Biologists have discovered a fascinating link between the ribbony “tails” streaming from big, green luna moths’ hind wings and the cozy climate they grow up in. These unique wing streamers have evolved independently at least five times in the family of luna and other moon moths (Saturniidae), according to behavioral ecologist Juliette Rubin from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. In a recent study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Rubin and her colleagues have shed light on the connection between these ribbony tails and the environmental factors that influence their growth.
The dangling wing tails of luna moths are one of nature’s intriguing novelties, similar to the narwhal’s single unicorn tusk or the peacock’s giant feather train. Despite their aesthetic appeal, these wing streamers do not play a role in seduction, as Rubin’s experiments on the moth Actias luna have shown. Instead, these elongated tails serve as a defense mechanism against predators like bats. Luna moths are unable to hear a bat’s sonar clicks, and they do not produce any warning sounds to deter these predators. However, the fluttery wing ends can confuse bats, leading them to attack the thin, scaled tail tissue instead of the moth’s vital body parts.
The evolution of these extravagant body parts presents certain hazards, with the physical costs of growing such wings being a key consideration. By analyzing photos from citizen scientists on iNaturalist, Rubin and her team found that the presence of local insect-eating bats and prolonged warm temperatures were key factors influencing the evolution of longer wing tails in moths. The abundance of food sources due to warm and stable temperatures allows moth larvae to feed extensively, leading to the development of elaborate wings for their adult phase.
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