News tagged with color variation

Finding genetic changes behind moths' coloration

During the Industrial Revolution in 19th-century England, black moths started appearing - because they blended in better on pollution-darkened tree trunks than did normal, speckled moths. Now scientists are ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Apr 17, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 1

Scientists Investigate How Fireflies Emit Different Colors of Light

(PhysOrg.com) -- There are more than 2,000 species of fireflies around the world, many of which are best known for their bioluminescence. Fireflies, which are not flies but beetles, produce flashes of light ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Jan 07, 2010 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (14) | comments 0 | with audio podcast feature

Caught in the act: Scientists find butterflies splitting into two species

(PhysOrg.com) -- Breaking up may actually not be hard to do, say scientists who've found a population of tropical butterflies that may be on its way to a split into two distinct species.

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 05, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (8) | comments 5

Mice living in sandy hills quickly evolved lighter coloration

In a vivid illustration of natural selection at work, scientists at Harvard University have found that deer mice living in Nebraska's Sand Hills quickly evolved lighter coloration after glaciers deposited ...

Biology / Evolution

created Aug 27, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (6) | comments 9

Predators ignore peculiar prey

Rare traits persist in a population because predators detect common forms of prey more easily. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Ecology found that birds will target salamanders that look l ...

Biology / Ecology

created May 12, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 1