The animal kingdom is dotted with species that give birth to spotted young, from deer to birds and fish. Even species that we don’t typically associate with spots, such as lions, wear the pattern as babies, only to lose it later in life.
But what purpose do these spots serve, and why do only some species seem to have them? Kiyoko Gotanda, a biologist at Brock University, said it is likely so common because spots are useful in keeping babies hidden from their enemies.
Spotted young tend to be more common in species that live in habitats with some three-dimensional structures, Gotanda noted, and less common in environments that are uniform or featureless. Indeed, baby seals born on pack ice are pure white, and develop spots only when they leave the ice for rocky beaches. But in habitats with some cover, spots function as the sunlight passing through leaves or tall grass, making an animal hard to be discovered in its background.
“It is not as overt a pattern as something like a stick insect that becomes something else entirely, which can be clearly identified. But spots do create these three-dimensional effects that help some species hide better,” said Gotanda.
In other rarer cases, spots actually help babies stand out. Young garibaldi — orange marine fish found along the coast of California and Mexico — have bright-blue spots that advertise their lowly status to highly territorial (有地盘意识的) males. As the fish grow and start to engage in the social order, their spots fade.
In fact, many species grow out of their spots, and the reasons aren’t entirely understood. According to Gotanda, patterning is typically considered more energetically costly to produce than a single, solid color. But spots don’t take a lot of energy to grow and maintain at least in the case of white spots. There must be other reasons to explain their loss, he said.
12. Where are spotted baby animals more likely to appear according to Paragraph 3?
A.In the desert. | B.On the ice. | C.In the forest. | D.In the lake |
13. What does the underlined word “overt” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.Obvious. | B.Strange. | C.Hidden. | D.Complex. |
14. Which statement might Gotanda agree with?
A.Animals with spots on the body are more energetic. |
B.Spotted animals often exist in uniform surroundings. |
C.The growth of animal spots will consume lots of energy. |
D.There are more to explore about the loss of animal spots. |
15. What can be the best title for the text?
A.How Are Spots Protecting Baby Animals? |
B.Why Do So Many Baby Animals Have Spots? |
C.Where Can You Find Baby Animals with Spots? |
D.What Causes the Loss of Spots on Baby Animals? |