Anolis lizards

Anolis lizards

Is the visual system specialized for this type of image stabilization? Experimental observations on many species have shown that smooth motion of a very large image over an animal’s visual field produces optokinetic response of the eye, head and body, where the gaze follows the moving stimulus for a while and then makes a fast resetting movement (saccade), and then another stimulus following mo...

Lack of convergence in aquatic Anolis lizards.

Why convergent evolution occurs among some species occupying similar habitats but not among others is a question that has received surprisingly little attention. Caribbean Anolis lizards, known for their extensive convergent evolution among islands in the Greater Antilles, are an appropriate group with which to address this question. Despite the well-documented pattern of between-island converg...

Brain organization and habitat complexity in Anolis lizards.

Across vertebrates, there is a broad correlation between neuroanatomy and the type of habitat preferred by a species. In general, species occupying habitats classified as more structurally complex have relatively larger brains and exaggerated structures related to navigating and exploiting those habitats. We empirically measured the structural habitat complexity of six species of Puerto Rican A...

Sexual Selection and Sex Ratios in Anolis Lizards

Anolis lizards as biocontrol agents in mainland and island agroecosystems

Our knowledge of ecological interactions that bolster ecosystem function and productivity has broad applications to the management of agricultural systems. Studies suggest that the presence of generalist predators in agricultural landscapes leads to a decrease in the abundance of herbivorous pests, but our understanding of how these interactions vary across taxa and along gradients of managemen...