Adaptive peculiarities of pigmentation in the redbelly rock agama Paralaudakia erythrogastra (Nikolsky, 1896) (Agamidae)
Abstract
A.B. Kiladze, O.F. Chernova
The aim of the study is to show the level of adaptation of reptiles to a natural habitat through skin pigmentation, using definitions of RGB coordinates, which are the main colour characteristics. Here, the coloration of the Redbelly Rock (Khorasan) Agama’s skin is compared with the shades of the enclosure simulating the mountain substrate, which is the natural habitat of the lizard. The following average parameters of RGB coordinates have been determined: imitation of the mountain substrate-RGB (170, 139, 128); the agama’s skin covering-RGB (177, 136, 100). The data obtained are indicative of the protective coloration in the agama.
Keywords: Redbelly rock (Khorasan) agama; skin; pigmentation; protective coloration; habitat
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