Male lizards disguise to avoid being eaten

Scientists say that in the wild, adult male lizards, when looking for females for mating, often encounter other males attacking and chasing.

For the mating process to be completed and convenient, these male lizards need a short time to change the color on their bodies so that they are very similar to the female lizard to avoid being attacked.

In one of his latest findings, PGS Scott Keogh, Institute of Biology, Australian National University, said: 'The color of adult male lizards looks very eye-catching, so it becomes more aware of the territory. location of the individual. The color of the female is usually light brown. Therefore, adult males often have to change both color in their abdomen and body. "

Lizards change colors themselves to avoid being attacked .

Because if they are just changing the color of the back or sides, they are easily recognized as males. This sex finger can be said to be an advantage for adult male lizards during the breeding season. Thus they may be able to stay with their children during the breeding season, but even if they disguise how they smell, they will still be the smell of males.

Scott Keogh's team came out with a wild field to capture some of the lizards, and removed all the parts related to their gender. Then tag the offspring with the female's smelling fluids on the female and the male disguises the female in front of the typical male lizards. These typical males use their tongue to lick the foul-smelling cards, the card-wearing females immediately have their own reactions, the males disguise themselves as females without these typical reactions. .

Therefore, the research team thinks that adult males will be superficially fascinated, but cannot be mesmerized by sexual odors.

In addition, the study found that males masquerading as females try their best to "bite the tongue" to keep a distance of "sex" with typical males, just in case a typical male finds out. their secret. Other animals, like fish, for example, often apply this gender advantage to camouflage.

This type of research was first discovered in reptiles also has the same type of deception, and in addition to this most special study, it also separates the relationship of sight and smell.

The team found that not all adult male lizards know how to use "techniques" to disguise themselves as this. The lizard's ability to change the color itself is very strong, gender is a kind of avoidance of lizard's warfare, but it is their forte that makes them dubbed with a beautiful 'dragon of color'.

Changing the color of lizard-colored trees when the sun shines through the dry area, the whole color becomes pale and their head and neck become red, if they jump to a moist place low, the red color on the head and neck will gradually disappear, the whole body color will darken. Lizard color change is a kind of change of physiological behavior that is not arbitrary.