ANTONIO MUSSONE, Texture... my superpower! (May theme: Texture)

The phenomenal power of texture is highlighted in Bearded Dragons. Firstly, the elongated scales around their lower jaw and sides are designed to look spikey and threatening when in fact they feel quite rubbery. This makes, the Bearded Dragon a master of texture disguise! It harnesses the power of texture to protect itself from predators. Also, their scales are made from Keratin which is the same thing our fingernails are made from! One touch of your smooth fingernails and it’s hard to see how the texture of this Bearded Dragon could be anything like them. Interestingly, the texture of their scales also plays an important role in helping them to avoid falling out of their natural surroundings, giving them a sort of gripping ability. Who knew texture could play such an integral role in the survival of the Bearded Dragon! Photographer is 11 years old.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.