Javier Abalos
@abalosaurus.bsky.social
I cannot be reborn as a velociraptor, but I can study lizard behaviour and coloration. Close enough.
Today I found out that the sex pheromones of Aplysia (a genus of extremely large sea slugs) are called:
• Enticin 🌶️
• Attractin 👁️🫦👁️
• Temptin 🌺
• Seductin 🔥
And I find that wonderful. Please vote for your favorite. Credits to Trystam Wyatt's book on Pheromones and Animal Behavior.
#ethology
• Enticin 🌶️
• Attractin 👁️🫦👁️
• Temptin 🌺
• Seductin 🔥
And I find that wonderful. Please vote for your favorite. Credits to Trystam Wyatt's book on Pheromones and Animal Behavior.
#ethology
October 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Today I found out that the sex pheromones of Aplysia (a genus of extremely large sea slugs) are called:
• Enticin 🌶️
• Attractin 👁️🫦👁️
• Temptin 🌺
• Seductin 🔥
And I find that wonderful. Please vote for your favorite. Credits to Trystam Wyatt's book on Pheromones and Animal Behavior.
#ethology
• Enticin 🌶️
• Attractin 👁️🫦👁️
• Temptin 🌺
• Seductin 🔥
And I find that wonderful. Please vote for your favorite. Credits to Trystam Wyatt's book on Pheromones and Animal Behavior.
#ethology
Many wall lizards briefly sport bright blue tails as predator decoys after hatching. Our new study shows their throats and bellies also change color, yet at wavelengths invisible to humans! Could other species, too, undergo such cryptic shifts?
@uv.es @ucciuv.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/4rjfmde9
🧪🦎
@uv.es @ucciuv.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/4rjfmde9
🧪🦎
October 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Many wall lizards briefly sport bright blue tails as predator decoys after hatching. Our new study shows their throats and bellies also change color, yet at wavelengths invisible to humans! Could other species, too, undergo such cryptic shifts?
@uv.es @ucciuv.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/4rjfmde9
🧪🦎
@uv.es @ucciuv.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/4rjfmde9
🧪🦎
Our discovery reveals a hidden stage in lacertid colour development that reshapes how we understand animal coloration as a signal, reminding us how central development is in communication and sexual selection across nature.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Our discovery reveals a hidden stage in lacertid colour development that reshapes how we understand animal coloration as a signal, reminding us how central development is in communication and sexual selection across nature.
These colour changes may let juveniles avoid costly aggression or courting from adult males, while sparing adults wasted effort on non-competitors/immature mates. As lizards grow, greater colour differentiation may aid recognition and help stabilize social networks.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
These colour changes may let juveniles avoid costly aggression or courting from adult males, while sparing adults wasted effort on non-competitors/immature mates. As lizards grow, greater colour differentiation may aid recognition and help stabilize social networks.
Could these changes be adaptive? Predation avoidance often explains juvenile colour shifts, but in P. muralis that’s unlikely. Instead, a social role seems more plausible: ventral colour is usually hidden, yet adults display throats & flanks in social encounters
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Could these changes be adaptive? Predation avoidance often explains juvenile colour shifts, but in P. muralis that’s unlikely. Instead, a social role seems more plausible: ventral colour is usually hidden, yet adults display throats & flanks in social encounters
By the end of their first year, most juveniles show adult-like ventral colours. But only some, mostly males, develop UV-blue spots on their flanks, and these look still very different from adult ones to conspecifics.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
By the end of their first year, most juveniles show adult-like ventral colours. But only some, mostly males, develop UV-blue spots on their flanks, and these look still very different from adult ones to conspecifics.
We found:
🦎 Hatchlings look white to us, but reflect far more UV than adults.
🦎 This “UV+white” is distinct and visible to lizards.
🦎 Ventral colours and UV flank spots develop out of sync.
🦎 Males and females diverge in timing and pattern.
🦎 Hatchlings look white to us, but reflect far more UV than adults.
🦎 This “UV+white” is distinct and visible to lizards.
🦎 Ventral colours and UV flank spots develop out of sync.
🦎 Males and females diverge in timing and pattern.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
We found:
🦎 Hatchlings look white to us, but reflect far more UV than adults.
🦎 This “UV+white” is distinct and visible to lizards.
🦎 Ventral colours and UV flank spots develop out of sync.
🦎 Males and females diverge in timing and pattern.
🦎 Hatchlings look white to us, but reflect far more UV than adults.
🦎 This “UV+white” is distinct and visible to lizards.
🦎 Ventral colours and UV flank spots develop out of sync.
🦎 Males and females diverge in timing and pattern.
In our “new” study (it’s from 2018, research goes slowly…), we tracked wall lizards from hatching to one year of age. We reared them in semi-natural conditions, measured their colours using spectrophotometry, and modeled how other lizards perceive them.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
In our “new” study (it’s from 2018, research goes slowly…), we tracked wall lizards from hatching to one year of age. We reared them in semi-natural conditions, measured their colours using spectrophotometry, and modeled how other lizards perceive them.
Wall lizards (Podarcis if you're feeling fancy) are famed for dazzling color diversity matched by a UV-sensitive vision system. The widespread P. muralis shows ventral & lateral colors—including UV-reflecting spots and alternative throat colors— which likely play a role in social communication
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Wall lizards (Podarcis if you're feeling fancy) are famed for dazzling color diversity matched by a UV-sensitive vision system. The widespread P. muralis shows ventral & lateral colors—including UV-reflecting spots and alternative throat colors— which likely play a role in social communication
Spectrophotometry shows that UV colours are widespread in nature, and visual models can help to reveal its meaning. UV often acts as a private communication channel invisible to many animals. Flowers may seem flamboyant to us, but their colours are tuned to dazzle bees.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Spectrophotometry shows that UV colours are widespread in nature, and visual models can help to reveal its meaning. UV often acts as a private communication channel invisible to many animals. Flowers may seem flamboyant to us, but their colours are tuned to dazzle bees.
Understanding the function and mechanisms of ontogenetic colour changes (OCC) is a central goal in ethology. A bit of a challenge, though. Researchers must follow individuals as they grow, and some changes may slip by entirely if they occur in wavelengths beyond human vision.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Understanding the function and mechanisms of ontogenetic colour changes (OCC) is a central goal in ethology. A bit of a challenge, though. Researchers must follow individuals as they grow, and some changes may slip by entirely if they occur in wavelengths beyond human vision.
Growing up is tough. The world juveniles face often looks very different from the one awaiting adults. Many animal species deal with these shifting challenges by changing colour. Think of wild boar piglets losing their striped pyjamas, or bright-fluffed chicks maturing into duller adult plumage.
September 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Growing up is tough. The world juveniles face often looks very different from the one awaiting adults. Many animal species deal with these shifting challenges by changing colour. Think of wild boar piglets losing their striped pyjamas, or bright-fluffed chicks maturing into duller adult plumage.
La osadía de llamar cobarde a un toro (un animal social y doméstico) por rehuir el maltrato en la plaza. Pobre Antonio, quiere que los toros pongan de su parte en su sangriento espectáculo amañado. La tauromaquia, como los gladiadores: mejor en el cine y los cuadros, donde nadie sufre @elpais.com
May 17, 2025 at 5:18 AM
La osadía de llamar cobarde a un toro (un animal social y doméstico) por rehuir el maltrato en la plaza. Pobre Antonio, quiere que los toros pongan de su parte en su sangriento espectáculo amañado. La tauromaquia, como los gladiadores: mejor en el cine y los cuadros, donde nadie sufre @elpais.com
Free-roaming cats threaten island biodiversity, yet countries like Spain and Italy only permit trap-neuter-release. While the authors offer valuable tools to improve management, persistent myths like “neutered cats don’t hunt” remain. No wonder Maltese lizards are vanishing—kudos to the authors!
April 16, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Free-roaming cats threaten island biodiversity, yet countries like Spain and Italy only permit trap-neuter-release. While the authors offer valuable tools to improve management, persistent myths like “neutered cats don’t hunt” remain. No wonder Maltese lizards are vanishing—kudos to the authors!
🧪 Is lizard iridescence really about predators or conspecifics seeing them from different angles? Unlikely. Just look at this female—curled up so her front looks brown and her back green. It’s probably a nice byproduct… or maybe the trick is the ever-shifting appearance itself? shorturl.at/jfjIw
April 13, 2025 at 10:43 AM
🧪 Is lizard iridescence really about predators or conspecifics seeing them from different angles? Unlikely. Just look at this female—curled up so her front looks brown and her back green. It’s probably a nice byproduct… or maybe the trick is the ever-shifting appearance itself? shorturl.at/jfjIw
Well, these are the images that you should have seen in the first post...
April 12, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Well, these are the images that you should have seen in the first post...
We are far from having all the answers yet. But we do have a lot of spectra, a pile of skittish lizards, and a theory or two.
And one thing’s for sure:
Same lizard. Different angle. Unexpected shimmer.
And one thing’s for sure:
Same lizard. Different angle. Unexpected shimmer.
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
We are far from having all the answers yet. But we do have a lot of spectra, a pile of skittish lizards, and a theory or two.
And one thing’s for sure:
Same lizard. Different angle. Unexpected shimmer.
And one thing’s for sure:
Same lizard. Different angle. Unexpected shimmer.
At the very least, it’s a funny hypothesis to speculate about.
And honestly? Probably worth testing. Stop us if you dare
And honestly? Probably worth testing. Stop us if you dare
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
At the very least, it’s a funny hypothesis to speculate about.
And honestly? Probably worth testing. Stop us if you dare
And honestly? Probably worth testing. Stop us if you dare
And there is another twist: because of a slight shift toward longer wavelengths in the spectral sensitivities of birds, these changes may be more apparent to avian predators than to lizards themselves! Is this a bug? A feature? A cosmic joke? We don’t really know. It could be a total byproduct
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
And there is another twist: because of a slight shift toward longer wavelengths in the spectral sensitivities of birds, these changes may be more apparent to avian predators than to lizards themselves! Is this a bug? A feature? A cosmic joke? We don’t really know. It could be a total byproduct
And here’s the kicker: how this iridescence is perceived depends on the lizard’s base colour.
More greenish or olive lizards show spectral shifts that better match the cone sensitivities of birds, humans, and other lizards.
So their shimmer stands out more across viewers!
More greenish or olive lizards show spectral shifts that better match the cone sensitivities of birds, humans, and other lizards.
So their shimmer stands out more across viewers!
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
And here’s the kicker: how this iridescence is perceived depends on the lizard’s base colour.
More greenish or olive lizards show spectral shifts that better match the cone sensitivities of birds, humans, and other lizards.
So their shimmer stands out more across viewers!
More greenish or olive lizards show spectral shifts that better match the cone sensitivities of birds, humans, and other lizards.
So their shimmer stands out more across viewers!
You know how those birds’ colours shift when you tilt your head or they move in the sun?
That’s iridescence—the colour changes with the angle between light and observer.
Turns out, lizards do it too. Subtly, but spectacularly
That’s iridescence—the colour changes with the angle between light and observer.
Turns out, lizards do it too. Subtly, but spectacularly
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
You know how those birds’ colours shift when you tilt your head or they move in the sun?
That’s iridescence—the colour changes with the angle between light and observer.
Turns out, lizards do it too. Subtly, but spectacularly
That’s iridescence—the colour changes with the angle between light and observer.
Turns out, lizards do it too. Subtly, but spectacularly
We already knew wall lizards vary in colour depending on sex and locality—lets just leave why that happens for future rants.
But this time, we found something new: they’re iridescent.
Yes, like the fancy necks of mallard ducks or city pigeons
But this time, we found something new: they’re iridescent.
Yes, like the fancy necks of mallard ducks or city pigeons
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
We already knew wall lizards vary in colour depending on sex and locality—lets just leave why that happens for future rants.
But this time, we found something new: they’re iridescent.
Yes, like the fancy necks of mallard ducks or city pigeons
But this time, we found something new: they’re iridescent.
Yes, like the fancy necks of mallard ducks or city pigeons
But we weren’t deterred. We measured their colours with spectrophotometers, modeled their vision (lizards don’t see like us!), and ran enough stats to make our computers sweat
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
But we weren’t deterred. We measured their colours with spectrophotometers, modeled their vision (lizards don’t see like us!), and ran enough stats to make our computers sweat
You see, wall lizards aren’t just colourful. They’re 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 colourful.Their hues change with light, season (in some species), viewing angle, and possibly the whims of ancient lizard gods. Which makes studying their coloration a bit like measuring the taste of a rainbow with a fork
April 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
You see, wall lizards aren’t just colourful. They’re 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 colourful.Their hues change with light, season (in some species), viewing angle, and possibly the whims of ancient lizard gods. Which makes studying their coloration a bit like measuring the taste of a rainbow with a fork
Good luck innovating without researchers
February 4, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Good luck innovating without researchers