Young male lizards in South Africa imitate females to fool aggressive older males into leaving them alone, in an example of transvestism in the natural world, researchers have found.
The lizards not only avoid fights but gain access to females under the nose of their more macho rivals, the South African and Australian researchers discovered.
At least according to this article on Yahoo. You should go read the whole thing. It’s interesting–less for the information that boys who look like girls get more sex (duh) but for the homophobic flavour of the piece: eew, boys might kiss. Also, transvestites are cross dressers and I’m not seeing any clothes on these reptiles.
When did journalism get so very sloppy?
However, I will ignore the writer’s incompetence and the editors’ carelessness and imagine, instead, a bunch o’ boy lizards painted to the nines and sashaying up to a startled lesbian lizard :)
Nicola Griffith 
<>“When did journalism get so very sloppy?”<>Aren’t we supposed to blame the bloggers for this? ;)
The nature of humans to project anthropomorphic sensibilities on nature is just stupid. A couple of years ago I read an article about parthenogenesis in whip-tail lizards and by the tone of the piece you would’ve thought that Zsa Zsa Gabor as “Queen of Outer Space” was rallying her army of Venusian Amazons to destroy all males this side of Alpha Centauri.
Bloggers in pj’s. We can’t forget the pj’s. :)It’s an interesting article, but I appreciate your interpretation a bit more, Nicola. And would it be more accurate to say that if they were true transvestite lizards, they’d know how to cover their male scent with the proper perfume? Well, now I’m set for the rest of my day. I’ll imagine startled lesbian lizards. There’s a story in there somewhere. .grin.
Apparently wild horses do this as well, as I discovered when reading a book called Biological Exuberance. That section made me very, very happy.
…as did the interspecies gay octopus sex, come to think of it.
Will they be allowed to attend the Michigan LesboLizards Music Festival?
.rolling on the floor laughing.
I don't know, if it is adaptive colouration, maybe transvestite is better?Orangutans do some similar hoodoo; can't be a big alpha? Stay smaller & SNEAK into the lady zone!
nnaloh, who wrote a book called Biological Exuberance? That’s the best title I’ve heard in years. Sex is the life force allright, but imagination and creativity sure don’t hurt.
<>nnahloh<>, thanks for the reminder about < HREF="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031225377X?ie=UTF8&tag=theofficialnicol&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=031225377X" REL="nofollow">Biological Exuberance<>. I’d forgotten all about it.<>mel<>, oof, is that trans-refusal shit still going on there?
Yep, I’m pretty sure it is. Hard to find clear info at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival Website, but indication in the forums there is it’s still on; see, for example, < HREF="http://www.michfest.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1744" REL="nofollow">this poll<>.I've never been to MWMF myself, never really felt like going to the trouble & expense. My partner has been. Dunno if he'd be allowed there now as he's now a he rather than a she. (Which has been kinda confusing for me, since I'm very definitively a dyke. But on the other hand, do I want to throw aside a 13-year relationship with someone I love?)But I doubt he'd want to go now anyway, since he IDs as male, & would be against Michigan's trans-exclusion policy besides.
He’s just sore since scientists have discovered that female lizards, like female sharks, can reproduce parthogenetically.
Mel– OUCH burn. Anyhow, isn't the hair-splitting answer that MichFest is only open to “womyn born womyn?” So your partner would be out. TransCamp happens just a little ways away though, at the same time, & from what I understand is a rolicking good time.
Can you buy these beautiful lizards?
@10:57 I haven’t the faintest idea. In this way, Google is our friend.