This photograph series by Mark Cowan documents a phenomenon called ‘lachryphagy’ (“tear-feeding”). The caiman excretes salt in their tears & the butterflies need the precious minerals for their metabolism & reproduction.

So, they’re feeding on crocodilian tears.

(📷: Mark Cowan, Curtin Uni.)

https://bsky.app/profile/c0nc0rdance.bsky.social/post/3lunfcndhfs2e

  • hellinkilla [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    3·
    27 days ago

    Its a very cute photo especially because the lizard looks like smiling. but can you imagine how annoying it feels to have butterflies drinking our of your eyeballs!! Not dangerous enough to evoke selection pressure toward a method of dislodging them so the poor lizard is doomed to endure for eternity.

    (Unless there was an eyeball disease spread by butterflies maybe)