Behavioral science unit 3 predator prey

two main reasons Predators have refined their

 sense organs

To increase the range over which prey may be located

To accurately pinpoint prey positions which would normally provide protection

Light is focused by

Cornea and Lens

Retina

Detects light

Rods

Detect low light

Cones

Brighten light and color

Adaptation to improve vision (raptors)

Large eyes

Adaptation to improve vison

independence in eye movement

binocular vision

The ability to use both eyes simultaneously to focus on a single object. It allows for depth perception and a wide field of view.

Positive cornea

The cornea has a convex shape and acts as a positive (converging) lens, helping to focus light onto the retina.

Negative lens

diverges light rays so they focus properly on the retina.

Some predators have many blank in their retinas which are very sensitive and provide excellent night vision in cats

rods

Choroid

Reflective structure at the back of the eye helps with better vision at night

Pinnas

Earflaps the help capture sound

Internal ear

How fish detect sound

Fish lack blank

outer and middle ear

Fishes bodies are the density of blank

water

vibrations just effect the blank

inner ear

many predators can rotate blank in the direction the sound is coming from

ears

wolves can smell blank better than humans

100x

snakes pick up smell with their tongue and carry it to blank where it is detected as smell

the roof of the mouth

wolves can smell prey blank away

2 miles

Thermodetection

The ability to detect body heat generated by a prey animal

some snakes have blank around their mouths that can locate their prey

heat pits

Snake pits detect

inferred wavelengths between 5 and 30 um

snake pits have

an ion transport sensitive to the cold

Fish detect vibrations (sound) with…

Lateral line

lateral line detects…

vibrations

Blank generates electricity

Muscles (and heart muscles)

Many aquatic predators have blank that can sense these electrical impulses.

detectors

Animals like blank have detectors

hammer head and electric eel

specialized pits in sharks nose that allows them to detect electrical pulses

Ampullae of Lorenzini

Advantages to concealment

makes ambush possible and allows predators to get near to prey without detection in situations where distance matters

 Aggressive Mimicry

When a predator resembles a species that is normally harmless to potential prey in order to get close without alarming the prey animal        

an animal that uses aggressive mimicry

zone tailed hawk

advantages to pack or communal hunting

1: Individual expertise can be pooled

2: Can attack larger prey

3: Groups can use different strategies 

    than individuals

4: Success rates increase

5: Promotes social behavior

strategies for using speed (sprint)

-High acceleration burst Using a short but rapid burst of speed to haul in prey

strategies for using speed (Marathon)

Capturing prey by wearing them down by long term tracking

poison

 toxins that enter the body through the skin, by swallowing, or by inhaling.are a defense.

Venom

a substance a predator directly injects into its prey, usually through a stinger or fangs

Warning coloration

 Using bright colors to advertise that one is unpleasant to eat.

warning coloration is also known as

aposematic coloration

Monarch butterflies gain toxins from..

eating milkweed plants

spotted salamander

Bitter taste and slightly toxic 

has glands on its back & tail that release a toxic liquid when threatened.

tree frogs

have toxic skin

Batesian Mimicry

When a species that is good to eat gains protection by looking like a species that is not good to eat

withdrawal into a safe space is a…

flee tactic