One animal is locked in a perpetual, unwinnable cycle of rock paper scissors.

一隻動物被困在永恆且無法得勝的猜拳循環中。

A three-way competition that's been raging for millennia.

這是一場激烈進行了上千年的三方競賽。

Meet the side-blotched lizard, named for that patch of dark color on its side.

隆重介紹側斑蜥蜴，牠因其側身那片深色斑點而得名。

These lizards are all one species, but they have three different colors.

這些蜥蜴都屬於同一品種，但擁有三種不同顏色。

You see it on their throats.

你可以在牠們喉部看到。

Some are more orange.

有些比較橘。

Others more blue, or yellow.

其他則偏藍或黃。

Each male lizard has a different trick for getting a mate that corresponds to their color.

每隻雄蜥蜴都擁有不同技巧，得以找到與其顏色相對應的伴侶。

Orange—These guys are the brutes, the meatheads.

橘蜥蜴是野獸、是笨蛋。

Bigger, stronger.

體型較大且較強壯。

They set up territories with lots of females and defend them aggressively.

牠們會建立擁有許多雌蜥蜴的領地，並以帶攻擊性的方式保衛牠們。

Yellow—These guys are sneaky.

黃蜥蜴很狡猾。

They don't try to hold territories.

牠們不會嘗試佔領地盤。

Instead, they hide and then dart in, as often as they can, for a chance to mate with an unguarded female.

牠們反而會躲起來然後盡量頻繁地突然進攻，以便有機會與未被保護的雌蜥蜴交配。

Blues have a whole other strategy.

藍蜥蜴有全然不同的策略。

They're monogamous.

牠們是一夫一妻制。

They put all their focus on just one female.

牠們將所有精力都集中在一隻雌蜥蜴身上。

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz figured out the game.

加州大學聖克魯斯分校的研究人員弄清楚了這場比賽規則。

So here's how it plays out, the rock paper scissors part:

所以比賽猜拳的部分的遊戲規則是這樣的：

Orange beats blue.

橘蜥蜴贏過藍蜥蜴。

They're bigger and more aggressive.

橘蜥蜴體型較大且較具侵略性。

Yellow beats orange, because oranges can't keep track of all those females.

黃蜥蜴贏過橘蜥蜴，因為橘蜥蜴無法隨時掌握所有雌蜥蜴的蹤跡。

It's easy for yellows to sneak by them.

黃蜥蜴很容易就能偷溜進去。

Blue beats yellows, because blues are vigilant; yellows can't fool them.

藍蜥蜴贏過黃蜥蜴，因為藍蜥蜴有警覺性，黃蜥蜴騙不過牠們。

And while we're on these Blues...

而我們既然談到了藍蜥蜴...

Because they're monogamous, they aren't competitive with other blues.

因為牠們是一夫一妻制，所以不會與其他藍蜥蜴競爭。

They cooperate with each other, make friends, even warn their blue neighbors when intruders are nearby.

牠們會互助合作、當朋友。藍蜥蜴甚至會在入侵者逼近時，警告同伴們。

See those little push-ups?

看到那微弱的伏地挺身了吧？

In fact, they've been known to risk their own lives for other blues.

事實上，眾所周知地，牠們甚至會其他藍蜥蜴冒上生命危險。

It's called altruism.

這稱為利他主義。

Even Darwin didn't imagine this could happen.

連達爾文都沒料想到這件事會發生。

Anyway...

言歸正傳...

You might think that over time, one color would prevail.

你可能會認為，隨著時間流逝，某個顏色會佔上風。

Like, those altruistic Blues would win.

像是說，那些利他的藍蜥蜴會勝出。

The whole species would gradually become blue.

整個物種將逐漸地變成藍色。

But with these guys, it doesn't happen.

但對這種動物來說，這件事是不會發生的。

Each color is kept in check by one of the other colors.

每種顏色都受到另外一種顏色的控制。

And if one of the colors starts to fall behind, the females bring it back in line.

如果其中一種顏色的數量開始減少，雌蜥蜴會把它補齊。

Because they tend to prefer whatever color male is most rare that season.

因為雌蜥蜴傾向會選擇當季最稀有的雄性。

So, if blues are getting the upper hand, females go for yellows or oranges.

因此，如果藍蜥蜴占上方，雌蜥蜴便會選擇黃蜥蜴或橘蜥蜴。

If the females were to have a change of heart and stop going for the underdog, well, then, one color might win out, another might disappear entirely.

如果雌蜥蜴改變心意不再選擇弱者，那麼其中一種顏色就可能勝出，讓另一種顏色完全消失。

In other words, the species would evolve, change.

換言之，這個物種將進化並改變。

But for the last 15 million years, that hasn't happened.

但在過去的 1 千 5 百萬年中，這個情況還沒有發生。

It's an ancient game of roshambo, with no end in sight.

這是場從遠古時代開始、還看不到盡頭的猜拳遊戲。

Hey! While you admire this other resident of California's central valley, consider subscribing to Deep Look.

嘿！在欣賞這隻加州中央山谷的另一個居民時，考慮訂閱《Deep Look》吧。

You'll be the first to know when new episodes are up.

你可以獲得集數更新的一手消息。

And if you're feeling altruistic, share your thoughts in the comments section.

如果你想要嚐嚐無私的滋味，在留言區分享你的想法吧。

We read every single one.

我們每一則都會看。

Thanks, and see you next time!

謝謝，下次見囉！