ArticleRoyal Society open science2016
Attack risk for butterflies changes with eyespot number and size.
Article in Royal Society open science, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Butterflies use humidity as a cue for wing-pattern and life history trait plasticity when temperature is unreliable.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Evaluating Aversion to Eye-Like Stimuli as a Foraging Deterrent in Urban European Herring Gulls.Ecology and evolution · 2026Article
- Complementary approaches to measure predation pressure on butterfly populations in Australia.Royal Society open science · 2025Article
- The more eye-like, the more intimidating-visual illusion gives new evidence for the anti-predation mechanism of eyespots.Current zoology · 2025Article
- Article
- Reconstructing illusory camouflage patterns on moth wings using computer vision.Journal of the Royal Society, Interface · 2025Article
- Pattern Matters in the Aposematic Colouration ofInsects · 2024Article
- Article
- Predation favoursProceedings. Biological sciences · 2021Article
- Body size determines eyespot size and presence in coral reef fishes.Ecology and evolution · 2020Article
- What's in a band? The function of the color and banding pattern of the Banded Swallowtail.Ecology and evolution · 2020Article
- Interacting Effects of Eyespot Number and Ultraviolet Reflectivity on Predation Risk in Bicyclus anynana (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).Journal of insect science (Online) · 2019Article
- Article
- Male Bicyclus anynana Butterflies Choose Females on the Basis of Their Ventral UV-Reflective Eyespot Centers.Journal of insect science (Online) · 2019Article
- Experimental field tests of Batesian mimicry in the swallowtail butterflyEcology and evolution · 2018Article
- Yellow and the Novel Aposematic Signal, Red, Protect Delias Butterflies from Predators.PloS one · 2017Article
- Physiological Perturbation Reveals Modularity of Eyespot Development in the Painted Lady Butterfly, Vanessa cardui.PloS one · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Butterfly eyespots are known to function in predator deflection and predator intimidation, but it is still unclear what factors cause eyespots to serve one function over the other. Both functions have been demonstrated in different species that varied in eyespot size, eyespot number and wing size, leaving the contribution of each of these factors to butterfly survival unclear. Here, we study how each of these factors contributes to eyespot function by using paper butterfly models, where each factor is varied in turn, and exposing these models to predation in the field. We find that the presence of multiple, small eyespots results in high predation, whereas single large eyespots (larger than 6 mm in diameter) results in low predation. These data indicate that single large eyespots intimidate predators, whereas multiple small eyespots produce a conspicuous, but non-intimidating signal to predators. We propose that eyespots may gain an intimidation function by increasing in size. Our measurements of eyespot size in 255 nymphalid butterfly species show that large eyespots are relatively rare and occur predominantly on ventral wing surfaces. By mapping eyespot size on the phylogeny of the family Nymphalidae, we show that these large eyespots, with a potential intimidation function, are dispersed throughout multiple nymphalid lineages, indicating that phylogeny is not a strong predictor of eyespot size.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.