Plains zebra
Physical description
The purpose of the bold black-and-white striping of zebras has been a subject of debate among biologists for over a century. A 2012 study suggests that stripes may have developed to discourage biting flies. Experiments have demonstrated that the stripes polarize light in such a way that it discourages tabanids (biting flies) in a manner not shown with other coat patterns. A 2014 study also supports the theory that they are a form of protection from biting flies and compared to other wild equines, zebras live in areas with the highest fly activity. The quagga appears to have lived in areas with lesser amounts of fly activity than other zebras. Another study from 2015 determined that environment temperature is a strong predictor for zebra striping patterns and proposed that the stripes may be related to thermoregulation.
Plains zebra-13