Martin Olofsson, Sven Jakobsson & Christer Wiklund (2012): Auditory defence
in the peacock butterfly (Inachis io) against mice (Apodemus flavicollis and
A. sylvaticus). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 66 (2), 209-215.
Abstract: Morphological and behavioural traits can serve as anti-predator
defence either by reducing detection or recognition risks, or by thwarting
initiated attacks. The latter defence is secondary and often involves a
?startle display? comprising a sudden release of signals targeting more than
one sensory modality. A suggested candidate for employing a multimodal
defence is the peacock butterfly, Inachis io, which, by wing-flicking
suddenly, produces sonic and ultrasonic sounds and displays four large
eyespots when attacked. The eyespots make small birds retreat, but whether
the sounds produced thwart predator attacks is largely unknown. Peacocks
hibernate as adults in dark wintering sites and employ their secondary
defence upon encounter with small rodent predators during this period. In
this study, we staged predator?prey encounters in complete darkness in the
laboratory between wild mice, Apodemus flavicollis and Apodemus sylvaticus,
and peacocks which had their sound production intact or disabled. Results
show that mice were more likely to flee from sound-producing butterflies
than from butterflies which had their sound production disabled. Our study
presents experimental evidence that the peacock butterfly truly employs a
multimodal defence with different traits targeting different predator
groups; the eyespots target birds and the sound production targets small
rodent predators.
URL: http://www.springerlink.com/content/x3755kq4527r2kr7/
For reprints please contact Martin Olofsson (email:
Kind regards
Sonja Amoser
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Dr. Sonja Amoser
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