Why do zebras have ... stripes?

Why is the zebra body developing characteristic black and white stripes that have become a hot topic of debate in the scientific community for decades. And until recently, a group of researchers from Hungary and Sweden could answer this question.

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Their report, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, shows the zoological characteristics that help them stay away from many blood-sucking insects and even flies.

The key to this special ability lies in the lines of light that reflect light.'We conducted a review on groups of black, brown and white horses,' Susanne Akesson from Lund University, a member of the international research group, said.

The body characteristics of zebras help them
stay away from many insects that specialize in blood sucking

'In black and brown horses (generally dark horses), the storytellers find that their bodies emit light that vibrates horizontally , ' she said.

This effect makes them an attractive 'bait' for insects. Because that light entering the eye wave of a hungry animal will move along the horizontal plane, like a snake crawling under a flat floor. Meanwhile, the team found that many flying insects, including buffalo flies, are attracted to 'flat' light waves .

After discovering this particular hobby, they turned their attention to the zebra group. They placed a number of panels describing black horses, white horses and striped horses of different widths in the fields of a horse farm in rural Hungary.

'We applied an adhesive on each board. It helps us to know the number of insects that are attached to it , 'Akesson explained.

'The results show that on the striped board depicting the zebra's fur, the number of insects attracted to it is very little or even less than the whiteboards - the light-reflecting board is not broken. extreme ' , Dr. Akesson shared. 'In the striped pattern, there are still dark areas that reflect light vibrating horizontally but very narrow. Perhaps this is the reason they are less attractive in the eyes of insects. '

Professor Matthew Cobb, evolutionary biologist at Manchester University, said that the experiment was "tight and interesting" , but did not rule out other theories about the origin of stripes on the zebra body. .