Question

Can you pick out the mossy leaf-tailed gecko lying against the tree trunk in this photo? How is the appearance of the gecko a benefit in terms of survival? Given what you learned about evolution, natural selection, and genetic information in this chapter, describe how the gecko's coloration might have evolved?

Short answer

No, it is impossible to locate the mossy leaf-tailed gecko lying against the tree as the organism is camouflaging. The appearance makes the gecko invisible to the predators.

Evolution describes the emergence of new creatures due to changes in the genetic material of previously existing organisms across multiple generations.Thus, the gecko's coloration has evolved due to changes in the environment and protection against predators.

Step-by-step solution

Example of camouflage

Camouflage is a defense strategy used by organisms to conceal their appearance and blend in with their surroundings. This strategy helps them to hide their location, identity, and movement. Thus, the mossy leaf-tailed gecko blends in with the environment (tree) and is not visible lying against the tree trunk.

Advantage of camouflage

Camouflage aids the animal's ability to evade predators and boost its chances of survival.Organisms use the strategy to blend in for various reasons, but it ultimately aids an animal's survival and reproduction.

It's an advantage for geckos because predators have a more challenging time seeing the gecko. As a result, the gecko in the image will have a higher chance of surviving than a gecko with a different hue that makes it more obvious to predators.

Evolution of gecko's camouflage mechanism

There are geckos of different coloration in a population. Natural selection occurs when the gecko that blends in and is better protected from predators survives and reproduces, unlike the geckos with a distinct color that cannot blend in.

The genes that caused the mossy bark coloration would be transmitted to the offsprings. The coloring would become more and more similar to the tree bark over the generations. As a result, evolution is aided because the geckos that are benefited will reproduce more than those who do not.