There is a real furor about why zebras have evolved stripes. Apparently, recent excellent research has shown that the stripes actually repel nasty Tabanid flies that can plague the unfortunate animal.
Now, enterprising scientists are searching for theories that explain how the interaction works.
Avoiding complex explanations that involve polarized light etc, I would like to suggest a possible mechanism.
1. The tabanid fly, in unison with its diptera relatives has a basic vital recognition system for stripes. This permits it to swarm, and mate with others of its species.
2. The stripes of the zebra provide an intense and distant stimulus to this vital system, like a flash of intense light to our visual system, blocking and disorienting the fly. It is like a radar jamming system.
This interactive type system is used by orchids to attract pollenators, so would not be unique. But it would be a tribute to the evolutionary system
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