Half of these models were painted with exaggerated blue markings, and the other half were unmanipulated, remaining a drab gray. Our evidence failed to support either the predation risk or unprofitable prey hypotheses. The color, behavior, or morphological difference between the sexes attracts the opposite sex, but they can also attract predators. These two alternative hypotheses on life history are the basis of my investigation. The male tree lizard, Urosaurus ornatus , has sexually dimorphic coloration that it displays conspicuously to females.
Some males are conspicuous with a blue-green coloration on their dewlap, ventral sides, and tail.
Other less-conspicuous males express the traits but they may be fainter in coloration and less visible to predators. The range of the expression of coloration is used here to test the risk of predation on Urosaurus ornatus . The purpose of our experiment is to observe if there is an increased cost to sexually dimorphic traits in male Urosaurus ornatus due to predation. Ten tree lizards were acquired from previously preserved samples. Each sample was then dissected, and the viscera were removed.