Module 11 part 2
This blog post I thought I would mix it up a bit and talk about something kind of fund discussed in the last module. We talked a lot about the different physiological aspects of different species that could help them attract a mate, so I wanted to search around and find some of the ones I thought was the coolest.
Blue Footed Booby's
- You have probably heard of them for their fun name but did you know that the bluer their feet the more impressive they are to the females?
- These lizards do something similar to the Boobys by displaying bright colors that attract females of their species. However what is interesting is that the brighter the color, the more likely they are to be caught by bird predators around them. So it is interesting that they would almost risk their own life in order to mate. Additionally it is interesting that the females would choose a mate that does not survive well but looks pretty.
https://www.lakeforest.edu/news/female-mating-preferences-as-a-result-of-coloration-and-movement-in-betta-splendens
https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/16923/20150923/colorful-lizards-attract-mates-risking-lives.htm
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/blue-footed-booby

I'm glad you included the Blue Footed Booby's! I have known about these birds since I was about 6 years old and don't hear a lot about them! I thought the reason for the color of the male Aegean Wall Lizards was interesting, as I believe it to be a reason birds are so sexually dimorphic as well. (Also having a large cost, particularly in game birds). I especially thought this to be true when thinking about peacocks, and how the larger and brighter the tail feathers, the more attractive they are to females. However, the weight of the feathers causes them to not be great fliers, and thus are more susceptible to predation.
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