Importance of colour in the reaction of passerine predators to aposematic prey: experiments with mutants of Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera)

Abstract

Specific colour is essential for the birds to recognize aposematic prey.

Keywords

• antipredator defence
• colour polymorphism
• erythropterin biosynthesis
• insectivorous birds
• melanin pattern
• Pyrrhocoridae
• recurrent mutations
• warning coloration
• wild birds
• warning coloration
• mimicry
• pattern
• evolution
• selection
• responses
• contrast