117 Do Animals See in Color?
Episode description
Not all animals see colors the same way we do. Some have less ability to see color and others have better color vision. Color vision will likely fit with the fitness of a particular species. Can they recognize other members of their group? Can they avoid predation? Is their feeding specialized on particular flowers or colorful insects? We talk about these questions today.
Key Takeaways:
- Color detection depends on the number and types of cones in the eye, while rods detect movement.
- Dogs and bulls, having only two types of cones as opposed to three in humans, see as if they were a color blind person.
- The bright green or red toys we buy for a dog are more for us to find the toy than the dog. The red cape is not what makes the bull charge.
- Some birds have four cones and can see at different wavelengths and can see below the ocean surface
"Animals see colors if it is important to them for their survival and reproduction - in other words, to find food, to detect, avoid, or fool predators, as well as in courtship rituals." — Therese Markow, Ph.D.
Connect with Therese:
Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net
Twitter: @CritiSpeak
Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net
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