Tim Caro, a University of California at Davis biologist, and his team say they finally figured out why zebras have those funky stripes.

According to an article in Nature Communications by Caro, Amanda Izzo, Robert C. Reiner Jr, Hannah Walker and Theodore Stankowich, "The function of zebra stripes" is to prevent bugs.

"It settles the question pretty well, in terms of trying to understand the evolution of striping in horses, zebras and asses," Caro told NBC News.

The study concludes that flies that bite, such as tsetse flies and horseflies, are what caused the evolutionary trait of stripes to form.

Scientists have pondered the zebra pattern since at least 120 years ago, when Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin looked for a black and white answer to the mystery. UC Davis reports that proposed theories include stripes being either a kind of camouflage, a visual distraction for predators, a way to manage heat or some sort of zebra social symbol. Ectoparasite attacks, however, are reportedly the true reason for the lovable look.

"It's clear that the flies can get through that [zebra] hair and get to the skin," Caro, who teaches wildlife biology, said.

The article argues that flies prefer to land on darker surfaces, followed by lighter surfaces and like dark-and-light surfaces the least because they are confusing.

"I was surprised myself to see, again and again and again, greater intensity of striping on species and subspecies where we have this biting fly annoyance for months," Caro said.

The scientists say they found a relationship between areas where animals with stripes thrive and areas where biting flies flourish for several months a year

"Again and again, there was greater striping on areas of the body in those parts of the world where there was more annoyance from biting flies," Caro explained.

Still, other research remains that supports other zebra stripe theories.

"No one knew why zebras have such striking coloration," Caro said. "But solving evolutionary conundrums increases our knowledge of the natural world and may spark greater commitment to conserving it."

Now, Caro hopes to further explore why biting flies are so opposed to to landing on striped surfaces.

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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @SH____4.

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