Cuttlefish camouflage: context-dependent body pattern use during motion
- 19 August 2009
- journal article
- Published by The Royal Society in Proceedings. Biological sciences
- Vol. 276 (1675), 3963-3969
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.1083
Abstract
It is virtually impossible to camouflage a moving target against a non-uniform background, but strategies have been proposed to reduce detection and targeting of movement. Best known is the idea that high contrast markings produce 'motion dazzle', which impairs judgement of speed and trajectory. The ability of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis to change its visual appearance allows us to compare the animal's choice of patterns during movement to the predictions of models of motion camouflage. We compare cuttlefish body patterns used during movement with those expressed when static on two background types; one of which promotes low-contrast mottle patterns and the other promotes high-contrast disruptive patterns. We find that the body pattern used during motion is context-specific and that high-contrast body pattern components are significantly reduced during movement. Thus, in our experimental conditions, cuttlefish do not use high contrast motion dazzle. It may be that, in addition to being inherently conspicuous during movement, moving high-contrast patterns will attract attention because moving particles in coastal waters tend to be of small size and of low relative contrast.This publication has 34 references indexed in Scilit:
- Contrasting coloration in terrestrial mammalsPhilosophical Transactions B, 2008
- Camouflage and visual perceptionPhilosophical Transactions B, 2008
- Animal camouflage: current issues and new perspectivesPhilosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 2008
- Defining disruptive coloration and distinguishing its functionsPhilosophical Transactions B, 2008
- Dazzle coloration and prey movementProceedings. Biological sciences, 2008
- Perception of visual texture and the expression of disruptive camouflage by the cuttlefish,Sepia officinalisProceedings. Biological sciences, 2007
- Direct Induction of Autophagy by Atg1 Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces Apoptotic Cell DeathCurrent Biology, 2007
- Disruptive contrast in animal camouflageProceedings. Biological sciences, 2006
- Disruptive coloration and background pattern matchingNature, 2005
- Visual predators select for crypticity and polymorphism in virtual preyNature, 2002