Butterfly mimicry through the eyes of bird predators

[ScienceDaily]

Wing color patterns of butterflies perform different signalling functions, from avoiding bird predators to attracting potential mates. Such conflicting natural and sexual selection pressures may compromise the efficacy of specific signal functions. This study shows that butterflies perhaps try to optimize signal components in sex- and wing surface-specific manners such that naturally and sexually selected signal components are partitioned on the two wing surfaces, with females being better mimics.

 

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