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Proceedings. Biological sciences2010; 277(1688); 1643-1650; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2009.2202

An unexpected advantage of whiteness in horses: the most horsefly-proof horse has a depolarizing white coat.

Abstract: White horses frequently suffer from malign skin cancer and visual deficiencies owing to their high sensitivity to the ultraviolet solar radiation. Furthermore, in the wild, white horses suffer a larger predation risk than dark individuals because they can more easily be detected. In spite of their greater vulnerability, white horses have been highly appreciated for centuries owing to their natural rarity. Here, we show that blood-sucking tabanid flies, known to transmit disease agents to mammals, are less attracted to white than dark horses. We also demonstrate that tabanids use reflected polarized light from the coat as a signal to find a host. The attraction of tabanids to mainly black and brown fur coats is explained by positive polarotaxis. As the host's colour determines its attractiveness to tabanids, this parameter has a strong influence on the parasite load of the host. Although we have studied only the tabanid-horse interaction, our results can probably be extrapolated to other host animals of polarotactic tabanids, as the reflection-polarization characteristics of the host's body surface are physically the same, and thus not species-dependent.
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Publication Date: 2010-02-03 PubMed ID: 20129982PubMed Central: PMC2871857DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.2202Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores the unexpected advantage of having a white coat in horses. Despite their sensitivity to ultraviolet solar radiation and easier detection by predators, white horses are less attractive to harmful, disease-carrying, blood-sucking tabanid flies compared to dark horses.

Research Aim

  • The research aimed to investigate the relationship between the color of a horse’s coat and its attractiveness to tabanid flies, known carriers of disease agents to mammals.

Key Findings

  • The researchers found that tabanid flies are less attracted to white horses compared to dark ones. They suggest that the color of the horse’s coat significantly influences its attractiveness to tabanids.
  • Tabanids were found to use reflected polarized light from the horse’s coat as a host signal. Primarily black and brown fur coats attracted tabanids due to a phenomenon known as positive polarotaxis.

Implications and Extrapolations

  • This coloration factor has a substantial impact on a horse’s parasite load. Essentially, the coat color of a horse can affect its vulnerability to being bitten by disease-carrying flies.
  • Although the research primarily focused on the interaction between tabanid flies and horses, the team speculates that their findings may be applicable to other animals host to polarotactic tabanids. This is because the reflection-polarization aspects of a host animal’s body surface are physically identical and not dependent on species.

Significance of White Horses

  • In light of their vulnerabilities to skin cancer, visual deficiencies, and higher predation risk, white horses have been valued for their natural rarity.
  • Now, the research adds an unexpected advantage to having a white coat in horses – being less attractive to harmful tabanid flies. This could potentially influence decisions in horse breeding, adoption, and care to favor white or lighter-colored horses to minimize parasite load and exposure to diseases carried by these flies.

Cite This Article

APA
Horváth G, Blahó M, Kriska G, Hegedüs R, Gerics B, Farkas R, Akesson S. (2010). An unexpected advantage of whiteness in horses: the most horsefly-proof horse has a depolarizing white coat. Proc Biol Sci, 277(1688), 1643-1650. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.2202

Publication

Proceedings. Biological sciences
ISSN: 1471-2954
NlmUniqueID: 101245157
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 277
Issue: 1688
Pages: 1643-1650

Researcher Affiliations

Horváth, Gábor
  • Department of Biological Physics, Physical Institute, Eötvös University, 1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1, Hungary. gh@arago.elte.hu
Blahó, Miklós
    Kriska, György
      Hegedüs, Ramón
        Gerics, Balázs
          Farkas, Róbert
            Akesson, Susanne

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Diptera / classification
              • Diptera / physiology
              • Hair Color
              • Horses / parasitology
              • Host-Parasite Interactions
              • Light
              • Parasitic Diseases / parasitology
              • Phototropism / physiology

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