🦎 NEW: #Carotenoids are #pigments made by #plants, #algae, and #phytoplankton that #animals cannot produce themselves.
#Galapagos #wildlife, including land #iguanas, blue-footed #boobies, and #flamingos, acquire these red, orange, and yellow compounds through #diet, and their brightness signals immune #health and mating #fitness.
👉 https://www.popsci.com/science/why-animals-are-colorful-carotenoids/
#evolution #biology #birds #immunesystem #science #nature #science #colors