Natures wonders: deaf moths hide from echolocation (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, February 27, 2020, 22:27 (1729 days ago) @ David Turell

They can't hear the bat's radar, but absorb 85% of the rays:

https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/deaf-moths-versus-predator-bats?utm_source=Cosmos+-+...

"Some species of deaf moths have evolved a clever defensive strategy to reduce the risk of being eaten by bats, a British study has found.

"Unlike other nocturnal insects, they are unable to hear the ultrasonic calls of bats, which use echolocation to detect potential prey.

"Instead, they have “noise-cancelling scales” that can absorb up to 85% of the incoming energy, reducing by almost 25% the distance at which a bat would be able to find them, reports a team from the University of Bristol.

"Thomas Neil and colleagues used scanning electron microscopy to study the moths Antherina suraka and Callosamia promethea and discovered that their thorax scales look structurally similar to fibres used for noise insulation.

"'We were amazed to see that these extraordinary insects were able to achieve the same levels of sound absorption as commercially available technical sound absorbers, whilst at the same time being much thinner and lighter,” says Neil."

Comment: These moths had to have this ability when they appeared, or they would not have survived the bat attacks. They had to designed this way. If only the 15% hearing moths survived, then why are 85% still deaf? Not an adaptation.