Why do Zebras have their Stripes?

According to the BBC, researchers in Hungary and Sweden have discovered some interesting clues to the function of the racy black and white stripe coat pattern found in Zebras.  Their work was reported in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

There have been many theories about the origin of the Zebra's coat striping pattern ranging from camouflage to confusing predators.  This recent hypothesis seeks to understand how biting horse flies, tabinids, select their targets.   Any horse person knows, flies are a major annoyance to grazing animals and sometimes pose a health hazard. 

The researcher's previous experiments concerned the attractiveness of different coat colors to the flies based on the way the coat reflected light.  The flies rely on light patterns to search out their favored reproductive habitat, water and logic suggested that light could prove to be a factor in how the flies chose their food source.  

The research showed that dark coats were more attractive to the insects than white,   Based on this finding, the researchers expected to find that black and white striped coats would fall in the middle of the range of attraction - however, experiments showed that the striped coat was even less desirable to the flies than white.  The striped coats reflect light in a complex pattern that attracts fewer flies.

While this factor may not be the entire reason zebras have stripes, it may give some  insight into the evolutionary significance of stripes in various mammals.

For more information, check www.bbc.com or the Journal of Experimental Biology for s summary or the abstract.

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