstract">Hossie, T.J., Skelhorn, J., Breinholt, J.W., Kawahara, A.W. and T.N. Sherratt. (2015) Body size affects the evolution of eyespots in caterpillars. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences <i>Early View</i></a><br />
<br />
*<i>The eyespot size confound was brought to our attention by some thoughtful reviewers. In fact the prey types in our original lab experiment were identical to our field experiment. The reviewers felt that this confound was a serious weakness and suggested that it needed to be addressed prior to publication. Luckily we were able to revise the design and run the new experiment relatively quickly. This new experiment confirmed and extend the results of our original lab experiment and I think makes the paper substantially stronger. This is a great example of rigorous and constructive peer-review helping to improve the quality of published research.</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-40314686528442473112014-05-27T16:24:00.001-04:002014-05-27T16:24:12.356-04:00Preface to my work on caterpillar eyespots<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best—and therefore never scrutinize or question.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>— Stephen Jay Gould</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Full House: The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin (1997), 57.</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ask any naturalist and they’ll tell you, eyespots protect prey animals because they resemble the eyes of a predator or other dangerous animal and thereby startle or intimidate would-be attackers; but how do we know this? How can we know that these markings, which look like eyes to us, similarly resemble eyes to birds or other animals? More fundamentally, what evidence do we have to even suggest that these markings deter predators from their attack?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In February of 2007 I took part in a tropical field course set in the Peruvian Amazon. This gave me the chance to observe and study tropical ecology first hand. Knowing that I may never get a chance to return I took every chance I could to see more. Halfway through our trip while hiking as a group one of my classmates was startled by what appeared to be an arboreal viper reaching from the branches. In reality, it was a caterpillar. Specifically, this was <i>Hemeroplanes ornatus</i> (or possibly <i>H. triptolemus</i> as they are difficult to distinguish as caterpillars), a spectacular sight - these caterpillars are among the best of the snake mimics. At rest they are well concealed, the dorsal side of their body resembling tree bark, but when discovered they reach out from the foliage </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">inflating their anterior body segments into a viperine-shaped head. In a manner unlike any other species I have encountered, these caterpillars display ventral side up. Only upon inflation of the anterior segments do the eyespots become visible. The caterpillar throws itself backward and sways this false head towards the perceived threat, not in a jerky thrash one might expect from a large bodied caterpillar, but in a smooth, sinuous, fluid motion.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRqoNLevnKM0h9d0OFfS6Qx-eZSxnvkJTOInXYuMj8bxz5Wv1lVSxsFUjg3ES-dwMnD9uZIJPo9ylhTO__usoykAA-Y63p9mmHgWGx6lkg2IlTrH8Arbu_oKWTa15ckAWmPCjXWmx8LA/s1600/Field+notebook+-+Hossie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRqoNLevnKM0h9d0OFfS6Qx-eZSxnvkJTOInXYuMj8bxz5Wv1lVSxsFUjg3ES-dwMnD9uZIJPo9ylhTO__usoykAA-Y63p9mmHgWGx6lkg2IlTrH8Arbu_oKWTa15ckAWmPCjXWmx8LA/s1600/Field+notebook+-+Hossie.JPG" height="640" width="458" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A page out of my field notebook from a trip to Peru in 2007 depicting a final instar <i>Hemeroplanes sp</i>. caterpillar.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Even with my limited knowledge of mimicry at the time I knew of Bates and Müller’s theories, and knew that Bates formulated his ideas while travelling in the Amazon (though primarily based on his observations of adult butterflies). It wouldn't be until much later (early 2010) that I would realize the Bates likely encountered this same species of caterpillar during his own travels from 1848-1859. In fact, in the very paper where Bates first put forward his theory of adaptive resemblance, now known as Batesian mimicry, he included a description of his encounter:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“The most extraordinary instance of imitation I ever met with was that of a very large Caterpillar, which stretched itself from amidst the foliage of a tree which I was one day examining, and startled me by its resemblance to a small Snake. The first three segments behind the head were dilatable at the will of the insect, and had on each side a large black pupillated spot, which resembled the eye of the reptile: it was a poisonous or viperine species mimicked, and not an innocuous or colubrine Snake; this was proved by the imitation of keeled scales on the crown, which was produced by the recumbent feet, as the Caterpillar threw itself backwards. The Rev. Joseph Greene, to whom I gave a description, supposes the insect to have belonged to the family Notodontida?, many of which have the habit of thus bending themselves. I carried off the Caterpillar, and alarmed every one in the village where I was then living, to whom I showed it. It unfortunately died before reaching the adult state.”<br /><div style="text-align: right;">
<i>-Henry Walter Bates, 1862, p509</i></div>
</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Clearly Bates saw this as an important example of adaptive resemblance. There are a number of <i>Notodonta </i>caterpillars that have eyespots, yet his description points to a <i>Hemeroplanes </i>caterpillar. Specifically, he highlights that the caterpillar threw itself backwards such that the recumbent feet (i.e., the true legs) were visible and, to my knowledge, <i>Hemeroplanes </i>are among the only species that display this way (i.e., ventral side up). Furthermore, no New World caterpillar of which I'm aware is as convincingly viper-like when threatened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Like Bates, I did not need convincing that this caterpillar was mimicking a snake. In fact, I have not encountered a single skeptic of the view that this caterpillar is a snake-mimic once they have seen <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/01/possibly-best-known-eyespot-caterpillar.html">photos or video footage</a>. Clearly this caterpillar is a snake mimic, and clearly those large black pupillated spots are mimicking eyes. Was this judgement subjective? Perhaps. But what else could possibly explain the appearance and behaviour of this caterpillar? For decades this line of reasoning was the principal evidence put forth to support the widely-held contention that those caterpillars possessing eyespots, including but not limited to <i>Hemeroplanes</i>, mimicked snakes and were thereby protected from insect-eating birds. As a scientist however, subjective assessments aren't good enough. Objective empirical evidence is required to justify our faith in our ideas, irrespective of how obvious they seem or how widely held the belief. Only through this pursuit can we ever hope to fully appreciate the complexity of the world in which we live.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thomas Hossie</span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ottawa, 2014</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-60249723792881333672013-12-23T15:37:00.000-05:002013-12-23T15:37:19.933-05:00Moss' account of another snake-mimic: Madoryx plutonius<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
In my last post, I shared <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/12/moss-account-of-hemerplanes-larvae-in.html">Moss' description of snake-mimicry in <i>Hemeroplanes triptolemus</i></a> caterpillars. In the same publication - <i><a href="https://archive.org/details/cbarchive_33690_sphingidaeofparabrazil9999">The Sphingidae of Para, Brazil</a></i> - he describes another spectacular caterpillar he encountered - <i><a href="http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/mplutplu.htm">Madoryx plutonius</a></i> (he refers to it at <i>M. pluto</i>). This is another <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">sphingid</a> which also appears to mimic a snake. Moss supposed that these two species were close relatives, and this is now supported with molecular genetics as well (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0005719">Kawahara et al 2009</a>). Interestingly though, despite being related species the colour patterns and defensive behaviours in each species are so distinct that I suspect that they evolved independently. One of my current projects involves identifying how many times eyespots and snake mimicry have evolved independently in Sphingidae.<br />
<br />
For now, I'd just like to showcase this amazing caterpillar and Moss' description of its defensive behaviour (see below). These photos of <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> are again taken from the <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>. The specimens were collected in Costa Rica as part of the ongoing inventory project within the <a href="http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr/">Área de Conservación Guanacaste</a> run by <a href="http://www.gdfcf.org/daniel-janzen">Dan Janzen</a> and <a href="http://www.gdfcf.org/winnie-hallwachs">Winnie Hallwachs</a>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>317. Madoryx pluto. (Plate 6.) [p. 394]</b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The larva in its final in star, if the championship among frauds be already won by the <i>Leucorhawpha </i>species [Moss is referring to <i>H. triptolemus</i>], nevertheless runs them closely, and takes a very high second place in the perfect success of those devices resorted to in first simulating the living stalk or stem of its food-plant, and then by endeavouring to terrorize one into the belief that one is gazing at an open-mouthed snake with red jaws and a couple of fierce, blue- black eyes' set immediately above them. </span></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodD7s7HcssTSbcBj4N8mHdi_uHt10isKLaNS26ZEa5HrShqGDMOj0dnC5TSGiDXHaTij2oPdAtedGgAFNLrKt9Nl1HozTBeFo37NnvegERTTjCtaomwN5CTcGFiafpVq_GXIuM437KIs/s1600/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodD7s7HcssTSbcBj4N8mHdi_uHt10isKLaNS26ZEa5HrShqGDMOj0dnC5TSGiDXHaTij2oPdAtedGgAFNLrKt9Nl1HozTBeFo37NnvegERTTjCtaomwN5CTcGFiafpVq_GXIuM437KIs/s640/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23320.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final instar <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> caterpillar (at rest)<br />
Photo of specimen 95-SRNP-4624 from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPTTr_e1gA0ymOri6U-T5thC_2nuwEMHQutpPP9P48dyy77f7RmzcuKUskxgUAtR5fpaIteJZsDEif9-S9DwR5OlD5K-JECOYrGkG-3pecyoOYZuoXjPI87Jq_wu9PHXddL22W7mhK2o/s1600/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPTTr_e1gA0ymOri6U-T5thC_2nuwEMHQutpPP9P48dyy77f7RmzcuKUskxgUAtR5fpaIteJZsDEif9-S9DwR5OlD5K-JECOYrGkG-3pecyoOYZuoXjPI87Jq_wu9PHXddL22W7mhK2o/s640/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23362.jpg" width="402" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final instar <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> caterpillar (defensive posture)<br />
Photo of specimen 95-SRNP-4624 from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmGdElX_-OS4tA0zQ5BaivPsKAAXMQ4Up45ySGXBrPh8lBa9vRlqCRZmDFy273Y30RaxfwQZTSS16bA-QCT20JCuYsw7G4h7B2Q3ebkDbeFSxlQMjXjY7bBTKF01pbAycb7pa0CWC2Jc/s1600/Madoryx+plutonius+-+05-SRNP-31526-DHJ404121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmGdElX_-OS4tA0zQ5BaivPsKAAXMQ4Up45ySGXBrPh8lBa9vRlqCRZmDFy273Y30RaxfwQZTSS16bA-QCT20JCuYsw7G4h7B2Q3ebkDbeFSxlQMjXjY7bBTKF01pbAycb7pa0CWC2Jc/s640/Madoryx+plutonius+-+05-SRNP-31526-DHJ404121.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final instar <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> caterpillar (defensive posture)<br />
Photo of specimen 95-SRNP-4624 from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This particular effect is produced entirely on the dorsal area by the larva lowering its head towards its legs, puffing out its thoracic segments (not laterally this time), and exhibiting these wonderfully brilliant touches of external ornament which at all other times when the caterpillar is sleeping or even when it is eating or in motion are entirely concealed within the interstices of its segments, and looks a perfect stick of a light brown coloration. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Though I secured two photos, to take its portrait as a snake in pencil and paint was an exceedingly difficult task, for it would never maintain the attitude for a sufficient length of time, and soon got tired of even repeating the hoax for the edification of my much-impressed friends.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0lblw1k4qTMfcR55_nZeTVPoIG551a7cvXPw5FimknVRS_ktDgxv23a__lMIFh_FyMif9hl30FmD0WWCZZbhTUOJm19cwn7cR3nRQpZyHuoA5ou0WijrDC3yzR__b5PcXDqRAkX3NuU/s1600/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0lblw1k4qTMfcR55_nZeTVPoIG551a7cvXPw5FimknVRS_ktDgxv23a__lMIFh_FyMif9hl30FmD0WWCZZbhTUOJm19cwn7cR3nRQpZyHuoA5ou0WijrDC3yzR__b5PcXDqRAkX3NuU/s640/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23330.jpg" width="412" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final instar <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> caterpillar (at rest)<br />
Photo of specimen 95-SRNP-4624 from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6K_eEJ85A7JnXSSSu2f9fzEiRCGt1JpquMJ1MW8QzxfX_fzY747437wQdMXmcEsLzKZGkrjnWnTZlF1eatdcDOBt9Mn8OuYC1BWzR_kHJxXh9vQvICldSGadF6THbJolh4UNEJKrXipE/s1600/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6K_eEJ85A7JnXSSSu2f9fzEiRCGt1JpquMJ1MW8QzxfX_fzY747437wQdMXmcEsLzKZGkrjnWnTZlF1eatdcDOBt9Mn8OuYC1BWzR_kHJxXh9vQvICldSGadF6THbJolh4UNEJKrXipE/s640/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23331.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final instar <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> caterpillar (in defensive posture)<br />
Photo of specimen 95-SRNP-4624 from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4U8FM3gliCZLRY9jdV5MQ5yY3oDjHpxqsAAdng0Il9MpIGFfselUkDwiBvCaMMLv8nDv714tVDH7H1TnvZuR3_43ImKqOAKpHRRfv3gLHkjjkU5Y9fW2LaQ0OZz0cuC5sawTZBW99fyM/s1600/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4U8FM3gliCZLRY9jdV5MQ5yY3oDjHpxqsAAdng0Il9MpIGFfselUkDwiBvCaMMLv8nDv714tVDH7H1TnvZuR3_43ImKqOAKpHRRfv3gLHkjjkU5Y9fW2LaQ0OZz0cuC5sawTZBW99fyM/s640/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23334.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final instar <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> caterpillar (in defensive posture)<br />
Photo of specimen 95-SRNP-4624 from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEudayjBH2X48GEOJHggmrMsX0eO7i3rvvZigRrTtVre3wWRXM-yfCwiA087qARE_jBZmWJdUNEOl0vmgnZQhuNAul76_dMOJXL_KJA2u_brzJ953pacLQE4LnXo4XuLQhZTSAUSr_dZU/s1600/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEudayjBH2X48GEOJHggmrMsX0eO7i3rvvZigRrTtVre3wWRXM-yfCwiA087qARE_jBZmWJdUNEOl0vmgnZQhuNAul76_dMOJXL_KJA2u_brzJ953pacLQE4LnXo4XuLQhZTSAUSr_dZU/s640/Madoryx+plutonius+-+95-SRNP-4624-DHJ23335.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final instar <i>Madoryx plutonius</i> caterpillar (recovering to rest posture)<br />
Photo of specimen 95-SRNP-4624 from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<h4>
Related posts:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/12/moss-account-of-hemerplanes-larvae-in.html">Moss' account of Hemeroplanes larvae in Para</a></li>
<li><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/01/possibly-best-known-eyespot-caterpillar.html">Possibly the best known eyespot caterpillar: <i>Hemeroplanes sp</i>. (Sphingidae)</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">References:</span></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0005719">Kawahara, A. Y., Mignault, A.A., Regier, J.C., Kitching, I.J. and Mitter, C.M. (2009) Phylogeny and biogeography of hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae): evidence from five nuclear genes. PLoS ONE 4(5): e5719. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0005719</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/cbarchive_33690_sphingidaeofparabrazil9999" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Moss AM. 1920. The Sphingidae of Para, Brazil. Novitates Zool. 27:333–424.</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-66406863973557682122013-12-14T12:32:00.002-05:002014-05-27T16:42:48.321-04:00Moss' account of Hemerplanes larvae in Para<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When you are starting to dig through the literature for a new research topic, i</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">t is often very rewarding to go back and actually read the earliest accounts you can find - especially for biologists</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. This is because early naturalists wrote beautifully and often provide very detailed, thorough descriptions. Sometimes you are even rewarded with really amazing engravings, paintings, or sketches of the specimens they observed or collected. I also feel that going back to these early works gives you a great historical perspective on the work <i>you</i> are doing. Occasionally you even feel a kind of connection to these writers when you are studying the same </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">phenomena </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">or </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">specimens</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">they witnessed (or collected) 50-100 years ago (perhaps even earlier). Many biologists have this experience when they read Darwin's </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the Origin of Species</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. If not, there are many other places to look.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some really detailed work on South American hawkmoths, and their larvae, was done by a man named Rev. <b>Arthur Miles Moss</b>, M.A., F.Z.S., F.E.S., British Chaplain of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par%C3%A1">Pará</a>. His work is interesting to me because of his detailed descriptions of many caterpillars with eyespots, and their close relatives. I haven't been able to find much information on the man himself except for what is posted on the <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/art-nature-imaging/collections/art-themes/northamerica/more/moss_more_info.htm">British Natural History Museum website</a> which I have reproduced below:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Arthur Miles-Moss (1873-1948)</b><br />Born in Liverpool, Arthur Miles-Moss studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was ordained deacon in the Church of England in 1895 and then priest the following year. In 1897 he travelled to South America and from 1907 to 1910 he lived in Peru before moving to Pará in Brazil, 100 miles south of the mouth of the river Amazon where he stayed until 1945. In 1912 he built the Pará Anglican Church. His parish covered a vast area of Brazil and he was known as the vicar of the largest parish in the world. </span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In his spare time he began a detailed study of the insects of the region and amassed a large collection of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). He also reared and made detailed drawings of the caterpillars and pupae. A talented artist, he also painted many land- and seascapes, some of which he exhibited at the Royal Academy, London.</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moss put his skills as an accomplished artist to work painting the countless caterpillars and pupae that he reared in his spare time. The Natural History Museum has a collection of his manuscripts, drawings and photographs. Many of these are watercolour paintings or drawings of caterpillars annotated with various observations he made when rearing the larvae. Their collection also hold ~25000 preserved specimens from the caterpillars that he reared. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here is a sample of his artwork:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQVzcJbNOGR8phno71w8cXCve_aJAUFnbXG3PLi4vHUAtKPRlAPWxI0YecaqJGNpsJr8OPAPSpwyyUAyt1vBZqz5vUC50JEthlz3N1Q6aBhDlSJQgxqZxNM7QHD9HFLpupyfYev8t554/s1600/moss_popup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQVzcJbNOGR8phno71w8cXCve_aJAUFnbXG3PLi4vHUAtKPRlAPWxI0YecaqJGNpsJr8OPAPSpwyyUAyt1vBZqz5vUC50JEthlz3N1Q6aBhDlSJQgxqZxNM7QHD9HFLpupyfYev8t554/s1600/moss_popup.jpg" height="298" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arthur Miles-Moss (1873-1948)<br />Drawing of the larval stage of the Saturniid moth (<i>Leucanella nyctimene</i>)<br />Watercolour on paper, 78 x 165 mm.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would love to visit this collection. I have seen a few other pieces of his work from the parts of it that he published, but I'm sure that there are still many of his paintings and detailed notes that for now remain out of sight. The two notable publications I have been interested in are "<a href="https://archive.org/details/cbarchive_54653_onthesphingidaeofperu1835">On the Sphingidae of Peru</a>" from 1912 and "<a href="https://archive.org/details/cbarchive_33690_sphingidaeofparabrazil9999">Sphingidae of Para, Brazil</a>" written in 1920. They have detailed descriptions of many hawkmoth caterpillars - some of which have eyespots - and include notes on their behaviour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have written before about the extraordinary snake-mimic caterpillars of <i>Hemeroplanes sp.</i> <b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/01/possibly-best-known-eyespot-caterpillar.html">here</a></b>. Moss also collected and wrote about this species. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To give you an idea of how spectacular these caterpillars can be here is a photo:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfxZalGB_JXT7f-QPhkMCwqiCkgUY0vKLvKCTRCf4uhUjfjRPj5r4VAXgCj5YuI5wbkszB0YmQ6Akn9kwLMw7riobey99JQ3ljx4yq7tegaiPhtbrFKa-40NyB4QfjMOoyTfl422gFbg/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+87-SRNP-1156-DHJ10288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfxZalGB_JXT7f-QPhkMCwqiCkgUY0vKLvKCTRCf4uhUjfjRPj5r4VAXgCj5YuI5wbkszB0YmQ6Akn9kwLMw7riobey99JQ3ljx4yq7tegaiPhtbrFKa-40NyB4QfjMOoyTfl422gFbg/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+87-SRNP-1156-DHJ10288.jpg" height="394" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Hemeroplanes triptolemus</i> (Sphingidae)<br />Photo of specimen 87-SRNP-1156 from the <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moss (1920) gives a really nice description of this caterpillar (Moss refers to it as <i>Leucorhampha triptolemus</i>) and includes notes on its intricate defensive behaviour. I have reproduced his description of the mimetic and behavioural features below and added photos of a live specimen to illustrate the features he is describing:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>312. <i>Leucorhampha triptolemus</i>. (Plates 6 & 9.) </b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>[<i>p</i>. 391-392]</b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The description which I now quote was written in November 1916 for the larva of <i>ornatus</i>, but as it applies equally well for <i>triptolemus </i>and must be regarded as doing double duty, I prefer to insert it here. The larva is quite one of the most remarkable of living creatures that I have ever seen, a perfect Aaron's rod, combining in the most novel and striking way the principles of protective resemblance with an aggressive snake-mimicry. When at rest as an adult caterpillar, it hangs by two pairs of claspers in the vertical from the stem of its food-plant, and appears to be nothing but a broken branch covered with a creamy white lichen. A strange black chequered dorsal design, with a gradual intensification of the grey on certain segments completes the deception. </b></span></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheU5FrepVfKitG2WhNNd1Ilv-x_w4lASdqb3FS4aqzSju4OzVJOohUREbxggA2BzC4ztHQHWMJU_Y5b75Km9Gwjrb6OV0BaeP9ALbUv135oK5_XZhPmmw2DjlgZs-FwAl4EyHczWJqBEA/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheU5FrepVfKitG2WhNNd1Ilv-x_w4lASdqb3FS4aqzSju4OzVJOohUREbxggA2BzC4ztHQHWMJU_Y5b75Km9Gwjrb6OV0BaeP9ALbUv135oK5_XZhPmmw2DjlgZs-FwAl4EyHczWJqBEA/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75779.jpg" height="308" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hemeroplanes triptolemus</i> (Sphingidae)<br />
Photo of specimen 03-SRNP-11366 from the <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The wonder, however, is if possible exceeded when, on being disturbed, this marvel of creative evolution endeavours once more to deceive by turning into a snake, and in quite a different way to that adopted by <i>Xylophanes </i>or even by its fairly close relative <i>Madoryx pluto.</i></b> </span></blockquote>
<br />
<i><b>Aside</b>: The relationship between <u>Madoryx </u>and <u>Hemeroplanes</u> is still being worked out. It looks as though they are indeed related but evolved snake mimicry independently - that is to say that it is unlikely that both species mimic snakes simply because they share a common snake-mimicking ancestor.</i><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Though this wonderful transformation wants to be seen in life to be fully appreciated, I may explain briefly that the effect is produced by the creature turning itself over and exhibiting its ventral area, which is adorned by a broad band of dark olive-green with the three anterior sets of claspers completely withdrawn and scarcely visible. </b></span></blockquote>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwGHeze6X2zW03rGe0yT_iDSe726k3a83gOisJ9q7rEkitRJLQBKXyhKsKsmNrcIGGpoq-z0ocwavt9BSeQgsGU09K-yP9KN5dj8aQD6m3dseAsX3B0nMPmrm08BCFQb6pzAEc7HyWsY/s1600/Heneroplaes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwGHeze6X2zW03rGe0yT_iDSe726k3a83gOisJ9q7rEkitRJLQBKXyhKsKsmNrcIGGpoq-z0ocwavt9BSeQgsGU09K-yP9KN5dj8aQD6m3dseAsX3B0nMPmrm08BCFQb6pzAEc7HyWsY/s1600/Heneroplaes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75751.jpg" height="418" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hemeroplanes triptolemus</i> (Sphingidae)<br />
Photo of specimen 03-SRNP-11366 from the <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The thoracic segments, which are always swollen, become puffed out laterally to an exaggerated extent; a pair of black eyes on segment 4, hitherto concealed and situated behind the now recumbent and wholly inconspicuous legs, open out; </b></span></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnup1e9OVmGXWn8Ubj-nN-3K79Ux6Ubn0mY8FAlD4C6d1AaIrXOj17rbWRONLigy7gay54cmjc-n9uDWiZ_0vGkgPBE0p3U0kD8B-kdxEC9eqZkM4AhcCXsY6o7vEA_C_LoPFSP-kZ28w/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnup1e9OVmGXWn8Ubj-nN-3K79Ux6Ubn0mY8FAlD4C6d1AaIrXOj17rbWRONLigy7gay54cmjc-n9uDWiZ_0vGkgPBE0p3U0kD8B-kdxEC9eqZkM4AhcCXsY6o7vEA_C_LoPFSP-kZ28w/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75730.jpg" height="546" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hemeroplanes triptolemus</i> (Sphingidae)<br />
Photo of specimen 03-SRNP-11366 from the <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the cheeks appear to be adorned by yellow scales with black edges ; and the fraudulent notion that one is beholding merely the head and neck of a formidable, if small, snake is carried to a nicety by the rigidity of the curve adopted. </b></span></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvEYra14i3UmbiWaieG9CYLiuj5234xnMRJw9oVy5zCGgBLvWQFa8wCUq6ZYhzXSyEGlQIWy8ouoh2R6Xu4oG3T412xo21MGZlpby6DqwKb4WGY2Ryv9YENjqVwKlziXwxLVJhNF1z4c/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvEYra14i3UmbiWaieG9CYLiuj5234xnMRJw9oVy5zCGgBLvWQFa8wCUq6ZYhzXSyEGlQIWy8ouoh2R6Xu4oG3T412xo21MGZlpby6DqwKb4WGY2Ryv9YENjqVwKlziXwxLVJhNF1z4c/s1600/Hemeroplanes+-+03-SRNP-11366-DHJ75757.jpg" height="606" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hemeroplanes triptolemus</i> (Sphingidae) <br />
Photo of specimen 03-SRNP-11366 from the <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Then, as if to mesmerize, a swaying side-to-side motion is kept up for an appreciable number of seconds, before the creature, seeming to realize that an attack is no further contemplated, gradually closes its false eyes and relapses once more into diurnal slumbers. That this mimicry of the fore-part of a small serpent, if mimicry it be, for it is hard to give it any other name, should be chiefly produced on the ventral surface, a feature peculiar in itself, and that every detail should so contribute in perfecting the deception, is altogether remarkable.</b></span></blockquote>
<br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Related posts:</span></h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/01/possibly-best-known-eyespot-caterpillar.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Possible the best known eyespot caterpillar: <i>Hemeroplanes sp</i>. (Sphingidae)</span></a></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>This post includes a video clip of the behaviour described above</i></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">References:</span></h4>
<a href="https://archive.org/details/cbarchive_54653_onthesphingidaeofperu1835"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moss AM. 1912. On the Sphingidae of Peru. Trans Zool Soc Lond. 20:73–135.</span></a><br />
<a href="https://archive.org/details/cbarchive_33690_sphingidaeofparabrazil9999"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moss AM. 1920. The Sphingidae of Para, Brazil. Novitates Zool. 27:333–424.</span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-57839749367302501502013-09-10T12:40:00.002-04:002013-09-10T12:40:54.819-04:00Dan Janzen's view: Startle mimicry and false eyes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis48Zz4eXxcaoViOWzRoBzWuUaxpbLvzTkeDveJ_Ho5IC58TH4WA8tWZ3iImHGG6lKAQoeI0s-UFFAX0Ixrkwke7GB7QpnkXu-6FFLL9hcGLcolCol6lrDfqWignqYxEfaO3s7e_P6gbs/s1600/04-SRNP-46796-DHJ85708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis48Zz4eXxcaoViOWzRoBzWuUaxpbLvzTkeDveJ_Ho5IC58TH4WA8tWZ3iImHGG6lKAQoeI0s-UFFAX0Ixrkwke7GB7QpnkXu-6FFLL9hcGLcolCol6lrDfqWignqYxEfaO3s7e_P6gbs/s640/04-SRNP-46796-DHJ85708.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">40mm long final instar <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylophanes_cthulhu">Xylophanes cthulhu</a></i> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">Sphingidae</a>) caterpillar.<br />Collected in Costa Rica from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/searchplaycat4apr15.lasso?Voucher==04-SRNP-46796&-search">Janzen and Hallwachs Database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I came across a really nice piece written by Daniel Janzen in 1999 that details his thoughts about how eyespots protect caterpillars from attack by insect-eating birds. Clearly this was the draft that he later expanded into his 2010 PNAS article "<a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/06/08/0912122107.abstract">A tropical horde of counterfeit predator eyes</a>" with colleagues Winnie Hallwachs and John M. Burns. I reproduce the earlier 1999 piece here for posterity, but also because it clearly and concisely illustrates his thinking about the widespread phenomenon of caterpillar eyespots.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The original can be found on Daniel Janzen's webpage <b><a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/startle.html">here</a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;">Startle mimicry and false eyes</b> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">An eye appears suddenly in the shadowy leafy world where a little bird forages. It could mean a predator close enough to strike. Flee NOW! If you pause to scrutinize for even a millisecond, you may be lunch. </span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Imagine that you are a small bird poking your way through the foliage, enveloped in shadow, rustling leaves and strange shapes, peering here and there for an insect for lunch. Abruptly there is an eye peering directly at you from a short and unknowable distance. If you use a millisecond to contemplate whether it is snake, falcon, monkey, or cat, or caterpillar, you are lunch. It only has to happen once, and you do not realize your potential 10-20 year life span.</span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Natural selection has hard-wired you to instantly flee when you see that eye. You "startle", and jump, fly, leap, and/or fall away from where you are. Perhaps you move only a meter or two. However, in the shadowy and confusing world of a tiny bird among thousands of rustling leaves and branches, this movement takes you away from the caterpillar or pupa. The last thing you are going to do is go back into that mass of leaves to high-risk explore to see if you were fooled into leaving your lunch behind. </span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These caterpillar and pupa (or chrysalis) false eyes appear to have been selected for through the value to the immature of eliciting a startle or fright response from the insect’s vertebrate predators, a startle response that has the consequence of passive or active escape by the insect. </span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visual mechanics are on the side of the caterpillar or pupa. The foraging bird will most commonly first see the caterpillar or pupa’s false eye(s) through one eye or the other. This way it is almost impossible to determine if an eye is a 1 mm diameter harmless eye at a distance of 3 cm, or a 3 mm diameter dangerous eye at a lethal distance of 9 cm. Further, with one visual field it will be hard to see the 3-D traits that could help distinguish a predator’s face from an eye spot on a caterpillar. </span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The color and pattern antecedents for false eyes lie in the camouflage and warning colors found throughout insects, caterpillars and pupae included, and in serendipituously eye-shaped structures such as spiracles. It appears that there is not so much a selection driving a false eye to match some particular real eye, as is often the case with Batesian and Mullerian mimicry (where there is selection to match a specific model). Instead, many kinds of false eyes will suffice if they are eye-like enough in appearance to elicit the startle/flight response that all small vertebrates must have if they are to survive for decades in a predator-rich tropical forest. Startle mimicy functions not through learning by the predator, but rather through expression of genetic programming somewhat analogous to the genetic programming that leads a bird to avoid a bright-colored ringed coral snake and its mimics. </span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Viewing the false eyes on caterpillars and pupae as startle mimicry suggests the possibility that the eye spots on many adult butterfly and moth wings may well also function in the same manner. However, this suggestion is not meant to negate or exclude the possibility that in some species such eye spots on wings (also) function to cause a butterfly-seeking bird to target such an eye spot, thinking that it is the vulnerable head of the butterfly. Such deflection of a strike towards a false eye would not, however, raise the fitness of a caterpillar or a pupa.</i> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">D.H. Janzen, 4 December 1999</span></b></blockquote>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-46671311872888243072013-07-17T17:00:00.001-04:002013-07-17T17:00:23.167-04:00Defensive Posture & Eyespots Protect Caterpillars<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPglZt4_sR66Itv3odsM76iev-DGo0mwcdRsp4bf7afv_xN3R4zCsokkHSHPZUd6iG2Fv0BNbXAaUPxvJ_GeZPSmCzAZfr_WQcx6dxUHdrIqTfvPdCuByl40haTvnoiyaadW-j3T3HwQ/s1600/14_HE_08-30a_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPglZt4_sR66Itv3odsM76iev-DGo0mwcdRsp4bf7afv_xN3R4zCsokkHSHPZUd6iG2Fv0BNbXAaUPxvJ_GeZPSmCzAZfr_WQcx6dxUHdrIqTfvPdCuByl40haTvnoiyaadW-j3T3HwQ/s640/14_HE_08-30a_1.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pastry "caterpillar" used to examine the protective effect of eyespots and defensive posture of caterpillars.</span></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You may recall that Tom Sherratt and I published a paper last year in <i><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856">Animal Behaviour</a></i> on the protective value of eyespots to model caterpillar (<a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html">see more about this work here</a>). In this paper we found that eyespots could protect prey, but the protective effect was dependent on other aspects of caterpillar body colour. Specifically, the protection conferred by eyespots was less when caterpillars were a uniform green than when those caterpillars were two-toned (i.e., <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countershading">countershaded</a>). Overall the protective effect of eyespots was much weaker than we had anticipated, perhaps because our pastry caterpillars don't exhibit any of the behaviours that real caterpillars do when they are attacked by birds. This led us to consider another feature of these caterpillars that may augment the protective effect of eyespots - their defensive posture.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The vast majority of the caterpillars with eyespots that I have had a chance to examine have some form of defensive posturing upon perceiving a threat. Some species tuck their head under their body and puff up their thoracic body segments (e.g., <i>Papilio canadensis, <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/05/caterpillar-of-day-papilio-troilus.html">Papilio troilus</a></i>), while others pull their head telescopically into their body which also puffs up their thoracic segments (e.g., <i>Xylophanes sp</i>.). The suggestion has been that this defensive posture augments the protective effect of eyespots.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN5ds4cQkw36Deb5vdQ3YvvjjTE6U8zVEm7V8Jt9kEjggdJVSs5sERdEgsElpFsVH7dxrpdqHm2V1IVavnSKQunDu3FHf7cmzBDCtHL3VKeY8S_qogeZyHu6UDGdlXIGOJRvYtpX2yW8/s1600/Papilio+canadensis+-+defensive+on+a+stick.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN5ds4cQkw36Deb5vdQ3YvvjjTE6U8zVEm7V8Jt9kEjggdJVSs5sERdEgsElpFsVH7dxrpdqHm2V1IVavnSKQunDu3FHf7cmzBDCtHL3VKeY8S_qogeZyHu6UDGdlXIGOJRvYtpX2yW8/s640/Papilio+canadensis+-+defensive+on+a+stick.JPG" width="492" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Papilio canadensis</i> caterpillar on a branch in its defensive posture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is my photo of a caterpillar that I reared for another project.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbUupvILoRo1CzV1rOROirazShaNZGsKSCtcIMxJk-h8AxJze4pRPAEpD2XtCkqmac5l3WtBWuwcH-ZWOnza8VNTiYH6agsBVwUaNJE1Qe8eDaczUqETETwMI4XyDmpJkoHhvWQ1M3F8/s1600/Xylophanes+juanita+84-SRNP-1403-DHJ8203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbUupvILoRo1CzV1rOROirazShaNZGsKSCtcIMxJk-h8AxJze4pRPAEpD2XtCkqmac5l3WtBWuwcH-ZWOnza8VNTiYH6agsBVwUaNJE1Qe8eDaczUqETETwMI4XyDmpJkoHhvWQ1M3F8/s640/Xylophanes+juanita+84-SRNP-1403-DHJ8203.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Xylophantes juanita</i> (Sphingidae) caterpillar in defensive posture. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsallphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ8203.j">Photo from Janzen & Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are a few reasons why the defensive posture might increase the protective effect of eyespots. First, it could help emphasize the markings to an attacker by drawing attention or emboldening the spots. Second, it may help the caterpillar appearing larger enabling it to buff predators away from attack. Finally, this posture might make the anterior body segments resemble the head, perhaps increasing overall resemblance to a snake by placing the false eyes (i.e., eyespots) in the context of a "head". Interestingly, several caterpillars engage in a similar defensive posture, including some with poorly developed eyespots or where eyespots are lacking altogether. Thus "head-shape" might be a mimetic signal in and of itself. Our goal was to test whether eyespots and the defensive posture protect caterpillars from birds, and if so, does having both traits increase protection even more?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Materials & Methods</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It wasn't possible to deploy real caterpillars in the field, so we used artificial caterpillars made of flour and lard. We had observed previously that eyespots were more effective when the caterpillars were two-toned (i.e., </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countershading" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">countershaded</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">), so we made all our prey two-toned by combining dark and light green dough (dyed with food colouring). All caterpillars were formed into 4 cm long cylinders, then to make the "defensive posture" prey we pressed these half of these caterpillars into a mould made from plaster of Paris. This ensured that all model prey (rest or defensive posture) the same volume, just like a real caterpillar that has shifted its posture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEySnbxXw1B7nJkzs1f6j9NU8nKCwW4gsIdca37Qjlqp-19x8LfuJHg8HhEaT0vq4Rd6yABs450eakG9YL_9NbdVLgQBMexT4BsFP3-78TYV4dxsLKytsfOngERuCqQrPH_wVUUIDNGU/s1600/DSC_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEySnbxXw1B7nJkzs1f6j9NU8nKCwW4gsIdca37Qjlqp-19x8LfuJHg8HhEaT0vq4Rd6yABs450eakG9YL_9NbdVLgQBMexT4BsFP3-78TYV4dxsLKytsfOngERuCqQrPH_wVUUIDNGU/s640/DSC_0493.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Preparing to make the mould for this experiment</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NqRs07NMtrrFCDNBvjvpfZNlPLt7vQAXRltmkBljFTMlgKqiwkXv1lGbQNKoXPRvEv1COhQc_5-lqdvcnoUyrcb4Y1Ck7vpKsD1lB7HLr00ropc1wqXu_QO2eDzAFpjQ0NvRbY_xJj0/s640/DSC_0501.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The finished mould. It cracked in half when I was removing it.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NqRs07NMtrrFCDNBvjvpfZNlPLt7vQAXRltmkBljFTMlgKqiwkXv1lGbQNKoXPRvEv1COhQc_5-lqdvcnoUyrcb4Y1Ck7vpKsD1lB7HLr00ropc1wqXu_QO2eDzAFpjQ0NvRbY_xJj0/s1600/DSC_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NqRs07NMtrrFCDNBvjvpfZNlPLt7vQAXRltmkBljFTMlgKqiwkXv1lGbQNKoXPRvEv1COhQc_5-lqdvcnoUyrcb4Y1Ck7vpKsD1lB7HLr00ropc1wqXu_QO2eDzAFpjQ0NvRbY_xJj0/s1600/DSC_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Over the course of a summer we made and deployed 576 model caterpillars, divided evenly among four treatments:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
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</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">No eyespots - Resting posture</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Eyespots - Resting posture</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">No eyespots - Defensive posture</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Eyespots - Defensive posture</span></li>
</ol>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOp02mh4Jv5_Ly_ecDLOgR1TY4LHYF4c8VdjCIqxVstKgArtdWbQJw05eu92yNVpZD7zBRSHphkfmGgDscuBFEGjDCIWQLkWHHAoyGdiiNCk1QTTxRM7wb6DjuWsVZYoj45p5NmUzKec/s1600/DSC_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOp02mh4Jv5_Ly_ecDLOgR1TY4LHYF4c8VdjCIqxVstKgArtdWbQJw05eu92yNVpZD7zBRSHphkfmGgDscuBFEGjDCIWQLkWHHAoyGdiiNCk1QTTxRM7wb6DjuWsVZYoj45p5NmUzKec/s640/DSC_0036.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No eyespot - Resting posture treatment</span></td></tr>
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLp1dNrNDYBu6i_tBess3cP3vbM1EzaVAdhXccarCpANaIDKzYjFkKABcT50Wg9-W4hm5ahJcLCMYsRjPPo1hP-2RnB_UloR4ofSEBpBdcGb-5XxsQxn8r8MPDh9XYPvQBQadlKkR2qGM/s1600/DSC_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLp1dNrNDYBu6i_tBess3cP3vbM1EzaVAdhXccarCpANaIDKzYjFkKABcT50Wg9-W4hm5ahJcLCMYsRjPPo1hP-2RnB_UloR4ofSEBpBdcGb-5XxsQxn8r8MPDh9XYPvQBQadlKkR2qGM/s640/DSC_0030.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No eyespot - Defensive posture treatment</span></td></tr>
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<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_EV5oDbrQqTfKBKlV80Za9G4S2c8ty4a6T8cG817IW1ni3IyEWW9gWYFvg08FjoMlE1hnhbjhxcS2aAB0UT3rc7fX92ECOl9IcLVKI6i30vVdGh-a9netzBomm6zTBlkvjfvEhCCDXis/s1600/pastry+caterpillar+-+eyeposts+defensive+and+rest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_EV5oDbrQqTfKBKlV80Za9G4S2c8ty4a6T8cG817IW1ni3IyEWW9gWYFvg08FjoMlE1hnhbjhxcS2aAB0UT3rc7fX92ECOl9IcLVKI6i30vVdGh-a9netzBomm6zTBlkvjfvEhCCDXis/s640/pastry+caterpillar+-+eyeposts+defensive+and+rest.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Eyespot - Defensive posture (above) and Eyespots - Resting posture (below) treatments.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Model prey were deployed in the field by pinning them to tree branches. Each tree had four caterpillars - one of each treatment. We deployed caterpillars 6 times (i.e., 96 prey deployed each time), always in a new location, then tracked their survival three times a day over the next 90 h. Sometimes prey were gone, other times they were riddled with peck marks. Here are some examples of pecked "caterpillars" from the field:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz59p_e72e1qL56cnpNWhfdfh52E34zlYWxMPFtc6nFbZ6Fx4eMr-VEEsKyq5N08z1jAa67Rni2gRcjNfGQ6cbcuxj3cfx5lZ5U-Dvwkfq6xz10QbF0asd7xPhKKbB32MbmumI9wcgTbU/s1600/04_HE_07-30a_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz59p_e72e1qL56cnpNWhfdfh52E34zlYWxMPFtc6nFbZ6Fx4eMr-VEEsKyq5N08z1jAa67Rni2gRcjNfGQ6cbcuxj3cfx5lZ5U-Dvwkfq6xz10QbF0asd7xPhKKbB32MbmumI9wcgTbU/s640/04_HE_07-30a_4.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2dXkj-kS0VeRt0xA-9E-zb1Wdnw4s_mv7IVDtAyrjQXNnslSOu-GHZ0BWhBwAX2pUN_oYtZdIA6gCv26UFp53rvipGQl8W1fQAzdFuHZdSW3kYC4XhL5G2xzYqVSqbUCyqH5FEU2dbM/s1600/04_NE_06-15c_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2dXkj-kS0VeRt0xA-9E-zb1Wdnw4s_mv7IVDtAyrjQXNnslSOu-GHZ0BWhBwAX2pUN_oYtZdIA6gCv26UFp53rvipGQl8W1fQAzdFuHZdSW3kYC4XhL5G2xzYqVSqbUCyqH5FEU2dbM/s640/04_NE_06-15c_3.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoMvLAEapvvrrOKjLjTMfMet-n-FNyu2wAPxeF8X5rpIMb1_J-9ww7fWSObz9WYfsOELhfWrqJR4jmjPiV-6nHCEugr2Nn63LwPqSIduOUU9kx2S21MtRbpbkupRkThTVEUxo8GrDroI/s1600/05_NN_06-15a_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoMvLAEapvvrrOKjLjTMfMet-n-FNyu2wAPxeF8X5rpIMb1_J-9ww7fWSObz9WYfsOELhfWrqJR4jmjPiV-6nHCEugr2Nn63LwPqSIduOUU9kx2S21MtRbpbkupRkThTVEUxo8GrDroI/s640/05_NN_06-15a_2.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-YQeterq2u0xSdqHxv85Ygs5wi7or-XDThGaCDE2Cx5JOGbUO4vH9iq-q36fwy7b98GwGzesJsrI_ziq9xtVnDS5s5vD0Caq6QXjr3z25koEyTiXCh9gkrkYefi7Dr3_vjjAz6dbrto/s1600/23_HN_06-15b_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-YQeterq2u0xSdqHxv85Ygs5wi7or-XDThGaCDE2Cx5JOGbUO4vH9iq-q36fwy7b98GwGzesJsrI_ziq9xtVnDS5s5vD0Caq6QXjr3z25koEyTiXCh9gkrkYefi7Dr3_vjjAz6dbrto/s640/23_HN_06-15b_2.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Results & Interpretation</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our results showed that both the defensive posture and eyespots reduced the number of attacks, but having both traits didn't further increase the protection. This was surprisingly consistent with another recent study that examined rates of predation on model snakes with a viper-like head shape and/or zigzag patterning (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0022272">Valkonen et al. 2011</a>). They too found that possessing either trait conferred protection, but having both traits didn't increase that protection further. This seems to make sense - if either trait indicates risk from a threat, having both traits may help better identify that threat but doesn't change the risk associated with it. It is still unclear though how predators decide which cues reliably indicate a threat and which do not. A better understanding of this learning process might also help us understand why so many mimics only vaguely resemble their model.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Efzh2My1Wfwo2kmiW036m1cdP-9ye3Ypp95X2GMDop7_KIipHPPypVLW2g0PLay4BWmg3wfISSua-9dcNPD_rzRugP5RNa_OJuPOXC-jI8dhUGRlg3O1D35RV2Qgp6t335V1ux3YwWk/s1600/Valkonen+et+al+2011+-+head+shape+and+zigzag.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Efzh2My1Wfwo2kmiW036m1cdP-9ye3Ypp95X2GMDop7_KIipHPPypVLW2g0PLay4BWmg3wfISSua-9dcNPD_rzRugP5RNa_OJuPOXC-jI8dhUGRlg3O1D35RV2Qgp6t335V1ux3YwWk/s400/Valkonen+et+al+2011+-+head+shape+and+zigzag.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Figure 2 from Valkonen et al 2011 showing number of raptor attacks on snake replicas</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">See the full Valkonen et al 2011 paper for free here:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0022272"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Valkonen JK, Nokelainen O, Mappes J (2011) Antipredatory Function of Head Shape for Vipers and Their Mimics. PLoS ONE 6(7): e22272. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0022272</span></a></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We also looked at the number of pecks per caterpillar as well as where they were pecked. Caterpillars with both eyespots and the enlarged "head" shape received more "head"-directed pecks that caterpillars with either trait alone. Assuming birds direct their attacks toward a prey or predator's head, this might mean that birds still do perceive the anterior segments as more head-like when they have both traits - just not enough to deter their attack/curiosity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next step for this research is to see if we can determine why the wide "head" defensive posture works. Of course the leading hypothesis is that this posture makes the caterpillar look more snake-like, or perhaps more like a viper. To make this argument convincingly you would need to show that these caterpillars look more like snakes (or perhaps vipers specifically) when they are in their defensive posture compared to when they are at rest. We are currently working on a project that examines whether or not this is the case using photos of preserved snakes and live caterpillars.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
References:</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hossie, T. J., Sherratt, T. N. (2012) Eyespots interact with body colour to protect caterpillar-like prey from avian predators. Animal Behaviour 84(1): 167-173, doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.04.027</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347213002480"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hossie, T. J., Sherratt, T. N. (2013) Defensive posture and eyespots deter avian predators from attacking caterpillar models. Animal Behaviour [Early View]</span></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-16958199733666221462013-07-10T16:39:00.002-04:002013-07-10T16:39:47.006-04:00Eumorpha labruscae: another caterpillar with a blinking eyespot<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha labrusace</i> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">Sphingidae</a>)</span></h2>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruwRRyF_SwbkLfrOuFEURlxA7CKunPAhbDxaBCavc0Dt34xyLjHBag6KPGcTZFF7ibRvyqwBF5SHogNImuMlM-tAyTSb9WJB1BiJ71MMe60j_SRnAC5rMa1MkJ32EDgSAZk7Q1lFrK7U/s1600/Eumorpha+labruscaePU+78-SRNP-35-DHJ26130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruwRRyF_SwbkLfrOuFEURlxA7CKunPAhbDxaBCavc0Dt34xyLjHBag6KPGcTZFF7ibRvyqwBF5SHogNImuMlM-tAyTSb9WJB1BiJ71MMe60j_SRnAC5rMa1MkJ32EDgSAZk7Q1lFrK7U/s640/Eumorpha+labruscaePU+78-SRNP-35-DHJ26130.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha labruscase</i> caterpillar, penultimate instar. Closely related to <i>Eumorpha phobas</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Note the red anal horn which can be moved actively when the caterpillar feels threatened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsallphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ26130.j">Janzen and Hallwachs' database</a>.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Continuing on a theme, here we have another spectacular caterpillar - <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i>. This species is more common than its close relative <i><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/eumorpha-phorbas-caterpillar-with.html">E. phorbas</a></i>, and is found in both dry forest and rainforest habitats. Even this species however is still only infrequently observed as a caterpillar. Like <i>E. phorbas</i> this caterpillar will gain a "blinking" eyespot in its ultimate instar. See also my earlier posts about blinking eyespots <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/06/an-eyespot-that-blinks.html">here</a> and <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/eumorpha-phorbas-caterpillar-with.html">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Early Instars:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The specimen in the photo at the top has not yet reached its final instar where it will gain the blinking eyespot. I</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nstead, it has a long red anal horn that it can flick or whip back and forth. The anal horn is actually soft and harmless, its purpose is probably to intimidate or bluff predators away from attack. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While it is waving this horn the caterpillar s</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">imultaneously pulls its head into its body telescopically. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This widens its anterior body segments which have false eyes (eyespots) and creates the overall impression of a snake's head. I have embedded a short video clip of the defensive display below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have never seen a specimen in an earlier instar than this (i.e. a pre-penulitimate instar caterpillar), not even a photo of one. I would guess that they looks similar to the the early instars of <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> (<a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/eumorpha-phorbas-caterpillar-with.html">see them here</a>). A note from the database record for the specimen at the top states that the "...</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>PPU instar looks like normal Eumorpha satellitia...</i>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ultimate instar:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, the caterpillar is quite impressive in the early instar depicted above, but the final caterpillar instar of this caterpillar is equally impressive. The specimen at the top is the same specimen depicted below. It was found after a tree fall in 1978 feeding on a woody vine (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cissus">Cissus</a> alata</i>). As with <i>E. phorbas</i>, feeding on these canopy-level vines may help explain why these caterpillars are observed so infrequently. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other specimens have been found feeding on </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">C. biformifolia</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">C. fuliginea</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">C. verticillata</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Apparently the caterpillars also feed on another closely related group of vines in the genus </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitis">Vitis</a></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, including the species </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitis_labrusca">Vitis labruscae</a></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> where the species name may haveprobably come from. The caterpillars get quite large by this stage reaching sizes around 80 mm.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> caterpillar, ultimate instar. Costa Rica. Caterpillar is in its defensive posture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultslongrec2.lasso?-database=GCAvoucherDB&-table=www3&voucher==78-SRNP-35&-search">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As you can see, the caterpillar keeps many of their snake-like characteristics from the earlier, like the eyespots on the body segments near the caterpillars real head. Even when walking around this caterpillar appears to be a pretty convincing snake mimic (at least to human eyes). It also sheds the long red anal horn, which is now replaced by a shiny black spot that it can actively move. Here is a closer look at the posterior "blinking" eyespot of <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i>:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWNuBIklM0y-3tWmpxUTZowsKi3-y_-e7IGQyEAYuLnUKSacc3p_DJxKGKFGkz_jNod6ut6v9V3Gc0AlHFW3v1LuiNnNn9raCfCRXMqYZGdcmerl3to0SkHeD49iyCk35ewFD_suMshA/s1600/Eumorpha+labruscae+87-SRNP-560-DHJ9822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWNuBIklM0y-3tWmpxUTZowsKi3-y_-e7IGQyEAYuLnUKSacc3p_DJxKGKFGkz_jNod6ut6v9V3Gc0AlHFW3v1LuiNnNn9raCfCRXMqYZGdcmerl3to0SkHeD49iyCk35ewFD_suMshA/s640/Eumorpha+labruscae+87-SRNP-560-DHJ9822.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Posterior "blinking" eyespot of <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> caterpillar, ultimate instar. Costa Rica.Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultslongrec2.lasso?-database=GCAvoucherDB&-table=www3&voucher==87-SRNP-560&-search">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By moving this black spot on its posterior (rear) end the eyespot appears as though it were a blinking eye. The caterpillar actively "blinks" this eyespot when threatened, and we think that this "blinking" eyespot is meant to scare off attackers. Interestingly though, snakes don't have eyelids (they have transparent eye scales called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brille">brilles</a> instead) and therefore do not blink! So then what is this "blinking" eyespot mimicking? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We suspect that it is perceived by predators </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">as a blinking eye of some other vertebrate, perhaps the eye of a lizard, mammal, or bird that does blink. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It could be that the caterpillar mimics a snake from the anterior end, and </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by mimicking a different kind of eye at the posterior end </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the caterpillar increases the range of predators that it is protected from. As I have mentioned these caterpillars are only rarely encountered, so unfortunately this means we have not yet had a chance to determine how the relevant predators react to the "blinking" eyespot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have embedded two great videos of the ultimate instar caterpillar in action. The first clip shows off the anterior eyespots and the snake-like head, and the second one shows the blinking eyespot really well:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adult:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The adult life stage of this species is actually quite handsome. Their wingspan ranges from at least from 85-115 mm. The colour of the underwings is presumable where the species gets its common name - the <i>Gaudy Sphinx</i>. The species occurs throughout Central America, but also extends northward through the United states (sometimes up to Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada), and southward occasionally as far as Argentina.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> adult male. Cost Rica. Wingspan: 111 mm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsadultphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=INBIOCRI002792555.j">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> adult male. Cost Rica. Wingspan: 115 mm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsadultphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=INBIOCRI002793093.j">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Find out more about "blinking" eyespots or <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> by following the links below:</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/06/an-eyespot-that-blinks.html">An eyespot that blinks?</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/eumorpha-phorbas-caterpillar-with.html">Eumorpha phorbas: a caterpillar with a blinking eyespot</a></span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/elabrlab.htm"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Silkmoths - Bill Oehlke - <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i></span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cate-sphingidae.org/taxonomy/Eumorpha/labruscae.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CATE Sphingidae - <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i></span></a></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A more complete description of the "blinking" eyespot in <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> and its close relative <i>E. phorbas</i> as well as our thoughts on this eyespot's </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">possible function in deterring predators can be found in our recent manuscript published in the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/action/aboutThisJournal?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tnah20#.Ud29HPnVCSp">Journal of Natural History</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222933.2013.791935#.Ud289vnVCSq">Hossie, T.J., Sherratt, T.N., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W. (2013) An eyespot that “blinks”: an open and shut case of eye mimicry in Eumorpha caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Journal of Natural History DOI:10.1080/00222933.2013.791935</a></i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-85618647900433878312013-07-02T12:45:00.003-04:002013-07-14T16:32:35.000-04:00Eumorpha phorbas: a caterpillar with a blinking eyespot<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">Sphingidae</a>)</span></h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dorsal view of <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar, final instar. Photographed during my 2011 trip to Costa Rica.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /> Above is a photo of the caterpillar as I observed it - a final instar larva about 60 mm long and 12 mm in diameter in the middle of the body. This specimen had been collected by <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/methodology/how/inventorymeth.html">parataxonomists</a> in an earlier instar while feeding on <i>Sarcopera sessiliflora</i> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcgraviaceae">Marcgraviaceae</a>). <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillars are only encountered on very rare occasions - I just happened to be fortunate enough to be visiting the research station in Costa Rica as the caterpillar reached this final instar. This species is restricted to rain forest habitat and its host plant (<i><a href="http://eol.org/pages/5714054/overview">Sarcopera</a></i><i><a href="http://eol.org/pages/5714054/overview"> sessiliflora</a></i>)<i> </i>is a canopy-level large woody vine. A preference for this canopy-level host plant partially explains why the caterpillar is observed so infrequently. This one had been discovered by parataxonomists upon searching a 25 m tall tree had been uprooted.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.gdfcf.org/articles/janzen_2004_participationbyparataxonomists.pdf"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Click here to find out more about parataxonomists and their role in setting up tropical biodiversity for conservation through non-damaging use!</span></i></a></div>
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Early Instars:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">During the earlier instars these caterpillars rely largely on colour-matching the green leaves of their host plant <i><a href="http://eol.org/pages/5714054/media">Sarcopera sessiliflora</a></i>. You will notice however that the caterpillar has a bright marking on the thoracic body segments, what we would consider a weakly-developed eyespot. It is unclear whether these markings provide much protection to these early-instar caterpillars. We aren't even sure if the marking indicate the beginning of eyespots evolving in this species or the reduction of conspicuous marking as they are being selected against. We do know however that a closely related species, <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i>, has well developed eyespots even in these earlier instars.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar, pre-penultimate instar. Costa Rica.<br />Photo from<a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsallphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ493728.j"> Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmbnN1lRkb08YSjCvRcSb3pPkfL8jF319TaAMF2r-uWon8AIk-2umVs7G8D3opM1lVrYxnYqXunjh94dCYXgHGlVQR4DQZLVjuEnktlGOJi_L5wUObI570ixMgSXABAtlIvkw6xEAOIY/s1600/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmbnN1lRkb08YSjCvRcSb3pPkfL8jF319TaAMF2r-uWon8AIk-2umVs7G8D3opM1lVrYxnYqXunjh94dCYXgHGlVQR4DQZLVjuEnktlGOJi_L5wUObI570ixMgSXABAtlIvkw6xEAOIY/s640/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493743.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i>, pre-penultimate (3rd) instar. Costa Rica.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsallphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ493751.j">Janzen and Hallwachs' database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bLq6_NNC5Ee0yknEdwkbaUo4V1fhrPc30zUPdqeC_TNrPdYsfdit460TaHoQ-zzCJhMc2VjD_ipIcjkCtQu7oAZm-_I7J6HVmLNTP5MAs8vZhf43-pptj7QWEuDmzE-uPXhgKqhVsEQ/s1600/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bLq6_NNC5Ee0yknEdwkbaUo4V1fhrPc30zUPdqeC_TNrPdYsfdit460TaHoQ-zzCJhMc2VjD_ipIcjkCtQu7oAZm-_I7J6HVmLNTP5MAs8vZhf43-pptj7QWEuDmzE-uPXhgKqhVsEQ/s640/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493751.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dorsal view of <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i>, penultimate instar. Costa Rica</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsallphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ493751.j">Janzen and Hallwachs' database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the photos above you can see a somewhat damaged red "anal horn". It is relatively delicate and will become limp and deflated if is gets damaged. <i>E. labruscase</i> has a similar anal horn during these early instars that it waves at predators when it feels threatened. We suspect the red anal horn of <i>E. phorbas</i>, would typically look similar and can be similarly "waved" when not damaged. This red anal horn will be lost by the final instar in both species, and replaced by a hardened black "button".</span><br />
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</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Final Instar:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When the caterpillar is threatened it adopts a posture where the anterior body segments are pulled in, while it inflates the thoracic body segments. The caterpillar appears to have the head of a snake, which probably helps protect it from attacks by its predators. What do you think, would this guy scare you?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj0INxCXPHCUxTyR4wtTug_7ivWpdIAXZdGLNPBaXQp2qWQ5pamMVqpTnxcMKOl-vvoB6-0cFo1uNTx3fW9y_cmaaHJrXSVglJZUSeQG5peYEpiAkpZLhWCgpIl3NmrUJ-1KRbgL9WOc/s1600/Kennedy+Warne+photo+-+Eumorpha+phorbas+head.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj0INxCXPHCUxTyR4wtTug_7ivWpdIAXZdGLNPBaXQp2qWQ5pamMVqpTnxcMKOl-vvoB6-0cFo1uNTx3fW9y_cmaaHJrXSVglJZUSeQG5peYEpiAkpZLhWCgpIl3NmrUJ-1KRbgL9WOc/s640/Kennedy+Warne+photo+-+Eumorpha+phorbas+head.JPG" width="484" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar, final instar. Snake-like defensive posture - dorsal view.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photographed by <a href="http://www.kennedywarne.com/">Kennedy Warne</a> in Panama, see his original post <a href="http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwnCD2GYXm7qn1fHvLGh6y-0QxCGqsYbezP0ZEEgPKwAWqnl_98U-t_uAlHRW5ZDxQlqpzgLd081zsDdj1czHDUKFgHED2x4N_Mv-0qbrodGTBOLHNnLsYVzlCkKLHjW3IjXQksVUMG0/s1600/head-2-medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwnCD2GYXm7qn1fHvLGh6y-0QxCGqsYbezP0ZEEgPKwAWqnl_98U-t_uAlHRW5ZDxQlqpzgLd081zsDdj1czHDUKFgHED2x4N_Mv-0qbrodGTBOLHNnLsYVzlCkKLHjW3IjXQksVUMG0/s640/head-2-medium.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar, final instar. Snake-like defensive posture - lateral view.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photographed by <a href="http://www.kennedywarne.com/">Kennedy Warne</a> in Panama, see his original post <a href="http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbJiMU18aDDcGD6GnDiUlqIi_lnnUFTt6ABDElrBuwZaZU-8LVlJyKx7WxB0rfxd2YRjER-1O3vhWxJQye1W2yX1uQQX8pnJ6AMI8KLVXivWX2AwK-SVA2BccRZg_4_ZJE7UZY6HKJ28/s1600/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbJiMU18aDDcGD6GnDiUlqIi_lnnUFTt6ABDElrBuwZaZU-8LVlJyKx7WxB0rfxd2YRjER-1O3vhWxJQye1W2yX1uQQX8pnJ6AMI8KLVXivWX2AwK-SVA2BccRZg_4_ZJE7UZY6HKJ28/s640/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493757.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Close up of the anterior end of a final instar <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar in its posture - dorsal view.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/2700ARCHIVES/11/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493757.JPG">Janzen and Hallwachs' database</a>. Caterpillar from Costa Rica.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
Remember that what may look like a "head" in the above photos are really just inflated body segments (specifically the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorax_(insect_anatomy)">thoracic body segments</a>). The caterpillar's <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/05/caterpillars-body-plan.html">true head</a> is actually relatively small in comparison, but can be seen if you look closely at the very tip of the "head" above. Inflating the thoracic body segments into a snake-like "head" isn't the only trick that this caterpillar has for scaring off predators. Where the caterpillar had a bright red anal horn in the early instars it now has a hardened black "button" that the caterpillar can manipulate such that it looks like a blinking eye - <i>but it's <u>not</u> a real eye</i>. The only other species known to have a "blinking" eyespot like this is its close relative <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i>. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnlq4o0wSsvBElwP6DQar-iINJAl_QTNSWcolSyEmkVNslw21z3pcnNi08nlDnIkfFMUJIui6pPPuMS-XOPveUytj_s6iFI6_RcR9urUR1LETi01KWnC5i132Bi4elADnZ1OUXmWW2o0/s1600/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnlq4o0wSsvBElwP6DQar-iINJAl_QTNSWcolSyEmkVNslw21z3pcnNi08nlDnIkfFMUJIui6pPPuMS-XOPveUytj_s6iFI6_RcR9urUR1LETi01KWnC5i132Bi4elADnZ1OUXmWW2o0/s640/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493765.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Posterior end of a final instar <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar showing the hardened button capable of "blinking".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsallphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ493765.j">Janzen and Hallwachs' database</a>. Caterpillar from Costa Rica.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseS54JGpyII7ljp-c0N6opdWdnvu63fk2a3JflQGBYclLfrg2wkn-E8-1-9qo_GYJm64qqOCAD2hMVabahXBfd8YEBmKjdgAViCIpWBfs59yaHUKTyhAdbA-n9R9OrhUVOE0jfWpNStw/s1600/eye-3-medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseS54JGpyII7ljp-c0N6opdWdnvu63fk2a3JflQGBYclLfrg2wkn-E8-1-9qo_GYJm64qqOCAD2hMVabahXBfd8YEBmKjdgAViCIpWBfs59yaHUKTyhAdbA-n9R9OrhUVOE0jfWpNStw/s640/eye-3-medium.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar, final instar, showing the hardened button capable of "blinking"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photographed by <a href="http://www.kennedywarne.com/">Kennedy Warne</a> in Panama, see his original post <a href="http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
I have written about this "blinking" eyespot in a previous post <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/06/an-eyespot-that-blinks.html">here</a>. A more complete description of the "blinking" eyespot in the two species and its possible function in deterring predators can be found in our recent manuscript published in the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/action/aboutThisJournal?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tnah20#.UdDvJvnVCSo">Journal of Natural History</a>:</span><br />
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</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222933.2013.791935#.UdDuyfnVCSp"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Hossie, T.J., Sherratt, T.N., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W. (2013) An eyespot that “blinks”: an open and shut case of eye mimicry in Eumorpha caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Journal of Natural History </i><i>DOI:10.1080/00222933.2013.791935</i></span></a></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMwaetHqYhGHQovAzxVrcnIT_hzdDzH86P-wl4Kr7LmWIw6JDuWi7ttDuzgVf4rxIxfgSBpZd_PO3bst57Ntr_I3-X2cW5VBzUil2q96EVtwbRxa3TbK79xwxNwL649k5Se1xGWiDlrA/s1600/Wink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMwaetHqYhGHQovAzxVrcnIT_hzdDzH86P-wl4Kr7LmWIw6JDuWi7ttDuzgVf4rxIxfgSBpZd_PO3bst57Ntr_I3-X2cW5VBzUil2q96EVtwbRxa3TbK79xwxNwL649k5Se1xGWiDlrA/s640/Wink.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still frames of a final instar <i>Eumorpha phrobas</i> caterpillar from Costa Rica revealing the hardened button, thereby creating what appears to be a blinking eye, at least to human observers</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
It may have struck you that the colour of the caterpillar in this final instar does not match the leaves of its host plant. From what we can gather it seems that the final instar larvae spend much of their time resting on the trunks of trees where it blends in among the lichen and moss, rather than sitting on leaves as it does in earlier instars. My correspondence with photographer and naturalist <a href="http://www.kennedywarne.com/">Kennedy Warne</a> who observed a final instar <i>E. phorbas</i> caterpillar in Panama provides some anecdotal evidence to confirm this:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Our specific interest was Pelliciera mangrove forest, but the encounter with the caterpillar was in in lowland forest abutting the mangrove area. The caterpillar was head-down, stationary and completely exposed to view, vertically oriented on a tree trunk covered with a fuzz of moss and liverwort."</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many of the species from this genus burrow underground pupate below the leaf litter so this colour pattern may also help it blend in while it searches for a safe place amongst the forest floor. In our e-mail exchange Kennedy Warne also provided the following observations on the caterpillar's behaviour: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"We were struck by the fact that whenever we came close (perhaps six inches) from the critter, it slowly raised its head to assume a more snakelike pose. This was a slow movement, unlikely to have in itself caused a startle reaction in a predator (my conjecture) -- however the effect was to make the caterpillar more imposing, and certainly to reveal the full snakelike mien of the head. The blinking of the "rump" eye appeared to be continuous, perhaps every few seconds, though I didn't time it and can't remember the precise frequency. We searched nearby trees but this was the only specimen we encountered..."</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These observations are certainly in line with what we had noted during our encounter with <i>E. phorbas </i>in Costa Rica. In a recent interview on a New Zealand radio show Kennedy Warne </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">discusses his encounter. You can find the interview <a href="http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20130701-1150-off_the_beaten_track_with_kennedy_warne-048.mp3">here</a>; discussion about the caterpillar begins at 08:30.</span><br />
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<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adult:</span></b></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the adult life stage this moth is relatively drab except for the small flashes of orange and black on the hindwings. The brown colouration probably helps the moth remain concealed on tree trunks during the daytime. A <a href="http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/ephorbas.htm">website run by Bill Oehlke</a> reports that adults range in size from 112-121 mm wingspan and nectar at various flowers. They apparently breed continuously with adults reportedly caught every month of the year in Central and South America. In other related species the male moths track females at night by following pheromone plumes, and this is likely the case for this species as well.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvzjEEXr7qSAZ3m5QQtQwsnZN2W-WxgAtKA9hDOCY233mr7vv_FY9Yy8Of-uIjIMlMIXP1IX5Yk5HdfAg_jnZugMdgQcfYD_cHvfRj0d3POGrMPSAKB6CKejp6CUHHQGmcQJzfULgSX0/s600/Eumorpha+phorbas+adult+male+species+diagnosis+-+INBIOCRI002795954-DHJ38618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvzjEEXr7qSAZ3m5QQtQwsnZN2W-WxgAtKA9hDOCY233mr7vv_FY9Yy8Of-uIjIMlMIXP1IX5Yk5HdfAg_jnZugMdgQcfYD_cHvfRj0d3POGrMPSAKB6CKejp6CUHHQGmcQJzfULgSX0/s640/Eumorpha+phorbas+adult+male+species+diagnosis+-+INBIOCRI002795954-DHJ38618.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> adult (male), wingspan 112 mm. Arrows point to features for species diagnosis.<br />Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsadultphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ38618.j">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb4tzZ-b5Lk5YNGu7YTYpyF9lg_M22DGR6MR_MGbpbB-t32V_k4WIifdJBEwcTetEozlasUrGbzBJ6MC4yG8e1Q2GwxS2KDjzADLjqaTLj2KQHNJAe532RPnxomuX93XwvCIcgOi2ST4/s600/Eumorpha+phorbas+adult+female+-+INBIOCRI002793098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb4tzZ-b5Lk5YNGu7YTYpyF9lg_M22DGR6MR_MGbpbB-t32V_k4WIifdJBEwcTetEozlasUrGbzBJ6MC4yG8e1Q2GwxS2KDjzADLjqaTLj2KQHNJAe532RPnxomuX93XwvCIcgOi2ST4/s640/Eumorpha+phorbas+adult+female+-+INBIOCRI002793098.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> adult (female), wingspan 116 mm.<br />Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsadultphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=INBIOCRI002793098.j">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">According to a <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsadultphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ38618.j">note in the specimen record</a> from the Janzen and Hallwachs database the colouration of the forewings can range from a more intense green to almost blue-black. Below is a different adult specimen with a slightly different colour as an example.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKvhA2l7HIdRj2wFCIY5wMm25v4dwO4q9KfY5I9H2-HklZI7UEo6JGJsc7V5CRXUVbjHGcwrZupEKpjJOKv1gu8IlJ98-D180alob7mRu71nbI_S7hyphenhyphen9NoWxEs0xsdkvx66fWXLEiBPo/s600/Eumopha+phorbas+adult+-+06-SRNP-5854-DHJ347272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKvhA2l7HIdRj2wFCIY5wMm25v4dwO4q9KfY5I9H2-HklZI7UEo6JGJsc7V5CRXUVbjHGcwrZupEKpjJOKv1gu8IlJ98-D180alob7mRu71nbI_S7hyphenhyphen9NoWxEs0xsdkvx66fWXLEiBPo/s640/Eumopha+phorbas+adult+-+06-SRNP-5854-DHJ347272.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> adult, wingspan 113 mm. Costa Rica.<br />Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsadultphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ347272.j">Janzen and Hallwachs database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
More information about the adult lifestage of <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> can be found at these links:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/ephorbas.htm">Bill Oehlke's website</a> - More adult photos and distribution information</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.lepbarcoding.org/sphingidae/species.php?region=1&id=40155"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lepidoptera Barcode of Life - <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i></span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.neotropicalmoths.com/SphingidaeEumorphaPhorbas.php">Neotropical Moths - <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i></a> - Distribution and information on adult moths</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://eol.org/pages/508309/overview">Encyclopedia of Life - <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> </a>- Photos of a caterpillar with slightly different colours</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Find out more about "blinking" eyespots, check out these posts!</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/06/an-eyespot-that-blinks.html">An eyespot that blinks?</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/eumorpha-labruscae-another-caterpillar.html"><i>Eumorpha labruscae</i>: another caterpillar with a blinking eyespot</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-37085020135932198592013-06-28T10:19:00.001-04:002013-07-23T16:19:45.673-04:00An eyespot that blinks?<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWedwCzRVuyYnRMnOulhpE1sU8C5egr1P_IepBjgNGOvNE3moaoXWmhujlmN1MYZbQHi38-MNFbFv4ylvKZ02tr5T-Bz85hUswODn4A57V5-tTnRNXx4Q8zfRmVhp_TDs_Vzz1CVqOlH8/s1600/caterpillar-2-medium+Kennedy+Warne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWedwCzRVuyYnRMnOulhpE1sU8C5egr1P_IepBjgNGOvNE3moaoXWmhujlmN1MYZbQHi38-MNFbFv4ylvKZ02tr5T-Bz85hUswODn4A57V5-tTnRNXx4Q8zfRmVhp_TDs_Vzz1CVqOlH8/s640/caterpillar-2-medium+Kennedy+Warne.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar, final instar. Photo by <a href="http://www.kennedywarne.com/">Kennedy Warne</a> (<a href="http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba">http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the summer of 2011 I travelled to north-western Costa Rica to visit a place called the <a href="http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr/">Area Conservacion de Guanacaste</a> (see an earlier post about the ACG <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/08/costa-rica.html?q=ACG">here</a>). The plan was to meet up with researchers Dan Janzen and Winnie Hallwachs who have been running a long-term inventory project involving continuous collection, identification, and rearing of butterfly and moth caterpillars. Dan and Winnie had co-authored a paper on eyespots in caterpillars the previous year (<a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/06/08/0912122107.abstract">Janzen et al 2010</a>) and had previously collaborated with <a href="http://http-server.carleton.ca/~jyack/">Jayne Yack</a>, another researcher who is on my PhD committee. Jayne suggested strongly that I visit the research station in Costa Rica, and I'm very glad I did. I organized the trip and my supervisor <a href="http://http-server.carleton.ca/~sherratt/index.htm">Tom Sherratt</a> came along for the first week of my four-week trip.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My supervisor Tom Sherratt during our trip to Costa Rica. <br />
He is holding fresh foliage for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">Sphingidae </a>moth caterpillar (can you spot it?) </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had hoped to observe and study first-hand some of the spectacular tropical examples of caterpillars with eyespots and during my visit I was told about a caterpillar that had been collected by one of the parataxonomists at Estacion San Gerardo located in rain forest habitat. This particular species is only rarely encountered as a caterpillar and Dan said it was a 'must-see' given my interest in caterpillar eyespots - it did not disappoint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The caterpillar I was about to see was <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i>, a large-bodied <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">Sphingidae</a> caterpillar. Caterpillars from this family typically have a "horn" protruding from the end of their body, but sometimes this horn is reduced in the final <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instar">instars</a>. This was the case with <i>E. phorbas.</i> We were viewing the final instar of this caterpillar when the anal horn had been reduced to a hardened, black "button". I would learn later that another closely related caterpillar, <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i>, has a similarly reduced anal horn during the final instar.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58eYnTlzxj-eImfT8VMR05WrbZr_3W4_weJvo0vAoXMSB4DCT51vLc_Rtoz3Bt1yGFcZIbX-mZe-nfIoLB2FO9LG6JvwmJjwdmNuWFP0-GV72SFJHC-reQfAUboqxTEaoCPNbFl_cERk/s1600/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58eYnTlzxj-eImfT8VMR05WrbZr_3W4_weJvo0vAoXMSB4DCT51vLc_Rtoz3Bt1yGFcZIbX-mZe-nfIoLB2FO9LG6JvwmJjwdmNuWFP0-GV72SFJHC-reQfAUboqxTEaoCPNbFl_cERk/s640/11-SRNP-2980-DHJ493765.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Close-up of hardened "button" at the rear end of a<i> Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar, final instar. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/photopage.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ493765.j">Janzen and Hallwachs' database</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTxNcJ0SvySWQQio8ccu2dbIiX5u0pqODvuIiqnKt-D6Jbfz4EGYZ9La1joMXzBcjyHFRmApHi_PsqLPstRRR_jvmSuHxrZgCQg57TIWyzZF7bA2Re8L3E11ReA_DSZIQNtlzIihKLRY/s1600/92-SRNP-1514-DHJ15186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTxNcJ0SvySWQQio8ccu2dbIiX5u0pqODvuIiqnKt-D6Jbfz4EGYZ9La1joMXzBcjyHFRmApHi_PsqLPstRRR_jvmSuHxrZgCQg57TIWyzZF7bA2Re8L3E11ReA_DSZIQNtlzIihKLRY/s640/92-SRNP-1514-DHJ15186.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Close-up of hardened "button" at the rear end of a <i>Eumorpha labruscae </i>caterpillar, final instar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from Janzen and Hallwachs' database.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What's unique about these caterpillars is that when they feel threatened they are able to move the skin around this hardened button. Specifically, a quick depression of the around the eyespot conceals/reveals the black “button”. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxN1kjfYaRsSZGWBeb213SZlW5ArUC9cQTU-nqKgmxN783Y5pq1Z9iZpUQibUoK8NAP7D0uBTVl3KABXvnai5WNzN9KrMHSl1vf-pE0X6FMz7U8yXvCv0wfofiXrGLlST6HTU31bWYX0k/s1600/Wink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxN1kjfYaRsSZGWBeb213SZlW5ArUC9cQTU-nqKgmxN783Y5pq1Z9iZpUQibUoK8NAP7D0uBTVl3KABXvnai5WNzN9KrMHSl1vf-pE0X6FMz7U8yXvCv0wfofiXrGLlST6HTU31bWYX0k/s640/Wink.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posterior end of a final instar <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar.<br />
This caterpillar can actively move the area around the black "button" such that it looks like a blinking eye.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Watch the video clip below of the <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar's response to see what I mean:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is a video clip of a <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> that can do essentially the same thing during its final instar as a caterpillar. This video was recorded in Costa Rica by The National Biodiversity Institute (INBio).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It appears that this phenomenon is restricted to these two <i>Eumorpha </i>species. In many ways this hardened button in combination with the localized twitching behaviour creates what resembles a blinking eye. We took some time to examine the <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar and to see how it responded to a perceived threat (anterior or posterior pokes).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Both caterpillars can "blink" their posterior eyespot upon perceiving a threat. That is, they can move the skin around the eyespot such it either conceals/reveals the eyespot or flashes (i.e. reflects light) conspicuously towards an onlooker. Interestingly, both <i>Eumorpha </i>caterpillars also inflate their thoracic body segments, while pulling their head into their body, to form a diamond shape which appears similar to the head shape of dangerous co-occurring snakes (at least to human observers).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0MHovYEhhEBQ4jZd3WmWSfq1c0tTUgamAzjatarBHUhB1U7p3oMoW9sL-nJAE-e5XV0QbQuIhL21og4DfMsG4GMhAKxFvpTSgD5zNUlfjdq-M0jlys-uEPEGV-WTEVVKqMqMmwPUy1o/s1600/Kennedy+Warne+photo+-+Eumorpha+phorbas+head.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0MHovYEhhEBQ4jZd3WmWSfq1c0tTUgamAzjatarBHUhB1U7p3oMoW9sL-nJAE-e5XV0QbQuIhL21og4DfMsG4GMhAKxFvpTSgD5zNUlfjdq-M0jlys-uEPEGV-WTEVVKqMqMmwPUy1o/s640/Kennedy+Warne+photo+-+Eumorpha+phorbas+head.JPG" width="484" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Final instar of <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> caterpillar in its defensive posture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.kennedywarne.com/">Kennedy Warne</a> (<a href="http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba">http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxktxnEG4PK03ij-Ko1JUW5VhV_EafvLt1scXZQskrasUNkr_VSyA1nz7pa1-yN5xFuYGucIz2szMov6dFDIrz0haSbQNDLwFFV8xjsDxGLDp8lTrN_kzZxAajgspBYAcEoEOb8Ix0h0/s1600/Eumorpha+labruscaeU+78-SRNP-35-DHJ68.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxktxnEG4PK03ij-Ko1JUW5VhV_EafvLt1scXZQskrasUNkr_VSyA1nz7pa1-yN5xFuYGucIz2szMov6dFDIrz0haSbQNDLwFFV8xjsDxGLDp8lTrN_kzZxAajgspBYAcEoEOb8Ix0h0/s640/Eumorpha+labruscaeU+78-SRNP-35-DHJ68.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dorsal view of a final instar <i>Eumorpha labruscae </i>caterpillar in its defensive posture. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Note the snake-like head. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo from </span><a href="http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsallphoto.lasso?photocode%20dotj=DHJ68.j" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Janzen and Hallwachs' database.</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We found these caterpillars so interesting that we synthesized our notes and wrote a short natural history paper about them. We also included our thoughts about how this "blinking" eyespot might function. You can find the full paper here:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222933.2013.791935#.Uc2XUPnVCSo">Hossie, T.J., Sherratt, T.N., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W. (2013) An eyespot that “blinks”: an open and shut case of eye mimicry in Eumorpha caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Journal of Natural History </a></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222933.2013.791935#.Uc2XUPnVCSo">DOI:10.1080/00222933.2013.791935</a></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you do not have institutional access to the article the publisher has granted 50 free downloads for people who follow the link below. Please only open the link is you can't get access otherwise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/e3NWtiewsViqFxzh5Yv7/full">Free download if you do not have access</a></b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Over the next few days I will post additional photos and more detailed information about these two spectacular caterpillars. Once available I will link those posts below:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/eumorpha-phorbas-caterpillar-with.html"><i>Eumorpha phorbas</i>: a caterpillar with an eyespot that blinks</a></span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2013/07/eumorpha-labruscae-another-caterpillar.html"><i>Eumorpha labruscae</i>: another caterpillar with a blinking eyespot</a></span></b></li>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Acknowledgements:</b></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I want to thank Kennedy Warne for allowing me to use his photos here and for providing me with addition information about the caterpillar at the time of his encounter. To find Kennedy Warne's original posts (and photos) about his encounter with <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> check out these links:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/ay-caramba"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ay caramba! A caterpillar that thinks it’s a snake</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://laststands.kennedywarne.com/more-on-the-snake-caterpillar">More on the snake caterpillar</a></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Also, Dr. Dan Janzen and Hallwachs were great hosts when I travelled to Costa Rica. They were the ones who took us to see <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i>. The opportunity I had to observe and work with so many live caterpillars in the Neotropics is largely a result of their encouragement and support.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-60290668495555150922013-06-05T11:57:00.000-04:002013-07-14T21:24:56.257-04:00Papilio cresphontes lays an egg in Oxford Mills, ON<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4Jo_BE1zMjdKxjNEEM1-8tm5ckHV3sOcrA30rINgKwFEDX-AGD6Bv_h0TzAux-n5KXupYEGHHKNrum6fRW8clXqWT6WNl2lXTvuKIs3zr7modIZCWufiPMJ3gjEqn4OMVzav9UBo2Eo/s1600/DSC_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4Jo_BE1zMjdKxjNEEM1-8tm5ckHV3sOcrA30rINgKwFEDX-AGD6Bv_h0TzAux-n5KXupYEGHHKNrum6fRW8clXqWT6WNl2lXTvuKIs3zr7modIZCWufiPMJ3gjEqn4OMVzav9UBo2Eo/s640/DSC_0064.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Female Giant Swallowtail (<i>Papilio cresphontes</i>) laying an egg on Prickly Ash in Oxford Mills, ON</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have been out in the field a fair amount this summer collecting data for the final chapter of my PhD. When I am in the field I always keep a watchful eye for <i>Papilio </i>butterflies - partly because I find them beautiful and interesting, but also because it validates the ecological relevance of my fieldwork with artificial caterpillars (<a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html">see example here</a>). This was the second day in a row (June 3 2013 was the first) where I had observed a <i>Papilio cresphontes</i> butterfly. This species is very new to the part of Ontario where I live, so I wanted to log my sightings on <a href="http://ebutterfly.ca/">eButterfly</a>, a website where you can report butterfly sightings to researchers interested in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenology">phenology</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_climate_change_on_terrestrial_animals#Range_shifts">range shifts</a>. Photos are particularly important for reporting key sightings because the scientists can use it to make sure your ID is correct. Check out my earlier posts about Giant Swallowtail butterflies <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/08/i-finally-get-photos-of-giant.html">here</a> and <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/caterpillar-of-day-papilio-cresphontes.html">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When taking the photo at the top I was patiently waiting for the butterfly to land. As you can see, snapping a photo while a butterfly is flapping its wings makes for a blurry photo even in full sunlight. I took this photo when the butterfly landed, even though it was still beating its wings, just to make sure I got something. After she flew out of range I looked back at the photo and realized what she was up to - she was laying an egg! When I went back to the branch I was excited to find the egg that she had just laid:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiixXOCPFM2xYIX5bgHXTsZbTyVfJ-BnsZ496g21AqsOC5DBJFu2pHXgC4TnUpRasUSUWgqBvFPHrUfmGhyOqeJXPvH0XqSbcTyw-I24v7qMoKGK5khiBS9XQAZ30Qml1QsmzKCM9v7Q/s1600/DSC_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiixXOCPFM2xYIX5bgHXTsZbTyVfJ-BnsZ496g21AqsOC5DBJFu2pHXgC4TnUpRasUSUWgqBvFPHrUfmGhyOqeJXPvH0XqSbcTyw-I24v7qMoKGK5khiBS9XQAZ30Qml1QsmzKCM9v7Q/s640/DSC_0067.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Papilio cresphontes</i> egg laid June 4 2013 on Prickly Ash in Oxford Mills, ON.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The previous day I had been contacted by Ross Layberry (<a href="http://www.ofnc.ca/awards/2008/layberry.php">Anne Hanes Natural History Award</a> winner and co-author of the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/The-Butterflies-Canada-Ross-Layberry/dp/0802078818">The Butterflies of Canada</a></i>) about a <i>Papilio cresphontes</i> sighting I had posted - he wanted to validate the location of the sighting. I sent these photos to him and asked if he knew the tree species. He ID'd the tree as a species called - Prickly Ash (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_americanum">Xanthoxylum americanum</a> - </i>also spelled <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_americanum">Zanthoxylum americanum</a></i>). Interestingly, this species has been <a href="http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/ontweeds/prickly_ash.htm">labelled as a weed by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food</a>. Prickly Ash is a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutaceae">Rutaceae</a> family which contains many of the host species used by <i>Papilio </i>butterflies. This seems to be the only tree species used for egg laying by <i>Papilio cresphontes</i> in this area. Here is another photo of the leaves:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04A0TjKzZ7llxQg5C0HvxyqLK_9sPEhmF6Br2bJ2kfCaz4HmkbA9wld7aykSwSFvXPj9BRJ5S0jdibULwq2GAitbxf03rVwLmOL5_1u_H7nGQ-1oaLs3rtbbDNDiDioL9WnY05woCLm8/s1600/DSC_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04A0TjKzZ7llxQg5C0HvxyqLK_9sPEhmF6Br2bJ2kfCaz4HmkbA9wld7aykSwSFvXPj9BRJ5S0jdibULwq2GAitbxf03rVwLmOL5_1u_H7nGQ-1oaLs3rtbbDNDiDioL9WnY05woCLm8/s640/DSC_0068.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Prickly Ash (<i>Zanthoxylum americanum</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNNId-z52HBlFsZjZcnZuBt4LB5pi66eOCPQRF9r5bwiTZf1IVCrwR6o8rs0n285JG_ThyOgGLIOtLBZxM_kFj7EJmbn8XvP9v8eXtF6WgTW1SFMsMykIaUV7ZLxIftz1ar8AAcI-LF0/s1600/DSC_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNNId-z52HBlFsZjZcnZuBt4LB5pi66eOCPQRF9r5bwiTZf1IVCrwR6o8rs0n285JG_ThyOgGLIOtLBZxM_kFj7EJmbn8XvP9v8eXtF6WgTW1SFMsMykIaUV7ZLxIftz1ar8AAcI-LF0/s640/DSC_0072.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Branch with the egg marks so that I can find it later</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The tree branch has been marked and I hope to see a fully grown caterpillar this summer. Note that she (the adult female) chose new growth leaves which is often the case when females are selecting egg laying sites. Giant Swallowtail caterpillars look like bird droppings, but unlike <i>Papilio canadensis</i> and many other <i>Papilio </i>caterpillars it stays this way throughout its caterpillar life stage. Here is a photo of what they look like:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNUptXlmKlVL3kSYneDxtx0e7py8BNpXxxyXBmYvmtb4ZV7_qtnrnwk2GcPbyzqPPmIXNkCYFAtsRFs-A_rBBUL_IePJPe0EdVHQ7iQnw_vTGxC1fip4IEmcRo9LxQm70E8kbczZMEy8/s1600/Papilio_cresphontes_larva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNUptXlmKlVL3kSYneDxtx0e7py8BNpXxxyXBmYvmtb4ZV7_qtnrnwk2GcPbyzqPPmIXNkCYFAtsRFs-A_rBBUL_IePJPe0EdVHQ7iQnw_vTGxC1fip4IEmcRo9LxQm70E8kbczZMEy8/s640/Papilio_cresphontes_larva.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Giant Swallowtail (<i>Papilio cresphontes</i>) caterpillar resting on a lemon leaf (Photo: TokyoJunkie via Wikipedia.org)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Keep an eye out for these guys in your area, the butterflies and caterpillars. If you see one be sure to log your sighting at <a href="http://ebutterfly.ca/">http://ebutterfly.ca/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Related posts:</span></h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/08/i-finally-get-photos-of-giant.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I finally get photos of a Giant Swallowtail</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/caterpillar-of-day-papilio-cresphontes.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Caterpillar of the day: <i>Papilio cresphontes</i></span></a></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-57198250344825934982012-12-14T13:21:00.002-05:002013-07-14T21:24:18.490-04:00What makes an eyespot? Cuticular proteins of course!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1FKU1qRke6yAqyY0VmysdD9OmRTvKRwlnB2cUbYwa1l_P-A5bKxTXfSN_GsPOTyv475plTres7LrvNA3jHiUGu1WtjdIoykr39ycubCQu5dwLTuXKBWMLXPReAHBwkVcCEWksjqzgoc/s1600/Papilio+xuthus+eyespot+-+BMC+Biol.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1FKU1qRke6yAqyY0VmysdD9OmRTvKRwlnB2cUbYwa1l_P-A5bKxTXfSN_GsPOTyv475plTres7LrvNA3jHiUGu1WtjdIoykr39ycubCQu5dwLTuXKBWMLXPReAHBwkVcCEWksjqzgoc/s640/Papilio+xuthus+eyespot+-+BMC+Biol.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Close-up of an eyespot on a <i>Papilio xuthus</i> caterpillar [<b><u>NOT</u> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauron#Eye_of_Sauron">Eye of Sauron</a></b>].</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo from <a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/10/46">Futahashi et al. (2012) BMC Biology 10:46</a></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My PhD research is generally focussed on the ecology and evolution of eyespots in caterpillars. That includes questions relating to <i><b><a href="http://0-www.sciencedirect.com.precise.petronas.com.my/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856">how effectively these markings deter attacking birds?</a></b></i>, but also marcoevolutionary questions like <i><b>why did eyespots evolve in the species they did?</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i><b>How are eyespots formed?</b></i> however, is a different, yet equally important set of research questions which involes molecular techniques that I have little-to-no experience with. A research group out of Japan has recently identified a set of genes involved in producing markings on a caterpillar's cuticle, some of which are directly involved in the formation of eyespots. Their paper was published a paper in a prestigious open access journal called <i><a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcbiol/">BMC Biology</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Aside: I'm not talking about fingernails here! For insects, the </i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropod_cuticle" style="font-style: italic;">cuticle</a><i> refers to their exoskeleton - what caterpillar's have in place of "skin". The cuticle is made up of the </i><u>epicuticle</u> <i>(thin, waxy, water-resistant outer layer containing no </i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin" style="font-style: italic;">chitin</a><i>), and a layer beneath it called the </i><u>procuticle</u> <i>(chitinous and thicker). The </i><u>procuticle</u> <i>itself is composed of the the </i><u>exocuticle</u> <i>(rigid and hard)</i><i> and the </i><u>endocuticle</u> <i>(tough and flexible)</i><i>. In caterpillars the </i><u>exocuticle</u> <i>is greatly reduced which gives them their soft-bodies.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because the paper is "open access" it can be downloaded for free here:</span></b></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/10/46"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Futahashi, R., Shirataki, H., Narita, T., Mita, K. and Fujiwara, H. (2012) Comprehensive microarray-based analysis for stage-specific larval camouflage pattern associated genes in the swallowtail butterfly, <i>Papilio xuthus</i>. <i>BMC Biology</i><b> 10</b>: 46</span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Before this project had begun, the researchers had some idea of what parts of the genome code for proteins related to pigment colour in caterpillars, and that a switch in larval colour pattern from "bird-dropping" to "cryptic" within <i>Papilio </i>caterpillars was related to a decline in the amount of circulating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juvenile_hormone">juvenile hormone</a> (JH) at the start of the 4th larval <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instar">instar</a>. Other than that, little was known about the genes related to specific colour patterns in caterpillars, despite a fair amount of similar work having already been done in adult butterflies. The researchers therefore set out to identify the genes associated with specific colour patterns expressed in butterfly caterpillars, patterns like the eyespots of <i>Papilio </i>caterpillars.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5AweZ9FiXi4Ov2XYOZ4g0w_7yBiDD3KiBBw3rUMnu-bYUx-ph_kuA5s1g6A699grWcpg2dFCRwlE4E0Z0iZvIEdTxTD-2ETJMIY58conOTqO1IrwAwhLFTHTZbQOWDy-BLP_fYHdkes/s1600/Papilio+xuthus+-+moulting+process.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5AweZ9FiXi4Ov2XYOZ4g0w_7yBiDD3KiBBw3rUMnu-bYUx-ph_kuA5s1g6A699grWcpg2dFCRwlE4E0Z0iZvIEdTxTD-2ETJMIY58conOTqO1IrwAwhLFTHTZbQOWDy-BLP_fYHdkes/s640/Papilio+xuthus+-+moulting+process.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A generalized schematic showing the moulting process of a <i>Papilio xuthus</i> caterpillar from the 3rd to 5th instar. This image is from Figure 2 of Futahashi et al 2012.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One key result of this research was that some of the regulatory genes involved in caterpillar colour pattern were specific to the larval stage and differed from those genes associated with adult colour pattern, yet other genes participate in the formation of colour pattern in <i>both </i>larvae and adults. The researchers found at least two transcription factor genes that are associated with the <i>Papilio </i>caterpillar eyespots. Specifically they were able to show that the black part of the eyespot is related to a gene called "<i>spalt</i>", which has also been linked to black markings in butterfly wings. They also found that <i>E75A</i> and/or <i>E75B</i> regulate both the specific marking produced, and when (i.e., during what instar) that marking is produced. <i>E75</i> is an ecdysteroid signal-related transcription factor and the ecdysteroid synthesis enzyme <i>3DE 3b-reductase </i>are clearly associated with eyespot markings.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>"What the heck is an ecdysteroid?"</b><i> - said almost everyone. </i></span></blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aside: As insects grow they shed their skin. You might know this process as "moulting", but scientists have another term for it - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecdysis">ecdysis</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecdysteroid">Ecdysteroids</a> are just hormones involved in the moulting process of insects. An "ecdysteroid synthesis enzyme" is biological molecule associated with manufacturing these hormones.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two pieces of evidence allow the authors can be quite certain that the genes described above are involved in the coordinated genetic regulation of caterpillar colour pattern formation: i) the eyespot markings that these genes are associated with only occur only at certain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instar">instars</a>, and 2) previous work has shown that these genes are related to the moulting process.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition to <i>spalt </i>and <i>E75</i>, three <i>Papilio</i>-specific genes were found: <i>Px-0559</i>, which was associated with black markings; <i>Px-3233</i>, associated with yellow markings; and <i>Px-3244</i>, associated with eyespot markings. These genes were expressed during the middle or late moulting period which coincides with the switch in colour formation from the "bird-dropping" colour pattern to the "green with eyespots" colour pattern. The relative amount of expression for each of these genes likely varies among species in such a way that it produces species-specific colour patterns.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One more thing - the researchers also looked at the specific areas of a caterpillar's cuticle where some of these genes specifically targeted to see if the <i>structure </i>of the exoskeleton in those areas might also be affected. They did this by looking at these areas with a high powered microscope called an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_microscope">electron microscope</a>. They found that there were distinct structural differences in those areas of the caterpillar's cuticle that possessed distinct markings. In particular the eyespot region was easily recognized by the structure alone when examined using electron microscopy. Specifically, the black region of the eyespot was relatively fine, whereas yellowish green region around the eyespot was relatively course, and the red area was intermediate. Interestingly, the white stripe in the centre of the eyespot had "a very smooth surface", and apparently the authors have previously shown that there is a muscle attached to this white stripe region.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BknA64irvwZJjgpmlKE7pe_prs9d-XzbjBShHIM1cJ_RRfpWzx4HLsVQA2GLEA7Tiz-G7EDYR0xmtzbSwODKODUKCUok6Ymcimc94RSQ-iGV8_ffX6oY9yNYPjtlkoeIyMkKtLb_NxA/s1600/Papilio+-+eyespot+-+electron+microscope.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BknA64irvwZJjgpmlKE7pe_prs9d-XzbjBShHIM1cJ_RRfpWzx4HLsVQA2GLEA7Tiz-G7EDYR0xmtzbSwODKODUKCUok6Ymcimc94RSQ-iGV8_ffX6oY9yNYPjtlkoeIyMkKtLb_NxA/s640/Papilio+-+eyespot+-+electron+microscope.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A close up of the eyespot region of a <i>Papilio xuthus</i> caterpillar using scanning electron microscopy. This image is from Figure 8C of Futahashi et al 2012.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Overall this piece of the research shows us that there is a tight association between colour pattern and surface structure. The function or adaptive value of this association is interesting to think about. Does a different texture affect how light reflects from these parts of the caterpillar's body? Could this help increase the salience of the eyespot to onlooking birds? Do these textural differences make the eyespot look more like a real eye? We know that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structural_coloration">some of the beautiful colours we see in butterflies and birds are actually created by specific surface structures</a>, but might structure play additional, under-appreciated roles in crypsis or mimicry? I welcome any thoughts or comments you may have - you can post them in the comments section below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Minor corrections made Dec 17 2012</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-70127352660117491952012-11-23T15:20:00.002-05:002013-07-14T21:25:38.613-04:00Flickr Group: "Caterpillars with Eyespots"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8z7v7JpMzlu2lMNhG-XV8AtNA3_xjtqj6AYgTaMzLI3pcIN7sxZz4YcTsoFlk2nVH27nnR7suPbNhj6eKsIZ4RArMpNOk4mm4KVbcJRfKN8z2Q2J3Fwb0dQhy6IgTlg8_rQ7A2t-G5kQ/s1600/Flickr+group+logo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8z7v7JpMzlu2lMNhG-XV8AtNA3_xjtqj6AYgTaMzLI3pcIN7sxZz4YcTsoFlk2nVH27nnR7suPbNhj6eKsIZ4RArMpNOk4mm4KVbcJRfKN8z2Q2J3Fwb0dQhy6IgTlg8_rQ7A2t-G5kQ/s640/Flickr+group+logo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some time ago I made a Flickr group called "<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/eyespots/">Caterpillars with Eyespots</a>" to collect photos of caterpillars that have eyespots. This is a great place for people to see the diversity in both the eyespots themselves, and the species that possess them! There are examples from all over the globe. Right now (Nov 23 2012) this group has 170 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/eyespots/pool/">photos in the pool</a>, and new ones are added all the time so be sure to check in regularly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
About "Caterpillars with Eyespots"</span></h2>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a group dedicated to collecting photos of Lepidopteran caterpillars with eyespots, or otherwise mimic snakes. </span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>Eyespots (markings that resemble vertebrate eyes) have evolved many times in Lepidopterans (butterflies and moths). The fact that this adaptation has arisen independently so often in this group indicates the general effectiveness of this anti-predator defence.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>When adding a photo it is not a problem if you are unsure about the ID, but where possible please include any additional information about behaviour or body size and tag the following in any photo you add:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>-Family</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Latin name (binomial name)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Location (i.e., geotag)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are interested in the topic of caterpillar eyespots, or have photos you would like to add please <b>consider joining the group</b> and contributing to either the discussion topics or photo archive. You will need a Flickr account, but signing up is quite painless because you can link it directly to your Yahoo, Google, or Facebook account.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-57506039680320635252012-11-16T14:03:00.001-05:002012-11-16T14:03:15.636-05:00The Biologija Bump!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h2>
What up Finland?</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgndlCPac6nRcxv28EKDrl-V_HLGyZknvLEdxtTsestufHo4qfPZtinvJKekX_DyxH09QepRbxNlCi5DuRzb8TNQ-TjdaF99tnLHsRs_k0EeZgvh_g41sjd6C1UhCwpsWGh1yJQa7-tI/s1600/Audience+map+-+Nov+16+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgndlCPac6nRcxv28EKDrl-V_HLGyZknvLEdxtTsestufHo4qfPZtinvJKekX_DyxH09QepRbxNlCi5DuRzb8TNQ-TjdaF99tnLHsRs_k0EeZgvh_g41sjd6C1UhCwpsWGh1yJQa7-tI/s640/Audience+map+-+Nov+16+2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map showing the geographical distribution of "hits" on this blog Nov 16th 2012.<br />
You can't see Croatia well on this map but I assure you that the Croats are coming out too!</td></tr>
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<br />
Excitingly, my blog has reached a new audience today according to Google Analytics. Over the last week or so I have been corresponding with journalists from <b><a href="http://biologija.com.hr/">Biologija.com.hr</a></b> about my research on caterpillar eyespots. Specifically, Behija Salkić and the journalist Nikola Koletić have expressed a keen interest in my work and and have been great to work with. Their article came out today and can be found <b><a href="http://biologija.com.hr/modules/AMS/article.php?storyid=8886">here</a></b>. The article is in Croatian, but if English readers are interested in reading it they could always use <a href="http://translate.google.ca/">Google Translator</a>. The translated article title is: "<i><b><a href="http://biologija.com.hr/modules/AMS/article.php?storyid=8886">Colouration of the caterpillar - an evolutionary advantage or something else?</a></b></i>". More information about this particular research paper can be found <b><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html">here</a></b>.<br />
<br />
<b>Biologija.com.hr</b> is a website run by a non-profit organization called <a href="http://www.salto-youth.net/tools/otlas-partner-finding/organisation/bioteka-ngo-for-promotion-of-biology-and-related-sciences.1051/" style="font-weight: bold;">Bioteka-NGO</a> based in Croatia whose main goals are to promote general understanding of the natural sciences in society, make science more engaging and interesting, and raise awareness about the role the public plays in preserving the environment. Occasionally, general interest pieces on biological research in the news are overly simplified, contain inaccuracies, or unjustifiably extapolate the results, so for interest's sake I used Google Translate on some of their content. I must say that I was really impressed with the accuracy of their information and the overall quality of the science writing on <b>Biologija.com.hr</b>. Keep up the good work!<br />
<br />
<i>A personal note to any first-time visitors: Welcome to my blog! Have a look around - I</i><i> have listed the most-visited posts below.</i><i> I hope you find something in my posts that interests you, and be sure to check back in from time to time to see how my work progresses. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>As always, </i><i>feel free to leave </i><i>any questions or comments in the 'comments' section below.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>My top 5 most-visited posts:</i><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><i><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/11/pink-underwing-moth-phyllodes.html">Pink Underwing Moth (Phyllodes imperialis) - Family: Noctuidae</a></i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/06/life-is-stranger-than-fiction.html">Life is stranger than fiction</a></i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/08/lanturn-fly-fulgora-lanternaria.html">Lanturn Fly (Fulgora lanternaria)</a></i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/11/puss-moth-cerura-vinula-family.html">The Puss Moth (Cerura vinula) - (Family: Notodontidae)</a></i></li>
<li><i><a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/01/possibly-best-known-eyespot-caterpillar.html">Possibly the best known eyespot caterpillar: Hemeroplanes sp. (Sphingidae)</a></i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<i><br /></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-27536007178805399322012-10-30T15:50:00.000-04:002013-07-14T21:26:49.678-04:00I liked lithographed images BEFORE it was cool<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j3Oi-BI38Lo38lJDjRAcjVJPRiiPkTLUJ_EcnFwkCcUq6LtxX1OT7bzqWUp7MeXHCYj1eY2t0IFcsEvIESgt9tPweXAb6DJjZtew9jZxuXfjgBmnnsI-KGZ31hXXcPBipzSW6Rv2ciM/s1600/F_Nemos_OBA_Deilephila_elpenor_caterpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j3Oi-BI38Lo38lJDjRAcjVJPRiiPkTLUJ_EcnFwkCcUq6LtxX1OT7bzqWUp7MeXHCYj1eY2t0IFcsEvIESgt9tPweXAb6DJjZtew9jZxuXfjgBmnnsI-KGZ31hXXcPBipzSW6Rv2ciM/s640/F_Nemos_OBA_Deilephila_elpenor_caterpillar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deilephila_elpenor">Deilephila elpenor</a> </i>(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae">Sphingidae</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a vintage lithographed image of a <i>Deilephila elpenor</i> caterpillar from "Europe's Best-Known Butterflies" (F. Nemos, Berlin, 1895). A collection of 100 of these images were recently scanned and archived at www.OldBookArt.com where they have been marked as public domain, and subsequently added to Wikipedia Commons.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I stumbled across these pictures accidentally when looking at photos of <i>Deilephila elpenor</i> caterpillars and saw the following image:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGLEDK7nHKHRIW14Y3n1lP6dIpIGsRQ2uRoZ2SIv2xYV4o7dvsQFlvTyqRTnQq8R5NKWYxYDCJbkZBVszSAcL9ChleuCH8_qwwRHmKOT0LPPhtgp6U4Bseh7P2sPSJu7mDmprZ8UZMro/s1600/Trucker+Hat+-+blue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGLEDK7nHKHRIW14Y3n1lP6dIpIGsRQ2uRoZ2SIv2xYV4o7dvsQFlvTyqRTnQq8R5NKWYxYDCJbkZBVszSAcL9ChleuCH8_qwwRHmKOT0LPPhtgp6U4Bseh7P2sPSJu7mDmprZ8UZMro/s400/Trucker+Hat+-+blue.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That's right! Are you tired of the lack of insect-related apparel in you wardrobe? Now you can get your very own eyespot caterpillar trucker hat! Zazzle.ca is selling an array of mesh-back "Trucker" hats that feature the charismatic eyespot caterpillar of <i>Deilephila elpenor</i>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Features:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Trucker Hat</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">100% polyester foam front</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wide area to feature your design</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">100% nylon mesh back keeps you cool</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adjustable from 17" to 24"</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Available in 11 color combination</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The hats are retailing for $21.35 ea + shipping and come in 11 different colours. You can <a href="http://www.zazzle.ca/cr/design/pt-zazzle_hat/?customize_it=true&pd=148616840536755209&qty=1&get_started_dialog=false">customize your hat however you want</a> right on the site! You will have all the hipsters wishing they were as cool as you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you like that caterpillar graphic check out this <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Europe%E2%80%99s_Best-Known_Butterflies_(F._Nemos)">Wikipedia Commons page that has 100 more graphics from F. Nemos</a>! Here are a few beautiful samples:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0h20CVSxgjOjQcos9YXLaTI8km8Esps03sZn4LrTWyvzonfW_ppAwAdcwbWdxTwo9TFDc4HbZwAu8IPefA9s2DvlAOpZIxEeOedAM9NiI67Kz8iZhy2HN-PLuuLpb9CtUoJYh9aoCqM/s1600/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Acherontia_atropos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0h20CVSxgjOjQcos9YXLaTI8km8Esps03sZn4LrTWyvzonfW_ppAwAdcwbWdxTwo9TFDc4HbZwAu8IPefA9s2DvlAOpZIxEeOedAM9NiI67Kz8iZhy2HN-PLuuLpb9CtUoJYh9aoCqM/s640/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Acherontia_atropos.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Death's-head Hawk moth - <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acherontia_atropos">Acherontia atropos</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyE-uysUeGaxrxapWuiKY_xTLIhll_gkLPD-sf0MuAFojKf6TA-pVaLQ0X25wyF7VdADi8DmFkbZLc7UZ9GtOqUNyvwDCLEnC1xPMQ2iNtD3AOI-VU2HCvaR5qaxcajPRV9rF1yiLucU/s1600/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Acherontia_atropos_caterpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyE-uysUeGaxrxapWuiKY_xTLIhll_gkLPD-sf0MuAFojKf6TA-pVaLQ0X25wyF7VdADi8DmFkbZLc7UZ9GtOqUNyvwDCLEnC1xPMQ2iNtD3AOI-VU2HCvaR5qaxcajPRV9rF1yiLucU/s640/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Acherontia_atropos_caterpillar.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Death's-head Hawk moth - <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acherontia_atropos">Acherontia atropos</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JoRHa1LVM_XwqK2OtCNdzRcrJoCPDEan4_-9eTv_CrsrBDuMsKYSmTifVE48R9mBhTz1kNJCDlp7ZSyuMwJ2T4REmGkJj2OIv_KQY3BHWQ8cv2E0I50T5zaWH_UaVON5Tc4fK3jVSLo/s1600/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Aglia_tau_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JoRHa1LVM_XwqK2OtCNdzRcrJoCPDEan4_-9eTv_CrsrBDuMsKYSmTifVE48R9mBhTz1kNJCDlp7ZSyuMwJ2T4REmGkJj2OIv_KQY3BHWQ8cv2E0I50T5zaWH_UaVON5Tc4fK3jVSLo/s640/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Aglia_tau_male.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Tau Emperor - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aglia_tau">Aglia tau</a></i> (male)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPIqfmU9lS85i4ADZHs7tUDwjOZ6zWPJOMQ5aTr7V9AKl48lbYmjWD2SDpZvit33raG5zJO4kUB47Y_ZlhhLz_CDse00jDIJoBVYCMI3nDcFu373X5MwMAwubEK3WNnaIfydxiub4MDY/s1600/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Deilephila_nerii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPIqfmU9lS85i4ADZHs7tUDwjOZ6zWPJOMQ5aTr7V9AKl48lbYmjWD2SDpZvit33raG5zJO4kUB47Y_ZlhhLz_CDse00jDIJoBVYCMI3nDcFu373X5MwMAwubEK3WNnaIfydxiub4MDY/s640/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Deilephila_nerii.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphnis_nerii"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Deilephila nerii</span></a></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglST-2M9I0iwo5L4f5Ei67PFWFjhT2ErHAlZ-hGsYgOB_ETF1cyuVgNKNfkKVkOmfXMczEwLA4YEhWS_lzAlf414kzY8kkJL-ANpvy5zZHoUwZhdYQ3e6qid-RkWFiIeUlIcy2CsFUl-U/s1600/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Papilio_machaon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglST-2M9I0iwo5L4f5Ei67PFWFjhT2ErHAlZ-hGsYgOB_ETF1cyuVgNKNfkKVkOmfXMczEwLA4YEhWS_lzAlf414kzY8kkJL-ANpvy5zZHoUwZhdYQ3e6qid-RkWFiIeUlIcy2CsFUl-U/s640/F_Nemos_Old_Book_Art_Papilio_machaon.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Old World Swallowtail - <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_machaon">Papilio machaon</a></i></span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-91303308813864045572012-10-22T12:20:00.000-04:002013-07-14T21:27:40.048-04:00Pink Underwing Moth (Phyllodes imperialis) - Family: Noctuidae<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Pink Underwing Moth - <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllodes_imperialis">Phyllodes imperialis</a></i> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noctuidae">Noctuidae</a>)</span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPuUgKGme8Zf6S-JNWj1EBP0PwVdhkIHThvc850AtKBAEJJuK_o1KnTvT53ylLqbhTupZWtfyGx8KUt6DRgaw09-Iw-D99C9oC8orNZVOBqxc_YZYfCyNFcOmAfdDp3MIckxXeBJ4MLA/s1600/bigheadedcaterpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPuUgKGme8Zf6S-JNWj1EBP0PwVdhkIHThvc850AtKBAEJJuK_o1KnTvT53ylLqbhTupZWtfyGx8KUt6DRgaw09-Iw-D99C9oC8orNZVOBqxc_YZYfCyNFcOmAfdDp3MIckxXeBJ4MLA/s640/bigheadedcaterpillar.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Final instar <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> caterpillar.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently this spectacular photo has been floating around the internet. I saw it first on <a href="http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/two-stunning-photos/">Jerry Coyne's "website"</a>, then later on <a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/WxJfl">Imgur</a>, and then on a crytozoology fact-checking blog called <a href="http://cryptoville.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/big-headed-caterpillar-real-or-hoaxed/">CryptoVille</a>. I have seen a lot of caterpillars with eyespots, but I had never seen this one. This is the caterpillar of a large moth species called the Pink Underwing Moth (<i>Phyllodes imperialis</i>).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The best description of the species I could find comes from an Australian Government website. The <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/about/index.html">Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities</a> had a Species Profile and Threats Database <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=67453">entry for Pink Underwing Moth (<i>Phyllodes imperialis</i>)</a>, where the species has been listed as <i>Endangered</i>. Like most endangered insects the threat is mainly from habitat loss and fragmentation due to logging, agriculture, and other development. Additional information comes from a very useful website on Australian caterpillars (<a href="http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/">http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/</a>) which is managed by <a href="http://donhe.topcities.com/">Don Herbison-Evans</a>, and <a href="http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/logos/stella.html">Stella A. Crossley</a>. Unfortunately Stella passed away in 2007, but I have corresponded with Don - he was both enthusiastic and helpful. Finally, I fact-checked these e-resources using the book <a href="http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/111.htm">Moths of Austraila by I.F.B Common</a>. Below I have summarized the reliable information I found about this species.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Species Description</span></u></b></h3>
<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Larva:</span></i></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Early instars are dull brown, but green individuals are also observed. I'm not sure whether this colour variation is ontological (i.e., changes as the caterpillar ages) or if there are green and brown phenotypes. Later instars have two pairs of distinct eyespots on the anterior end. One pair is on the lateral sides of the first abdominal body segment, while the other pair is concealed under folds of skin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The caterpillar apparently relies at least in part on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crypsis">crypsis</a> to avoid detection by predators, possibly masquerading as <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/08/non-caterpillars-and-coincidental.html">a dried up leaf</a>.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8EeO_Z0Aq11s6Tr5BeKSdLZj0P6KoJY3Yi9JrAeuhuq56rWRpFbDpu9aBZWNAvw_yWGkUpVJypGQOUq6byoBezlnGpBKioRRMGBAsgyEMr_EjHdTEW3IuqtOkkeA8xMPeSxIHuQAf1I/s1600/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Southern+Subspecies+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8EeO_Z0Aq11s6Tr5BeKSdLZj0P6KoJY3Yi9JrAeuhuq56rWRpFbDpu9aBZWNAvw_yWGkUpVJypGQOUq6byoBezlnGpBKioRRMGBAsgyEMr_EjHdTEW3IuqtOkkeA8xMPeSxIHuQAf1I/s640/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Southern+Subspecies+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Phyllodes imperialis </i>caterpillar resting on a <i>Carronia multisepalea</i> vine stem</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/"><b>plant.nerd</b></a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/7004558435/in/set-72157629646709975"><b>See original photo on Flickr here</b></a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfidkI0Gw_agwE-To5s4CQtOBbZ_AHwJD_j6CJwcH2NxcVC1nRdqZJGGWs6W6IZwjadh6CinLVf0A2LRy2F1Ou7As2wdFtYT8TcHXqSv-eco83d5FTE_Ahgb0CaBszzbFE1m96P5_guw/s1600/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Larvae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfidkI0Gw_agwE-To5s4CQtOBbZ_AHwJD_j6CJwcH2NxcVC1nRdqZJGGWs6W6IZwjadh6CinLVf0A2LRy2F1Ou7As2wdFtYT8TcHXqSv-eco83d5FTE_Ahgb0CaBszzbFE1m96P5_guw/s640/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Larvae.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Phyllodes imperialis </i>caterpillar resting on a <i>Carronia multisepalea</i> leaf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/"><b>plant.nerd</b></a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/7004571569/in/set-72157629646709975"><b>See original photo on Flickr here</b></a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, when the caterpillar feels threatened it rears its anterior body segments, and bends between the first and second abdominal segments. The caterpillar simultaneously curls its <a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/05/caterpillars-body-plan.html">real head</a> as well as its <a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/05/caterpillars-body-plan.html">true legs</a> underneath the raised portion of its body. By curing in its head and body this way the caterpillar stretches the skin on its dorsal side and reveals the previously-concealed eyespots. These large eyespots are composed of a black pupil surrounded by a blue, then yellow ring (see photos below). Between and below the eyespots are white markings, often described as looking like teeth, and indeed resemble the <a href="http://www.how-to-draw-funny-cartoons.com/cartoon-teeth.html">teeth from a cartoon skeleton</a>. At least 150 people from the <a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/WxJfl">Imgur</a> community apparently think it looks like the face of <a href="http://marvel.com/universe/Deadpool">Deadpool</a> especially with the red body depicted in the photo at the top of this post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This caterpillar is sometimes referred to as the "Big headed caterpillar", the name obviously referring to the appearance of a large false head when the caterpillar adopts this defensive posture. The display likely protects the caterpillar from vertebrate predators (Common 1990). Eyespots and the associated behavioural mimicry that creates a false-head are not uncommon in butterfly and moth caterpillars. Generally it is thought that this suite of traits protects the relatively helpless caterpillars by making them look like a threat (e.g., a snake or other dangerous predator) to an attacker such as an insect-eating bird (Janzen et al 2010).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixB_49qVpU4AJzL2xbnMJjRpENF74Y4HLH8pffrSchP54Tf5aUOJV9XkxqsrfRYMRb52eMQDdN_dfu_5IqYk9O6_TnEOc5RXg7_BqN_ItPtz4kUEdcsJNzS65OxUdz4KNrA4t_jPfOzBw/s1600/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Southern+Subspecies+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva+-+defensive+posture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixB_49qVpU4AJzL2xbnMJjRpENF74Y4HLH8pffrSchP54Tf5aUOJV9XkxqsrfRYMRb52eMQDdN_dfu_5IqYk9O6_TnEOc5RXg7_BqN_ItPtz4kUEdcsJNzS65OxUdz4KNrA4t_jPfOzBw/s640/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Southern+Subspecies+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva+-+defensive+posture.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Phyllodes imperialis </i>caterpillar in defensive posture</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/"><b>plant.nerd</b></a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/6858458392/in/set-72157629646709975/"><b>See original photo on Flickr here</b></a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJO0qSRG1MkVX0jQB4ORf3QyERM5rksMCPKBcZhoEbj0DrWXMAmC132Kfa5AAumuoce2U-Xitkb9PLKf0f17-kfXVGlZIG4S0nGT_XrxIwi6gxhyphenhyphendUXxh8fqXm2PzdRbhsdUFHOOjoQQM/s1600/Pink+Underwing+Moth+South+Subsp+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva+-+defensive+posture+close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJO0qSRG1MkVX0jQB4ORf3QyERM5rksMCPKBcZhoEbj0DrWXMAmC132Kfa5AAumuoce2U-Xitkb9PLKf0f17-kfXVGlZIG4S0nGT_XrxIwi6gxhyphenhyphendUXxh8fqXm2PzdRbhsdUFHOOjoQQM/s640/Pink+Underwing+Moth+South+Subsp+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva+-+defensive+posture+close.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Close up of the <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> caterpillar's eyespots revealed when the caterpillar is threatened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/"><b>plant.nerd</b></a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/6858461002/in/set-72157629646709975/"><b>See original photo on Flickr here</b></a>. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTx_6DKmRyLAyCZxf2DG_tpPXZT7F31PLF8nZ2hQi7bNKITiBxjWETzakYd63BKTv6fdG1x5JhEYF9MspHb4XoCPTNB1RqIvf5DrZJ6ZVZ42gOdMNNUaFSOx-dGKlTTU-7-8truE8P0mw/s640/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Southern+Subspecies+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva+-+good+defensive+posture.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> caterpillar in defensive posture</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/"><b>plant.nerd</b></a>. <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/7004578735/in/photostream/">See original photo on Flickr here</a></b>.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTx_6DKmRyLAyCZxf2DG_tpPXZT7F31PLF8nZ2hQi7bNKITiBxjWETzakYd63BKTv6fdG1x5JhEYF9MspHb4XoCPTNB1RqIvf5DrZJ6ZVZ42gOdMNNUaFSOx-dGKlTTU-7-8truE8P0mw/s1600/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Southern+Subspecies+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva+-+good+defensive+posture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I asked <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/">plant.nerd</a> about the caterpillar and how he stimulated the response:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTx_6DKmRyLAyCZxf2DG_tpPXZT7F31PLF8nZ2hQi7bNKITiBxjWETzakYd63BKTv6fdG1x5JhEYF9MspHb4XoCPTNB1RqIvf5DrZJ6ZVZ42gOdMNNUaFSOx-dGKlTTU-7-8truE8P0mw/s1600/Pink+Underwing+Moth+Southern+Subspecies+Phyllodes+imperialis+larva+-+good+defensive+posture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><br />
<ul></ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"These larvae sit flat against the vine like a dead leaf or branch they are very camouflaged and hard to spot. When you place your moving hand close to them or touch them they rear up and bend to reveal the eye spots and the white markings which are usually hidden in a fold of skin."</span></i></blockquote>
<ul><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: center;">
<li style="text-align: left;">See the full set of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/">plant.nerd</a>'s <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> caterpillar images <b><a href="http://www.flickriver.com/photos/plantnerd/sets/72157629646709975/">here</a></b>.</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The caterpillars feed exclusively on the vines from the <a href="http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/plants/meni/menispermaceae.html">Menispermaceae</a> family. In particular the relatively rare vine <i><a href="http://www.mary-cairncross.com.au/carronia-vine.php">Carronia multisepalea</a></i> is reported to be the main food plant. However, other subspecies<i> </i>reportedly<i> </i>feed on <i>Pycanarrhena </i>species of vine (e.g. <i><a href="http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Pycnarrhena_novoguineensis.htm">Pycnarrhena australiana</a></i>).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYTlEwvLXaCAemkWUZEsWVtuROs1RJHY1Tk4PzZw7kCwjuvqEDCaCfj9ks1Mdxz2HgjkgtPl8OmIw4rcvRAtRFQjQ5fN7-qRTwkYUxTErfLZK8tQxTXYldNxvDuWultfPxZGUaG8qXNA/s1600/Carronia+multisepalea+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYTlEwvLXaCAemkWUZEsWVtuROs1RJHY1Tk4PzZw7kCwjuvqEDCaCfj9ks1Mdxz2HgjkgtPl8OmIw4rcvRAtRFQjQ5fN7-qRTwkYUxTErfLZK8tQxTXYldNxvDuWultfPxZGUaG8qXNA/s640/Carronia+multisepalea+flowers.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Carronia multisepalea</i> vine the larval host plant of <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/"><b>plant.nerd</b></a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/4311470458/in/set-72157629646709975/"><b>See original photo on Flickr here</b></a>.</span></td></tr>
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<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pupa: </span></i></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many caterpillars change colour at the end of their final larval instar (<a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/07/brown-papilio-canadensis-caterpillar.html">e.g., <i>Papilio canadensis</i></a>). This typically coincides with the the end of foraging and beginning of searching for pupation sites. I think this is probably why the caterpillar at the top of this post is red, although spectacular colour morphs are sometimes observed in the caterpillars of other species as well as in other insects (e.g., <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/photos-of-the-very-rare-pink-katydid.html">Pink Katydids</a>). The pupa is about 5 cm long, and is loosely woven into dead leaves on the ground. It is described as bronze in colour, and marked with transparent circumferential panels on the abdominal segments.</span><br />
<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adult:</span></i></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wingspan listed as 130–140 mm by the Australian Dept. of S.E.W.P.C., but other reports indicate that the size range extends to 170 mm. This discrepancy might indicate that the other populations outside of Australia (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia) have larger individuals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The "leaf-shaped" forewings are grey-brown and posses a distinctive white marking which seems to vary somewhat among populations. The ventral side of the forewing has a discal, dark-brown coloured patch containing three white spots. The hindwings are dark brown-black with a central patch of pink extending to the inner margin, to which the common name "Pink Underwing Moth" refers. The hindwings are also fringed with 7-8 white <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_Lepidopteran_terms">lunules</a> on the outer margin. The thorax and abdomen are the same grey-brown colour. A morphologically distinct subspecies of <i>P. imperialis</i> occurs in northern Queensland. The two Australian subspecies are allopatric and the northern subspecies has a larger pink patch on the hindwings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIlA5VkoXZCk5opPgLR3ozPImMO58hqiEvjstSOiAvCt-pZTUud74wAMG4MI1H2v1EYRS3N5KqK_5UFFq3ouNXj7cY0esir2vMxFUXdCYEWkXPweQXTF0zNpEfI1cqMuGuDs-GOpLUHo/s1600/Phyllodes_imperialis+-+lithograph.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIlA5VkoXZCk5opPgLR3ozPImMO58hqiEvjstSOiAvCt-pZTUud74wAMG4MI1H2v1EYRS3N5KqK_5UFFq3ouNXj7cY0esir2vMxFUXdCYEWkXPweQXTF0zNpEfI1cqMuGuDs-GOpLUHo/s640/Phyllodes_imperialis+-+lithograph.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lithograph of an adult <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> from the Collection of the British Museum</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CATALOGUE OF THE NOCTUIDAE IN THE COLLECTION OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM (1903-1913)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sourced from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phyllodes_imperialis.JPG">Wikipedia Commons</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcy5Y3AnOx-nT1ZOFRWggukGtD_KoRuYGF6xeF6L16nynw1G4qkXnZaRvjOvpVqKjCRXPLfdhBJQtmlLliM0F8cUB5sgMlxE_diTunxJAo_1BOns6iWVe8uVx4m_vuECxi-aGa-rnbiw/s1600/Phyllodes_imperialis_female_dorsal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcy5Y3AnOx-nT1ZOFRWggukGtD_KoRuYGF6xeF6L16nynw1G4qkXnZaRvjOvpVqKjCRXPLfdhBJQtmlLliM0F8cUB5sgMlxE_diTunxJAo_1BOns6iWVe8uVx4m_vuECxi-aGa-rnbiw/s640/Phyllodes_imperialis_female_dorsal.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dorsal view of a female <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sourced from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phyllodes_imperialis_female_dorsal.jpg">Wikipedia Commons</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEF0GpK_C8eoPXY5yE1yFKr2zk95ovQjpgUhRuJWL4f378DxIhYm3bzTgEdlUfk3L2lh9AyHS5hFu5BgK5yYyQKDEbtMFuuguSIhB0zwVV7K5GdWePNlXuRIza8YP31-x4JW4Qrr5d7k/s1600/Phyllodes_imperialis_female_ventral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEF0GpK_C8eoPXY5yE1yFKr2zk95ovQjpgUhRuJWL4f378DxIhYm3bzTgEdlUfk3L2lh9AyHS5hFu5BgK5yYyQKDEbtMFuuguSIhB0zwVV7K5GdWePNlXuRIza8YP31-x4JW4Qrr5d7k/s640/Phyllodes_imperialis_female_ventral.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ventral view of female <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sourced from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phyllodes_imperialis_female_ventral.jpg">Wikipedia Commons</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdJsEKmbsiixmaOPw4Ws00F4x9bL6NWY-FXVa0Zn186VmSfHMSr2w4SxEyg5rEukhtTH7DQvAYrjx4_-LeesnxnwfcHNedl_bA0Pzz6oNh3fsQ1KKo-qzIxwSdGVO7-sVkAlAak7m9-o/s1600/Phyllodes+imperialis+adult+coin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdJsEKmbsiixmaOPw4Ws00F4x9bL6NWY-FXVa0Zn186VmSfHMSr2w4SxEyg5rEukhtTH7DQvAYrjx4_-LeesnxnwfcHNedl_bA0Pzz6oNh3fsQ1KKo-qzIxwSdGVO7-sVkAlAak7m9-o/s640/Phyllodes+imperialis+adult+coin.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adult <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> moth from Papua New Guinea. The coin is 3 cm in diameter!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kahunapulej/"><b>kahunapulej</b></a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kahunapulej/4102007696/in/photostream/"><b>Original photo can be seen here</b></a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Mba4JEFK5Dto2u5ChN6X5XxG1fOFHtfQSc0t5muKYbuWjXq01S3VIs5ljtat88vPnOBEuzbEbtjxFmFpOs8T0etYecftTwehEzmvvQtzFNckRuCkL0arpcb3GaqEPWj8gwzS8Bi_Keg/s1600/Phyllodes+imperialis+adult+with+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Mba4JEFK5Dto2u5ChN6X5XxG1fOFHtfQSc0t5muKYbuWjXq01S3VIs5ljtat88vPnOBEuzbEbtjxFmFpOs8T0etYecftTwehEzmvvQtzFNckRuCkL0arpcb3GaqEPWj8gwzS8Bi_Keg/s640/Phyllodes+imperialis+adult+with+girl.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adult <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> held by a little girl named Rachel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kahunapulej/"><b>kahunapulej</b></a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kahunapulej/4101217257/in/photostream/"><b>Original photo can be seen here</b></a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Habitat:</span></i></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In Australia the moth is only found in undisturbed, subtropical rainforest below the altitude of 600 m. It is tightly associated with the <i>Carronia multisepalea </i>vine. Interestingly, it seems that only when the plant takes the form of a collapsed shrub, and not when it grows in an upright form, does <i>C. multisepalea</i> provide the food and habitat requirements for the moth to breed. As mentioned the moth is also known from Papua New Guinea (incl. the Bismark Archipelago), the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu (New Hebrides), and New Caledonia (Common 1990). The New Caledonia population is apparently considered a distinct subspecies (Common 1990).</span><br />
<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Acknowledgements:</span></i></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Both <b>plant.nerd</b> and <b>kahunapulej </b>were very friendly when I contacted them and allowed me to use their spectacular photos for this post. Be sure to check out their photo streams on Flickr:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantnerd/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">plant.nerd's photostream</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kahunapulej/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">kahunapulej's photostream</span></a></li>
</ul>
<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">References:</span></i></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Common, I.F.B. (1990) Moths of Australia. E.J. Brill, New York and Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, Australia. Page 454.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2012). <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i> (southern subsp. - ANIC 3333) in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra. Available from: http://www.environment.gov.au/sprat. Accessed Mon, 15 Oct 2012 06:04:45 +1100.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Herbison-Evans, D., Crossley, S. and Moss, J. Lepidoptera Butterflyhouse entry for <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i>. Updated April 1 2011. <a href="http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/cato/imper.html">http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/cato/imper.html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Janzen D.H., Hallwachs, W., Burns, J.M. (2010) A tropical horde of counterfeit predator eyes. Proceedings to the National Academy of Sciences 26:11659:11665</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wikipedia entry for <i>Phyllodes imperialis</i>. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllodes_imperialis Accessed: Oct 20 2012.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-2410490498369870252012-09-18T11:58:00.000-04:002013-07-17T15:33:15.923-04:00Clay and pastry caterpillars in science education<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Pastry caterpillars: a tool to teach evolution by natural selection</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last week Jay Fitzsimmons over at the <a href="http://canadianfieldnaturalist.blogspot.ca/">Canadian Field-Naturalist Blog</a> sent me an article from the new issue of <a href="http://ucpressjournals.com/journal.php?j=abt" style="font-style: italic;">The American Biology Teacher</a> that describes how teachers can use clay caterpillars to teach ecology and evolution to their students. I whole-heartedly embrace the dissemination of techniques that can help teachers educate students about ecology and evolution, so I wanted to highlight this and a few other logistical tips that would help teachers who might consider running a fake caterpillar lab exercise with their class.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is the citation & link to the paper:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1525/abt.2012.74.7.15"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Barber, N. (2012) Clay caterpillars: a tool for ecology & evolution laboratories. The American Biology Teacher 74(7): 513-517.</span></a></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jay sent this paper along because he knows about <a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html">my work using pastry caterpillars</a> to study the protective value of eyespots on caterpillar-like prey (<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856">Hossie and Sherratt 2012</a>). The pastry caterpillar system has been used countless times to study a range of topics, most notably in the study of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostatic_selection">apostatic selection</a> (<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8312.1984.tb00142.x/abstract">Allen and Anderson 1984</a>), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymorphism_(biology)" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">polymorphisms</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (</span><a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/276/1665/2187.short" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wennersten and Forsman 2009</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">), and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countershading" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">countershading</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (</span><a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/275/1651/2539.short" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rowland et al. 2008</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">). Clearly this experimental approach can be modified to examine a wide variety of questions relating to natural selection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How it works:</span></b></h3>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fake caterpillars are made using pastry dough (flour + lard) dyed with food colouring, or modelling clay. The colour, shape, and size of your caterpillars <i>and </i>the proportion of each type that you deploy depends on the question you want to examine.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Caterpillars should be roughly 5-30 mm long and 3-6 mm wide</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Caterpillars are deployed in the field either on short-cut lawns, painted wooden boards, or pinned to tree branches where they will be susceptible to "predation" by wild birds (e.g., sparrows, chickadees, starlings etc.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a pre-defined amount of time (e.g., 24 h), return and record which prey were attacked or removed</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tips:</span></b></h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Often it is good practice to train and/or attract birds ahead of time in the site where you will be conducting the experiment using birdseed or small pieces of plain pastry dough.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Birds are typically most active in the early morning. Consider deploying very early morning or the evening before.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Consider using areas where predation by animals other than birds might not be as big an issue.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some "background" predation is likely to occur (i.e., from ants, squirrels, chipmunks, mice etc.), but this is usually not a big problem. You can choose to count them as killed, survived, or eliminate them from the proportion survived calculation (i.e., 50 deployed, 10 pecked, 2 eaten by ants -> 38/48 = 79% survived).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Presenting prey on elevated platforms or pinning them to tree branches can minimize the effects of ants and small mammals.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Small mammals will be a bigger issue if you leave prey deployed on the ground overnight.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Barber presents this experimental approach as a framework through which teachers could examine <b style="font-style: italic;">ecological </b>and <b style="font-style: italic;">evolutionary </b>questions with their students. <b><i>Ecological </i></b>questions could relate to the abundance and distribution of animals in various habitats, whereas <i><b>evolutionary </b></i>questions might examine how natural selection can shape appearances or behaviours in a population. As Barber sees it, the main advantage of this kind of lab is its flexibility in allowing students to develop and test hypotheses according to their own interests. Barber states:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The possible hypotheses for students to explore are almost limitless and, with no “wrong” answers, interpreting results can be a valuable critical-thinking exercise.</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Actually this is not a new idea. In 1993 <a href="http://www.southampton.ac.uk/biosci/about/staff/jaa.page#research">J. A. Allen</a> and his colleagues presented a similar technique for using pastry caterpillars to teach similar concepts in the <i><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/action/aboutThisJournal?show=aimsScope&journalCode=rjbe20">Journal of Biological Education</a></i>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00219266.1993.9655348"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Allen, J. A., Cooper, J. M., Hall, G. J. and McHenry C. (1993) 'Evolving pastry': a method for simulating microevolution. Journal of Biological Education 27(4): 274-282.</span></a></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This paper provides project ideas specifically designed to teach evolution by natural selection. Real evolution takes a very long time to observe, but it can be simulated in the short-term (i.e., over a couple of days) through the successive deployment of various fake caterpillars in the field. The key is to use the proportion of caterpillars surviving after one day of "predation" to set up the proportion of caterpillars from each treatment in the following deployment, then repeat. For example, imagine a study where you were interested in the evolution of camouflage colour in prey. You might deploy <b>100</b> prey on tree branches, 50 <span style="color: #7f6000;">brown </span>ones and 50 <span style="color: lime;">green </span>ones. After 24 h you check the attack rate, and you see 20 brown ones killed and but only 5 green ones killed. That means that <span style="color: #783f04;"><b>30</b></span> brown (<span style="color: #783f04;"><b>30</b></span>/50 = 60% of brown prey), and <span style="color: lime;"><b>45</b></span> green (<span style="color: lime;"><b>45</b></span>/50 = 90% of green prey) survived. Prey need to survive to reproduce so the proportion of prey in the next generation depends on how many of each treatment survived. Thus, on the next day you deploy <b>100</b> more prey, but this time the ratios are different: <span style="color: lime;"><b>60</b> </span>green prey are deployed ( = [<span style="color: lime;"><b>45</b></span> / (<span style="color: #783f04;"><b>30</b></span>+<span style="color: lime;"><b>45</b></span>)] = 0.6*<b>100</b>) and only <span style="color: #783f04;"><b>40</b></span> brown prey ( = [<span style="color: #783f04;"><b>30</b></span> / (<span style="color: #783f04;"><b>30</b></span>+<span style="color: lime;"><b>45</b></span>)] = 0.4*<b>100</b>). Each successive deployment represents a generation. If this process is repeated for 5-10 generations you should be able to see a change in the proportion of each phenotype in your population over time. The more generations you run the better data you will get.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, this design can also be modified to ask an almost limitless number of questions and gives students a first hand snapshot of how evolutionary process work. Allen et al. (1993) includes a general procedure and the basic methods for field experiments using fake caterpillars, similar to Barber (2012), but Allen et al. go an extra step and provide modified methods and example results for 6 different projects that teach various principals in evolution by natural selection, such as:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directional_selection"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directional selection</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spread of new mutations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crypsis in uniform backgrounds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crypsis in varied backgrounds</span></li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_selection"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Disruptive selection</span></a></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Further thoughts about fake caterpillar experiments:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have had a fair amount of experience making similar caterpillars. Between multiple experiments during my PhD I have now made over 1500 model caterpillars. Most of these models were used to study how well eyespots can protect caterpillars from wild bird predators. Either pastry or modelling clay can be used for these experiments with the main difference being that the edible pastry provides a food reward comparable to that of a similar sized caterpillar. Clay caterpillars are effectively inedible and once birds realize this it could reduce their incentive to search for them. Another advantage of pastry is that it is easier to obtain the desired colour for your fake caterpillars. Simply adding different amounts of food colouring to dye the pastry dough is easier than mixing different colours of clay together. That being said, when teaching a class of younger students it might be easier and less messy to just use modelling clay.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>My recipe for p</b><b>astry caterpillars: </b></span></h3>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/3 cup of lard (I used Tenderflake)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 cup of flour (You will get better colour from food colouring if you use White flour)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">15 ml water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Food colouring</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cut the lard into the flour. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add desired amount of food colouring and the water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hand mix and kneed the dough until the food colouring dough is a uniform colour and texture</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The most common mistake is adding too much water. The dough will get very sticky instead of being easy to mould and work with. To remedy this you can work the dough and let it sit, but it make take a while for it to lose moisture. Adding more flour & lard mix might be quicker option.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't let the dough sit out too long or it will dry out. Freeze unused dough and prepared caterpillars in a ziplock bag until you are ready to deploy</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz-yg47GW7ebaiiv1i5oZ6nVHjVkV93WMp67vVCErgjFp3w9cSHoeKPakrF1Y9rhpdSSqhbYRPcacaoPWG_M5ezUxFu33lXA4KgUanP4w0zyrw0ojOhX5W7kebV79lMfxBTKwjmZbihs/s1600/Play+Doh+Mini+Fun+Factory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz-yg47GW7ebaiiv1i5oZ6nVHjVkV93WMp67vVCErgjFp3w9cSHoeKPakrF1Y9rhpdSSqhbYRPcacaoPWG_M5ezUxFu33lXA4KgUanP4w0zyrw0ojOhX5W7kebV79lMfxBTKwjmZbihs/s640/Play+Doh+Mini+Fun+Factory.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In my paper on caterpillar eyespots I used a <span id="goog_585742851"></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Play-Doh-Mini-Fun-Factory/dp/B000GPWOOO">Play-Doh Mini Fun Factory</a> (Hasbro Canada Corp., Longueuil, QC, Canada) to press out long strips of dough that I used to standardize the caterpillar size. A similar technique might be worth considering for teachers planning to make numerous fake caterpillars.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Deploying caterpillars:</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDifOBty6lSItSzCRwEoeCeF7eNMRxW7sCM4kEp4p72Si3xaUX9FuwWx01faiSySz-X02L38EwhgcKuQ-6pB_zmPsElwrF6gBOwChC0MytHG2XeggNaHYN2vPhHsc0djNhPMnU7_YHaPc/s1600/06_08a-CE11_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDifOBty6lSItSzCRwEoeCeF7eNMRxW7sCM4kEp4p72Si3xaUX9FuwWx01faiSySz-X02L38EwhgcKuQ-6pB_zmPsElwrF6gBOwChC0MytHG2XeggNaHYN2vPhHsc0djNhPMnU7_YHaPc/s640/06_08a-CE11_3.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A pastry caterpillar pinned to a tree branch. This one was attacked at both ends by a bird.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwi5gfNR_NwtG08gc0o4c39spUSpvJnJg4x45aGWm4FH2FHRJbpH2X-PR07uw8CQduQz7cMPwzcdbP4L0AWZrX9pb7VRybMPV_bMoNxQlze2l1rhYQ7jzz36sOanv_hvqX6de90y80f0/s1600/Dressmakers+Pins(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwi5gfNR_NwtG08gc0o4c39spUSpvJnJg4x45aGWm4FH2FHRJbpH2X-PR07uw8CQduQz7cMPwzcdbP4L0AWZrX9pb7VRybMPV_bMoNxQlze2l1rhYQ7jzz36sOanv_hvqX6de90y80f0/s320/Dressmakers+Pins(1).jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Older students could use dress making pins to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">attach pastry caterpillars to tree branches</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My pastry caterpillars were pinned to tree branches using dress making pins, and this technique worked really well for securing the caterpillars to tree branches. Once I found a suitable branch I pressed the pin partway through it (<b>make sure to buy a thimble</b>!), then stuck the pastry caterpillar onto the pin. For better stability on the branch it helps if you mould the caterpillar to the branch a little bit. If pins seem a little too dangerous for your students Barber suggests using silicone which can be purchased at a hardware store. This would allow you to attach small caterpillars to tree leaves as well as branches. I do wonder about the <b>possible toxicity of silicone</b> to birds that eat or peck the baits though. With pins you don't have to worry about the possible toxic effects of adhesives, and they invariably remain in the tree when a bird removes or feeds on the fake caterpillar. You will need to remove pins after you are done, I suggest using <b>needle nose pliers</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Aside</b>: This brings up an interesting point. All research conducted by members of a University of College which involves any vertebrate animal (plus Cephalopoda) requires approval from an Animal Care Committee. Even my research on caterpillar eyespots where I was basically feeding pastry to wild birds needed such approval. I'm not sure whether elementary or secondary schools have some similar committees, but if they are involving vertebrate animals they probably should. Does anyone know what rules or restrictions exist that might affect elementary of secondary institutions looking to do this kind of laboratory exercise?</i></span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If none of these methods of attaching caterpillars to trees sound like a good option you can just place the pastry caterpillars directly on a short-cut lawn, pieces of astroturf, or painted wooden platforms:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7u80mgQRVxogR85Weaf_O3lEGAcB6P2LRNWgvdQoIW_FB9iJ-Tz01DbLR_880aZXce-ahoFcQA2YO2jn2CUr-bHHvBAFLen3tUD5S8mD8poAn4kmjUiYgij8ZeNsx48jAOJK3GFv45w/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7u80mgQRVxogR85Weaf_O3lEGAcB6P2LRNWgvdQoIW_FB9iJ-Tz01DbLR_880aZXce-ahoFcQA2YO2jn2CUr-bHHvBAFLen3tUD5S8mD8poAn4kmjUiYgij8ZeNsx48jAOJK3GFv45w/s640/DSC_0003.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Northern Cardinal feeing on plain pastry and bird seed on a raised platform during the training phase of an experiment </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Analysis:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The final step would be to do some kind of analysis. For elementary or high school it is probably sufficient to just have them build graphs. In the simplest version of this lab students could just compare how many prey from each treatment were killed after a single deployment (i.e., a single "generation"). This could involve a simple bar graph comparing the survival of each treatment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are planning to teach evolution though it would be better to look at the change in proportion of each treatment across successive generations. Get the students to plot the proportion deployed at the start of each treatment, this will show them graphically how the frequency of each phenotype changed in their population over time. This is directly analogous to the change in frequency of the genes that carry those phenotypes in population (i.e., evolution!). You could also get them to plot the proportion of prey from each treatment that were attacked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are two examples of plots from Allen et al 1993:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkUHEGFvEfLYacNAXFeLFsBkL6cKxJ6FKJHKmV0_LRs6FAJ8ThHulnjEM9XhS7Tzq7yNbH2TS3uxFCJIQQnji797U3NtXV333lj_CEL-M0Is5D_9TYqROWHdyIqd4n9BovzOlTEvKtlY/s1600/Allen+et+al+1993+a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkUHEGFvEfLYacNAXFeLFsBkL6cKxJ6FKJHKmV0_LRs6FAJ8ThHulnjEM9XhS7Tzq7yNbH2TS3uxFCJIQQnji797U3NtXV333lj_CEL-M0Is5D_9TYqROWHdyIqd4n9BovzOlTEvKtlY/s400/Allen+et+al+1993+a.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjhftHR6GorzuBsDXeQMKOGJVAMUeqsFPhnOxRUVb92XBMcDadgCOSbMHgFvBPRb0zG1rT1Eoj9dG7IQ2yGr2CA7-9bIoa5WOF3WWiP06dqW_Tj891ufREOhXTIC1vaE5PPu4EdKFEGw/s1600/Allen+et+al+1993+b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjhftHR6GorzuBsDXeQMKOGJVAMUeqsFPhnOxRUVb92XBMcDadgCOSbMHgFvBPRb0zG1rT1Eoj9dG7IQ2yGr2CA7-9bIoa5WOF3WWiP06dqW_Tj891ufREOhXTIC1vaE5PPu4EdKFEGw/s400/Allen+et+al+1993+b.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Additional thoughts for advanced students:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What are the limitations of using <i>survival </i>as a measure of <i>fitness</i>? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is apostatic selection?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is a "search image"? How might the formation of a "search image" affect rates of predation?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If one treatment survives better on average, why might multiple phenotypes persist in a population?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">References:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8312.1984.tb00142.x/abstract"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Allen, J. A. and Anderson, K. P. (1984) Selection by passerine birds is anti-apostatic at high prey density. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 23: 237–246.</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00219266.1993.9655348"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Allen, J. A., Cooper, J. M., Hall, G. J. and McHenry C. (1993) 'Evolving pastry': a method for simulating microevolution. Journal of Biological Education 27(4): 274-282.</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1525/abt.2012.74.7.15"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Barber, N. (2012) Clay caterpillars: a tool for ecology & evolution laboratories. The American Biology Teacher 74(7): 513-517.</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hossie, T. J., Sherratt, T. N., (2012) Eyespots interact with body colour to protect caterpillar-like prey from avian predators. Animal Behaviour 84(1): 167-173, doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.04.027</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/275/1651/2539.abstract"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rowland, H. M., Cuthill, I. C., Harvey, I. F., Speed, M. P., & Ruxton, G. D. (2008). Can't tell the caterpillars from the trees: countershading enhances survival in a woodland. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - B, 275(1651), 2539–2545</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/276/1665/2187.short"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wennersten, L. and Forsman, A. (2009) Does colour polymorphism enhance survival of prey populations? Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - B 276: 2187-2194</span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-10853324792530773032012-09-07T11:23:00.000-04:002013-07-14T21:26:14.908-04:00BAD PORTRAIT Times Two! <h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I may not know a lot about art, but I know what I like...</span></h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfJzhEfP-Qch0rpXAwYSogLPl82fVPPJMlBHrF6UG4s1qpwrHDbQijBTzTJnusfjg8tnf8pwhb2JLbzzvvJPO531DukYnpbi9jhdtiwdK3VikYLK7Ow7k0j7eSwkPrkw4m46rtaSi6GU/s1600/BAD+PORTRAIT2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfJzhEfP-Qch0rpXAwYSogLPl82fVPPJMlBHrF6UG4s1qpwrHDbQijBTzTJnusfjg8tnf8pwhb2JLbzzvvJPO531DukYnpbi9jhdtiwdK3VikYLK7Ow7k0j7eSwkPrkw4m46rtaSi6GU/s640/BAD+PORTRAIT2.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/about.cfm">Bad Portrait</a> of 5th instar <i>Papilio canadensis</i> caterpillar. Painted by <a href="http://www.mandystobo.com/mandystobo.cfm">Mandy Stobo</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
...and I like this a lot!</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b><i>Recap:</i></b><i> An artist named </i></span><i><b style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.mandystobo.com/mandystobo.cfm">Mandy Stobo</a></b><span style="color: #222222;"> who has an ongoing project called the </span><a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/about.cfm">Bad Portrait Project</a><span style="color: #222222;">. She has a </span><a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/sendyourface.cfm">SEND YOUR FACE</a><span style="color: #222222;"> section where you can send in a photo of yourself and she will make a "Bad Portrait" version then e-mail you a free *.JPG of it. It is pretty neat. I asked her if she would create a Bad Portrait of a </span><span style="color: #222222;">Papilio canadensis</span><span style="color: #222222;"> caterpillar photo for me to use at conferences or as a logo. In my opinion her artwork is more rad than bad!</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I contacted Mandy Stobo about getting a "Bad Portrait" of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_canadensis">Papilio canadensis</a></i> for my blog I sent her two photos to choose from. She chose to paint the "head on" photo (<a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2012/08/bad-portrait-time-for-caterpillar.html">see that portrait here</a>). She must have enjoyed painting that one because she offered to paint the other photo for me as well! She has really outdone herself this time, I think this portrait is even better than the first one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is the original photo that I sent her:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gtgFKP0k-rwoILkCQwiVm8ShITbW9qX8QMJbMFo0rsGVO3CGe_27mNd-68KU7T54_UU_LKnYS1FD4g418NlS6XEiA850WtYlxm9lfgLocFmBJ_aU9r3zhufw5FQNktUkc6_pS8cI3-s/s1600/DSCF2732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gtgFKP0k-rwoILkCQwiVm8ShITbW9qX8QMJbMFo0rsGVO3CGe_27mNd-68KU7T54_UU_LKnYS1FD4g418NlS6XEiA850WtYlxm9lfgLocFmBJ_aU9r3zhufw5FQNktUkc6_pS8cI3-s/s640/DSCF2732.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can find out more about <b>Mandy Stobo</b> and her artwork at the websites linked below:</span></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.mandystobo.com/mandystobo.cfm"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Personal website</span></a></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/badportraits.cfm">Bad Portraits project website</a></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/M4QSPMpRfeQ">How to make a Bad Portrait</a></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-12380503485351495712012-08-23T12:27:00.001-04:002013-07-14T21:28:19.181-04:00BAD PORTRAIT TIME for Caterpillar Eyespots!<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUBGoi8abgLdJFfnbyVlKhwjA1k63R714_xopzh7n16gU9q00jJiVF4caKj-2_Q36GEqn_GJAQhaFPZ2x8dUgyJiWKSE7WBW6kZd76hasUYDIUi901S77xodorTZPSqxpeEp7V2Czuyc/s1600/BAD+PORTRAIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUBGoi8abgLdJFfnbyVlKhwjA1k63R714_xopzh7n16gU9q00jJiVF4caKj-2_Q36GEqn_GJAQhaFPZ2x8dUgyJiWKSE7WBW6kZd76hasUYDIUi901S77xodorTZPSqxpeEp7V2Czuyc/s640/BAD+PORTRAIT.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Portrait by <a href="http://www.mandystobo.com/mandystobo.cfm">Mandy Stobo</a> as past of her <a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/badportraits.cfm">Bad Portrait Project</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I recently started following </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">the </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MarsCuriosity"><i>Curiosity Rover</i></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> Twitter account (@MarsCuriosity) which sends out tweets as if they are from the the Curiosity rover itself. This is pretty neat and a good way to keep abreast of the goings on out there on the red planet. I soon came across another Twitter account, </span><i style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://twitter.com/SarcasticRover">Sarcastic Rover</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> (@SarcasticRover), a parody twitter feed which </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">also tweets as if it was the Mars Curiosity rover, but instead makes comments like "</span><span style="color: #222222;"><i>I'm on Mars, whoop-dee-fricken-doo</i>". The <a href="https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/2489313748/kcd8565sp9t7e0h3n39i.jpeg">logo used for the Sarcastic Rover twitter feed</a> was pretty hilarious (<i>Lets do a SCIENCE!</i>), </span><span style="color: #222222;">so I looked to see who drew it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It turns out that it was created by an artist named <b><a href="http://www.mandystobo.com/mandystobo.cfm">Mandy Stobo</a></b> who has an ongoing project called the <a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/about.cfm">Bad Portrait Project</a>. She has a <a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/sendyourface.cfm">SEND YOUR FACE</a> section where you can send in a photo of yourself and she will make a "Bad Portrait" version then e-mail you a free *.JPG of it! Pretty neat. I asked her if she would create a Bad Portrait of a <i>Papilio canadensis</i> caterpillar photo for me to use at conferences or as a logo, and a few days later she sent me the amazing portrait you see above. In my opinion her artwork is more rad than bad.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is the photo I sent her:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVvQzrQjYhuC2Zm55qmU3TPfZm2X43on8G5nnBML0z3KovPI_yRBuUhh8J_HWWk4sJwkGHpNGdaso81KiIxgDjg89Fpggu3G2ECLiIQBXr4qWxudCnU0QE3jE-F4CkUJo0EtKEwwAhPM/s1600/Papilio+canadensis+-+icon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVvQzrQjYhuC2Zm55qmU3TPfZm2X43on8G5nnBML0z3KovPI_yRBuUhh8J_HWWk4sJwkGHpNGdaso81KiIxgDjg89Fpggu3G2ECLiIQBXr4qWxudCnU0QE3jE-F4CkUJo0EtKEwwAhPM/s640/Papilio+canadensis+-+icon.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can find out more about <b>Mandy Stobo</b> and her artwork at the websites linked below:</span></span></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.mandystobo.com/mandystobo.cfm"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Personal website</span></a></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.badportraitproject.com/badportraits.cfm">Bad Portraits project website</a></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/M4QSPMpRfeQ">How to make a Bad Portrait</a></span></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-32169691373557328072012-08-16T16:19:00.000-04:002013-07-14T21:29:10.982-04:00Plush caterpillar set teaches butterfly life stages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXBAkycsBXnd2iC7fb-5L-vV0FCXcK7hL8auzrsk0PPS4MQQb1TEdd2UQxf2mooReJ-mPHfYLSwPwhly1gSnLk96WK2tRzCfAWI8MdzO8ey1kQVOUM0ggAMJdvfji16isY-6bAkQb_F4/s1600/plush+late+instar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXBAkycsBXnd2iC7fb-5L-vV0FCXcK7hL8auzrsk0PPS4MQQb1TEdd2UQxf2mooReJ-mPHfYLSwPwhly1gSnLk96WK2tRzCfAWI8MdzO8ey1kQVOUM0ggAMJdvfji16isY-6bAkQb_F4/s640/plush+late+instar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A plush <i>Papilio</i> caterpillar! Photo: K. La Flamme</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Finding and raising caterpillars is a fun way to engage children with science and the natural world. I have many fond memories of this as a child. We raised Monarchs, Black Swallowtails, Cecropia moths, and many more. There are many teaching points along the way when you are rearing caterpillars. You can learn about plant-animal interactions, animal behaviour, and the life history of butterflies and moths. Here in Ontario this actually forms part of the Grade 2 curriculum. Specifically, the <a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/scientec18currb.pdf">Ontario Curriculum</a> states:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">GRADE 2 | UNDERSTANDING LIFE SYSTEMS GROWTH AND CHANGES IN ANIMALS<br />2.3 investigate the life cycle of a variety of animals (e.g., butterflies, frogs, chickens), using a variety of methods and resources (e.g., observation of live animals in the classroom and in the schoolyard; books, videos/DVDs, CD-ROMs, and/or the Internet) </span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2.4 observe and compare changes in the appearance and activity of animals as they go through a complete life cycle (e.g., frog, butterfly)</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently discovered another fun and exciting way to engage even very young children with these same principals: metamorphosing plush caterpillars! Kristin La Flamme is a fabric artist with a BFA in Graphic Design. She designed a set of plush dolls based on the Citrus Swallowtail that interactively demonstrate the progression through key life stages (<a href="http://kristinlaflamme.com/musings/?p=779">see her post here</a>). As nearly all swallowtail caterpillars share the same <a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/search?q=dropping#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2011/06/papilio-canadensis-caterpillars-1st.html">"bird-dropping" colour pattern during their early instars</a>, she begins with an early-instar "bird poop caterpillar":</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kristinlaflamme.com/images/Metamorphosis%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://www.kristinlaflamme.com/images/Metamorphosis%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The early-instar plush caterpillar. Photo: K. La Flamme
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">La Flamme states:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"We started with our “baby,” the first through third stages (instars) of the swallowtail: the bird poop caterpillar. This stuffed version features a brown and white fabric, ruched to accentuate the caterpillar’s texture."</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For comparison, here is an early instar <i>Papilio canadensis</i> caterpillar:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyDu6TQ2H2mTE9X8NtcjGFKM-Nr3-jQiYFf59OElQMGk6qC8S3EZgHujsf0fXGB_BxB5eT6T2opUu-sqMHLgSiWbnhLCjaveSqDkZ4RshE5WOwPzTdK6veGOIKxkh5sW3mQBbnWN2t4A/s1600/DSC_0009+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyDu6TQ2H2mTE9X8NtcjGFKM-Nr3-jQiYFf59OElQMGk6qC8S3EZgHujsf0fXGB_BxB5eT6T2opUu-sqMHLgSiWbnhLCjaveSqDkZ4RshE5WOwPzTdK6veGOIKxkh5sW3mQBbnWN2t4A/s640/DSC_0009+(2).JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">An actual 1st instar <i>Papilio canandensis</i> caterpillar.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As caterpillars grow they progress through these <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instar">instars</a>, of which most caterpillars have five. The caterpillar will moult and typically adopt a new colour pattern better suited to its new feeding habits and larger size. For many of the swallowtail caterpillars, particularly those feeding on broad leaved plants, the caterpillars become green and gain eyespots in their later instars. Kristin incorporates the concept on moulting and colour change into her plush set by designing a lined zip-up pouch where you stuff the early instar caterpillar:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img height="427" src="http://www.kristinlaflamme.com/images/Metamorphosis%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The transition from early to late instar caterpillar. Photo: K. La Flamme</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once stuffed into the pouch the caterpillar takes on its late-instar form:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img height="427" src="http://www.kristinlaflamme.com/images/Metamorphosis%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The late instar plush caterpillar. Photo: K. La Flamme</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Note the button eyespots and the orange, forked <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmeterium">osmetarium</a> which was added in later versions. La Flamme adds:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I added the osmeterium (yellow-orange scent glands) later as it seemed like it could use a little jazzing up. I love how the functional zipper mimics the actual patterning on the real caterpillar. I really love that it was my daughter’s idea and not mine."</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She's right, check out this photo of a real late-instar Tiger Swallowtail (<i>Papilio canadensis</i>) caterpillar:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvxJ1qFw81Ne6-UQAMffBD862sLQqMBuG5jGYNlM9DoZ0z2pJ_jVXVdWu4maIMCvno1mg88zpc_xL4CV0-ZpeVaqMApYQ4_RpeDvvkRFIKfZIiO0xEHtY9VbVlwYBpTk0FW4Iz5sqbPs/s1600/DSCF2732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvxJ1qFw81Ne6-UQAMffBD862sLQqMBuG5jGYNlM9DoZ0z2pJ_jVXVdWu4maIMCvno1mg88zpc_xL4CV0-ZpeVaqMApYQ4_RpeDvvkRFIKfZIiO0xEHtY9VbVlwYBpTk0FW4Iz5sqbPs/s640/DSCF2732.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, the late-instar plush caterpillar gets pushed into its "chrysalis purse":</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img height="427" src="http://www.kristinlaflamme.com/images/Metamorphosis%204.jpg" width="640" />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...then out you pull the adult butterfly (imago)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...and here is the entire set:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDl1B_1QDhN21hTlo7iLnpBq2Ws6vXWTWtAZuu-_T3GYAbJLAt6LZOgHZyKYRlJBdy6ywbq20jFrK3bdm4ANBrlslB5tYAnOm4B_EgQoouKyNk1iepNffiGVBc2V1R6CiSjJ9mkfOUqE/s1600/plush+caterpillar+set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDl1B_1QDhN21hTlo7iLnpBq2Ws6vXWTWtAZuu-_T3GYAbJLAt6LZOgHZyKYRlJBdy6ywbq20jFrK3bdm4ANBrlslB5tYAnOm4B_EgQoouKyNk1iepNffiGVBc2V1R6CiSjJ9mkfOUqE/s640/plush+caterpillar+set.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I e-mailed Kristin to find out more about this plush set and her inspirations. She responded promptly with the follwoing answers to my quesitons:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom: What do you find most interesting about caterpillars? </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Kristin:</b> <i>I am in complete awe at a caterpillar's potential to become a butterfly. The differences in forms between various instars is amazing enough, but add yet another transformation into a seemingly completely different bug is incredible.</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">T: Do you think it is important to engage children with the natural world? If so why?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>K:</b> <i>I absolutely think it is important to engage children with the natural world. I think it gives them an understanding of how the world works, and I also think they become sympathetic to the need to respect and preserve nature rather than to just try to dominate it. I also think that engaging kids in nature allows them moments of awe and beauty that they may not find in the man-made world.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>T:</b> <b>What inspired you to make this plush caterpillar set?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>K:</b> <i>My daughter and I love to craft and sew together. It was her idea after watching the caterpillar transform to make some sort of softie of it's phases. I love making purses, so it seemed like an excellent opportunity to combine skills and make an interactive set that reflected what we had been watching in our back yard.</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">T: Have you done any other insect related artwork?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>K:<i> </i></b><i>I have not done any other insect related artwork. Although, the wads of tangled threads in my sewing room often remind me of little spiders and flies, so maybe there's the seeds of something there....</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">T: Can people order one of these plush caterpillar sets from your website?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>K: </b><i>This set was a one-time creation. I have toyed with the idea of partnering with a publisher and creating a story book with illustrations and instructions for making one's own plush metamorphosis set, but never actually pursued it</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thanks Kristin for your creativity and enthusiasm! </span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJqNad8qoJMIWCwT67egKMwtG3wOIOwl4WfPo9kQntTPDbsCmLlCQiuqaonbFX_eU8YyhM7ALKX0TUeQv4UbNCBQqwLui8LVui75LmH5Pn3HMHq3zcWfSdBFhykYSBkggowIm4fQM3AA/s1600/Kristin+La+Flamme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJqNad8qoJMIWCwT67egKMwtG3wOIOwl4WfPo9kQntTPDbsCmLlCQiuqaonbFX_eU8YyhM7ALKX0TUeQv4UbNCBQqwLui8LVui75LmH5Pn3HMHq3zcWfSdBFhykYSBkggowIm4fQM3AA/s1600/Kristin+La+Flamme.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can find out more about Kristin La Flamme and her fabric art by visiting <a href="http://kristinlaflamme.com/">her personal website</a> (http://kristinlaflamme.com/) and you can see her newest creations on <a href="http://kristinlaflamme.com/?page_id=2613">her blog</a>.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her original post about her plush caterpillar set can be found here: <a href="http://kristinlaflamme.com/musings/?p=779">Metamorphosis</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She has blogged about her experience with a Swallowtail caterpillar (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_xuthus">Papilio xuthus</a></i>) here: <a href="http://kristinlaflamme.com/musings/?p=770">Oh Poop!</a></span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-69657545692083783712012-08-02T22:36:00.003-04:002013-07-14T21:31:18.069-04:00I finally get photos of a Giant Swallowtail<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
A close encounter with <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_cresphontes">Papilio cresphontes</a> </i>(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallowtail_Butterfly">Papilionidae</a>)</span></h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc7yVdFPtVTlt1lXdECnbQjXQ8yMID2l9xlNWTZpegATg491JUjKllANYO7aNx-hunbMeqMHH_pYnYmhA88edzaw7Oer2pXDbv5Qjn0KDWCqVwBLo2B67hsS0hbCCcIHLhB-F1_nnig8/s1600/DSC_0041+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc7yVdFPtVTlt1lXdECnbQjXQ8yMID2l9xlNWTZpegATg491JUjKllANYO7aNx-hunbMeqMHH_pYnYmhA88edzaw7Oer2pXDbv5Qjn0KDWCqVwBLo2B67hsS0hbCCcIHLhB-F1_nnig8/s640/DSC_0041+(2).JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Papilio cresphontes</i> male puddling in Kemptville, ON. Photo taken Aug 2 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This summer has seen a massive influx of Giant Swallowtail butterflies in this part of Ontario (<a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/06/caterpillar-of-day-papilio-cresphontes.html">see my earlier post on this</a>). I went from having never seen one in my life to having seen about 10 already this summer alone. When I'm out in the field I am generally keeping an eye on the butterflies I see, especially the Swallowtails. I typically have my camera with me but currently I only have a 18-55mm lens and I am usually not ready or fast enough to snap a photo. When I am confident about a sighting I try to add them to the <a href="http://www.ebutterfly.ca/">eButterfly website</a>. I have really wanted to get photos of <i>Papilio cresphontes</i> this year. Partly because it is exciting to bear witness to (and record) this first wave of butterflies as they expand their range northward, and also partly to have concrete evidence that my sightings and records I have added to eButterfly are valid.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Aside</b>:<a href="http://www.ebutterfly.ca/pages/about"> eButterfly</a> is a website where anyone (including you!) can add their butterfly sightings to help scientists track species distributions and how they change over time. New records are being added all the time, which can be queried to see what butterflies are currently flying in your area. Their website provides a short list of reasons you might want to use thier website:</span></i><br />
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<ul>
<li><i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
Record the butterflies you see, photograph, and collect</div>
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<li><i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
Build a virtual collection of butterflies</div>
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<li><i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
Keep track of your butterfly lists (life, year, provinces)</div>
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<li><i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
Find butterflies you have never seen!</div>
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<li><i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
Explore dynamic maps</div>
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<li><i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
Share your sightings and join the eButterfly community</div>
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<li><i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
Contribute to science and conservation</div>
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</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I had just finished tearing down one replicate field trial of the pastry caterpillar field experiment I am currently running (details to come later). Just as I was leaving I saw a male <a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/06/caterpillar-of-day-papilio-cresphontes.html">Giant Swallowtail</a> puddling on the road (I almost ran it over!). I knew it was a male because females almost never engage in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud-puddling">puddling</a>. I stopped and opened my car door. To my surprise it was still there drinking! I threw my car in park, jumped out, popped the trunk and grabbed my camera. Long story short, the butterfly must have found a place it liked because for the next 15 minutes it stayed within a 5m radius lazily fluttering from one point on the road to another, occasionally stopping for a rest and prolonged drink. It didnt seem to mind my presence, and I was able to get within 30cm without disturbing him. I am happy and relieved that I managed to get a few nice shots. Here are a few that I liked most:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAkqUuNMtlZyjpLmVOInjw9MtAbf1markjT5IWcfqfQTXzRukiH4BJ1NffRSMs825h2AlVcTaVF4HEprjscELYhWuLZeJZ5nDmlAH6RVhPbUO5LcwF7yUxN-6PNCdrtSNNtZTefXpd_A/s1600/DSC_0013+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAkqUuNMtlZyjpLmVOInjw9MtAbf1markjT5IWcfqfQTXzRukiH4BJ1NffRSMs825h2AlVcTaVF4HEprjscELYhWuLZeJZ5nDmlAH6RVhPbUO5LcwF7yUxN-6PNCdrtSNNtZTefXpd_A/s640/DSC_0013+(5).JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdH6-lPU1gWhCe35yurwKr5chl8gGlxjZ2lAUch9ylxEVcxKk_i96Jz5XXd09qll5E6Chio43pSiy7_QeFEGqKN7TOmbTI5kNxIOwYxG01ry2hcLbKSfRZsFOAA4O124EzKV3iuLDIL4/s1600/DSC_0038+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdH6-lPU1gWhCe35yurwKr5chl8gGlxjZ2lAUch9ylxEVcxKk_i96Jz5XXd09qll5E6Chio43pSiy7_QeFEGqKN7TOmbTI5kNxIOwYxG01ry2hcLbKSfRZsFOAA4O124EzKV3iuLDIL4/s640/DSC_0038+(2).JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2D5-_Dq0HKDKDKGqTrd3XNoKjYKWjp8k1Jy499Nd-sPxZfofoY7N3B7-WV-A8unCliVEtoHqlL7YLkEnnynf81crBInr_TrHEWHjdhl4Wbt74n-N8uXoADLuUiqlNIf7i6UsBF8npygo/s1600/DSC_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2D5-_Dq0HKDKDKGqTrd3XNoKjYKWjp8k1Jy499Nd-sPxZfofoY7N3B7-WV-A8unCliVEtoHqlL7YLkEnnynf81crBInr_TrHEWHjdhl4Wbt74n-N8uXoADLuUiqlNIf7i6UsBF8npygo/s640/DSC_0044.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Note the excess water being excreted from the abdomen.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAY6AYs5iY6qSP0FqKx0xvwVD1kkYe0ax_2UQJt9xZgBZ_6jN9pajBlHnkuqvh-n9PC5xmv7jP4x5CgZ-2wajEjqcgCqV4TSV5j0TrLWa_z3ipohd0TwQUs0OG4bvmnuIprbQIqwxkfA/s1600/DSC_0050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAY6AYs5iY6qSP0FqKx0xvwVD1kkYe0ax_2UQJt9xZgBZ_6jN9pajBlHnkuqvh-n9PC5xmv7jP4x5CgZ-2wajEjqcgCqV4TSV5j0TrLWa_z3ipohd0TwQUs0OG4bvmnuIprbQIqwxkfA/s640/DSC_0050.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Related posts:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<li><a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/06/caterpillar-of-day-papilio-cresphontes.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Caterpillar of the day: <i>Papilio cresphontes</i></span></a></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-75156360677428146982012-07-15T16:43:00.001-04:002012-07-15T16:55:02.584-04:00Papilio glaucus: this far north?<div>
In the last week I have seen 2 adult Tiger Swallowtails. This seemed odd to me because, as far as I know <i>Papilio canadensis</i> is a univoltine species (at least up here around Ottawa) and it's flight period should have ended by now. See my earlier post on <a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2011/07/swallowtail-cohorts.html">swallowtail cohorts</a>.</div>
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<i>Aside: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltinism">voltinism </a>is the number of generations a species of butterfly (or other taxa) has in a year. Univoltine species have one generation in a year, bivoltine have 2, mutivoltime have >2, and semivoltine have <1. </i></div>
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I recently learned from the folks over at <a href="http://www.ebutterfly.ca/">eButterfly</a> <span style="background-color: white;">that for the last 4-5 years or so </span><i style="background-color: white;">Papilio glaucus</i><span style="background-color: white;"> has </span><span style="background-color: white;">occurred around the Ottawa area, overlapping in distribution with </span><i style="background-color: white;">Papilio canadensis</i><span style="background-color: white;">. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Apparently, </span><i style="background-color: white;">Papilio glaucus</i><span style="background-color: white;"> is bivoltine (even this far north), so the adults that I have been seeing are <i>Papilio glaucus</i> adults from the second flight period. It is worthwhile noting that I have also seen many <i>Papilio polyxenes</i> fluttering around.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsu4ul5qh_m6lH_V1uvaWyFbfaE5kogYTYHdXto6je4gN-aw-1RY4nGt2XgJTtlUgQYqZ6PsqTgZI_8hBWJQPjskLfHjW4ry6uhche3DRdSi8yqNuP3f39sn6UojGN4kRbIKd_e09wz90/s1600/DSC_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsu4ul5qh_m6lH_V1uvaWyFbfaE5kogYTYHdXto6je4gN-aw-1RY4nGt2XgJTtlUgQYqZ6PsqTgZI_8hBWJQPjskLfHjW4ry6uhche3DRdSi8yqNuP3f39sn6UojGN4kRbIKd_e09wz90/s640/DSC_0038.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><i>Papilio glaucus</i>, adult female. Probably attacked by a bird. Photo taken July 15 2012</td></tr>
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Below is my recent Twitter correspondence with the experts at eButterfly:<br />
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<span title="5:58 PM - 13 Jul 12">5:58 PM - 13 Jul 12</span>
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&middot; <a class="permalink-link js-permalink" href="/hossiet/status/223944618323087360" >Details</a>
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" data-is-reply-to="" data-item-id="223944618323087360" data-mentions="eButterfly_ca bug_girl weirdbuglady" data-name="Thomas Hossie" data-screen-name="hossiet" data-tweet-id="223944618323087360" data-user-id="251438362" style="background-color: whitesmoke; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; min-height: 51px; padding: 9px 12px; position: relative; zoom: 1;">
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<a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link" data-user-id="251438362" href="https://twitter.com/hossiet" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id" style="color: #333333;">Thomas Hossie</strong> <span class="username js-action-profile-name" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><s style="color: #bbbbbb; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="font-weight: normal;">hossiet</b></span></a><small class="time" style="color: #bbbbbb; float: right; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 1px; position: relative;"><a class="tweet-timestamp js-permalink" href="https://twitter.com/hossiet/status/223944618323087360" style="color: #999999; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="5:58 PM - 13 Jul 12"><span class="_timestamp js-short-timestamp " data-long-form="true" data-time="1342227532">13 Jul</span></a></small></div>
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Saw a Papilio canadensis adult today? I thought they'd be done by now up here just south of Ottawa. <a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/eButterfly_ca" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">eButterfly_ca</b></a> <a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/bug_girl" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">bug_girl</b></a><a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/weirdbuglady" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">weirdbuglady</b></a></div>
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<span title="5:39 AM - 14 Jul 12">5:39 AM - 14 Jul 12</span>
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&middot; <a class="permalink-link js-permalink" href="/eButterfly_ca/status/224120896716156928" >Details</a>
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" data-is-reply-to="" data-item-id="224120896716156928" data-mentions="hossiet" data-name="eButterfly" data-screen-name="eButterfly_ca" data-tweet-id="224120896716156928" data-user-id="549751945" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; min-height: 51px; padding: 9px 12px; position: relative; zoom: 1;">
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<a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/hossiet" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">hossiet</b></a> Hi Thomas what you saw is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail ( Papilio glaucus) , there second generation is just starting</div>
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<span title="7:05 AM - 14 Jul 12">7:05 AM - 14 Jul 12</span>
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" data-is-reply-to="true" data-item-id="224142461281370113" data-mentions="eButterfly_ca" data-name="Thomas Hossie" data-screen-name="hossiet" data-tweet-id="224142461281370113" data-user-id="251438362" focus-reply="false" style="background-color: whitesmoke; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; min-height: 51px; padding: 9px 12px; position: relative;">
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<span title="8:14 AM - 14 Jul 12">8:14 AM - 14 Jul 12</span>
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" data-is-reply-to="" data-item-id="224159941894750208" data-mentions="hossiet" data-name="eButterfly" data-screen-name="eButterfly_ca" data-tweet-id="224159941894750208" data-user-id="549751945" style="background-color: whitesmoke; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; min-height: 51px; padding: 9px 12px; position: relative; zoom: 1;">
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<a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/hossiet" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">hossiet</b></a> we have now had P. glaucus in Ottawa for 4-5 years with each year they are becoming more common.</div>
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" data-is-reply-to="" data-item-id="224190985524084736" data-mentions="hossiet" data-name="eButterfly" data-screen-name="eButterfly_ca" data-tweet-id="224190985524084736" data-user-id="549751945" style="background-color: whitesmoke; border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; min-height: 51px; padding: 9px 12px; position: relative; zoom: 1;">
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<a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/hossiet" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">hossiet</b></a> P. glaucus overall habitus is bigger, the row of yellow spots on the outrr edge of the upper wing are linked and...</div>
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<a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/hossiet" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">hossiet</b></a> only P glaucus has a second generation so with few exceptions, any fresh tiger swallowtail in july is P glaucus</div>
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<span title="10:04 AM - 14 Jul 12">10:04 AM - 14 Jul 12</span>
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" data-is-reply-to="" data-item-id="224187570618253312" data-mentions="hossiet" data-name="eButterfly" data-screen-name="eButterfly_ca" data-tweet-id="224187570618253312" data-user-id="549751945" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(232, 232, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; min-height: 51px; padding: 9px 12px; position: relative; zoom: 1;">
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<a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link" data-user-id="549751945" href="https://twitter.com/eButterfly_ca" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id" style="color: #333333;">eButterfly</strong> <span class="username js-action-profile-name" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><s style="color: #bbbbbb; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="font-weight: normal;">eButterfly_ca</b></span></a><small class="time" style="color: #bbbbbb; float: right; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 1px; position: relative;"><a class="tweet-timestamp js-permalink" href="https://twitter.com/eButterfly_ca/status/224187570618253312" style="color: #999999; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="10:04 AM - 14 Jul 12"><span class="_timestamp js-short-timestamp " data-long-form="true" data-time="1342285456">14 Jul</span></a></small></div>
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<a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/hossiet" style="color: #0084b4; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">hossiet</b></a> yep they do hybridize which makes it very hard to distinguish them in the spring when both are on the wing.</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-77538531409918390342012-06-26T23:15:00.004-04:002012-06-27T18:34:51.418-04:00Carleton Newsroom covers my research<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVkHPyojuZz5o3Q8oNX56qMW_7CWVwd93pO3mfH_-Yo2FOa4c6JrYTc-hLYWnF1_z5fm3NRlawvTiugeGPZzP1k7gSPDUaM8W7SkAtWmv42P936JSIxiE5uW8xjuWsibUsbUN30D9YPo/s1600/06_22a-CE22_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVkHPyojuZz5o3Q8oNX56qMW_7CWVwd93pO3mfH_-Yo2FOa4c6JrYTc-hLYWnF1_z5fm3NRlawvTiugeGPZzP1k7gSPDUaM8W7SkAtWmv42P936JSIxiE5uW8xjuWsibUsbUN30D9YPo/s640/06_22a-CE22_1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">A pastry caterpillar attacked by bird during my field experiment in 2010</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Carleton Newsroom just posted a story about my research. The full article can be found on the Carleton University website here: </span><a href="http://newsroom.carleton.ca/2012/06/26/grad-student-aims-discover-secret-caterpillar-eyespots/" style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Grad Student Aims to Discover Secret of Caterpillar Eyespots</i></b></a><br />
<br />
Details about this research can be found in the earlier post <a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/06/bbc-nature-covers-my-eyespot-research.html" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">What I did and how I did it: an experiment with pastry caterpillars</a> or you can find the <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856">full article here</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Related:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2011/06/most-extraordinary-instance-of.html" style="background-color: white;">Introduction to my research</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18393777" style="background-color: white;">Modelling dough caterpillars provide camouflage clue</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (BBC Nature article)</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/18460239" style="background-color: white;">Fake caterpillars help scientists to trick birds</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (CBBC Newsround version of the BBC Nature article) </span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2012/06/life-is-stranger-than-fiction.html" style="background-color: white;">Life is stranger than fiction</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (The Pokémon post mentioned in the Carleton article)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-15295936491794009072012-06-20T12:09:00.002-04:002012-06-21T00:10:22.051-04:00Papilio canadensis eggs and 1st instar<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Eggs and Hatchlings!</h2>
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One of the female butterflies that I had sleeved over a branch of Trembling Aspen laid 2 eggs on June 14 2012. Females are very picky when it comes to the leaves they choose for egg laying, and <i>Papilio canadensis</i> butterflies typically lay just one egg on a given leaf. This strategy is common among butterflies, especially ones whose caterpillars are palatable prey items.</div>
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Here are some photos of the progression from just-laid to hatching:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKT6QeeTUq_nLPE0ca66v04iRZa9v8EprB0-w6WtwVjzZ4EOq_gj3a0QRKgS-Bc4xSfG9yJdmbQuD9TZmdo6mdGqGXGnsD8hOyHiwH2iGp_WYkN1UC8kR0xSzUD2ZIHKQPjhXT7WCSBc/s1600/2012-06-14+14.57.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKT6QeeTUq_nLPE0ca66v04iRZa9v8EprB0-w6WtwVjzZ4EOq_gj3a0QRKgS-Bc4xSfG9yJdmbQuD9TZmdo6mdGqGXGnsD8hOyHiwH2iGp_WYkN1UC8kR0xSzUD2ZIHKQPjhXT7WCSBc/s640/2012-06-14+14.57.19.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Papilio canadensis</i> egg on day of laying - June 14 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePe_L6KtcPu0qV5mJN9SgiViVBLhXNW1_J-WSh1lpcEnNqZAmImJPN6n9atf5xtBKXyBhhH1iYfH06jJE4scfPOFBnLoxtfvt9qSvE-738CnJPohaaj9wVoaXIt11W_xiuPsrZYR6EUw/s1600/DSC_0008+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePe_L6KtcPu0qV5mJN9SgiViVBLhXNW1_J-WSh1lpcEnNqZAmImJPN6n9atf5xtBKXyBhhH1iYfH06jJE4scfPOFBnLoxtfvt9qSvE-738CnJPohaaj9wVoaXIt11W_xiuPsrZYR6EUw/s640/DSC_0008+(2).JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Papilio canadensis</i> egg 3 days old - June 17 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtPoccw1KX6DbzXRQOCdCFtDvPGos24clbSrzq2y6lXy1-wy1xq6RKw7y-tr5OfUo2kIAh0zry2RNeDPJ7hwzvs9XNoJinBWzHpOy0RQf8ZghjWGVj0EPVg_2lbVylsWh6VDJXu1u7Jg/s1600/DSC_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtPoccw1KX6DbzXRQOCdCFtDvPGos24clbSrzq2y6lXy1-wy1xq6RKw7y-tr5OfUo2kIAh0zry2RNeDPJ7hwzvs9XNoJinBWzHpOy0RQf8ZghjWGVj0EPVg_2lbVylsWh6VDJXu1u7Jg/s640/DSC_0030.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Papilio canadensis</i> egg on day of hatching - June 20 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKv0JcdqhcxVY_Huu9Aym5nNkyqA5hBILrgU3cPoi6myEJJfGEjwZt0G7YAZLeY12O27IGb_NHqn42AqxXenxGQtrlrtO6c41UPC_XCSgSGj_NA8vLaoRtRHfmlEgu4NzCtOoUSqnOY0/s1600/DSC_0009+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKv0JcdqhcxVY_Huu9Aym5nNkyqA5hBILrgU3cPoi6myEJJfGEjwZt0G7YAZLeY12O27IGb_NHqn42AqxXenxGQtrlrtO6c41UPC_XCSgSGj_NA8vLaoRtRHfmlEgu4NzCtOoUSqnOY0/s640/DSC_0009+(2).JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st instar <i>Papilio canadensis</i> caterpillar hours after hatching - June 20 2012. <br />
Note that the egg shell has already been eaten.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sHyD9-ND2KECD4xD7JUdU8ZJ7ERHed3rUczhuG5_V7vz2z5Sx2S45o2fl6jCsnJvmuQPCcFeO27eQ-GKS9wVYxq3o3ADJRwJMIos1YyyU037uWjlvw8b_W_awcp-YyktJ1x7YwiwtcE/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sHyD9-ND2KECD4xD7JUdU8ZJ7ERHed3rUczhuG5_V7vz2z5Sx2S45o2fl6jCsnJvmuQPCcFeO27eQ-GKS9wVYxq3o3ADJRwJMIos1YyyU037uWjlvw8b_W_awcp-YyktJ1x7YwiwtcE/s640/DSC_0011.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st instar Papilio canadensis caterpillar hours after hatching - June 20 2012. <br />
If disturbed the caterpillar will weakly thrash, but is mostly inactive.<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last year I reared these caterpillars too, so check out earlier posts to find more photos and information about these little guys!<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Earlier posts:</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/search?q=eggs#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2011/06/papilio-canadensis-caterpillars-1st.html">Papilio canandensis caterpillars (1st instar)</a> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2011/06/2nd-cohort-of-caterpillars-hatched.html"><span style="font-size: large;">2nd cohort of caterpillars hatched</span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2011/06/field-and-lab-notes.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Field and Lab Notes</span></a></span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/#!http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.com/2011/07/4-new-eggs.html"><span style="font-size: large;">4 new eggs</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489411986204475273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400670555595803518.post-82964839239212112352012-06-15T16:25:00.003-04:002013-07-17T12:04:34.551-04:00Effects of eyespots and body colour on caterpillar survival<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
What I did and how I did it: an experiment with pastry caterpillars</span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulJixoO0WE8T2G4YQ2VtOY-ku1J5snFHbAJ7C-XgtfjTbVeKjSoMDN46B9Bmv5e69mq20zvtge6Zxt8qaWztogqC5xeCFeH4tsHSWViH5AI2m5QWo6NZ6TGStTdcUxo_efRg1huN2HmI/s1600/TomHossie+-+Looking+at+brown+Papilio+canadensis+caterpillar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulJixoO0WE8T2G4YQ2VtOY-ku1J5snFHbAJ7C-XgtfjTbVeKjSoMDN46B9Bmv5e69mq20zvtge6Zxt8qaWztogqC5xeCFeH4tsHSWViH5AI2m5QWo6NZ6TGStTdcUxo_efRg1huN2HmI/s640/TomHossie+-+Looking+at+brown+Papilio+canadensis+caterpillar.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Me (Tom Hossie) examining a late 5th instar <i>Papilio canadensis</i> caterpillar that I reared last summer (2011)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/">BBC Nature</a> website posed a short piece on my research - <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18393777"><i><b>see the write-up here</b></i></a>. This write-up talks about the work I did in the summer of 2010 for the first chapter of my PhD thesis. This work was recently recently published in a journal called <i><a href="http://www.journals.elsevier.com/animal-behaviour/">Animal Behaviour</a></i>. You can see a copy of the article <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856"><b>here</b></a> via ScienceDirect. Note also that the photos from the BBC Nature piece are ones that I took during my research over the last two years.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF69RSP6NhcdjhkyIKaRjZexOXlzidubMSFVAN_y5LGj-OIjqvaaWhckHIAacc9koJjPuOhoJ2DzABxfVOgAsIFZ6IF5HO-UcKQQ28WCJdQby8F5llXvVCF1O36EWVysW1jGq0VJeN-cc/s1600/Cat+1+-+defensive.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF69RSP6NhcdjhkyIKaRjZexOXlzidubMSFVAN_y5LGj-OIjqvaaWhckHIAacc9koJjPuOhoJ2DzABxfVOgAsIFZ6IF5HO-UcKQQ28WCJdQby8F5llXvVCF1O36EWVysW1jGq0VJeN-cc/s640/Cat+1+-+defensive.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A 5th instar <i>Papilio canadensis</i> caterpillar reared last summer (2011)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In this project I wanted to examine the relative protection aforded to caterpillars by eyespots, countershading, and any synergistic protective effects of these traits. This design was partly motivated by the question of whether eyespots could protect prey better than simply increasing their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crypsis">crypsis</a> (e.g., via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countershading">countershading</a>), but also after seeing several examples of caterpillars with eyespots I had noticed that many of them were in fact countershaded as well. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aside: I should say that <b>countershading </b>is an animal colour pattern where the pigments on the dorsal surfaces (i.e., the animal's back) are darker than the ventral pigments. Most, but not all, of the hypothesized functions of countershading suggest a camouflage function. For example, the self-shadow concealment hypothesis proposes that having dark pigments where the body is naturally illuminated by the sun and lighter pigments in those areas that are naturally shaded may increase background matching, or weaken 3D cues used by predators to detect their prey.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My experiment had 4 treatments: solid-no eyespots, solid-eyespots, countershaded-no eyespots, and countershaded-eyespots. So, I made artificial caterpillars using flour and lard, dyed using with food-colouring (to add eyespots I used non-toxic paint). Once made, the "caterpillars" were pinned to tree branches (yes, <a href="http://caterpillar-eyespots.blogspot.ca/2011/06/proof-of-concept-caterpillars-spend.html">caterpillars spend a non-trivial amount of time on tree branches</a>) and monitored continuously over 90h. Specifically we were looking for peck marks left by birds or "caterpillars" that went missing altogether. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many other researchers have used a similar design to examine other questions, I just modified it to test the effect of eyespots on caterpillar-like prey.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu3oGJKh7y4E1hdLFa1-DmnqXm-GLQpZqBfIdY18oAQhyphenhyphenhinGUUCgg9N33dxNhgWEg5sK6Cw-MT8cgW_5rI2vZkqAcBPLeym4_1tWbnv-EjvrOe2m00irWRl9iIJ5r_gSKUgd9mGxPF0/s1600/DSCF1365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu3oGJKh7y4E1hdLFa1-DmnqXm-GLQpZqBfIdY18oAQhyphenhyphenhinGUUCgg9N33dxNhgWEg5sK6Cw-MT8cgW_5rI2vZkqAcBPLeym4_1tWbnv-EjvrOe2m00irWRl9iIJ5r_gSKUgd9mGxPF0/s640/DSCF1365.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The 4 prey types I used in this project</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Field experiments are inherently ‘noisy’ meaning that because of a number of factors out of your control it can sometimes be difficult to detect significant patterns. Other researchers had shown previously that bigger eyespots resulted in greater protection of moth-like targets, and as this was the first time anyone had examined the protective effect of eyespots on caterpillars in this way we used relatively large eyespots to increase our chance of detecting an effect. Eyespot size and the specific eyespot pattern employed both could have influenced our results, but future work is needed to address these questions. Perhaps a more interesting point is the possible effect of morphological changes made by the caterpillar to change when it feels threatened. Many caterpillars with eyespots inflate their anterior body segments to change the shape of the “head” possibly to look more imposing or to increase their resemblance of a snake. We are investigating this question currently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Update:</b> We have now conducted this research examining the role of the "head" shape during the rest and defensive postures. We found that both inflated anterior body segments and eyespots can deter bird attacks. This work was published in the journal <a href="http://www.journals.elsevier.com/animal-behaviour/">Animal Behaviour</a>. See the full article <b><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347213002480">here</a></b>.</i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of my field sites for this work. Kemptville, ON.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes my caterpillars were attacked by ants...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhL613RA84Bce6tXEFwARmQmbb5BjyVMO1Cf_J_vanYps8cfIX5ZYQs4UlEFYLQ4-S_H4hFfsObM4ge7_XVj6R7Z_1UdPDEn_d4PiJOefxFJexohspJgMlyVOgzYDxVYT7QCPbY39y5JM/s1600/DSCF1437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhL613RA84Bce6tXEFwARmQmbb5BjyVMO1Cf_J_vanYps8cfIX5ZYQs4UlEFYLQ4-S_H4hFfsObM4ge7_XVj6R7Z_1UdPDEn_d4PiJOefxFJexohspJgMlyVOgzYDxVYT7QCPbY39y5JM/s640/DSCF1437.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...and other times they were attacked by slugs (usually after a light rain)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A number of the pastry caterpillars were attacked by unwanted
enemies of pastry. Ants were a big one, slugs were another. Both leave distinctive damage
markings. Because we used a statistical technique called Cox-proportional
hazards (a type of survival analysis) we were able to stop these unwated
attacks from having an effect on our results by “censoring” them at the time when the
unwanted attack occurred. Slugs were especially problematic after light rain.
Along with the distinctive damage they leave on the pastry caterpillars you can
tell the slugs were feeding on them because you can see the green food-coloured
pastry in their stomachs! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In this experiment, eyespots alone were not sufficient to protect caterpillars. In real caterpillars however other factors are also at play which likely increase the protective effect of eyespots. For example, in our pastry caterpillar experiment we weren't able to include the effect of behaviours expressed by caterpillars upon attack. We think that in caterpillars the protective effect of eyespots is enhanced by behaviours expressed upon attack that either startle off the attacker or resemble the movements of a threatening object like a snake. Also, eyespots may afford greater protection from insect-eating birds in the tropical ecosystems where a bird’s innate and/or learned wariness of eye-like features is heightened because of the greater diversity and abundance of dangerous things like snakes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Interestingly, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the countershaded-eyespots treatment</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> -</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">which were most like our local eyespot caterpillars (</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Papilio canadensis</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">survived the best. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was an important finding because almost no empirical work had been done to examine the protective effect of caterpillar eyespots. Other work has shown that eyespots can increase survival of butterflies and moth-like targets, yet although eyespots are perhaps even more common in caterpillars only a handful of studies have ever attempted to examine the strength of their protective effect in this life stage. The most interesting result of this work is the synergistic effect of eyespots and body-colour. In isolation neither countershading nor eyespots significantly reduced predation on our pastry caterpillars, but together predation dropped significantly. To me, this suggests that seemingly independent defences are working together in ways that we don’t fully appreciate. Now that we have shown that eyespots can protect caterpillars we are looking to understand why some species evolve eyespots and not others.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Here is the full citation for this research:</span></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347212001856">Hossie, T. J., Sherratt, T. N., (2012) Eyespots interact with body colour to protect caterpillar-like prey from avian predators. Animal Behaviour 84(1): 167-173, doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.04.027</a></span></i></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Minor updates July 17 2013</span></i></b></div>
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