Star finches Neochmia ruficauda have a visual preference for white dot patterns: a possible case of trypophilia.

ABSTRACT: Many animals have polka dot patterns on their body surface, some of which are known to have signalling functions; however, their evolutionary origins remain unclear. Dot patterns can trigger a fear response (trypophobia) in humans and are known to function as aposematic signals in non-human animals, suggesting that dots may deserve attention for biological reasons. Interestingly in many birds, plumage dot patterns serve for social/sexual signalling. To understand their evolution, we have focused on the sensory bias hypothesis, which predicts the role of pre-existing sensory preference driven by natural selection in shaping signal design. Our previous phylogenetic comparative study supported the hypothesis and showed that diet-driven visual preference promoted the evolution of plumage patte

SUBMITTER: Mizuno A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9617841 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature