ArticleBMC evolutionary biology2014
Motion dazzle and the effects of target patterning on capture success.
Article in BMC evolutionary biology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed.
- Beyond Morphological Conservatism: Integrative Taxonomy Unveils Remarkable Cryptic Diversity in theAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Control of high-speed jumps in muscle and spring actuated systems: a comparative study of take-off energetics in bush-crickets (Mecopoda elongata) and locusts (Schistocerca gregaria).Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology · 2023Article
- The genomic basis of temporal niche evolution in a diurnal rodent.Current biology : CB · 2023Article
- Visual antipredator effects of web flexing in an orb web spider, with special reference to web decorations.Die Naturwissenschaften · 2023Article
- Motion: enhancing signals and concealing cues.Biology open · 2021Article
- The evolution of patterning during movement in a large-scale citizen science game.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2021Article
- Contrasting stripes are a widespread feature of group living in birds, mammals and fishes.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2020Article
- In the corner of the eye: camouflaging motion in the peripheral visual field.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2020Article
- Evolutionary Ecology of Fish Venom: Adaptations and Consequences of Evolving a Venom System.Toxins · 2019Review
- How camouflage works.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2017Review
- Diverted by dazzle: perceived movement direction is biased by target pattern orientation.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2017Article
- Unravelling the illusion of flicker fusion.Biology letters · 2017Review
- Dazzle camouflage and the confusion effect: the influence of varying speed on target tracking.Animal behaviour · 2017Article
- Contrast, contours and the confusion effect in dazzle camouflage.Royal Society open science · 2016Article
- Deceived by stripes: conspicuous patterning on vital anterior body parts can redirect predatory strikes to expendable posterior organs.Royal Society open science · 2016Article
- A global analysis of bird plumage patterns reveals no association between habitat and camouflage.PeerJ · 2016Article
- Breaking cover: neural responses to slow and fast camouflage-breaking motion.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2015Article
- The evolution of pattern camouflage strategies in waterfowl and game birds.Ecology and evolution · 2015Article
- The role of stripe orientation in target capture success.Frontiers in zoology · 2015Article
- Dazzled by shine: gloss as an antipredator strategy in fast moving prey.Behavioral ecology : official journal of the International Society for Behavioral EcologyArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundStripes and other high contrast patterns found on animals have been hypothesised to cause "motion dazzle", a type of defensive coloration that operates when in motion, causing predators to misjudge the speed and direction of object movement. Several recent studies have found some support for this idea, but little is currently understood about the mechanisms underlying this effect. Using humans as model 'predators' in a touch screen experiment we investigated further the effectiveness of striped targets in preventing capture, and considered how stripes compare to other types of patterning in order to understand what aspects of target patterning are important in making a target difficult to capture.
resultsWe find that striped targets are among the most difficult to capture, but that other patterning types are also highly effective at preventing capture in this task. Several target types, including background sampled targets and targets with a 'spot' on were significantly easier to capture than striped targets. We also show differences in capture attempt rates between different target types, but we find no differences in learning rates between target types.
conclusionsWe conclude that striped targets are effective in preventing capture, but are not uniquely difficult to catch, with luminance matched grey targets also showing a similar capture rate. We show that key factors in making capture easier are a lack of average background luminance matching and having trackable 'features' on the target body. We also find that striped patterns are attempted relatively quickly, despite being difficult to catch. We discuss these findings in relation to the motion dazzle hypothesis and how capture rates may be affected more generally by pattern type.
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