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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Photo: Chameleons Evolved Color Changing to Communicate


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Two male Jackson's chameleons spar with interlocked horns, their bodies vividly colored in an attempt to intimidate the opponent.

The reptiles begin the contest bright green, but when one male realizes that he will lose, he becomes dark to signal that he is giving up.

A new study found that the chameleon's color-changing abilities did not evolve out of a need for camouflage, but as a form of communication.

Photos courtesy Adnan Moussalli and Devi Stuart-Fox