Why are there no green mammals?

Question

This planet has green birds, reptiles, insects, fish, etc, but no green mammals. Why??

Answer 1

Excellent question.
The arguments that there is "no advantage" to being green for a mammal make no sense; it would suit them as much as birds or lizards. The question needs to be turned around as "why can't mammal fur be green?". Since fur, like feathers and scales, are effectively keratin, the answer is not obvious. Many mammals do use camouflage effectively, e.g. leopards spots etc, so available colours can be adapted to make mammals as hard to see as green reptiles or insects. The lack of green is thus clearly not a serious disadvantage, but that doesn't explain its absence.

Answer 2

Uhm... It's an interesting question and a good one to brood on for a while. My thoughts are that it is either connected to camouflage as some others have already suggested, or with the generally poor colour vision of mammals.

On the one hand, a mammal, unlike a grasshopper, usually won't be mistaken for a leaf, since mammals small enough for that have to be in almost constant motion to get the food they need, and mammals larger than that are... well, simply too large to look like leaves.
Ok then, but we have varanid lizards who are relatively large and often active, and all green (see the wikipedia article for lizards, there is a nice photo of the green tree monitor lizard there). Why do they have green species while mammals don't? The possible solution may lie in the differences in their colour vision. Reptiles (and fishes and birds) generally see colours way better than mammals do (they tend to have three (or even four) types of colour receptors while most mammals have only two). Colours don't only serve camouflage, they can also have social purposes. One example where I'm almost certain colour is social rather than camouflage-oriented is the green lizard of Europe, Lacerta viridis, which I myself have seen several times. Why would males be significantly greener than females if the colour were only for hiding? Males and females have the same habitat, so they'd need the same camouflage.
I guess colours simply don't mean that much for mammals. In most environments, spots and stripes are just as good for hiding as colours, and even if coloration is used in intra- or interspecific communications, it is rather in the form of spectacular patterns (like the black and white stripes of skunks) than colours. There are no green mammals, but there aren't blue or red mammals either (only among primates -see mandrills-, some of which, including our ancestors, had regained a third type of colour receptor).

That's how I see things, but I'd be very interested in the answer of someone who truly has insight into these things.

Answer 3

Most of the time, and animal's coloring is determined by their habitat for camouflage's sake. There are no green mammals because they didn't need to blend in as much into a green habitat. Even, for example, Wolves. They live in the woods where it's green-ish half the year, but for the other half it's completely white or brown, so those became the dominant colors.

Answer 4

Well - have you ever seen green fur? I just don't think that color happens naturally. However, if you take a look at sloths, you will find that some actually have a greenish hue - which is due to micoorganisms living right on their fur! Perhaps this is the natural way to color your hair? LOL!

Answer 5

Uhm... that's an exciting question and a stable one to brood on for a on a similar time as. My strategies are that that's the two linked to camouflage as some others have already mentioned, or with the widely undesirable shade imaginative and prescient of mammals. on the single hand, a mammal, in comparison to a grasshopper, often heavily isn't improper for a leaf, because of the fact mammals sufficiently small for that could desire to be in very almost consistent action to get the meals they want, and mammals greater suitable than that are... properly, in simple terms too super to look like leaves. ok then, yet we've varanid lizards who're somewhat super and often energetic, and all eco-friendly (see the wikipedia article for lizards, there's an impressive image of the eco-friendly tree video exhibit lizard there). Why have they have been given eco-friendly species on a similar time as mammals do no longer? the achievable answer could lie interior the ameliorations of their shade imaginative and prescient. Reptiles (and fishes and birds) oftentimes see hues much greater effective than mammals do (they tend to have 3 (or maybe 4) varieties of shade receptors on a similar time as maximum mammals have in user-friendly terms 2). hues do no longer in user-friendly terms serve camouflage, they are able to even have social purposes. One occasion the place i'm very almost specific shade is social fairly than camouflage-oriented is the eco-friendly lizard of Europe, Lacerta viridis, which i even have seen numerous situations. Why might men be critically greener than women human beings if the colour have been in user-friendly terms for hiding? men and girls human beings have the comparable habitat, so as that they had want the comparable camouflage. i assume hues in simple terms do no longer propose that lots for mammals. In maximum environments, spots and stripes are in simple terms as stable for hiding as hues, and in spite of if colour is utilized in intra- or interspecific communications, that's somewhat interior the form of impressive varieties (like the black and white stripes of skunks) than hues. There are no longer any eco-friendly mammals, yet there are not blue or crimson mammals the two (in user-friendly terms between primates -see mandrills-, a number of which, consisting of our ancestors, had regained a 0.33 variety of shade receptor). that's how I see issues, yet i may well be very involved interior the respond of somebody who somewhat has perception into those issues.

Answer 6

Because mammals move faster and therefore do not need green as camouflage

Answer 7

There is a sloath it is called the Green toed slaoth they are green because they move so slow that algae grows onm them turning them green.

Answer 8

Because no-one as daft as you might have thought of dying an animal green!

Answer 9

Hang on a minute.. what about Hughie Green.
He was definitely green

Answer 10

A green puppy was born last year - I saw it on tv.