Zebra Stripes Essay
The evolution and primary function of zebra stripes
According to ontological evidence, zebras’ background coloration is black. The white stripping appears at a later developmental phase. The development of zebra stripping can thus be viewed as an evolutionary response (Egri et al., 2011). Any discussion regarding the evolutionary purpose of zebra stripes is inevitably traced back to Darwin and Wallace. While Wallace suggested that zebra stripes developed as a camouflaging mechanism against attacks from predators in tall grass, Darwin refuted this explanation because zebras inhabited savannahs not grasslands. Due to the significant curiosity surrounding zebra stripes, many alternative theories have been extended to explain the purpose zebra …show more content…
The experiment ascertained patterns that pointed to primarily two optical illusions, namely the wagon-wheel effect also known as temporal aliasing, and the barber-pole effect, which is similar to the aperture effect (How and Zanker, 2013). The wagon wheel effect is often featured in cinema. It said to occur when increasing the rotational speed of a wagon wheel above a threshold causes it to seemingly spin in a reverse direction. Zebra stripes in motion thus bewilder the onlooker into believing that zebras are moving in a direction that is the opposite of the route they are actually undertaking. The barber-pole derives its namesake from adverts of barbershops. According to the barber-pole illusion, zebra stripes seemingly move vertically when in motion which results in the creation of a vertical movement when in fact movement is often horizontal. It is important to note that while the optical illusions caused by the motion of zebra stripes is tested and verified, it is not yet clear what end the illusions serve. While it is clear that zebra stripes can indeed serve as a means of camouflage due to the optical illusions they induce, what they are providing camouflage against is not yet clear. The experiment assumed that effects generated could be directed towards the visual mechanism of predators or tabanaids, so either explanation is equally as likely to be
According to ontological evidence, zebras’ background coloration is black. The white stripping appears at a later developmental phase. The development of zebra stripping can thus be viewed as an evolutionary response (Egri et al., 2011). Any discussion regarding the evolutionary purpose of zebra stripes is inevitably traced back to Darwin and Wallace. While Wallace suggested that zebra stripes developed as a camouflaging mechanism against attacks from predators in tall grass, Darwin refuted this explanation because zebras inhabited savannahs not grasslands. Due to the significant curiosity surrounding zebra stripes, many alternative theories have been extended to explain the purpose zebra …show more content…
The experiment ascertained patterns that pointed to primarily two optical illusions, namely the wagon-wheel effect also known as temporal aliasing, and the barber-pole effect, which is similar to the aperture effect (How and Zanker, 2013). The wagon wheel effect is often featured in cinema. It said to occur when increasing the rotational speed of a wagon wheel above a threshold causes it to seemingly spin in a reverse direction. Zebra stripes in motion thus bewilder the onlooker into believing that zebras are moving in a direction that is the opposite of the route they are actually undertaking. The barber-pole derives its namesake from adverts of barbershops. According to the barber-pole illusion, zebra stripes seemingly move vertically when in motion which results in the creation of a vertical movement when in fact movement is often horizontal. It is important to note that while the optical illusions caused by the motion of zebra stripes is tested and verified, it is not yet clear what end the illusions serve. While it is clear that zebra stripes can indeed serve as a means of camouflage due to the optical illusions they induce, what they are providing camouflage against is not yet clear. The experiment assumed that effects generated could be directed towards the visual mechanism of predators or tabanaids, so either explanation is equally as likely to be