SPEAKER: Dr Karen Cheney, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland

DATE: Friday, 13th November 2015
LOCATION: Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds, Room ka3.406
TIME: 12:00 noon
Seminar will also be video linked to the following campuses: Melbourne Campus at Burwood T3.05 and Warrnambool Campus, Room J2.22

ABSTRACT: Coral reefs are one the world’s most colorful places partly due to their inhabitants that display an amazing array of conspicuous colour patterns, including psychedelic emperor fish and garish molluscs.

Although scientists have long known that color plays a role in sexual selection, the recognition of competitors and mutualistic partners, and warning of danger, there are few examples explaining the language of colour well.

With the use of new technology for understanding visual systems, visual modelling, spectrophotometric (light measuring), behavioural and comparative methods, we have advanced our knowledge of the ways in which fish see and how colour patterns function. In this talk, I will discuss various recent studies that have explored colour change, mimicry, disruptive colouration and aposematic signals in marine organisms.

BIO: Dr. Karen Cheney works in the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Queensland as a Research Fellow.

During her initial postdoctoral work, she investigated mimicry in marine organisms and now her interests span how animals use visual signals in the marine environment for interspecific signalling, camouflage and aposematic displays.

Her work is funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the Australia & Pacific Science Foundation (APSF).

Appointments with guest speaker may be made via John Endler.

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