title: Marked colour divergence in the gliding membranes of a tropical lizard mirrors population differences in the colour of falling leaves.
abstract: Populations of the Bornean gliding lizard, Draco cornutus, differ markedly in the colour of their gliding membranes. They also differ in local vegetation type (mangrove forest versus lowland rainforest) and consequently, the colour of falling leaves (red and brown/black in mangrove versus green, brown and black in rainforest). We show that the gliding membranes of these lizards closely match the colours of freshly fallen leaves in the local habitat as they appear to the visual system of birds (their probable predators). Furthermore, gliding membranes more closely resembled colours of local fallen leaves than standing foliage or fallen leaves in the other population's habitat. This suggests that the two populations have diverged in gliding membrane coloration to match the colours of their local falling leaves, and that mimicking falling leaves is an adaptation that functions to reduce predation by birds.
authors.affiliation: Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia d.klomp@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Klomp
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stuart-Fox
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ord
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003116:Color; D008116:Lizards / Q000502:physiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves
keywords: antipredator behaviour; crypsis; geographical variation