Hi Eryn, I would love to be added to the evolutionary biologist feed. I am Javier Abalos, postdoc researcher on lizard coloration and behaviour. Evidence: scholar.google.es/citations?us...

Thanks for this thread, what an eye-opening funny study. When will the plot stop thickening with evolution??

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.