The Colours of Animals
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The Colours of Animals is a zoology book written in 1890 by Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton. It was the first substantial textbook to argue the case for Darwinian selection applying to all aspects of anima
Cover of first edition
Title page of first edition of The Colours of Animals, 1890
Warning coloration of the "Brazilian Skunk" in The Colours of Animals
Frontispiece: Mimicry in South African Butterflies, the only chromolithograph in the book
Aposematism
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Aposematism is the advertising by an animal, whether terrestrial or marine, to potential predators that it is not worth attacking or eating. This unprofitability may consist of any defences that make
The Colours of Animals
…selection applying to all aspects of animal coloration. The book also pioneered the concept of frequency-dependent selection and introduced the term "aposematism". The book begins with a brief account of the physical causes of animal coloration. The second chapter gives an overview of the book, describing the…
The bright colours of this granular poison frog signal a warning to predators of its toxicity.
The honey badger's reverse countershading makes it conspicuous, honestly signalling its ability to defend itself through its aggressive temperament and its sharp teeth and claws.
Flamboyant cuttlefish colours warn of toxicity
Hycleus lugens, an aposematically coloured beetle