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A comment on Zebras’ stripes discourage biting flies from landing. Parent comment

Re:Zebras’ stripes discourage biting flies from landing by vntok on Thursday February 21, 2019 @03:44AM (#19215463)
Animal trypanosomiasis, transmitted by tsetse flies, causes "fever, weakness, and lethargy, which lead to weight loss and anemia; in some animals the disease is fatal unless treated".

Doesn't it sound like such diseases are likely to alter a zebra's fecundity?

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Re:Zebras’ stripes discourage biting flies from landing by lurquer on Thursday February 21, 2019 @01:09PM (#19219039)
The study involved horseflies in England... not tse-tse flies in Africa.

As far as the effect of 'such diseases' on a zebra's fecundity, I have no idea. For all we know, a feverish lethargic zebra is EASIER for a stallion to mount than a healthy zebra. Nobody knows.

The study, incidentally, did not deal with the types of flies accustomed to biting zebras. I have every reason to think a typical African biting fly would have no problem alighting on a zebra... it's what they do for a living.

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