Yes that’s what I meant to say!

When armatas are kept in groups of many males and females, the dominant males will show colors, the rest will darken, at the end only one male will stand out.

Theirs a reason for this, let me attempt to explain.

Lizards that use colors to attract females or threat display with other males, armata, gonocephalus and chameleons all do this. In nature subordinate males will flee, and the dominant male will parade show bright colors and even take the opportunity to mate any available females in the process. However captives have no place to go! Therefore dominated lizards turn dark in submission, but eventually even the dominant male will perish, in fact if not separated from both males and females he will perish, but in a different way.

When a male is alone with females, he will display dominant colors, not only to keep other males away, but also to advertise, in fact he’s letting all females know he’s the Alfa male and they should mate with him, he keeps the colors to keep his statue, in nature this male have no need to taxes his system this way, as he only needs full usage of his photocells in the presence of other males and females, otherwise he can relaxed and have normal colors.

When a male is housed with or near (can see, smell ) females, he will keep his statue even when the females are gravid, this situation turns into mutual stress, witch affects both male and female, can even cause egg retention.

In other words; dominated lizards turn dark, dominant lizards show bright colors even when highly stressed.

I really hope you understood all of this as it’s crucial information to know, with many species of all type reptiles. I don’t talk much about this as its more about behaviour and allot more complex then basic husbandry.

If you have any questions? Let me know.
rgds

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