This undated University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa handout photo received on March 3, 2009 shows an adult male Augrabies Flat Lizard. Young male lizards in South Africa imitate females to fool aggressive older males into leaving them alone, in an example of transvestism in the natural world, South African and Australian reaseachers have found. They found that young male Augrabies flat lizards delayed displaying the extravagent coloration of sexually-mature males until they were able to defend themselves adequately.
This undated University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa combo handout photo received on March 3, 2009 shows Augrabies flat lizards in top pane which could be either female or she-male, middle pane is a typical Augrabies flat lizard male and bottom pane are typical females. Young male lizards in South Africa imitate females to fool aggressive older males into leaving them alone, in an example of transvestism in the natural world, South African and Australian reaseachers have found. They found that young male Augrabies flat lizards delayed displaying the extravagent coloration of sexually-mature males until they were able to defend themselves adequately.
