Pterins are one of the major sources of bright coloration in animals. They are produced
endogenously, participate in vital physiological processes and serve a variety of signalling …

Engineered systems are typically based on a large variety of materials differing in
composition and processing to provide the desired functionality. Nature, however, has …

Smart chromatic materials with optical transmittances that can be modified by light scattering
upon external stimuli are attracting extensive interest because of their appealing …

Many animals use visual traits as a predator defence. Understanding these visual traits from
the perspective of predators is critical in generating new insights about predator–prey …

Highlights•We evaluated mud-dauber wasps' colour biases for spider prey.•Araneophagic
wasp species showed distinct preferences when foraging for spiders.•Spiders with higher …

Understanding diversity has been a pursuit in evolutionary biology since its inception. A
challenge arises when sexual selection has played a role in diversification. Questions of …

Search images are perceptual biases acquired through experience that improve an
individual's ability to detect the object of their search (eg, a predator seeking prey). In …

The fossil spider family Lagonomegopidae is widespread in the Cretaceous period, and
mainly reported from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, northern Myanmar. Here, two new …

Body coloration of orb-web spiders was previously hypothesized to be attractive to insects,
luring potential prey, or associated with protection against visually oriented predators. We …

In the present article, the author posits that the perception that animals apparently display a
strategy of avoiding detection by means of camouflage—ie, by disguising themselves in the …