1. Although predation is commonly thought to exert the strongest selective pressure on colouration in aposematic species, sexual selection may also influence colouration. Specifically, polymorphism in aposematic species cannot be explained by natural selection alone. 2. Males of the aposematic wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) are polymorphic for hindwing colouration throughout most of their range. In Scandinavia, they display either white or yellow hindwings. Female hindwing colouration varies continuously from bright orange to red. Redder females and yellow males suffer least from bird predation. 3. White males often have higher mating success than yellow males. Therefore, we ask whether females can discriminate the two male morphs by colour. Males approach females by following pheromone plumes from a distance, but search visually at short range. This raises the questions whether males discriminate female colouration and, in turn, whether female colouration is also sexually selected. 4. Using electroretinograms, we found significantly larger retinal responses in male than female A. plantaginis, but similar spectral sensitivities in both sexes, with peaks in the UV (349 nm), blue (457 nm), and green (521 nm) wavelength range. 5. According to colour vision models, conspecifics can discriminate white and yellow males as separate morphs, but not orange and red females. For moths and birds (Cyanistes caeruleus), white males are more conspicuous against green and brown backgrounds, mostly due to UV reflectivity, and red females are slightly more conspicuous than orange females. 6. The costly red colouration among females is likely selected by predator pressure, not by conspecifics, whereas male colour polymorphism is probably maintained, at least partly, by a the opposing forces of predation pressure favouring yellow males, and female preference for white males. Whether or not the preference for white males is based on visual cues requires further testing. 7. The evolution of polymorphic aposematic animals can be better understood when the visual system of the species and their predators is taken into consideration.
1_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
Sixteen Excel files with data related to figure 2 in Henze MJ, Lind O, Mappes J, Rojas B, Kelber A (2018) An aposematic colour-polymorphic moth seen through the eyes of conspecifics and predators - sensitivity and colour discrimination in the wood tiger moth. Functional Ecology.'
1_DataRelatedToFig2_Female1_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
2_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
2_DataRelatedToFig2_Female2_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
3_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
3_DataRelatedToFig2_Female3_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
4_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
4_DataRelatedToFig2_Female4_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
5_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
5_DataRelatedToFig2_Female5_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
6_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
6_DataRelatedToFig2_Female6_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
7_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
7_DataRelatedToFig2_Male1_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
8_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
8_DataRelatedToFig2_Male2_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
9_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
9_DataRelatedToFig2_Male3_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
10_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
10_DataRelatedToFig2_Male4_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
11_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
11_DataRelatedToFig2_Male5_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
12_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
12_DataRelatedToFig2_Male6_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
13_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
13_DataRelatedToFig2_Male7_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
14_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
14_DataRelatedToFig2_Male8_IntensityResponse_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
15_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
15_DataRelatedToFig2_ResponseAmplitudeAgainstIntensityOfFlash_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
16_Response-intensity relationship of the dark-adapted compound eyes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) determined by electroretinograms
16_DataRelatedToFig2_ParametersOfNakaRushtonFunctions_ArctiaPlantaginis.xlsx
17_DataRelatedToFig3_IndividualSpectralSensitivityCurves_ArctiaPlantaginis
17 and 18: Two Excel files with data related to figure 3 and 5 in 'Henze MJ, Lind O, Mappes J, Rojas B, Kelber A (2018) An aposematic colour-polymorphic moth seen through the eyes of conspecifics and predators - sensitivity and colour discrimination in the wood tiger moth. Functional Ecology.'
18_DataRelatedToFig5_WavelengthsOfMaximalSensitivity_StandardCurves_ArctiaPlantaginis
Spectral sensitivity, illumination spectra, background spectra and reflectance spectra of wood tiger moth wing areas used for visual modelling
One excel file related to Figures 4, 6 and 7 in 'Henze MJ, Lind O, Mappes J, Rojas B, Kelber A (2018) An aposematic colour-polymorphic moth seen through the eyes of conspecifics and predators - sensitivity and colour discrimination in the wood tiger moth. Functional Ecology.'
19_Data_used for models_Arctia_plantaginis.xlsx