Sexual dimorphisms in habitat‐specific morphology and behavior in the green anole lizard

Dill, Alisa K.; Sanger, Thomas J.; Battles, Andrew C.; Johnson, Michele A.

doi:10.1111/jzo.12020

Cited by 18 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Zani () examined 85 lizard taxa and showed that decreases in toe length correlated with increases in clinging performance on rough substrates. Dill et al () also showed that toe length differs across habitats in A. carolinensis . Further studies are required to determine the functional role of differences in digit length among Anolis species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Developmental stages for the divergence of relative limb length between a twig and a trunk‐ground Anolis lizard species

et al. 2015

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The divergent evolution of niche-related traits can facilitate adaptive radiation, yet identification of the genetic or molecular mechanisms underlying such trait changes remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Conducting a detailed morphological comparison along growth trajectories is a powerful method for observing the formation of differences in niche-related traits. Here, we focused on hindlimb length of Anolis lizards, differences in which are related to adaptation for use of different microhabitats. We measured the length of hindlimb skeletons in different ecomorphs of anole lizards (A. sagrei, a trunk-ground ecomorph with long hindlimbs, and A. angusticeps, a twig ecomorph with short hindlimbs) from early embryonic stages to adulthood, to determine which hindlimb elements mainly differentiate the species and the timing of the formation of these differences. With respect to the digit, differences between the species mainly occurred during the embryonic stages of interdigit reduction, when the cartilage of the distal phalanges was simultaneously forming. In addition, we compared the relative length of developing autopods in early embryonic stages using whole-mount in situ hybridization before the formation of the cartilaginous bones, and the results showed that the relative growth rate of the Hoxa11-negative distal region in A. sagrei was greater than that in A. angusticeps. Our results show that there are several important developmental stages for hindlimb length differentiation between A. angusticeps and A. sagrei, depending on which hindlimb element is considered. In particular, the species differences were largely due to variations in digit length, which arose at early embryonic stages.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Developmental stages for the divergence of relative limb length between a twig and a trunk‐ground Anolis lizard species

et al. 2015

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“…The association between physical attributes of the environment and morphology plays a large role in determining performance capabilities which, in turn, affect fitness (Arnold, ; Davis & Stamps, ; Dill et al ., ). Our findings suggest that previous studies of locomotor performance on level substrates (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Locomotor hindrance of carrying an enlarged sexually selected structure on inclines for male fiddler crabs

Gerald

Thiesen

2014

Journal of Zoology

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Sexual selection often results in males exhibiting exaggerated traits (e.g. bright colors, elaborate appendages) to attract potential mates and in some cases to also use as a weapon. These traits, however, can impose costs, such as an increase in energy expenditure and a decrease in locomotor performance, which could decrease foraging efficiency and increase an individual's vulnerability to predators. We examined the effect of the enlarged claw in male fiddler crabs Uca pugilator on ecologically relevant performance measures. We measured locomotor performance and kinematics during horizontal, uphill and downhill movements. Speed and stride mechanics were measured for clawed males, males after the claw was removed, and females while running on level (0°), uphill (15 and 30°) and downhill (−15 and −30°) slopes. Endurance capacities were measured on all crabs on horizontal and uphill inclines. Though claw removal had no significant effect on horizontal speeds, removal of the major claw significantly increased uphill speeds of male fiddler crabs at 15 and 30°inclines. Generally, as incline increased, the difference in performance between males with the enlarged claw and those with the claw removed increased. We also found that clawed males exhibit slower downhill speeds compared to clawless males and that claw removal significantly enhanced endurance on all inclines. This study indicates that an assessment of movement on level surfaces alone may not be entirely ecologically relevant when determining the actual costs of sexually selected ornaments.

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“…In particular, our study revealed that only females diverged in the number of foot lamellae in sympatry, emphasizing the fact that males and females may respond differently to the same perch height shift due to interspecific competition. Indeed, the interaction between traits may differ between the sexes, as it was shown in Anolis carolinensis for which the females -using broader perches -exhibited longer hindlimbs relative to SVL, while this relationship was exclusively allometric for males (Dill et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological character displacement between a native and an introduced species: the invasion of Anolis cristatellus in Dominica

Dufour

Herrel

Losos

2017

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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Species invasions are a global scourge. Nonetheless, they provide the appropriate evolutionary setting to rigorously test the role that interspecific competition plays in species evolution. The process of ecological character displacement, in which species diverge in sympatry to minimize resource use overlap, is one example. Here, we examine whether ecological character displacement occurs as the result of a species invasion and, if so, whether morphological adaptations subsequently evolve. We studied the invasion of the lizard Anolis cristatellus in Dominica, where the native Anolis oculatus occurs, and compared nine allopatric and 11 sympatric populations at two scales: across the island, where A. cristatellus invaded since 1998, and in the northeastern region (Calibishie), where the species arrived in 2014. Perch height and diameter, as well as body, limb and toepad traits, were measured on 593 adults. In sympatry, habitat divergence occurred rapidly but was associated with morphological divergence at the island scale only: A. oculatus perched higher and possessed shorter limbs, while A. cristatellus moved downward with associated longer limbs and, in females, fewer toepad lamellae. The different results for the two scales suggest that sympatry is too recent at Calibishie for morphological trait evolution to occur.

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Sexual dimorphisms in habitat‐specific morphology and behavior in the green anole lizard

Cited by 18 publications

References 38 publications

Developmental stages for the divergence of relative limb length between a twig and a trunk‐ground Anolis lizard species

Developmental stages for the divergence of relative limb length between a twig and a trunk‐ground Anolis lizard species

Locomotor hindrance of carrying an enlarged sexually selected structure on inclines for male fiddler crabs

Ecological character displacement between a native and an introduced species: the invasion of Anolis cristatellus in Dominica

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