Author: Jonathan Losos Page 116 of 130

Professor of Biology and Director of the Living Earth Collaborative at Washington University in Saint Louis. I've spent my entire professional career studying anoles and have discovered that the more I learn about anoles, the more I realize I don't know.

Brown phase green anole. Photo by Janson Jones at Dust Tracks on the Web (http://dusttracks.com/)

At Dust Tracks on the Web, Janson Jones posts some interesting observations on green anoles (A. carolinensis) in northern Florida and southern Georgia, where the brown anole (A. sagrei) has yet to invade. To cut to the chase, he finds the green anoles to be larger, to be brown more often, and to perch much lower than green anoles do in central Florida in the presence of brown anoles.

The effect of brown anoles on greens in Florida has been surprisingly poorly documented. Just as surprisingly, very little information exists in the scientific literature on the habitat use, behavior, and other aspects of green anole natural history in places where they occur by themselves. We have almost no useful data on what green anole biology was like in Florida pre-sagrei, nor few data from areas where sagrei does not occur today. Detailed and quantitative studies of such populations would be particularly useful, as well as repeated surveys through time in areas that brown anoles may eventually invade to document what happens when they get there (of course, repeated surveys in areas that brown anoles don’t invade would be important to, as controls). Those of you who live in appropriate areas, get to it!

The Principle of Unsympathetic Magic Strikes Again

By Jonathan Losos

On July 31, 2011

In Natural History Observations

Who knows what Phenacosaurus dreams about?

On her very first day of anole fieldwork, soon-to-be graduate student Katie B. experienced a clear example of the wisdom of Ernest Williams. Out at night looking for anoles with her soon-to-be advisor, they came across the first Phenacosaurus orcesi of the trip, clinging to a narrow, vertical twig about eight feet above the ground. This led to a long pontification by the advisor on how some anoles sleep on leaves, others on branches, and so on, but how P. orcesi, in so many respects similar to twig anoles, would surely only be found sleeping on the twigs to which it is so well adapted, and would abjure all vegetated slumber sites. Needless to say, the next phenacosaur found that evening was snoozing sprawled across a leaf (as well as the next one found the following evening), teaching Katie both about the Principle of Unsympathetic Magic and the general lack of veracity of anything her advisor-to-be says.

p.s. Katie won the candy bar for correctly predicting the number of lizards captured on the first evening.

In Quest of Phenacosaurus

By Jonathan Losos

On July 29, 2011

In Notes from the Field

Phenacosaurus heterodermus (photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/4207771662/)

“Among the strange and varied production of the high Andes is a small assemblage of grotesque, big-headed, short-legged, prehensile-tailed lizards: the genus Phenacosaurus.”

So starts Skip Lazell’s (1969) taxonomic revision of the three species in the anoline genus Phenacosaurus. Since that time, there have really been only two developments in phenac world. First, phylogenetic studies have conclusively demonstrated that phenacosaurs represent an evolutionary offshoot within the Dactyloa clade of anoles. As a result, most systematists now consider these species to be members of the genus Anolis, though some diehard romantics/heretics still use Phenacosaurus. Second, the last 40 years have seen a veritable phenaco-population explosion, with 11 species now recognized, and word on the street that more are on the way.

Despite these advances, our knowledge of phenacosaur biology has barely budged since Lazell’s time.

Carolinensis – Sagrei Hanky Panky

By Jonathan Losos

On July 25, 2011

In Natural History Observations

Those rascals! I’ve heard reports of this before, but never seen a photo. I wonder if it’s always a male green anole, or whether both ways occur. In any case, it would be shocking if such liaisons led to the production of hybrid offspring, given that the two species belong to evolutionary lineages that separated many many millions of years ago.

Anolis Insolitus Struts Its Stuff

By Jonathan Losos

On July 23, 2011

In Natural History Observations

Another spectacular anole photo from Eladio Fernández, the author of the wonderful book on Hispaniolan biodiversity, Hispaniola: A Photographic Journey Through Island Biodiversity. See some of Eladio’s photos–and others–here. But you need to go to his book for the stunning shots of a solenodon in the wild. Anolis insolitus, incidentally, is a twig anole from Hispaniola. This photo was taken at the Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve.

Odd Anole Seen on Saba

By Jonathan Losos

On July 22, 2011

In Natural History Observations

This letter was just received from Dr. Jennifer Rahn (jlrahn@gmail.com):

Hi Anole friends,
We think we have some strange anole behavior on Saba (Dutch Caribbean) this week. No one has seen the indigenous Saba Anole (Anolis sabanus) with this blue belly before. Have any of you heard of it in other species? We think it may be a stray species from a nearby island, unless of course it is some alpha male or other strange but infrequent anolis behavior.
Please let us know if you can explain this to us.
Curious Sabans

Any thoughts? It’s definitely A. sabanus (sometimes called the “panther anole” in the pet trade, and one of my favorite species).

Young Women in Science: The Anole Connection

By Jonathan Losos

On July 20, 2011

In All Posts

A young women in science booklet produced by Science/AAAS in collaboration with L’Oreal.

Beauty + Brains Puts Anoles in the Spotlight

By Jonathan Losos

On July 18, 2011

In Anoles and Anolologists in the News

Who could turn down a good looker with something upstairs, especially wearing a gorgeous shade of green? Not the Economist, which featured Leal and Powell’s study of anole cognition in this week’s edition (no, it’s not the article on the orgasmatron). See the article here.

In fact, anole-o-mania has caught on, with reports in print, online, and on radio and TV. Most recent is today’s piece in the Science Times.

According to the Life Science Log, this is among the most cited news reports in the last week. For a full list of media coverage–with more still on the way–check here.

Bonus points: who remembers the orgasmatron?

p.s. A video of the lizards problem-solving is now available on YouTube

A Hearty Meal Impairs A Lizard’s Jumping Ability

By Jonathan Losos

On July 18, 2011

In New Research

Jumping green anole. Photo from http://www.people.umass.edu/chiyun/Site/Research.html

Ever try playing softball after a barbecue? Doesn’t work so well, does it? Now imagine trying the long jump–just the thought makes me a little queasy. But animals in the wild have to do this all the time. Does it affect their performance? Lizards and other animals are known to have their running abilities diminished by carrying a large load, such as a meal or eggs, but no one previously has looked at the effect of increased weight on jumping.

Until now. In a recent paper, Kuo et al. increased the weight of green anoles 30% by wrapping a weighted cloth around their midsection and then induced them to jump (pdf of the paper here). As a control, they wrapped light paper around the lizard in the same manner. As you might expect, the encumbered anoles were less proficient leapers; jump distance declined 18% and takeoff speed 10%. However, their accuracy, as judged by ability to land on a target, was not affected.

New Reviews of Lizards In An Evolutionary Tree

By Jonathan Losos

On July 16, 2011

In Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree

More than two years post-publication, reviews of Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree continue to trickle in. The most recent appeared in Austral Ecology and Herpetological Review. See all 12 (of which we’re aware–know of others?) here.