The unique coloration of the giant panda that is loved by many people has long been a mystery to scientists.

大熊猫很受人们的喜爱，但是对科学家来说，它们那独特的皮毛颜色一直都是一个谜。

But now a joint research team believes they have solved the mystery, once and for all.

但是现在，一个联合研究团队相信他们已经解决了这个谜团。

The black and white patches on the giant panda mainly have two functions - camouflage¹ and communication, the joint research team from University of California, Davis, and California State University, Long Beach explains.

据来自加州大学戴维斯分校和长滩加州国立大学的联合研究团队表示，大熊猫身上黑白两色斑块主要有两个功能--伪装和沟通。

The giant panda's white face, nape, dorsum, flank, belly, and rump are adapted for crypsis against a snowy background, whereas its black shoulders and legs are adapted for crypsis in shade, according to the study that the joint research team published in the journal of Behavioral Ecology.

该研究团队将他们的研究成果发表在了《行为生态学》上，他们指出，熊猫的脸、颈、背、腰、腹、臀等部位呈白色，在雪地里就是一种伪装；而它的肩膀和腿等黑色部位则适合隐蔽在阴影里。

However, dark markings on the head are not used in crypsis, but in communication: dark ears may be involved with signaling intent about ferocity whereas dark eye marks may serve in individual recognition, according to the study.

但该研究表示，熊猫头上的黑斑不是用来隐蔽自己的，而是用来通信的：黑色的耳朵可能是凶猛的信号，而眼睛周围那圈黑色可能用于个体识别。

There is no compelling support for their fur color being involved in temperature regulation, disrupting the animal's outline, or in reducing eye glare, the study explains.

该研究解释称，对于熊猫的皮毛颜色可以调节温度、扰乱其他动物视野中自己的轮廓、以及减轻眼睛眩光等说法，没有令人信服的证据。

"Understanding why the giant panda has such striking coloration has been a long-standing problem in biology that has been difficult to tackle because virtually no other mammal has this appearance, making analogies difficult," said Dr. Tim Karo, a professor from the University of California and the lead researcher.

加州大学教授、该研究的领导者提姆·卡罗博士表示：“理解熊猫为什么具有这么令人吃惊的颜色是生物学中一直以来都存在的一个难以解决的问题，因为几乎没有其他哺乳动物和熊猫一样，这样就使得进行类比很困难。”