Newsgroups: sci.bio Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uupsi!phage!xray1.cshl.org!anderson From: anderson@cshl.org (John Anderson) Subject: Re: question on colour change in frogs Message-ID: Sender: news@cshl.org (NO MAIL) Organization: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory References: Date: 24 May 91 13:58:53 GMT lucyc@suite.sw.oz.au (Lucy Chubb) writes: >I have a frog (common Australian green tree frog - littoria >coerelia (sp?)) and have observed it changing colour on a >number of occasions. The colour changing could be a protective >adaptation to help the frog blend into the background (although >the colour changes seem to have nothing at all to do with the >colour of the frogs surroundings). Does anyone know what sort >of situations cause this type of frog (or other types of frog) >to change colour when it is not threatened by a predator? > Lucy Chubb. >Softway Pty Ltd, P.O. Box 305, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012, AUSTRALIA >Phone: +61 2 698 2322; Fax: +61 2 699 9174; Telex: AA27987 >Email: lucyc@softway.oz.au How do frogs (and chameleons, octopuses, anole lizards, etc) "know" what color to change to to blend into the background? -- John Anderson Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory anderson@cshl.org