Saturday 27 December 2014

Christmas colors disguise gliding lizards in the rainforest

Date:
December 24, 2014

Source:
University of Melbourne

Summary:
By mimicking the red and green colors of falling leaves, Bornean lizards avoid falling prey to birds whilst gliding, new research has found.

The work suggests that populations of the gliding lizard, Draco cornutus, have evolved extendable gliding membranes, like wings, which closely match the colours of falling leaves to disguise themselves as they glide between trees in the rainforest.

Found throughout South-East Asia, Draco is the only living genus of lizard with extendable gliding membranes -- call patagia -- which allow them to glide between trees in their territories.

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