Photos around the concept of 'demoflage' in the plains zebra

@beartracker @jacqueline_llerena @jeremygilmore @ludwig_muller @davidbygott

Please ponder the significance in the following photos:
Connochaetes mearnsi, Equus quagga boehmi, and Crocuta crocuta :
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/hyena-in-the-grass-with-zebra-and-wildebeast-in-royalty-free-image/1299443483?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/hyena-in-the-grass-with-zebra-and-wildebeast-in-royalty-free-image/1304058724?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/hyena-in-the-grass-with-zebra-and-wildebeast-in-royalty-free-image/1299443508?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/tanzania-serengeti-national-park-spotted-hyaena-wildebeests-news-photo/453627740?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/tanzania-serengeti-national-park-spotted-hyaena-wildebeests-news-photo/453627744?adppopup=true
http://www.yenwen.net/Tanzania11/Ngorongoro0716_WildebeestZebra_1.JPG
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66358178
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/tanzania-serengeti-national-park-spotted-hyaena-wildebeests-news-photo/453627756?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/spotted-hyena-patroling-a-wildebeest-herd-in-the-masai-mara-news-photo/1052877108?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-and-zebras-royalty-free-image/541045544?adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-royalty-free-image/1151521554?adppopup=true

The plains zebra (Equus quagga) coexists with ruminants, such as wildebeests (Connochaetes spp.).

Furthermore, it actively consorts with these ungulates, without reciprocal attraction.

However, the equid cannot match their rates of reproduction of the ruminants, and therefore cannot sustain similar rates of predation.

See https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516253?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516262?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/common-or-plains-zebra-male-lame-from-an-injury-royalty-free-image/591715438?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/common-or-plains-zebra-male-lame-from-an-injury-royalty-free-image/591663354?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516259?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516248?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516245?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516273?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516249?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516260?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516275?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516247?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516294?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516253?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-royalty-free-image/1151521605?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516255?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516252?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516241?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516243?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-zebras-royalty-free-image/1151516296?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-royalty-free-image/1151521550?adppopup=true and https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/spotted-hyena-hunting-royalty-free-image/1151521542?adppopup=true.

Because of this demographic liability, the survival of the plains zebra depends on additional anti-predator tactics. One of these is striping, a form of optical disruption that retards predatory detection of weak, injured or pregnant individuals.

Because this anti-predator defence mitigates a demographic vulnerability by means of the hiding of individual vulnerability, it may be called ‘demoflage’.

I coin this new term because the colouration of zebras functions disruptively, but does not camouflage the animals in their environment – which typically lacks cover in the form of plants.

Whereas camouflage confuses the outline of the animal with its environment, demoflage makes the animal more difficult and time-consuming to examine for body condition (e.g. pregnancy, lameness, infection) than the alternative prey species nearby.

Because the striping of wildebeests is poorly-developed, zebras can hypothetically evade demographic victimisation by means of their demoflage colouration. 

Publicado el julio 18, 2022 09:02 MAÑANA por milewski