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Index of Subjects --089e014948fae5ad5204e42c4017 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 I feel that you are under-estimating the power of natural selection i.e. if it benefits the organism, in terms of survival, it just might happen. I'm confident they are nothing more than highly evolved "hairs", that can be moved in a defensive manner. Best, Rick. On Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 6:41 PM, nancy dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com> wrote: > A week ago I took a picture of this fast-moving and impressive, albeit > common, White-Marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar (Orgyia leucostigma). > Pls correct the ID if wrong: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9501075283/ > > Then it reared its head up at me and waved its front tufts in the air. > Closeup of front end here: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9503879386/ > Details are in photo captions. > > I thought caterpillar tufts and hairs were passive structures, moving > only as the body moves. But they must have muscle control to wave > independently of one another like that. Are they a modified antennae > or leg or? Can't find anything out searching the internet or in the > books I have so I will try here. > > Nancy > -- Rick Whitman --089e014948fae5ad5204e42c4017 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">I feel that you are under-estimating the power of natural = selection i.e. if it benefits the organism, in terms of survival, it just m= ight happen. I'm confident they are nothing more than highly evolved &q= uot;hairs", that can be moved in a defensive manner.<div> Best, Rick.</div></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><br><div class=3D"gma= il_quote">On Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 6:41 PM, nancy dowd <span dir=3D"ltr"><= ;<a href=3D"mailto:nancypdowd@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">nancypdowd@gmail= .com</a>></span> wrote:<br> <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p= x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">A week ago I took a picture of this fast-mov= ing and impressive, albeit<br> common, White-Marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar (Orgyia leucostigma).<br> Pls correct the ID if wrong:<br> <a href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9501075283/" target=3D= "_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9501075283/</a><br> <br> Then it reared its head up at me and waved its front tufts in the air.<br> Closeup of front end here:<br> <a href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9503879386/" target=3D= "_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9503879386/</a><br> Details are in photo captions.<br> <br> I thought caterpillar tufts and hairs were passive structures, moving<br> only as the body moves. But they must have muscle control to wave<br> independently of one another like that. Are they a modified antennae<br> or leg or? Can't find anything out searching the internet or in the<br> books I have so I will try here.<br> <span class=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888"><br> Nancy<br> </font></span></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><div><br></div>-- <b= r>Rick Whitman<br> </div> --089e014948fae5ad5204e42c4017--
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