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Juvenile plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) produce camouflage by flexibly combining two separate patterns

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posted on 2023-06-12, 06:35 authored by Emma J Kelman, Palap Tiptus, Daniel Colaco OsorioDaniel Colaco Osorio
Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) is a flatfish well-known for the ability to vary its body pattern, probably for camouflage. This study investigates the repertoire of patterns used by juvenile plaice, by describing how they respond to shifts between three artificial backgrounds. Two basic patterns are under active control, fine `spots' and coarser `blotches'. These patterns are superimposed on a fairly uniform ground. For the six plaice studied, the levels of expression of the spot and blotch patterns varied continuously and independently according to the visual background, and in a manner consistent with their being cryptic. The repertoire of plaice appears to be intermediate between the tropical flatfish Bothus ocellatus, which has three separate basic patterns, and two temperate species Paralichthys lethostigma and Pseudopleuronectes americanus, which have one each. It is interesting to consider how mixing a small number of coloration patterns is effective for camouflage, and why the demands of this task may lead to differences between species.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Journal of Experimental Biology

ISSN

0022-0949

Publisher

Company of Biologists

Issue

17

Volume

209

Page range

3288-3292

Pages

5

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2018-08-02

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-08-02

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