Иногда наука делает действительно крутые вещи. Возьмем , к примеру, гипотезу . Это объяснение наблюдаемого явления. Но чтобы быть доказанными, гипотезы должны быть проверены, и иногда именно в ходе этого исследования ученые доказывают совсем другое.
Именно это произошло с неуловимым насекомым орхидейным богомолом, у которого было несколько уловок в рукаве, о которых ученые не знали.
Что такое орхидейный богомол?
Орхидейные богомолы Hymenopus coronatus живут в тропических лесах Юго-Восточной Азии. Самки большие, размером от 2,3 до 2,7 дюймов (от 6 до 7 сантиметров) в длину по сравнению с их коллегами-самцами всего от 0,7 до 1,1 дюйма (от 2 до 3 сантиметров) в длину.
С момента их открытия более 100 лет назад считалось, что эти цветочные богомолы эволюционировали до своего красивого розово-белого цвета и широких плоских ног , чтобы имитировать цветы орхидеи и сбивать с толку добычу. Затем они незаметно нападают на насекомых, таких как мотыльки, бабочки, жуки или даже лягушки и скорпионы . Этот тип эволюции называется загадочной мимикрией или загадочной окраской и может использоваться как в оборонительных, так и в агрессивных целях. Другие насекомые, такие как листовертка, тоже делают это.
Это имеет смысл, верно? Так думали ученые, пока несколько лет назад группа исследователей не решила проверить эту гипотезу .
In 2014, scientists did systematic field testing to see how adult female orchid mantises operated. Turns out, they don't use camouflage at all. In fact, insects were attracted to the orchid mantises more than any flower. The insects were already beelining toward them without the need for camouflage.
If not cryptic mimicry, why did the mantises evolve this way?
Why Do They Look Like Orchids?
By evolving to be larger and more flower-like, female mantises increase their chances of attracting their preferred prey. It's called aggressive mimicry. They don't look like one flower. Research shows that their color evolved to imitate several species of flowers.
James Gilbert, an insect evolutionary biologist, explained it to The Conversation from a insect's perspective that the color from a distance says to it's brain "delicious nectar here." As the insect approaches the orchid mantis, the petal-shaped legs confirm what the insect thinks to be true — it's a flower. Insects don't have developed brains like ours, their lives are short and they have no critical thinking skills. So naturally, the insect gets trapped, eaten and the circle of life continues, for the orchid mantis, at least.
Why is this so cool to scientists? A 2016 study led by Gavin Svenson of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) says it's important for a few reasons.
First, it's one of the first times that a female adaptation in a species has been for predatory purposes, not reproductive ones. Sexual dimorphism is when a male and female of the same species evolve differently. Usually, the adaptations are both for reproductive purposes.
In the case of adult female orchid mantises, they adapted because they were hungry, not to improve their chances of having babies. Their male counterparts are smaller and do camouflage to avoid being eaten, thus increasing their chances of mating.
Second, this type of study highlights how systematic field research can help reveal patterns in evolution we haven't noticed previously. Svenson's study wasn't looking at orchid mantis evolution specifically. But after he and his team noticed patterns in their data, they began thinking maybe there was more to the story. CMNH reports that for scientists like Svenson, this kind of discovery is the "holy grail" of systematic research.
And finally, the orchid mantis is the first animal known to mimic an entire flower (color, petals, etc.), not just part of it, to attract insects of its own accord.
Once again, animals prove that we can't always predict why they do what they do or look how they look. Mother Nature continues to surprise us in beautiful and deadly (if you're a bug) ways!
Now That's Interesting
Zebras also use cryptic coloration as a defense mechanism. By evolving striped hides, they confuse predators who can't pick one out from the many and reduce their chances of being eaten.
