Sexual Signals and their Tradeoffs

We used digital photographs of water anole dewlaps (colorful flaps of skin under the males' chins that are extended to attract mates and defend territory) to determine intraspecific variation in coloration and pattern. We were interested in discerning if coloration and size played a role in conveying honest information about the quality of the signaler. We were also interested in determining if there are tradeoffs between these sexual traits and antipredator adaptations. (i.e. are flashier signals more likely to be seen not only by conspecifics but by predators as well?) We found that redder, and larger dewlaps were more likely to be associated with lizards with tail breaks, a proxy for predation.