Russell A. Ligon

Animal Behaviour:
Animals do amazing things. I am fascinated by the behaviours of animals, particularly those behaviours that mediate interactions between members of the same species. These intraspecific interactions are the main focus of my research.

Communicating with Colour:
For many species, important cues about potential rivals or mates can be gleaned simply from their external appearance. The colour of hair, scales, or feathers can often provide information about the sex, age, identity, or health of a conspecific. Variation in colour signals (e.g., between different age classes, or between individuals of different health) is often used by animals to make decisions about the best ways to deal with other members of their own species.

My published papers can be seen here:
http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=BeC3jMsAAAAJ