Besides locomotion, what is the contrasting primary signaling mechanism between the white-tail and the mule deer?

Answer

The white-tail flashes its white tail while the mule deer utilizes large ears.

The divergence between *O. virginianus* and *O. hemionus* extends to their methods of signaling danger or alarm, reflecting adaptation to their respective habitats. The white-tailed deer uses the conspicuous white underside of its tail, raising it as an alarm flag when fleeing through cover. Conversely, mule deer possess large, mule-like ears that serve a similar visual and auditory signaling purpose. The establishment of one successful signaling morphology in a lineage often leads to evolutionary pressure reinforcing that signal rather than developing an entirely novel one, even if the primary predator base is similar across both species.

Besides locomotion, what is the contrasting primary signaling mechanism between the white-tail and the mule deer?

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