Associate Curator University of Florida Gainesville, Florida
Many species throughout the animalia use defense displays to evade predation. Eyespots are a defense display found in various insects, especially in butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). One iconic example of eyespots in Lepidoptera belong to the Io moth genus Automeris, a morphologically diverse group of saturniid moths with a range that spans between the New World temperate zone to the Neotropics and includes 145 described species. Eyespots in Automeris function as the color component of an anti-predatory display called deimatism, the sudden reveal of a hidden coloration when approached by a predator. Automeris eyespots are hidden by the moth’s cryptic forewings when at rest. When approached or disturbed by a potential predator, wing eyespots are quickly revealed. Though there has been research into the protective efficacy of deimatic displays, there has yet to be research demonstrating a pathway for which it may have evolved. Two possible evolutionary routes have been proposed, the “startle first pathway,” and the “defense first pathway”. The startle first pathway suggests sudden movement associated with the deimatic defense evolved first, with hidden coloration evolving later. Alternately, through the defense first pathway coloration evolved first, with the ability to conceal color evolving after. A phylogeny on Automeris and relatives is needed as a foundation to understand how eyespots and deimatic displays generally evolve. This review will define deimatic displays, summarize the research that has been conducted and in which groups, and suggest future research needed to enhance our understanding of how this display evolved.
