Preface and acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Stripes and equids
1.1. The question of stripes
1.2. Hypotheses for striping in equids
     1.2.a. Antipredator hypotheses
     1.2.b. Antiparasite hypotheses
     1.2.c. Communication hypotheses
     1.2.d. Thermoregulation hypothesis
1.3. Equid evolution
     1.3.a. Plains zebra
     1.3.b. Mountain zebra
     1.3.c. Grevy’s zebra
     1.3.d. African wild ass
     1.3.e. Asiatic wild ass
     1.3.f. Kiang
     1.3.g. Przewalski’s horse
     1.3.h. Other equids
1.4. Zebra hair
1.5. Conclusion

Chapter 2. Predation and crypsis
2.1. Background matching
     2.1.a. Initial discomfort with the idea
     2.1.b. Detecting zebras
2.2. Disruptive coloration
     2.2.a. Predictions
     2.2.b. Sightings at dusk and dawn
2.3. Countershading
2.4. Zebras as seen by nonhumans
2.5. Conclusions

Chapter 3. Predation and aposematism
3.1. Aposematism in mammals
3.2. Signaling component of aposematism
     3.2.a. Visibility
     3.2.b. Noisy behavior
3.3. Defense component of aposematism
     3.3.a. Response to predators
3.4. Conclusion

Chapter 4. Predation and confusion
4.1. Confusion
4.2. Miscounting numbers of prey individuals
4.3. Striping obscuring outlines of fleeing prey
     4.3.a. Lines of stripes shown to humans
     4.3.b. Lines of stripes in dangerous situations
4.4. Striping preventing a single prey individual being followed
4.5. Dazzle effect
4.6. Motion dazzle
4.7. Misjudging the size of prey
     4.7.a. Subjective and estimated heights and girths
     4.7.b. Subjective heights and girths and degree of striping
4.8. Quality advertisement
4.9. Conclusion
4.10. Difficulties with the predation hypothesis

Chapter 5. Ectoparasites
5.1. Biting flies
5.2. Behavioral indices of fly infestation in Katavi
5.3. Behavioral indices of fly infestation in Berlin
5.4. Tsetse fly traps
     5.4.a. Biconical traps
     5.4.b. Cloth traps
5.5. Tabanid traps
     5.5.a. Canopy traps
     5.5.b. Pelt canopy traps
5.6. Moving objects
     5.6.a. Walking in suits
     5.6.b. Walking in pelts
     5.6.c. Driving with pelts
5.7. Conclusions
5.8. Polarized light
     5.8.a. Reflected light
     5.8.b. Horvath’s work
     5.8.c. Polarization signatures of wild zebras

Chapter 6. Intraspecific communication
6.1. Intraspecific signaling
6.2. Species recognition
6.3. Stripes as a facilitator of mutual grooming and social bonding
     6.3.a. Allogrooming
     6.3.b. Social bonding
6.4. Stripes as a means of individual recognition
6.5. Stripes as an indicator of quality
6.6. Conclusion

Chapter 7. Temperature regulation
7.1. Black and white surfaces
7.2. Heat measurements in the field
7.3. Heat management
7.4. Conclusions

Chapter 8. Multifactorial analyses
8.1. Comparing hypotheses simultaneously
8.2. The interspecific comparison
     8.2.a. Comparative methodology
     8.2.b. Overall striping
     8.2.c. Striping on different parts of the body
     8.2.d. Evaluating the hypotheses
8.3. Conclusions
8.4. The intraspecific comparison
8.5. Concordance on multifactorial analyses

Chapter 9. The case for biting flies
9.1. Last man standing
9.2. Host choice
9.3. Ectoparasite population sizes
9.4. Host seeking
9.5. Parasites and diseases transmitted by bloodsucking diptera
9.6. Mechanistic studies
9.7. Further outstanding issues
     9.7.a. Multiple functions
     9.7.b. Loose ends
9.8. Conclusion

Appendix 1. Scientific names of vertebrates mentioned in the text
Appendix 2. Nature of wounding seen in African ungulates in Katavi National Park
Appendix 3. Families of insects identified in each type of biconical trap color
Appendix 4. Families of insects identified in each type of cloth trap color
Appendix 5. Photographic sources for comparative analyses
Appendix 6. Derivation of zebra phylogenies
Appendix 7. Phylogenetic analyses

References
Index

Tim Caro is professor of wildlife biology at the University of California, Davis. He is also the author of Cheetahs of the Serengeti Plains: Group Living in an Asocial Species and Antipredator Defenses in Birds and Mammals, both published by the University of Chicago Press, as well as Conservation by Proxy: Indicator, Umbrella, Keystone, Flagship, and Other Surrogate Species.