SURVIVAL VALUES OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF CAMOUFLAGE AS SHOWN IN A MODEL POPULATION

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pastry “larvae” were coloured in different ways and offered in randomised samples on a lawn to wild birds. Small adaptive changes provided significant protection and included the following methods of camouflage:— background colour resemblance, disruptive coloration, countershading and disguise—a leaf mimic. General colour seemed of overriding importance in camouflage. Very tentative estimations were made of comparative vulnerability values for various methods of camouflage in relation to this particular experimental arrangement. A rather poor quality leaf mimic, a countershaded model and a disruptively coloured model had an approximately equal advantage over a well‐matched plain standard green model, but the advantage was only equal to and certainly not more than a small colour change. Increased predation pressure enhanced the value of small adaptive advantages. Some evidence was found for the adaptive value of seasonal dimorphism. There was some indication that stable polymorphism might be based upon factors simpler than a balance of harmful and beneficial genes.

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: