Why zebras have stripes (possibly)

I wonder if that would work for humans......

Maybe sharp dressers in pin-striped suits will prove to have an evolutionary advantage over the less well-presented amongst us?
 
I have also heared about people suggesting it has something to do with different temperatures on the skin causing air to flow and thus causing a cooling effect...

Ah, I bet everything helped a little in the evolutionary change of their skin to what it is now...
 
DavidBrown said:
Interesting research with a new suggestion why zebras have stripes: avoidance of getting bitten by horseflies.
Click to expand...

I don't think there's anything new in this theory- I have heard it before in relation to Zebras & Ttetse Flies anyway- though this may provide actual proof perhaps?

AFAIK the three main theories for stripes have always been;

To ward off attack by flies
To confuse predators when they chase zebras running together in a herd from singling out one animal.
As a form of camouflage (not very convincing IMO)
 
Zebras are also striped ion araes without TseTse Flies.....

Camouflage ? Hmm, strange, so many zebras are being killed by wild dogs, lions, hyenas, cheehtas, leopards, so this camouflage isn't working well...

Zebras are striped to recognize each other, so thats why foals in zoos have to be seperated with their mother from the herd for a couple of days.
 
Fuzzball said:
Zebras are also striped ion araes without TseTse Flies.....

Camouflage ? Hmm, strange, so many zebras are being killed by wild dogs, lions, hyenas, cheehtas, leopards, so this camouflage isn't working well...

Zebras are striped to recognize each other, so thats why foals in zoos have to be seperated with their mother from the herd for a couple of days.
Click to expand...
well there you go. No need for any further research. Our German friend has definitively answered the conundrum ;)
 
Pertinax said:
I don't think there's anything new in this theory- I have heard it before in relation to Zebras & Ttetse Flies anyway- though this may provide actual proof perhaps?

AFAIK the three main theories for stripes have always been;

To ward off attack by flies
To confuse predators when they chase zebras running together in a herd from singling out one animal.
As a form of camouflage (not very convincing IMO)
Click to expand...
that was my opinion as well. Not a new theory at all, but probably the first time it has actually been scientifically tested. My own thoughts are that the stripes have multiple benefits, probably including all the reasons stated. What the primary one is I have no clue, but it is interesting that many of the wild equid species have stripes on all or part of their bodies (e.g. just on the legs in African wild asses). What is also interesting, in the opposite way, is that the only other mammals with a lot of body striping have it as camouflage (e.g. bongos, tigers, etc).
 
Fuzzball said:
Zebras are also striped ion araes without TseTse Flies.....
Click to expand...

yes, they are, but in the Southern species of Plains zebra (at least) the striping is not as sharply black and white contrasting as the Northern ones, while the most Southerly of all (Quagga) had limited/no stripes on the body.
 
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