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John L, Santon M, Michiels NK. Scorpionfish adjust skin pattern contrast on different backgrounds. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11124. [PMID: 38476704 PMCID: PMC10928359 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The two scorpionfish species Scorpaena maderensis and S. porcus are well camouflaged ambush predators that rapidly change body colouration to adjust to background colour in less than 1 min. We tested whether individuals of both species also adjust body pattern to that of the background. We placed fish on backgrounds of different pattern granularity and quantified the change in fish body pattern over 1 min. We used calibrated image analysis to analyse the patterns from the visual perspective of a prey fish species using a granularity (pattern energy) analysis and an image clustering approach. In our experiment, fish did not change their most contrasting pattern components as defined by the dominant marking size, but changed their average marking size. Moreover, fish responded with a change in pattern in contrast to the different experimental backgrounds, especially when compared to the acclimation phase. These results indicate that scorpionfish have one main pattern that can be adjusted by modulating its internal contrast. A reduction in pattern contrast could thereby improve background matching, while an increase could promote camouflage via disruptive colouration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie John
- Animal Evolutionary EcologyInstitute of Evolution and Ecology, University of TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - Matteo Santon
- Ecology of Vision Group, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Nico K. Michiels
- Animal Evolutionary EcologyInstitute of Evolution and Ecology, University of TübingenTübingenGermany
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John L, Santon M, Michiels NK. Scorpionfish rapidly change colour in response to their background. Front Zool 2023; 20:10. [PMID: 36864453 PMCID: PMC9983180 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00488-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To facilitate background matching in heterogenous environments, some animals rapidly change body colouration. Marine predatory fishes might use this ability to hide from predators and prey. Here, we focus on scorpionfishes (Scorpaenidae), well-camouflaged, bottom-dwelling sit-and-wait predators. We tested whether Scorpaena maderensis and Scorpaena porcus adjust body luminance and hue in response to three artificial backgrounds and thereby achieve background matching. Both scorpionfish species are also red fluorescent, which could contribute to background matching at depth. Therefore, we tested whether red fluorescence is also regulated in response to different backgrounds. The darkest and the lightest backgrounds were grey, while the third background was orange of intermediate luminance. Scorpionfish were placed on all three backgrounds in a randomised repeated measures design. We documented changes in scorpionfish luminance and hue with image analysis and calculated contrast to the backgrounds. Changes were quantified from the visual perspective of two potential prey fishes, the triplefin Tripterygion delaisi and the goby Pomatoschistus flavescens. Additionally, we measured changes in the area of scorpionfish red fluorescence. Because scorpionfish changed quicker than initially expected, we measured luminance change at a higher temporal resolution in a second experiment. RESULTS Both scorpionfish species rapidly adjusted luminance and hue in response to a change of background. From prey visual perspective, scorpionfishes' body achromatic and chromatic contrasts against the background were high, indicating imperfect background matching. Chromatic contrasts differed considerably between the two observer species, highlighting the importance of choosing natural observers with care when studying camouflage. Scorpionfish displayed larger areas of red fluorescence with increasing luminance of the background. With the second experiment, we showed that about 50% of the total luminance change observed after one minute is achieved very rapidly, in five to ten seconds. CONCLUSION Both scorpionfish species change body luminance and hue in response to different backgrounds within seconds. While the achieved background matching was suboptimal for the artificial backgrounds, we propose that the observed changes were intended to reduce detectability, and are an essential strategy to camouflage in the natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie John
- Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf Der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Matteo Santon
- grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf Der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany ,grid.5337.20000 0004 1936 7603Ecology of Vision Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ UK
| | - Nico K. Michiels
- grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf Der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Fuller RC, McGhee KE, Sandkam B, Schrader M, Travis J. Polyphenisms and polymorphisms: Genetic variation in plasticity and color variation within and among bluefin killifish populations. Evolution 2022; 76:1590-1606. [PMID: 35598089 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The presence of stable color polymorphisms within populations begs the question of how genetic variation is maintained. Consistent variation among populations in coloration, especially when correlated with environmental variation, raises questions about whether environmental conditions affect either the fulcrum of those balanced polymorphisms, the plastic expression of coloration, or both. Color patterns in male bluefin killifish provoke both types of questions. Red and yellow morphs are common in all populations. Blue males are more common in tannin-stained swamps relative to clear springs. Here, we combined crosses with a manipulation of light to explore how genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity shape these patterns. We found that the variation in coloration is attributable mainly to two axes of variation: (1) a red-yellow axis with yellow being dominant to red, and (2) a blue axis that can override red-yellow and is controlled by genetics, phenotypic plasticity, and genetic variation for phenotypic plasticity. The variation among populations in plasticity suggests it is adaptive in some populations but not others. The variation among sires in plasticity within the swamp population suggests balancing selection may be acting not only on the red-yellow polymorphism but also on plasticity for blue coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Fuller
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Katie E McGhee
- Department of Biology, University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, USA
| | - Benjamin Sandkam
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Matthew Schrader
- Department of Biology, University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joseph Travis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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Borisov RR, Nikonova IN, Parshin-Chudin AV, Kovacheva NP. Effect of Background Color on the Coloration of Juvenile Giant Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. RUSS J ECOL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1067413622010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Wuthrich KL, Nagel A, Swierk L. Rapid Body Color Change Provides Lizards with Facultative Crypsis in the Eyes of Their Avian Predators. Am Nat 2021; 199:277-290. [DOI: 10.1086/717678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Lin Wuthrich
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902
| | - Amber Nagel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019
| | - Lindsey Swierk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511; and Amazon Conservatory for Tropical Studies, Iquitos, Loreto 16001, Perú
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da Silva CRB, van den Berg CP, Condon ND, Riginos C, Wilson RS, Cheney KL. Intertidal gobies acclimate rate of luminance change for background matching with shifts in seasonal temperature. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1735-1746. [PMID: 32227334 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Rate of colour change and background matching capacity are important functional traits for avoiding predation and hiding from prey. Acute changes in environmental temperature are known to impact the rate at which animals change colour, and therefore may affect their survival. Many ectotherms have the ability to acclimate performance traits such as locomotion, metabolic rate and growth rate with changes in seasonal temperature. However, it remains unclear how other functional traits that are directly linked to behaviour and survival respond to long-term changes in temperature (within an individual's lifetime). We assessed whether the rate of colour change is altered by long-term changes in temperature (seasonal variation) and if rate of colour change can acclimate to seasonal thermal conditions. We used an intertidal rock-pool goby Bathygobius cocosensis, to test this and exposed individuals to representative seasonal mean temperatures (16 or 31°C, herein referred to cold- and warm-exposed fish respectively) for 9 weeks and then tested their rate of luminance change when placed on white and black backgrounds at acute test temperatures 16 and 31°C. We modelled rate of luminance change using the visual sensitives of a coral trout Plectropmus leopardus to determine how well gobies matched their backgrounds in terms of luminance contrast to a potential predator. After exposure to long-term seasonal conditions, the warm-exposed fish had faster rates of luminance change and matched their background more closely when tested at 31 than at 16°C. Similarly, the cold-exposed fish had faster rates of luminance change and matched their backgrounds more closely at 16°C than at 31°C. This demonstrates that rate of luminance change can be adjusted to compensate for long-term changes in seasonal temperature. This is the first study to show that animals can acclimate rate of colour change for background matching to seasonal thermal conditions. We also show that rapid changes in acute temperature reduce background matching capabilities. Stochastic changes in climate are likely to affect the frequency of predator-prey interactions which may have substantial knock-on effects throughout ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen R B da Silva
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic., Australia
| | - Cedric P van den Berg
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Nicholas D Condon
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Cynthia Riginos
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Robbie S Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Karen L Cheney
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Salisbury JW, Peters RA. Non-random perch selection by cryptic lizards, Amphibolurus muricatus. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2730-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Wilby D, Riches S, Daly IM, Bird A, Wheelwright M, Foster JJ. Hermit crabs (Pagurus bernhardus) use visual contrast in self-assessment of camouflage. J Exp Biol 2018; 221:221/13/jeb173831. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.173831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Animals can make use of camouflage to reduce the likelihood of visual detection or recognition and thus improve their chances of survival. Background matching, where body colouration is closely matched to the surrounding substrate, is one form of camouflage. Hermit crabs have the opportunity to choose their camouflage independently of body colouration as they inhabit empty gastropod shells, making them ideal to study their choice of camouflage. We used 3D-printed artificial shells of varying contrasts against a grey substrate to test whether hermit crabs prefer shells that they perceive as less conspicuous. Contrast-minimising shells were chosen for Weber contrasts stronger than −0.5. However, in looming experiments, animals responded to contrasts as weak as −0.2, indicating that while they can detect differences between shells and the background, they are only motivated to move into those shells when the alternatives contrast strongly. This suggests a trade-off between camouflage and vulnerability introduced by switching shells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wilby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Samuel Riches
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Ilse M. Daly
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Andrew Bird
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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