Do animal eyespots really mimic eyes？

作     者：Martin STEVENS Graeme D RUXTON 

作者机构：Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn TR10 9FE UK School of Biology University of St Andrews Dyers Brae House St Andrews Fife KY16 9TH UK 

出 版 物：《Current Zoology》 (动物学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2014年第60卷第1期

页      面：26-36页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 090603[农学-临床兽医学] 07[理学] 0905[农学-畜牧学] 0906[农学-兽医学] 09[农学] 071002[理学-动物学] 

基　　金：supported by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, David Phillips Research Fellowship GDR by the Natural Environment Research Council Standard 

主　　题：Eyespots Predation Animal coloration Mimicry Warning signals 

摘      要：The diversity of anti-predator adaptations in the natural world has long been an active area of research in evolutionary and behavioural biology. A common visually-obvious feature found on prey are ＇eyespots＇, being approximately circular mark- ings often with concentric rings and conspicuous colours. These are found on a range of animals, especially adult and larval Lepidoptera and fish. One of the most widespread functions of eyespots seems to be to intimidate or startle predators： delaying, preventing or halting an attack. However, while the fact that they can influence predators in this way is tmcuntroversial, the mechanism（s） behind why they are effective is debated. Traditionally, they have been assumed to work by mimicking the eyes of the predator＇s own enemies, and much research in this field is conducted under the implicit or explicit assumption that this theory is correct. However, eyespots might work simply by being highly salient stimuli that promote sensory overload, biases, or neo- phobic reactions in predators. A range of recent studies has aimed to test these alternatives. Here, we critically evaluate this work and what it tells us about the mechanisms underlying eyespot function. We conclude that although eye mimicry is plausible, there remains a lack of evidence to support it and most observations are at least equally consistent with alternative mechanisms. Finally we also discuss how the debate can be resolved