A couple articles about interesting evolutionary adaptations in animals this week. The first one is about Müllerian mimicry in a butterfly species. This type of mimicry involves one species mimicking a bad-tasting species. This particular butterfly species can mimic a wide range of species, and the genes for these differences were all mapped to one chromosomal region, or "super gene."
The second article is about behavior in a spider species called whip spiders, or whip scorpions. If you don't like spiders, I suggest only looking at the first article. These spiders have evolved a vibration-based communication system which they use to peacefully resolve male-male conflicts. Researchers wonder if this system is used by other arthropods, since the detection hairs are conserved across the group.
Links:
These Butterflies are "The Transformers of the Insect World" — And the Answer to an Evolutionary Mystery
The Threatening Vibes of Whip Spiders
45 comments:
Article 1:
Now that I know that butterflies’ predators only go for the ones that taste good and that depends on the pattern of the butterflies’ wings, it makes more sense into why butterflies’ are clever to trick predators. I was surprised to find out that by changing one gene, the butterfly could change the look of its wings and at the same time it could fool its predators. This proves that Mullerian mimicry has a great impact on evolution because soon one species of butterflies will be able to take the pattern of the other species so they could survive. Mullerian mimicry helps the butterflies with natural selection and the survival of the fittest. Before reading this article I never thought that butterflies could be smart enough to know how to change one gene to protect themselves from predators. Because of this mimicry butterflies are able to survive in this world and they are able to keep the predators away.
Article 2:
I knew that many spiders are dangerous, but after reading this article I believe that spiders have reached a new danger level. Personally I hate spider, but I think that the whip spiders make all the other spiders less dangerous. I never would have thought that a vibration from a whip spider could have such a great effect. I was kind of surprised that this new species of spiders are almost like scorpions, in fact they are also called whip scorpions. I would have never thought that the vibration from a whip spider could be such a great threat to any other species.
After reading the first article, the first idea that I came up with was testing this supergene on something other then butterflies. I find it really cool how these butterflies can just alter their physical appearances and never thought it was possible. It would be nice to see a human that could change skin colors whenever he or she wanted to.
The second article made me imagine two humans flexing and the smaller one agreeing to walk away. I always thought when male animals fought, both would be dumb enough to fight to the death every time. I find it interesting how these whip spiders have found a way to avoid this circumstance. Its unusual to me how of all creatures these tiny spiders were the ones to have this lucky function. I also wonder what if the two spiders had the same vibrations? I am guessing that in that situation a fight would most definitely occur.
1st Article:
This article is manly about how a certain species of butterflies is able to change its wing pattern to mimic those of another species of butterflies. What these butterflies do is switch a gene that controls the wing pattern. These butterflies use this form of mimicry to transform themselves into looking like bad-tasteing butterflies and protect themselves from predators. Scientists call these "the 'transformers' of the insect world."
2nd Article:
First of all, I hate spiders and the enlarged picture of the spider is gross. This article shows that spiders are evolving as well. The whip spiders have now come up with a new way of communication. They use vibrations to warn and fend off each other, in hopes of preventing a physical conflict. However, the article also says that these spiders are very dangerous. This just adds to my dislike of spiders.
The first article basically extolled the Heliconius numata butterfly’s supergene for granting it the ability to disguise itself as a variety of other horrible tasting butterflies. The supergene is actually an area on a chromosome consisting of several other genes. By turning just one of those lesser genes on, a unique pattern will be triggered to develop on the butterfly’s wings, similar to that of another species. This is part of the organism’s Mülerian mimicry, a trait attributed to helping the butterfly stay alive by having it look like an organism less desirable in the eyes of predators. It’s an interesting attribute and makes me wonder how exactly it works. What triggers parts or the supergene to activate as opposed to others? Since it’s genetic in nature, I’d assume that the decision is made during the lifetime of the parent butterfly prior to the birth of new offspring. I wasn’t exactly sure if the article meant that the butterflies could alter its appearance during its lifetime, like a chameleon with camouflage, or did so over multiple generations.
The second article had me both amazed and freaked out at the same time. I’m not really a fan of spiders, insects, or bugs of any kind, but their whip like frontal legs are an evolutionary marvel. Spiders, in general, are known to have a variety of evolutionary advantages, including organ liquefying venom and super strong spider silk, but this is the first I’ve heard of one with weapons for legs. The picture at the top of the page had me shivering, as the thing looks like it came out of a modern sci-fi movie, all eyes and legs; the pincers look especially threatening because of the spiky looking appendages. The part of the article commenting on the hairs on the arachnid’s legs was interesting, though. I found it fascinating that these threatening creatures usually don’t fight each other, but rather engage in the human equivalent of a stare down, where the winner is decided by whomever is determined more threatening. Actual battle is rarely done, with the loser just scampering away to fight another day.
If only there was a way to manipulate this super gene to benefit humans? Of course, that would probably facilitate identity theft, something it seems like these butterflies use to their advantage. The mimicry that the H. Numata uses proves Darwin’s “Survival of the Fittest” on a whole new level. By tracking down the gene that gives this butterfly the ability to morph, scientists not only gain a better understanding of the butterfly, but also a new perspective of the wonders of evolution.
Spiders are not my favorite. Actually, I hate them. But kudos to the whip spider for using their vibrating whips to not only seek out prey, but also to advertise themselves to a potential opponent of their own kind. As Dr. H points out, scientists hypothesize that other arthropods use the same technique of "vibration based communication." There’s that saying of “learning to pick your battles” and I think that this type of inter-specie male to male conflict resolving perfectly exemplifies this quote. By sizing up its enemy with its sensor hairs, the whip spider (and presumably other arthropods) can decide whether or not it is able to win or lose a battle. This is crucial for its survival because these organisms have a way of avoiding positive death with an opponent much stronger than it is during a physical fight.
Clearly “someone” is a bit passionate about evolution (considering the number of summer assignment articles pertaining to evolution). ☺
It’s interesting to look at the ways a species makes itself undesirable. This article brings forth some questions in my mind. I assume that eventually this method of Müllerian mimicry will no longer help Heliconius numata. As discussed in a previous summer assignment article, ongoing adaptations are necessary just to maintain a population. Eventually, new generations of birds will recognize the disadvantage of differentiating various butterflies by wing pattern alone. Of course, the butterflies will surely adapt in some new way to counteract this effect.
Why did I read that second article?! That thing is hideous!
I’m curious as to how the researchers shaved the whip spiders’ legs (odd mental image). If only humans could be more like whip spiders. They have a sort of nobility. Their ability to refrain from interspecies violence is charmingly humane – perhaps more so than humans (think of all the cafeteria fights that never would have happened). Biologically speaking, the whip spiders are taking full advantage of their adaptation. By not fighting, they save time, energy, maybe lives – more time and energy to reproduce! Knowing the result of a potentially violent confrontation before it even happens is incredibly beneficial. It’s not that humans don’t have the ability to do the same, but for some reason we let our emotions, pride, and differences get in the way of making a profitable decision. The advantages of fighting (…can’t think of any) certainly do not outweigh the potential disadvantages - Do I really need to explain?
The Heliconius numata uses its ability of Müllerian mimicry to trick predators into thinking that hunting the butterfly isn’t worth the effort even thought it really is. In my opinion this form of self defense is definitely better than any else. Being able to make yourself look like something much less appetizing is a very useful survival technique. If I were to see a piece of broccoli, I wouldn’t eat it (unless of course I was starving). But If I found a piece of chicken I would most likely eat it even if I was full.
When I read this article I was angry that I didn’t know about this animal in 3rd grade when I had to do a report on any animal. First of all it’s very cool looking, but what makes this animal truly amazing is its vibrating whip. It can show the other animal how strong it is to allow it to avoid conflicts. If you translate this into human terms it’s the same as knowing how large the enemy’s army is. What I find interesting is that we usually do know how large the enemy’s army is but how come we can’t avoid the conflict like the whip spiders. I think that the whip spiders since of reason which allows it to avoid fight is even more impressive than its ability to sense the enemies’ strength.
1st Article: I find it really fascinating that H. Numata can mimic certain bad-tasting species of butterfly. They definitley have an edge on survival than other butterfly species do. H. Numata's "supergene" has to have been a result from natural selection and other environment factors. Finding out specifically how H. Numata acquired this gene is a real challenge, but it would be incredible to find out. What I want to know is how exactly the butterfly is able to trigger it's wings to mimic those of bad-tasting butterflies.
2nd Article: Although spiders really annoy me, this article was a good read. The fact that whip spiders use vibrations to settle fights is an interesting evolutionary trait. They're population must be thriving if not threatened by predators. Animals that fight to the death for mating rights are decimating they're own population. But this spider can resolve disputes by showing other spiders its own strength using vibrations. It's rare for whip spiders to actually fight and it's even more rare for fights to escalate to the point where one spider dies. It's safe to say that this spider population is at a good level.
It is, once again, so fascinating and strange how nature is. Like many other species, the Heliconius numata butterflies, which use the trick known as "Müllerian mimicry", have been able to prove and confirm Darwin's theory of natural selection. This is done by a genetic switch that allows them to transform into a different butterfly that does not exactly have an appealing taste. Thus allowing the butterflies to survive and avoid predators. It's interesting enough that I wish to understand how the "supergene" actually works. How does it exactly control the wing pattern?
Even though Dr. H warned me about clicking on the second link, the summary sounded so interesting. I actually cringed when I saw the pictures .. I hate spiders so much! I covered the pictures with my hand while reading the article! Hahahaha. Well, back to the point! The whip spiders or whip scorpions actually avoid fights, in a sense, by scaring off their opponents through certain vibrations! These jerking movements allow the other whip spider to already deem themselves as the loser.
After reading the first article, I was astounded to find out that H. numata butterflies can change not only their appearence, but their genes. The article went into less depth then I had hoped, because this raises new questions for me. Are these butterflies able to change their genes more then once? Can they change the butterfly they are currently mimicking? Are they able to change coloration fast enough for humans to see, like in a chameleon? Also, is there ever a time when an innocent butterfly mistakes an H. numata for its own species and tries to mate? This article only made me more frustrated because I am left with more questions then answers, but this isn't an episode of LOST so its less fun.
On to the second article, which made me quite thankful spiders are so much smaller then humans. Its interesting how simple it can be to test scientific theories, like the existence of leg hair to detect the presence and strength of another spider. To test this, all they had to do was shave the spiders! And it worked! Hopefully we never see the emergence of underground shaved whip-spider fighting between scientific research groups, that could get messy.
For the first article, i thought how incredibly cool it was that the butterfly could transform to avoid its predators just by changing one gene. it makes me think that, is there one gene that we have that could make us do awesome things? I mean how cool would it be that if we had a supergene tht could make is levitate or make us superhumans. the line which said "a single population of the butterflies wont look like a population, but rather a group of several butterfly species" makes me think of us. I mean each of us look different and its pretty easy to dstinguish us apart so theyre sort of like us.
For the second article, i felt that the vibrating thing which the whip spiders do is quite amazing. in a way it seemed "mature" to me. instead of fighting for no reason, they figure otu a way in which one spider says it isnt worth the energy and leaves....and nobody gets hurt! Although i feel like for humans this can neveer be done because one, theyre too immature and two, fighting doesnt onl depend on size and technique. today, there is a bunch of martial arts which target the weak points of humans no matter what their size or strentgh. But still, the thing the spiders do with vibrating their whips is awesome
The Heliconius numata butterfly species described in the first article has a “supergene” that allows them to change their wing pattern to that of bad-tasting butterflies to avoid predators. Scientists call this transformation “Müllerian mimicry.” It is amazing to think that just one different gene can allow the butterflies to perform this “mimicry” and therefore aid greatly in their survival. I never thought that the same idea that applies to the fictional Transformers of changing from one form to another for survival actually exists in real-life animals. The H. numata species of butterflies definitely proves the theory of natural selection, since these butterflies developed this special gene to better adapt to their environment and survive.
Although I am not a fan of spiders, I did find the second article interesting. Whip spiders have long and deadly pincers, yet they do not fight viciously with one another. Instead of fighting to the death, the spiders gently probe each other and then start vibrating their whips in front of them until one spider retreats. The spiders detect the vibrations through hairs found on their legs, which allows them to know the strength of the other spider and retreat if they know they are not powerful enough to win the fight. This special trait of these spiders is another example of a trait that aids in a species survival, just like the “supergene” the butterflies have. It is interesting to see how powerful and deadly spiders can control their aggression and solve problems quickly and without much fighting!
H. numata's ability to change its appearance was quite interesting. These butterflies have a "supergene" which allows them to become visually unappetizing. Thus, they are able to avoid predators, such as birds. This proves Darwin's theory of natural selection because this "supergene" must have evolved over time, and clearly gives a survival advantage to this species. I wonder how this genetic switch actually works, can this butterfly change its wing pattern fast enough for a human to see?
Even though whip spiders may appear to be gross, they actually have evolved a successful technique to avoid fights amongst themselves. By using certain vibrations in their whips, one spider's strength becomes clear to the other spider, and one retreats. Whip spiders detect these vibrations through sensitive leg hairs, which scientists proved by shaving them. These spiders can avoid fights to the death, which helps maintain their population, if it doesn't have any predators.
1st article.
I found this article very interesting. It doesn't seem possible by conventional logic that a butterfly could change its flight patterns in such a way to behave like another butterfly, but the Heliconius numata proves this wrong. The fact that there is a specific gene that controls it is also very interesting. To my knowledge, there isn't a gene in humans to change voices and walking patterns, so it's cool that this butterfly has one.
2nd article
This was another interesting article. You would think that two large and ugly spiders would duke it out whenever they ran across each other, but meetings between whip spiders rarely end in violence. The cause for this is trichobothria, small hairs on the legs of the spiders. The hairs send vibrations that can be picked up by the other spider, and receive information about the other that causes the fight to be called off. However, it makes me wonder why humans can't talk through their hairs. Such is life in America.
Reading about the "transformer" butterfly was fascinating to me. By altering a single gene, the H. Numata was able to mimic another species of butterfly making it highly unlikely for predators to try and consume it. It's a brilliant evolutionary practice/defense mechanism! After pondering for a short while, I questioned weather human beings with such powers would benefit or degrade society. As suspect, people would obviously find infinite ways of manipulating such abilities eventually rendering the mimicry detrimental. Survival, in the twenty first century, hasn't exactly been our (humans) most prominent concern.
Article number two about the new spider with claws is amazing. The sensitive hairs on it's pincers is an efficient way of measuring another animal's...arachnid's power in terms of battle. As they say, in the movie Thor anyway, a wise king must avoid war but is always ready for it. Unfortuantely, human beings are not so wise considering the fact that two males or females of any size would attack one another if provoked enough.
For the first article, I found it so interesting that butterflies can mimic other 'bad tasting' butterfly species to keep themselves safe from predators. It's like the school nerd finding a way to disguise himself from being recognized by the school bully. Not only is it amazing that these butterflies can disguise themselves from predators, but they also have a range of disguises. A population of H. numata might not even be noticed without careful observation. I wonder how these scientists differentiate between the mimicking butterflies and the actual bad tasting butterflies. Either way, it's still amazing that there is one super gene that withholds all these different wing patterns of other species.
The second article surprised me. I knew that some species have some sort of communication but I never thought it could be developed enough to avoid fights. These spiders look like they can do some damage too with their pincers and their...teeth? Is that what those spikes are? Well, those. It can be said to be that these spiders have a more efficient communication system than humans. They avoid useless fights knowing the risk and danger, while humans don't use their communication skills to avoid pointless fights, but usually instigate them. I feel like we can learn a lot on how to better ourselves from species that set an example all the time, but that's just me.
I found the first article pretty interesting. The fact that these butterflies have this super gene that allows them to transform their appearance to avoid predators is very cool, and I'm jealous of this. Similar to what other people said, it would be even cooler if humans had this advantageous gene. It reminds me of the movie Limitless, except with a pill making us superhuman not a gene. While writing this I am reminded of the movie Monsters Inc (I like making movie references) when the snake Randell camouflages with his surroundings to hide himself.
I would be very scared if i saw that crawling around me. I bet everyone found this article fascinating because human males would not be this mature when in battle. These spiders signal to one another when they do not want to fight. When a spider does not want to fight vibrating hairs would trigger that it is time for a resolution. Instead of wasting their time fighting a battle that has already been won, they back down and let the stronger one take its glory.
I remember learning about butterflies and how some species tried to look like other bad tasting species in the third grade. What I find amazing about the H. Numata is that they are not just one species mimicking another; they are one species that mimics multiple other species. It is the range of species that they can mimic that amazes me. The ways that creatures have ways to protect themselves is astounding, and in the case of the butterflies it is all in the genes.
In the second article nature is once more proven effective. The way whip spiders are described in the beginning of the article makes them sound dangerous to anything that is prey. With each other though, they have learned a way of fighting without any actual contact a majority of the time. It seems to me like it is a more elaborate way of two fighters circling each other and each fighter sizing the other up. While a lot of humans refuse to walk away from a fight they will probably get beaten in; the spiders seem to have the better idea or instinct of doing so.
After reading the first article I realized that butterflies are smart enough to know how to change one gene that can help them survive as a species. I never knew that the predators would eat a butterfly based on the taste. Before reading this I had heard about butterflies and mimicry but I had never seen it as an example with biological proof. I find it interesting that switching just one gene can change 3the wing pattern of butterflies.
The next article was pretty gross (the pictures) because personally I hate spiders. After reading this article I realized that the level of danger by spiders has been taken to a whole new level. The purpose of this article was to show that spiders are evolving. The whip spiders use vibrations and signals to warn off other spiders. In most cases two male animals or insects always fight but the function of vibrations help them avoid this.
It truly is amazing how many characteristics insects can have to remain protected or hidden from predators. Mullerian mimicry is an ingenious way for butterflies to mimic bad-tasting butterflies to protect themselves from predators. I find it fascinating how one gene can completely alter the elements in the wing pattern. This mimicry shows not only how complex evolution can be but also proves Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection.
I was never really that afraid of spiders but after reading this article and seeing that picture, I now am a bit freaked out. However, I thought it was interesting how whip spiders use vibrations to give off bad vibes to other whip spiders so that physical fights do not have to occur. I also find it fascinating how the hairs can detect the vibrations allowing one fighter to retreat. The vibrations, like Dr. H said are a peaceful way to resolve conflicts so that the spiders can know whether or not they will win the fight.
I find the "Mullerian mimicry" discussed in this article simply fascinating, but it certainly is not surprising. It is a mechanism by which prey evade predators, as are camouflage and defense mechanisms that animals we see every day employ. What is particularly interesting about Mullerian mimicry is that not only do the butterflies evade predators, but they do so by cloaking their identities and acting like other species. Even more interesting is that the quality that is mimicked has its root in the genes of H. numata. This all leads back to natural selection. Butterflies with a gene that allows them to mimic the wing pattern of bad-tasting butterflies are more likely to live longer by evading predators, hence reproducing the gene more into the next generation. Over time, this has developed into a natural method of defense for H. numata. It has become a way by which these butterflies can easily avoid predators with little physical contact. What I'd like to know is if it's predators are coevolving to be able to differentiate between actual bad-tasting butterflies and the H. numata fakers, or perhaps to be able to stomach the bad-tasting butterflies. I'd also like to know if members of H. numata face the danger of being eaten by the predators of the bad-tasting butterflies.
To my surprise, I was not as weirded out by the pictures in the second article as I expected to be based on your warning! It's cool how these whip spiders can gauge how they will fare in a fight before going through with the fight. It serves as a way to think before acting on aggression, something I wish humans practiced! It's interesting that although they are given such powerful weapons, they do not quickly use them on one another. Upon thinking about it a little more, it's not so surprising. Being able to sense how much danger a certain confrontation can present, or being able to think before acting, is a huge advantage, as it can allow one to live longer and reproduce more. It seems as if everything, every single aspect of life, is guided by natural selection. It is comforting to know that natural selection, a simple idea, is at the root of so many various phenomena.
After reading the first article, the first thought that came to my mind was whether this supergene in butterflies is somehow related to any of chameleon's genes. Of course, these two animals are of completely different species, but if a butterfly can change its wing patterns and a chameleon can change its colors, there has to be some type of similarity. The next step in my mind should be to find the gene that controls the color change in chameleons and try to link each one to its respective ancestor. Right now, the H. numata is winning in the battle of evolution, but it won't be long before the predators adapt to this butterfly's advantage.
As for the second article, the whip spider's method of conflict resolution reminds me of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Back then both the US and Russia flexed their nuclear muscles, each trying to scare the other into submission. These spiders have learned when to accept the fact that they will not be able to defeat the other , and now, instead of mindlessly going into a battle only to die, they can walk (actually crawl) away and keep their lives. I also believe that this type of resolution of judging only by looking at the opponent's size and strength can lead to another tactic - bluffing. One spider can give the appearance that is tougher, although in reality it is not. I don't see any consequences arising from bluffing in the lives of the spiders, although it does lead to more altercations in the lives of humans.
The Heliconius numata are an example of how resourceful nature can be. Evolution provided them a way of protecting themselves against predators. Their usage of Müllerian mimicry helps them stay alive and creates a variety of different disguises to choose from. If a majority of animals did this it would be quite hard for predators to find their preferred prey. Luckily, it's a gene found in a select number of species that allow their evolution to continue without serious threats or extinction. Even if they look unappealing to predators, they survive which is the main purpose of survival of the fittest. The H. numata adapted a way to avoid being eaten, becoming very versatile as evolution continues to affect the different species of butterflies.
The pictures scared me while I was reading the spider article but it was really interesting nonetheless. It's much more effective if the spiders appraise one another's size or strength before engaging in a battle. That saves their energy and spares the weaker of the two any fatal damage. If humans could do that it would save so much time and effort and reduce the outbreak of fights. The whip spiders used somewhat more civilized means to mark their territory compared to other creatures. Sometimes I see lizards do something similar with this red flap on their necks. Both animals have similar methods since they are trying to protect themselves and their territory. As scary as they look, the whip spiders use their vibrations to ward off other spiders, instead of their appearance. I think that's pretty clever and it shows how much we can learn from nature yet again.
I feel as if i've known at least a little bit about the type of butterflies that camouflage themselves as birds' eyes or as other butterflies that taste bad to birds. I've also read about butterflies that disguise themselves as moths to avoid other predators that seek their brightly colored wings. However, i was very interested to see this article about butterflies, the H. Numata, which was able to completely change their wing colors to that of a variety of other butterflies. It's really kind of cool how there are multiple genes in that "supergene" area on the single chromosome that can control the wing patterns. Whereas we humans have a variety of genes in every part of our bodies designed to make sure our bodies function the way that they're supposed to, they do not have the ability to change on a whim to something else. I am assuming of course that the butterflies can choose which type of unappetizing butterfly to masquerade as. This brings up a whole realm of science fiction. In the new movie G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, they used nanomite technology, injected into a person's body to physically change them. These nanomites enabled the controller to change skin color, eye color, bone structure, hair color, and a variety of other things. Imagine the things that could happen if that sort of change, similar to the H. Numata, was an ability that we had through our genes. People would be changing their physical bodies and attributes left and right and no one would be unique. That'd be rather scary, especially if criminals were running around.
Now about those whip spiders. I don't particularly like bugs at all. -shudder- this is rather gross. However, it is still cool to extent, having these long whips that can extend and catch prey. (This is somewhat similar to another situation in a science fiction book "Gone" by Michael Grant, where a character obtains a whip hand which he then uses to terrorize other children) However, seeing the type of weapons that these whip spiders have, I would have expected some type of huge fight between males. But i guess the system that they have right now works as it prevents unnecessary fighting and thus shrinkage of the population. The article was rather short so there wasn't much i was able to glean about the behavior of the whip spiders and other such tidbits. However, i did wonder about the electrical signals from the hairs. Is it similar to crickets in the way that they rub against each other to make noise or they kind of whip their "whips" around to give off these electrical signals and the vibrations from the whips? Nevertheless this was a interesting but brief article
With this new discovery about a supergene in the butterflies, it will be possible to find out why certain markings are turned off and others turned on. I wonder also whether the other markings found on the supergene will create completely different markings on the butterfly. If not, then I probably will not understand why a similar marking is discarded over one. On a completely different note, I do not think it is right to compare these butterflies to Transformers. The only similarity between the two is that each copies another species -in the case of Transformers, vehicles- markings and hides under the guise. However, a Transformer does not have to do this at all. The only reason why it does is to hide itself on Earth to get some shut eye. Even when it is not in a Earth vehicle form, it still has enough weapons hidden in its body to protect itself. So the final message is do not mess with any robots in disguise.
Once again nature amazes us with an insect that looks like something a five year old would draw. The most interesting part, to me, is how the spider uses its front two pincers. By using it as a whip, I believe that its prey will have a harder time in escaping. An added bonus would be the spikes. I am amazed at how the spider also uses its hair to pick up vibrations in the air. Even minute changes in the air frequency could be picked up, or I believe that to be true. I read a similar article about how tarantulas use their hair on their body to tell where its prey is. Then when it is sure of the prey's position it will attack. Looking at these two species, it is remarkable at what hair can do. I guess hair is not another decorative element on the human body anymore.
Again, another fascinating biology article. Who knew that transformers can be possible? I learned a couple of things from this article. It's pretty interesting that the predators can tell if their butterfly prey tastes bad just by their color. If only it was that easy to indentify the bad form the good in humans! It's cool how the H. Numata "super gene" makes it possible for them to change their appearance and mimick a less desirable prey to protect themselves. They are pretty smart species if they can understand and copy another species' look and not just any species but they copy the ones that taste bad and most predators stay away from.
It's fascinating to learn how species interact with ach other, even these freakish-looking spiders have a unique way to deal with an argument among themselves. The spiders first "check each other out" by vibrating their whips in front of each other and their super sensitive hairs pick up this frequency. This is done to show off their size, power, and also to figure out if there will actually be a fight at all. The spiders are smart enough to back off if they know they are going to lose. In my opinion, this is a more clever way of fighting than human fights. When humans fight, it mostly depends on their emotions. They do not assess the situation and just charge against their opponent.
From my perspective, all butterflies do is fly around while pollinating a couple of flowers, look pretty and give the occasional visit whenever a loved one has passed (well, that's just a superstition that I believe in); so why does evolution choose them to be fit enough to still exist? This article proves that butterflies, specifically H. numata, are more than just carriers of pollen or symbols of death, but are cunning deceivers, as well. They could transform a single gene so that they could avoid being wanted; and that's pretty impressive. So now I've learned of another species that could fool other species (recall spermless males fooling females).
I just wanted to share these links to show how I feel about spiders:
http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqd17kZDGG1qbztsvo1_r2_500.gif
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqd17kZDGG1qbztsvo3_r1_500.gif
I wish that this could apply to humans because then all it would take is a bit of showing off to prevent a fight. But unfortunately (or fortunately?), we are much too intelligent to let a simple boast scare us away. But the more I think about it, the more I believe that these whip spiders are more intelligent than us because they don't waste their time and effort in engaging in a fight they know is unwinnable. These whip spiders are actually pretty neat!
The first article about butterflies was really interesting. I did not know much about butterflies before the article. It is surprising to learn that predators use the patterns on the wings of butterflies. Mimicry used in the H.Numata is a really unique property. Mimicry is a great genetic savior for the H. Numata species , which allows them to masquerade as unappetizing butterflies to trick their predators. It is funny to think that something that represents innocence such as butterflies, can be so sneaky and tricky by fooling their predators.
After reading the second article about the whip spiders, my distaste for spiders increased greatly. No offense but those things are hideous and are meant to be things from a horror movie. Even though they are disgusting, the spiders' whips are an extremely useful feature. It allows them to fight other whip spiders.
I really liked this first article. To think that butterflies can use evolution to turn into bad tasting butterflies is ingenious. These butterflies use Mullerian mimicry to disguise themselves and keep protected from predators. I think it would be interesting to see if other insects could evolve and use Mullerian mimicry to their advantage but not so much that they could possibly become extinct or endangered.
The second article I didn’t enjoy as much, mostly because I hate spiders. After reading this article is made me even more afraid of them. It’s kind of scary to think that these spiders could have a more efficient communication system then we have. It’s pretty amusing though how whip spiders have these long and deadly pinchers, yet they don’t fight. They just simply use vibrations to scare off predators.
This article was basically about how a butterfly is able to change its appearance to look less appealing to its predators. The main type of butterfly that was described in the article was the Heliconius numata. This butterfly species is a leading force in disguising their looks to keep themselves safe from their attackers. This method of disguise that the Heliconius numata uses is called Müllerian mimicry. I find it very interesting that a butterfly is able to look less attractive in order to protect itself against any predators. This is just another fact that helps to prove that natural selection still prevails, and only the best will be able to survive.
While the pictures in this article were a bit disturbing to see, the concept was quite interesting. I found it very interesting that these whip spiders do not often attack each other, but instead they send out different vibrations, and usually one of the spiders will back down. Also mentioned in the article was the fact that the hairs of the spider’s legs played a key role in detecting the sensations. When the hair was removed there were less sensations are more of a chance of a physical fight.
Butterflies are really amazing little creatures. The ability to adapt to one's environment by manipulating it's genetic sequence is incredible. This article actually opens up a wide range of questions and possibilities. It shows just how complex genetic sequencing is, in that by changing just one gene, apparently at will, one can at least superficially drastically change. From the perspective of the predator, how does the prey change and appear?
Carl Linnaeus, the scientist who first developed the modern system of naming and categorizing species, actually looked at butterflies under a microscope, and saw that their wings were made up of tiny scales. Apparently, he actually commented on the find with the phrase "that's crazy!". I know that that anecdotal information doesn't have a lot to do with butterflies becoming less attractive to ward off predators, but I thought that that was amazing.
I'm only going to make a small comment in regards to the second article, not because I was weirded out by, but because the nature of butterflies is so compelling, anything immediately compared is biologically inferior. Anyway, the nature of whip spiders is still interesting. In issues over territory, mates, or even in a strange way, pride, two members of the same species use intimidation or even violence to assert themselves. It's a nature I often associated with mammals.
What the Heliconius numata can do is absolutely stunning and not only does it remind me of transformers but also the idea of shapeshifting that's found in all kinds of folklore and mythology. However shapeshifters and transformers are both fiction, and Müllerian mimicry is scientifically proven. They're able to take on the identity of other butterfly species in order to avoid being hunted down by predators. This whole discovery of this supergene that these butterflies can control really does uphold the concept of natural selection.
Reading the article about whip spiders reminded me of how the gender role of males of any kind of species are so competitive. The trichobothria found on the legs of the spiders is a way for them to show off their own strength and size. This can determine who already won the fight without even starting one. It's like comparing the hairs on these spiders to the muscles of human beings. Obviously a scrawny little guy wouldn't pick a fight with a man that works out at the gym 24/7 with muscles twice his size.
I've always been fascinated with the phenomenon of mimicry; species mimicking the behaviors, sounds, appearance, and even smells of other species in order to survive being eaten by predators. My favorite example of this is in many species of octopi that can not only mimic the color and texture of boulders on the sea floor, but also can mimic the appearance and behaviors of dangerous species such as barracuda and lion fish! I've always wondered how species were able to accomplish this feat, and I am glad that this article has brought up one possible answer! I think that it is so fascinating that in the Heliconius numata, it is a so-called 'supergene' that gives the butterfly its ability to mimic the wing patters of many different butterflies. This in turn fools predators into thinking that H. numata is an unappetizing treat as opposed to a tasty meal. I think that this scientific find provides a great support for the theory of darwinian evolution. In order to survive, these butterflies have managed to adapt by using Mullerian mimicry to trick their predators into leaving them alone. @Sayan, I agree that eventually, predators will be able to adapt and see past these butterflies' clever disguises. But I am sure that the butterflies will just adapt in return to fool the predators once more! That is the wonder of the ever-changing world of adaptation and evolution. The degree to which natural selection can affect a population amazes me.
First of all, in regards to the second article, that spider looks like something out of a child's nightmare! This is why I find it ironic that these scary-looking creatures show more civil tendencies than most infuriated humans tend to show. I mean, our school is a great example. Last year, as with every year, there was a multitude of fights throughout the school year. It seemed like every other week people needed to be broken up during lunch! If these angered students were to be able to suck it up and call it quits before injury like the whip spider does, I'm sure that the amount of fighting in our school would have been much less. Even so, it is in accordance with human nature that we tend to be stubborn and not back down from a brawl, even if we know that we are going to lose. For this reason, I respect these spiders. Though they possess the ability to harm each other with their massive pincers, they are able to admit when they are at a loss and retreat without injury sustained to either party. We could learn a lot from these whip spiders!
In all honesty i found the first article to be really scary and grotesque mainly because I really dislike spiders. It was cool to read about how the spiders interact with one another but it also made my fear of spiders a little worse.
I found the article about the butterflies to be far more interesting mainly because butterflies are not disgusting 8 legged creatures. i thought it was interesting how this particular species could adapt to its environment. It's really cool to see how different species use different strategies to adapt and ward off predators. In particular the butterflies strategy was especially cool
These two articles made me appreciate the fact that nature gives each organism a beneficiary trait; Heliconius numata's ability to master Müllerian mimicry and the whip spider's competence of knowing when to fight or back down. Starting with butterflies, I've always known that certain butterflies mimicked other butterflies that were unattractive to prey such as birds. Up until now I learned that this is possible by the voluntary changing of a single gene. It's amazing how just one gene allows a butterfly to control the appearance of its wing patterns. It makes me wonder what would happen if any other genes are altered. Maybe some possible defects could occur, or maybe more benefits would be gained. The Heliconius's ability to mimick bad-tasting butterflies definitely gives it a higher edge in "survival of the fittest" and natural selection. Since it is able to avoid prey more efficiently by mimicking, it has a greater chance of maintaining and increasing its population.
Unlike the concept of butterfly mimicry, the whip spiders were something I've never heard of before. Like everyone else said, I admire how they allow themselves to "think" before going through with a fight. They do this "thinking" by following the vibrations they feel with the trichobothria hairs found on their legs. From this they are able to estimate the size and strength of their enemy, and whether or not they have a chance at winning the fight. This saves them energy and keeps them from injury when they decide to back down from an unnecessary fight - that's always a good thing!
I found the first article very interesting. The Mullerian mimicry is essential for the H. Numata. to stay alive. By changing one gene, the butterfly is able to avoid predators like birds by changing its wing pattern to make it look like prey which is known to taste awful to predators. This is a great example of natural selection. The minicry helps the butterfly avoid predators and reproduce.
Even though the appearance of this spider freaks me out a litte bit, I found their way of communication very interesting. They use vibrations to sense an opponent's power. Sensing the vibration with the hairs on their bodies, they are able to avoid injury and energy by retreating from a fight the spider knows it cannot win. It was very different then how human fight, which can be started from emotion and retreating from a fight isn't common.
Although I definitely prefer butterflies over spiders, I'd have to say the second article was more interesting to me. When I think of spiders, I think of insects that are relatively simple as far as genetics are concerned. After reading the second article, I was surprised to learn that whip spiders are equipped with such sophisticated communication mechanisms. The evolutionary developments of these spiders are almost ironic; one would not expect them to resolve potential fights so peacefully because of their terrifying appearance.
The first article provided another great example of unique evolutionary advancements found in a seemingly simplistic species. I was unaware that butterflies were capable of such deceit.
H. Numata are probably one of the most fortunate species; neither do they have to battle off predators nor do they have to deal with camouflaging and fleeing from higher ranked species as a means of survival. Their motive of defense is innate and probably the most clever of all species. Since this “supergene” gives them the edge on other butterfly species, it is safe to say that H. Numata is thriving in the race of natural selection. Apparently H. Numata possesses a gene which allows them to mimic the wing pattern of bad-tasting butterflies in order to evade predators. Naïve and ignorance perhaps, but what if science is able to develop a way of enhancing and developing this supergene in such a way that other species can use it; perhaps we can save a number of endangered animals by helping them survive through “Mullerian mimicking”. This article, though interesting, was quiet ambiguous and left me with a number of questions. Nevertheless, the overall concept of means of defense is highly intriguing.
How fascinating…whip spiders seem to be one of the most deadly and intrinsically well equipped spiders and ironically are not prone to vicious battles but rather settle them peacefully. The trichobothria, or tiny hairs found on their legs, provide them with the ability to detect the strength of the opponent. Through this capability they are able to make a reasonable decision whether to fight or retreat. This is remarkable; such ability not only gives them an edge on natural selection as a whole but shows the brilliance of nature. I bet this innate skill is truly useful for survival in the world spider battling.
I found the article about Mullerian mimicry to be extremely fascinating. I had always wondered what defense mechanisms organisms apply to shield themselves from predators, and this is by far my favorite. The only question I have is how effective is the mimicry? Does it fully shield the butterfly and how close to the original is the impersonation?
Normally I walk away from anything related to spiders but this article was pretty interesting. Their ritual to attract a mate reminded me of human behavior, when one human sees another one is stronger they usually back down and know not to fight. But just like with humans, the spiders dont always back down and the competition does escalate to fighting.
H. Numata sounds like such a cool butterfly. I always thought it was interesting how butterflies were able camouflage themselves and hide from predators, but making themselves into a completely different looking butterfly is really unusual. Müllerian mimicry was a very fascinating topic as well. H. Numata could change its behavior and change its look entirely with this mimicry. Scientists have discovered a supergene that helps these butterflies to evolve into what they find unattractive or inedible. In humans, a gene like this could possibly be beneficial. Being able to change your look or behavior could possibly come in handy someday. Who knows?
As for the second article, EW! Just seeing that picture of the spider on top of the page immediately freaked me out. Imagine seeing that in your kitchen? Yuck! It’s kind of gross but the fact that these spiders wave their whips to see if they want to avoid fights is really neat. I never knew that they communicated through this fighting technique that they have. The little hairs on their bodies help them to converse with each other and show off how big and strong they are. By the way these insect articles that you keep posting are great.
Well firstly, this was a related article to the malaria article lol. Second, I had no idea müllerian mimicry was such a hot topic within the scientific community. I think the article itself was just a tad overdramatic. I'm not going to lie and say that this supergene excites and interests me. So Heliconius numata can change it's appearance. From what I understand, it seems to me they're a hyped up version of a chameleon. All that these butterflies' special niche indicated is that evolution has given them a very deceptive advantage over potential predators. Survival of the fittest certainly made them very good copy cats.
As for the spider article, I'll opt not to read it. I hate creepy crawlies. You can ask Steve about my irrational fear and "battles" with this centipede in my computer room which I ran and freaked out at the sight of it. Awful, awful. Thinking about creepy closeups of spiders is making me spas. *freaking out*
"The ones with yellow dots and black stripes taste like lemon sorbet. But the ones with orange dots and black stripes... you might as well have someone c**p directly in your mouth. Or so the bird in the tree outside my window claims..."
^ dat comment
That first article was cool! I've always been fascinated with creatures that take a more "ninja" approach to not being eaten, e.g. mimicry, disguise, quickly hiding in shells. It's incredible that these butterflies have evolved around the basis of LOOKING unpalatable, rather than just actually tasting nasty. A more direct approach that certain other butterflies have taken is simply to camouflage with the colors of their surroundings. I guess these are the hipsters of butterflies :/ What I wasn't sure of by reading the article, however, was whether or not individuals could be born looking like certain other species, or if the species as a whole could physically change itself through some bodily function, like a chameleon.
That article with the spiders was weird. I found this bit pretty funny: "Now, they’ve found that when they shaved the hairs from rival whip spiders, the threat displays went on for around twice as long and were three to four times more likely to escalate into physical fights." It's weird thinking that those tiny hairs were so vital to the spiders' communication. It's a bit of a gruesome experiment, when you think about it. I imagine having my tongue cut off and not being able to communicate :(
One of the more delicious images from that article:
http://i554.photobucket.com/albums/jj419/SeiterM/DamondiademaexKahlenberg08bild3.jpg
This is very remarkable how this species of butterfly has developed such a clever way to trick prey. This is just another example of the constant predator prey relationship species have. In order to survive, prey have to develop new ways to survive, and predators have to develop new ways to capture prey. An effective way for prey to survive is to ruse predators through mimicry.
The world of spiders or arthropods in general never really caught my attention until now. Science is truly impartial, it does not choose big species over small species, or complex species over incomplex species. The fact that these spiders may not seem as cool to me as other species, they still have very fascinating traits as the whip spider. It would be extremely helpful if other species could use similar tactics during a standoff to prevent injury.
It's amazing that just by changing one gene, the H. Numata was able to change it's appearance to a less appealing butterfly to keep it from being eaten! It's like an instant disguise; pretty genius to me, whether you're a butterfly or not. And not only does the butterfly just have one disguise - but a bunch! What I would like to know is, how fast can the butterfly change it's appearance? is it like a chameleon who can change in less than six seconds? I really like how this shows how natural selection works! I wonder if the predators will ever adapt and catch on to the whole Müllerian mimicry.
I found it really interesting that when these whip spiders want duel it out, and one of them knows they are going to lose, the weaker one leaves. I think (usually) in the animal world, they fight until death - even if they know they are going to lose, due to pride. When I read "they’ve found that when they shaved the hairs from rival whip spiders" I was quite confused. Someone actually took the time to SHAVE a spiders leg? That's dedication, right there. It's also interesting that the spider communicates using vibrations... I don't think I know any other species that does that! This type of communication prevents fights and ultimately saves lives...unfortunately. I hate spiders.
In the first article, the ability of butterflies to change their color and other characteristics is quite decieving. This trait is essential in a butterfly's life. However, if humans were given this ability very simple or complicated. Say a person did something and now people are mad at him. Now all he has to do is change his appearance and all his problems will be. If he decides to do another bad thing then he'll have to change his looks again and will have to keep an eye out for all people that are mad at him. If he just remained how he looked he would get his problems over with and wouldn't have to live in fear.
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