Hermit crabs (Pagurus bernhardus) use visual contrast in self-assessment of camouflage
(2018) In Journal of Experimental Biology 221(13).- Abstract
Animals can make use of camouflage to reduce the likelihood of visual detection or recognition and thus improve their chances of survival. Background matching, where body colouration is closely matched to the surrounding substrate, is one form of camouflage. Hermit crabs have the opportunity to choose their camouflage independently of body colouration as they inhabit empty gastropod shells, making them ideal to study their choice of camouflage. We used 3D-printed artificial shells of varying contrasts against a grey substrate to test whether hermit crabs prefer shells that they perceive as less conspicuous. Contrast-minimising shells were chosen for Weber contrasts stronger than −0.5. However, in looming experiments, animals responded... (More)
Animals can make use of camouflage to reduce the likelihood of visual detection or recognition and thus improve their chances of survival. Background matching, where body colouration is closely matched to the surrounding substrate, is one form of camouflage. Hermit crabs have the opportunity to choose their camouflage independently of body colouration as they inhabit empty gastropod shells, making them ideal to study their choice of camouflage. We used 3D-printed artificial shells of varying contrasts against a grey substrate to test whether hermit crabs prefer shells that they perceive as less conspicuous. Contrast-minimising shells were chosen for Weber contrasts stronger than −0.5. However, in looming experiments, animals responded to contrasts as weak as −0.2, indicating that while they can detect differences between shells and the background, they are only motivated to move into those shells when the alternatives contrast strongly. This suggests a trade-off between camouflage and vulnerability introduced by switching shells.
(Less)
- author
- Wilby, David LU ; Riches, Samuel ; Daly, Ilse M. ; Bird, Andrew ; Wheelwright, Matthew and Foster, James J. LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018-07-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Background matching, Colouration, Crypsis, Vision
- in
- Journal of Experimental Biology
- volume
- 221
- issue
- 13
- article number
- jeb173831
- publisher
- The Company of Biologists Ltd
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85049669478
- pmid:29976733
- ISSN
- 0022-0949
- DOI
- 10.1242/jeb.173831
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 48bec8cb-7814-4ebf-9ebc-686c3ca041e8
- date added to LUP
- 2018-07-30 14:37:58
- date last changed
- 2024-04-29 11:33:55
@article{48bec8cb-7814-4ebf-9ebc-686c3ca041e8,
abstract = {{<p>Animals can make use of camouflage to reduce the likelihood of visual detection or recognition and thus improve their chances of survival. Background matching, where body colouration is closely matched to the surrounding substrate, is one form of camouflage. Hermit crabs have the opportunity to choose their camouflage independently of body colouration as they inhabit empty gastropod shells, making them ideal to study their choice of camouflage. We used 3D-printed artificial shells of varying contrasts against a grey substrate to test whether hermit crabs prefer shells that they perceive as less conspicuous. Contrast-minimising shells were chosen for Weber contrasts stronger than −0.5. However, in looming experiments, animals responded to contrasts as weak as −0.2, indicating that while they can detect differences between shells and the background, they are only motivated to move into those shells when the alternatives contrast strongly. This suggests a trade-off between camouflage and vulnerability introduced by switching shells.</p>}},
author = {{Wilby, David and Riches, Samuel and Daly, Ilse M. and Bird, Andrew and Wheelwright, Matthew and Foster, James J.}},
issn = {{0022-0949}},
keywords = {{Background matching; Colouration; Crypsis; Vision}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{07}},
number = {{13}},
publisher = {{The Company of Biologists Ltd}},
series = {{Journal of Experimental Biology}},
title = {{Hermit crabs (Pagurus bernhardus) use visual contrast in self-assessment of camouflage}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.173831}},
doi = {{10.1242/jeb.173831}},
volume = {{221}},
year = {{2018}},
}