Thanks for being patient with me. I shouldn't miss any updates for a while – unless the holidays get to me. I have the next three strips planned in detail.
Today's science lesson is about coloration! Cryptic coloring is the most common kind of coloration among terrestrial animals. Cryptic coloring lets animals blend into the environment, which is why so many animals are brown or tan in color. Usually this is accompanied by a pattern or dappling to break up outlines and make it harder for prey/predators to see. Another common trend in color is a lighter underside and darker top. This helps mask shadows or, for climbing or swimming animals, match the underside to the sunlight. An animal's coloring is crucial to survival, which is why color mutations (like melanistic or albino) are rare in wild populations but common among domestic animals, where their uniqueness equates to value, beauty, and therefore survival.
Another kind of coloring is warning colors, which is the complete opposite. Poisonous and sometimes venomous (know the difference!!) animals are often brightly colored. This is so animals who survive an encounter with one will remember and avoid such animals in the future. This kind of coloring has allowed other, non-dangerous, animals to survive with bright colors that mimic the colors of dangerous creatures – provided the predator encounters one of the dangerous specimens first.
(Btw, if you want to see cool color mutations of wildlife, do an internet search for melanistic or piebald.)
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