Predators and Prey: Two Toolkits Shaped by the Same StrugglePredators have adaptations to detect, catch and kill prey.Prey have adaptations to avoid being detected, caught or eaten.Each toolkit can be physical, chemical or behavioural.Predator Adaptations: Finding, Catching and Killing PreyAcute senses and stealthOwls have sharp vision and hearing, and their feather structure gives near-silent flight so they can ambush prey undetected at night.Owls possess silent flight due to specialized feather structures, allowing them to ambush prey undetected during the night.Speed and body formCheetahs have long limbs, a lightweight frame and semi-retractable claws that grip the ground, letting them sprint after fast prey such as gazelles.Cheetahs have long limbs, lightweight frames, and non-retractable claws for exceptional speed to catch swift prey like gazelles.Chemical weaponsFire ants spray formic acid to subdue small prey and drive off threats.Fire ants spray formic acid to incapacitate smaller prey or deter threatsCone snails fire a venomous harpoon that delivers neurotoxins, paralysing a fish almost instantly.Cone snails deploy a venomous harpoon to immobilize prey instantly, delivering neurotoxins to paralyze fishHunting behaviourOrcas hunt in pods, working together to make waves that wash seals off ice floes.Orcas (Killer Whales) work in pods to create waves that knock seals off ice floes, demonstrating cooperative huntingTrapdoor spiders wait hidden in a burrow and ambush passing prey with a rapid strike.Trapdoor spiders lurk in hidden burrows and ambush prey using rapid bursts of movementNotePredator toolkits combine sensing, catching and killing.No single trait works alone, so most predators rely on several at once.Prey Adaptations: Hiding, Warning and Outnumbering the PredatorCrypsis (camouflage)Stick insects mimic twigs and blend into the background so predators fail to spot them.Stick insects mimic twigs, blending seamlessly into their surroundings to avoid visual detection by predatorsPhysical defencesPorcupines carry sharp quills that make them dangerous to attack.Porcupines use sharp quills as a physical barrier, deterring potential attacksToxins and warning signalsMilkweed bugs store toxins taken from milkweed plants, making themselves unpalatable to predators.Their bright colours are aposematism, or warning coloration, that tells predators they are toxic.Milkweed bugs store toxic compounds from milkweed plants, making them unpalatable to predatorsSkunks spray a foul-smelling chemical that makes a predator retreat.Skunks spray a foul-smelling chemical as a potent deterrent, causing predators to retreatNoteWarning coloration is called aposematism.In Batesian mimicry a harmless species copies the warning signal of a toxic one to gain the same protection.Safety in Numbers: Behavioural Prey DefencesAlarm calls and sentinelsMeerkats post sentinels that watch for predators and give alarm calls while the rest of the group forages.Meerkats use sentinels to watch for predators while others forage, ensuring the group remains protectedSchooling and herdingFish form tight schools that confuse a predator and lower any one fish's chance of being caught.Schooling fish form tight groups to confuse predators, reducing the likelihood of individual captureActive recallGive one sensory and one physical adaptation that helps a predator catch prey.What is crypsis, and how does a stick insect use it?What is aposematism, and why does it help a toxic prey animal survive?How does Batesian mimicry differ from having true warning coloration?How do schooling and using sentinels reduce an individual's risk of being eaten?
