Lizard fisting For most animals, the objective of the genetic game of life is to distribute one's genes among the greatest number of offspring. A common tactic is for a large and aggressive male to defend a big territory and guarantee his mating rights to the many females living there. And don't forget the landless loner who puts his energy into sneaking into other males' territories and stealing a quick copulation session within their harems. It doesn't matter which one you pick either. All are equally successful.
Most species tend to specialise in just one approach.
Dr Kelly R. Zamudio and Barry Sinervo determined that each mating strategy allows its adherents enough reproductive success to perpetuate a contentious system. Whilst most female side-blotched lizards have a yellow throat colouring, the males come in three different colours and corresponding behaviour patterns. Then there are the blue-throated males, which confine their amorous activities to a small area with perhaps only a single female resident. The final reptilian personality type is the most curious. After several months of observation, the biologists obtained DNA for more than 400 lizard paternity tests.