Protective mimicry in the cheetah, part 2

In summarising so far, consider the following photo: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-one-cheetah-adult-female-walking-through-open-grassland-against-the-129036465.html. The dark punctuation on the back-of-ear, and the dark-and-pale punctuation on the tail-tip, are similar enough to those of females of the lion (https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidbygott/6039165459) that, in a distant view, confusion of identity can arise. And there is also potential confusion with the leopard, which shares these patterns.

It is unlikely to be mere coincidence that cheetah, lion and leopard, which widely coexisted in Africa and Eurasia, have similar patterns on the back-of-ear. Most species of felid have different patterns, in which there is a central pale spot. The range of variation is represented in the following selection: Panthera tigris https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/tiger-ears-gm89923374-2355780, Panthera onca https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Jaguar_%28Panthera_onca%29_male_back_in_the_water_%2829173428825%29.jpg and https://notquitecountrygirl.typepad.com/.a/6a01901e6a543d970b0240a4c53974200d-pi and https://www.naturepl.com/stock-photo-jaguar-panthera-onca-head-portrait-rear-view-showing-ear-spots-captive-image01319094.html, Panthera uncia https://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisnodream/35461803610, Puma concolor https://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/item/82177040-puma-lay-thick-bush-turning-head-looking-and-lay-down-behind and https://twitter.com/catameep/status/1143973676293005312/photo/2, Lynx rufus https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/photos/a.184533141956/10155970456221957/ and https://forfoxsakewildlife.com/2019/11/03/bobcats-have-eye-spots-on-their-ears/, Lynx lynx https://www.alamy.com/eurasian-lynx-lynx-lynx-head-with-tufted-ears-from-behind-captive-image280645324.html, Leptailurus serval https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ears-serval-cat-694062445?src=IS1FgdKNZBGHaYht68sMfw-1-3 and https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-serval-cats-unique-striping-on-ears-32081728.html, Leopardus pardalis https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-ocelot-leopardalis-pardalis-showing-distinctive-black-and-white-markings-29428865.html, Leopardus wiedii https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo-margay-leopardus-wiedii-showing-white-ear-spots-on-the-back-of-the-naturephotography-image00539134.html, and Neofelis nebulosa https://www.imago-images.com/st/0091704447.

In the lion, this pattern has been modified by shifting the pale spot to the upper margin. This shift seems to have been mimicked by both the cheetah and the leopard, in such a way that the cheetah can benefit from resemblance to both lion and leopard. However, the cheetah is generally seen at distance in vegetation too open for the leopard, which means that the crucial resemblance is that to the lion.

In the case of the tail-tip, the resemblance of the patterns is only approximate when viewed close-up and stationary. Furthermore, the leopard (https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-view-of-leopards-tail-panthera-pardus-elephant-plains-sabi-sands-conservancy-22796253.html) does not mimic the lion in the appearance of its tail (see my Posts of July 23 & 27, 2021). However, mimicry remains possible at distance because the frequent movement of the tail means that all that is needed is an impression of a combination of dark and pale close together (https://www.dreamstime.com/male-lion-walking-tall-grass-tail-held-high-male-lion-walking-tall-grass-tail-high-air-green-image133475307 and https://www.deviantart.com/8twilightangel8/art/African-Cheetah-Profile-389025185 and https://stock.adobe.com/ca/images/cheetah-front-view-full-body/218059124).

To be continued...

Publicado el julio 30, 2021 05:24 TARDE por milewski