Research Methods – Page 9

Lizard Noosing Material Update

On June 2, 2011

In Notes from the Field, Research Methods

Equaline? CVS? 'Fraid not.

A few months back, we had a lively discussion of the best material to use to make a lizard noose.

I and others went old school and advocated dental floss as the lariat of choice. In this vein, I have an update. Now in the field in the Bahamas, Jason Kolbe and I have been using two newish brands of the waxy stuff, and neither of us has a good thing to say. I have been using a new type, “Just the Basics,” which seems to be a CVS store brand. All I can say is: Avoid!!! By “basics,” they mean “basically terrible.” It frays very quickly, so that by the time you’ve snagged your third lizard, you have to make another noose. Very annoying. Meanwhile, Jason has been using a floss produced by Equaline. He gives it two thumbs down, claiming that it disintegrates—believe it or not—after a single lizard capture.

Traveling With Ethanol? Think Twice.

By Yoel Stuart

On May 30, 2011

In Research Methods

Any field biologist you talk to likely has pickled specimens in formalin or ethanol at some point during her career. Similarly, ask a molecular ecologist, and it’s probable that he’s preserved some tissue samples in ethanol. It’s also likely that those biologists then transported their specimens or tissues as carry-on or checked baggage on their flights home.

Ethanol and formalin, however, are hazardous materials and bringing them on a plane breaks several laws and can be punished very severely.

Gear review: the Fish Pen

By Katharina Wollenberg Valero

On May 17, 2011

In Research Methods

“Are you sure you don’t want to take a lizard pole?” – “No way, we’re on vacation, not field work”.

teasing me

But once arrived on the lovely Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico I just couldn’t get any of the anoles perching on about every single palm tree to dewlap for me. I’d speculate about their dewlap colours – they did look like A. sagrei, but how could I be sure without flipping out their dewlap? And if I did, would it be red or orange, and how broad would the yellow margin be?

It was as if they were mocking me with their presence, knowing that I was pole-less. On the next trip to the local supermarket, however, I saw and immediately grabbed a small package that read: “Fish pen, as seen on TV.” It was a tiny telescopic fishing pole, complete with hooks, reel and line, that can clip to your shirt like a pen. For MXP 200 (ca. $20), I just had to buy it. Although I wouldn’t recommend to hunt any large or skittish lizards with it (it’s a short pole), it proved to be quite effective to satisfy any spontaneous dewlap-flipping cravings during vacation.

Poll: What Is This Contraption For?

By Jonathan Losos

On May 13, 2011

In Research Methods

Good work Anole Annalers! For the answer, go here.

Light up my life

By Thomas Sanger

On May 9, 2011

In Ask the Experts, Research Methods

Juvenile A. coelestinus from the Dominican Republic (photo T. Sanger)

Have you ever tried to collect elusive twig anoles? What about small juveniles living in the leaf litter or dense foliage? If you are interested in these or many other hard to find species you have almost undoubtedly gone searching for them at night when the unsuspecting lizards lie sleeping on twigs and leaves ripe for the picking. You have most likely also struggled with the decision of what light to carry during these difficult missions. From hardware store handhelds to the latest and greatest light used for international climbing expeditions, the options can be mind-boggling (as well as the price of some high end lights!). With field seasons fast approaching I decided that it would be a good idea to share some of my thoughts regarding the choice of lights used for night herping.*

Top 10 Gear List

By Yoel Stuart

On April 26, 2011

In Research Methods

The Anolis field season, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, lasts from about mid-April to late-August. As winter finally loosens its grip on 2011, anole biologists everywhere are planning trips, breaking out field kits, shaking out field clothes, and gathering replacement equipment in preparation for another exciting season of Anolis field biology. Thus, be sure to stay tuned to this blog throughout the summer for breaking Anolis news.

In light of the upcoming field season, I’ve compiled a Top-10 list of field gear essential, in my opinion, to Anolis field research. And they are:

Identifying Genes Involved in Anolis Dewlap Color and Pattern

By Jonathan Losos

On February 23, 2011

In New Research, Notes from the Field, Research Methods

Dewlap variation in Anolis apletophallus (formerly, A. limifrons). Photo courtesy Jessica Stapley.

Jessica Stapley writes:

I am a Marie Curie Postdoctoral fellow co-hosted by the University of Sheffield and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama. I have just started a new project aimed at identifying loci underlying Anolis dewlap colour pattern.

Understanding the evolution and maintenance of phenotypic variation is a major goal in evolutionary biology. Addressing this goal ultimately requires linking molecular genetic variation to phenotypic variation, but identifying the genes responsible for important traits has been a major challenge in non-model organisms. Recent advances in DNA sequencing technology however, have revolutionized the development of genomic resources and paved the way for major advances in linking phenotype and genotype in non-model organisms.

Forum: What Makes the Best Noose?

By Jonathan Losos

On January 17, 2011

In Notes from the Field, Research Methods

During recent fieldwork with several graduate students, the topic of lizard noosing materials came up. I was accused of being an old fogey for my continued use of dental floss to make my nooses. By contrast, these young whippersnappers used some yellow stuff, pictured above. I can’t remember what it is, but it seems all the rage these days. I know that other people use various types of fishing line (I think the yellow stuff is one such type), and that everyone has their own preference. Of course, lizard noosing has doubtless been independently invented many times in various places around the world with all kinds of materials. I’ve seen local boys use blades of grass—quite effective!—in several places in the Caribbean, and once in Sri Lanka, I saw the locals using copper wire on a Calotes (not recommended). So, given all these options, what are the advantages and disadvantages of various noose materials?

Measuring the Light on High

By Anthony J Geneva

On January 7, 2011

In Notes from the Field, Research Methods

Last summer the Glor lab began collecting light data to supplement ongoing research into the speciation of distichoid Anolis lizards. Following methods developed by Leo Fleishman and Manuel Leal, our aim was to measure light levels at the exact location where a lizard had displayed. Doing so involves holding a small sensor to the spot of the display and measuring the average light intensity for 15 seconds. That’s easy enough when the animal was 7 or 8 feet high, but most of our observations were substantially out of arms reach.

Necessity being the mother of invention (Plato, 360 B.C.), we rigged together our very own collapsible light meter pole using a broken panfish rod, utility cord and athletic tape. This rig, pictured at right, has served us well, including our current trip to the Dominican Republic (for updates on the the trip see the Glor Lab Page). It is our hope that by accurately measuring light at the site of displays we get a better handle on where males choose to display in their environment and how those sites differ between populations.

Category: Research Methods