05/01/2026
Curator’s Corner #2 - Eyespots?
Tigers have white, eye-like spots on the back of their ears. Some believe these marks serve as a defensive mechanism to intimidate predators and rivals by creating the illusion of a watchful gaze from behind, making the tiger appear alert even when resting or drinking.
This bird is a large species of pheasant from Southeast Asia. Carl Linnaeus gave the bird its specific name (from which its common name and genus name are derived) because of the intricate eye-like patterns on its wings, in reference to a hundred-eyed giant in Greek mythology. He uses his eyespots for courtship display to attract a female. (Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, England: Christopher Helm. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.)
This moth is a member of the family Saturniidae, the giant silk moths. It’s a tan-colored moth, with an average wingspan of 6 in. The most noticeable feature of the moth is the large, purplish eyespot on each hindwing; its name is from a cyclops in Greek mythology. These spots are a defensive mechanism to confuse or distract predators. The species, first described by Pieter Cramer in 1776, is widespread in continental North America, with local populations found throughout subarctic Canada and in all the United States except Arizona and Nevada. (Wikipedia)
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