The more than 700 islands of the Caribbean are home to about 150 species of anoles, a group of lizards of the genus Anolis. These lizards live in diverse habitats and vary greatly in size and other physical characteristics, such as leg and tail length and skin color and pattern.
Why are there so many species of anoles? And how did they evolve?
To answer these questions, you will perform several exercises modeled after actual research studies. The lab is divided into four modules, each one involving data collection, calculations, analysis, and answering questions. You can do just one or all four modules in their entirety, or parts of each.
Module 1: Ecomorphs. Species of Caribbean anoles can be categorized into groups, called ecomorphs, according to their body characteristics (morphology) and the ecological niches they occupy. In this module, you will take measurements of lizards from species belonging to four different ecomorph groups. (Approximate length: 1 hour and 30 minutes)
Module 2: Phylogeny. Analysis of the DNA sequences of certain genes reveals the evolutionary relationships among different anole species. In this module, you will build a phylogenetic tree of anole species to study how the different species evolved.
(Approximate length: 15 minutes)
Module 3: Experimental Data. What happens when lizards that belong to a particular ecomorph group are placed in a different habitat? In this module you will collect and analyze data from an experiment designed to answer that question.
(Approximate length: 30 minutes)
Module 4: Dewlap Colors. No two lizard species living in the same habitat share the same type of dewlap, the flap of skin under their throats that male anoles display to attract females. In this module, you will characterize two species of lizards based on their dewlap color.
(Approximate length: 15 minutes)