Quantifying the success of prey crypsis, aposematism, and evasiveness in avoiding predator attack
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F25%3A00641916" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/25:00641916 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/60076658:12310/25:43910354
Result on the web
<a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecy.70248" target="_blank" >https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecy.70248</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70248" target="_blank" >10.1002/ecy.70248</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Quantifying the success of prey crypsis, aposematism, and evasiveness in avoiding predator attack
Original language description
Antipredator defenses typically act at distinct stages of the predation sequence - encounter, identification, approach, and subjugation. However, their effectiveness has rarely been quantified and compared simultaneously in wild predator-prey systems. We conducted a study in Peru, where we installed aviaries at two localities and recorded the responses of wild avian predators to three types of antipredator defenses - crypsis, aposematism, and evasiveness - expressed by three butterfly prey types. The study included both immature and adult birds from forest and urban environments, representing the present community of insectivorous birds. We tested the theoretical expectations that cryptic butterflies (Nymphalidae: Euptychiina) were rarely detected, aposematic Heliconius (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) were often sighted but seldom attacked, and evasive Spicauda (Hesperiidae: Eudaminae) were frequently detected and attacked but evaded capture at higher rates. Despite these distinct defensive strategies, mortality rates among prey types were largely similar, but predator life stage strongly influenced defense effectiveness, with immature birds tending to attack Heliconius more frequently. Additionally, predator family influenced predation patterns, with more skilled insectivores (e.g., Vireonidae) showing higher capture success against defended prey. These findings illuminate the evolutionary pressures that shape predator behavior and prey defenses in tropical ecosystems. The similar mortality rates underscore the adaptive value of these defenses, which collectively distribute the total predation pressure across prey species.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10618 - Ecology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GJ20-18566Y" target="_blank" >GJ20-18566Y: The role of species interactions in the diversification of Neotropical butterflies at the macroevolutionary and microevolutionary scales</a><br>
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Ecology
ISSN
0012-9658
e-ISSN
1939-9170
Volume of the periodical
106
Issue of the periodical within the volume
11
Country of publishing house
US - UNITED STATES
Number of pages
15
Pages from-to
e70248
UT code for WoS article
001628067600023
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105022314777