Are Toxic Butterflies More Easily Detected by Human 'Predators'?
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| Title: | Are Toxic Butterflies More Easily Detected by Human 'Predators'? |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Erickson, Marilia Fernandes1 (AUTHOR) marilia.fernandeserickson@students.mq.edu.au, McLean, Donald James1 (AUTHOR), Herberstein, Marie E.1,2,3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Ecology & Evolution (20457758). Apr2026, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p1-12. 12p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Toxicity testing, *Animal behavior, Butterflies, Insect wings, Animal coloration, Lepidoptera, Aposematism, Predation |
| Abstract: | Butterfly colours often signal unprofitability due to toxicity to predators, with more conspicuous colour signals increasing predator avoidance learning. These signals can be on the dorsal and/or ventral wing surfaces, which are more visible during flight or at rest respectively. Here we are interested in the relationship between toxicity and conspicuousness in Australian butterflies. We use detectability as a proxy for conspicuousness and test whether toxic butterflies are more detectable on both the dorsal and ventral wing sides using a computer game where humans hunt butterflies against multiple backgrounds. The game was played by over 1700 players who collectively reacted to over 67,000 images of butterflies. Toxicity was assessed using Daphnia mortality assays on over 420 individuals from 61 species. Specifically, we tested (1) if the detectability of dorsal or ventral butterfly wings was related to toxicity, and (2) if butterflies that were more toxic had similar dorsal and ventral detectability. For dorsal surfaces, we found that the more toxic butterflies were detected faster than less toxic butterflies, whereas there was no relationship between toxicity and detection time for ventral surfaces. These findings are consistent with previous work that suggests aposematic signals are particularly relevant when animals are in motion, since the dorsal wing surface of butterflies—the more detectable side—is usually visible during flight rather than at rest. We also found that more toxic butterflies were more similar between dorsal and ventral detection, suggesting that greater levels of toxicity are communicated both ventrally and dorsally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Ecology & Evolution (20457758) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | GreenFILE |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 193322581 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Are Toxic Butterflies More Easily Detected by Human 'Predators'? – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Erickson%2C+Marilia+Fernandes%22">Erickson, Marilia Fernandes</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> marilia.fernandeserickson@students.mq.edu.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McLean%2C+Donald+James%22">McLean, Donald James</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Herberstein%2C+Marie+E%2E%22">Herberstein, Marie E.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Ecology+%26+Evolution+%2820457758%29%22">Ecology & Evolution (20457758)</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p1-12. 12p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toxicity+testing%22">Toxicity testing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Animal+behavior%22">Animal behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Butterflies%22">Butterflies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Insect+wings%22">Insect wings</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Animal+coloration%22">Animal coloration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lepidoptera%22">Lepidoptera</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Aposematism%22">Aposematism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predation%22">Predation</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Butterfly colours often signal unprofitability due to toxicity to predators, with more conspicuous colour signals increasing predator avoidance learning. These signals can be on the dorsal and/or ventral wing surfaces, which are more visible during flight or at rest respectively. Here we are interested in the relationship between toxicity and conspicuousness in Australian butterflies. We use detectability as a proxy for conspicuousness and test whether toxic butterflies are more detectable on both the dorsal and ventral wing sides using a computer game where humans hunt butterflies against multiple backgrounds. The game was played by over 1700 players who collectively reacted to over 67,000 images of butterflies. Toxicity was assessed using Daphnia mortality assays on over 420 individuals from 61 species. Specifically, we tested (1) if the detectability of dorsal or ventral butterfly wings was related to toxicity, and (2) if butterflies that were more toxic had similar dorsal and ventral detectability. For dorsal surfaces, we found that the more toxic butterflies were detected faster than less toxic butterflies, whereas there was no relationship between toxicity and detection time for ventral surfaces. These findings are consistent with previous work that suggests aposematic signals are particularly relevant when animals are in motion, since the dorsal wing surface of butterflies—the more detectable side—is usually visible during flight rather than at rest. We also found that more toxic butterflies were more similar between dorsal and ventral detection, suggesting that greater levels of toxicity are communicated both ventrally and dorsally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Ecology & Evolution (20457758) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/ece3.73357 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Toxicity testing Type: general – SubjectFull: Animal behavior Type: general – SubjectFull: Butterflies Type: general – SubjectFull: Insect wings Type: general – SubjectFull: Animal coloration Type: general – SubjectFull: Lepidoptera Type: general – SubjectFull: Aposematism Type: general – SubjectFull: Predation Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Are Toxic Butterflies More Easily Detected by Human 'Predators'? Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Erickson, Marilia Fernandes – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: McLean, Donald James – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Herberstein, Marie E. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 15 M: 04 Text: Apr2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 20457758 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 16 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Ecology & Evolution (20457758) Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
