Ground Report

If you think that the need to camouflage from predators drove the evolution of colour change in chameleons,you’re wrong.Going by a study recently,it it because of an instinct to rapidly signal dominance to fellow lizards.A team of international researchers has carried out the study and found that the dramatic colour changes of chameleons are tailored to aggressively display to conspecific competitiors as well as to seduce potential mates.According to the researchers,it is because these signals are quick-chameleons can change colour in a matter of milliseconds-the animal can afford to make it obvious,as the risk that a predator will notice is limited.This finding means that the evolution of colour change serves to make chameleons more noticeable,the complete opposite of the camouflage hypothesis,the ‘ScienceDaily’ reported.But,the amount of colour change possible varies between species,according to the team.