Uploaded January 2017 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
An apparent inconsistency leads scientists to a new discovery about the role the environment plays in animal communication.
___
Anoles are tree-dwelling lizards that are common across the New World tropics. They’re also some of the most heavily studied reptiles in the world.
The most striking and most studied of all anole traits is the dewlap, a brightly colored, extendable throat-flap that the lizards use to signal would-be mates and rivals. Having studied anoles for years, Dr. Manuel Leal, a biologist at the University of Missouri, was intrigued by two species in Puerto Rico (Anolis cooki and Anolis cristatellus) that live side by side, yet, surprisingly, share the same dewlap color. The closer Leal and his colleagues looked at the two anoles, the more fascinating the animals became, ultimately providing a striking example of the role that the environment and natural selection can play in the evolution of animal signals.
___
Originally published on bioGraphic: bit.ly/2hNAUkR
Produced by Day's Edge Productions
___
Discover more beautiful and surprising stories about nature and sustainability at biographic.com
* Facebook: biographic.magazine
* Instagram: @biographic_magazine
* Twitter: @bioGraphic
An apparent inconsistency leads scientists to a new discovery about the role the environment plays in animal communication.
___
Anoles are tree-dwelling lizards that are common across the New World tropics. They’re also some of the most heavily studied reptiles in the world.
The most striking and most studied of all anole traits is the dewlap, a brightly colored, extendable throat-flap that the lizards use to signal would-be mates and rivals. Having studied anoles for years, Dr. Manuel Leal, a biologist at the University of Missouri, was intrigued by two species in Puerto Rico (Anolis cooki and Anolis cristatellus) that live side by side, yet, surprisingly, share the same dewlap color. The closer Leal and his colleagues looked at the two anoles, the more fascinating the animals became, ultimately providing a striking example of the role that the environment and natural selection can play in the evolution of animal signals.
___
Originally published on bioGraphic: bit.ly/2hNAUkR
Produced by Day's Edge Productions
___
Discover more beautiful and surprising stories about nature and sustainability at biographic.com
* Facebook: biographic.magazine
* Instagram: @biographic_magazine
* Twitter: @bioGraphic
