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Lizards Evolution
Juliana Fonseca and Juanita Ortegon

Abstract

In this lab we had to investigate why are there so many species of anoles by performing several
exercises (based on actual research studies). We had to realize 4 modules, the first module consisted on
taking measures of lizards form species belonging to 4 different ectomorph groups. On the second
module we had to build a phylogenetic tree (of anole species) to study how this species evolved with the
time. On the third module we had to answer the question “What happens when lizards that belong to a
particular ecomorph group are placed in a different habitat?” by collecting and analyzing data from an
experiment. And, to finalize, on the fourth module we had to characterize two species of lizards basing
on their dewlap color.

Key words: Lizards, Evolution, Ecomorphs, Hindlimb length, Dewlap

Problem Question: How can lizards evolve and change their characteristics according to the different
habitats?

Objectives:
- To explore how and why so many species have envolved
- To determine the evolutionary relationships of eight anole species.
- To understand What happens when lizards that belong to a particular ecomorph group are placed
in a different habitat
- To examine what causes dewlaps to change.
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Hypothesis: Lizards can evolve by unintentionally changing their characteristics (For example, their
legs can become shorter or longer according to the branches the tree is composed of), with this they can
have

a better movement and it will be easier for their survival, another example is when the species are moved
to other island, as in the experimental island the branches were shorter, with only few years we could
observe the difference in their hindlimb length. They can also adapt to decrease the competition between
species, for example, the Anolis species changed their characteristics according to the exactly part where
they lived (grass-brush, trunk-crown, trunk ground or twig), they had shorter or longer legs and shorter
or longer tail according to the necessities.

Introduction:

“Evolution is technically defined as: "a gradual process in which something changes into a different and
usually more complex or better form." As it is most famously used, "evolution" is the process by which
an organism becomes more sophisticated over time and in response to its environment. The Theory of
Evolution is currently the most popular concept of how life reached its current state. Evolution as a
biological mechanism is driven by natural selection. This theory is favored by many scientists to explain
phenomena in nature, so much so that it is generally assumed as factual in most studies.” [ CITATION all \l
9226 ]

There are different theories about evolution, but the most known is Darwin’s theory. This theory say that
all the things are related, all species have a common ancestor and from this “simply” ancestors all the
species had evolve, making beneficial mutations that the organisms had preserve, this is known as
natural selection. Natural selection is that an organism in a specie develop a mutation which can benefit
the species, so the offspring of this organism inherit this change and with the time, the specie will have
acquired this characteristic.

Methods and materials:

MODULE 1

1- Group 8 lizards basing on their general apareance ( you can clasify them by their color, their tail
or legs length, or by their habitat)
2- Take measurements of each lizards hindlimb, body, and tail length(using x-ray Images)
3- Count the number of toepad lamellae( using photographs)
4- Compare your results with a researchers results(if the difference is very different, you can try it
again)
5- Now you have to calculate the relative hindlimb length and relative tail length.
6- Graph your results
MODULE 2

1- Build a phylogenetic tree to compare the DNA of each lizard species, using leiocephalus
carinatus species as the root of the tree
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2- Answer some questions by analizing the tree

3- Try to detect some patterns by coloring the branches according to the ecomorph type (then
answer some questions)
4- Now, you have to color the branches according to the island(answer some questions)
MODULE 3

you have to measure the x-rays from 10 lizards fron iron cay island and 10 lizards from the
experimental island

1- Take measurements of each lizards hindlimb and body length.

2- Compare your results with a researchers results(if the difference is very different, you can try it
again)
3- Now you have to calculate the relative hindlimb length of each lizard in both islands
4- Compare the 2 populations of lizards by calculation the mean and standar deviation
5- Then, estimate the population mean by calculating SEM and 95% CL
6- Compare your calculations
7- Graph the results with the black error bars
8- Compare your results

MODULE 4

You have to examine the dewlap colors of two anole species˸ anolis cristatellus and A. cooki

1- To measure the dewlap color of the lizards you have to assign a brightness score from 1 to 6
(with 6 being the brightest)
2- Calculate the mean, standar deviation, and standar error
3- Compare your calculations
4- Graph your results with the black error bars
5- Compare your results

Results:

Module 1:

Table 1: Hindlimb, body and tail length and lamellae count of Anolis species

A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A.
pulchellus cristatellus occultus evermanni sheplani coelestinus cybotes olssoni
Hindlimb 56.8
30.4 mm 48.4 mm 17.0 mm 41.8 mm 15.8 mm 43.4 mm 38.9 mm
length mm
Body 62.5
38.6 mm 58.2 mm 34.0 mm 47.7 mm 36.7 mm 60.0 mm 41.8 mm
length mm
Tail 114.5 mm 118.2 mm 38.5 mm 113.0 mm 45.5 mm 137.2 mm 130.0 147.2 mm
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length mm
Lamellae
32 31 25 44 21 46 31 29
count
Relative
hindlimb 0.79 0.83 0.50 0.88 0.43 0.72 0.91 0.93
length
Relative
2.08
tail 2.97 2.03 1.13 2.37 1.24 2.29 3.52
mm
length

In this table we can compare 8 species of anolis lizards by the length of its tail, hindlimb and body and
the number of lamellae. We see that the species can be separated by the relative hindlimb and tail length
in the ecomorphs we have seen.

Graph 1: Relative Tail length

versus Relative Hindlimb length
measurements for Anole
Ecomorphs
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Graph 2: Number of Lamellae versus Relative Hindlimb Length for Anole Ecomorphs

In this two graphs we see the species separated in the area that the scientists already determine, we see
that the species are separated in 4 ecomorphs, in each are two lizards, although some are out of the range
they are very close and we can classify them in that ecomorph.

We can see that this module is based in sympatric speciation because there is a divergence of species
within the same geographical location, it don’t have a physical barrier. The species are separed by
reproductive isolation, it can be because behavioral pre-zygotic isolating mechanisms.

Module 2:

Graph 3: Ancestors tree separated by ecomorphs

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Graph 4: Ancestors tree separated by islands where lizards live

We can see in these 2 graphs that the species that we separated by ecomorphs in module 1 are compared
in a phylogenetic tree, in the first graph we separate the branches in colors according to the ecomorph
the lizard belong and in the second we separated the branches according to the island the lizards belong
to. We concluded of this that they are more closely related the lizards from the same islands than the
lizards from the same ecomorph, this means that each species of lizards evolved indepently in each
island, until they got the same characteristics.

This is an example of allopatric speciation that occurs when a geographical barrier physically isolates
populations of an ancestral species. In this case the physical barrier is the sea that separe the Hispaniola
island from the Puerto Rico island.

Module 3:

Table 2: Iron Cay and Experimental Island measurement table of hindlimb and body length and relative
hindlimb length

Iron Cay Measurements Table

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hindlimb 33.1mm 34.2 mm 39.3 mm 37.6 mm 35.8 mm 38.3 mm 40.2 mm 37.7 mm 33.4 mm 34.0 mm
Length
Body 40.4 mm 37.1 mm 46.1 mm 44.3 mm 43.2 mm 44.4 mm 48.4 mm 43.5 mm 39.6 mm 38.9 mm
Length
Relative
hindlimb 0.82 0.92 0.85 0.85 0.83 0.86 0.83 0.87 0.84 0.87
length
Experimental Island Measurements Table
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Hindlimb 35.8 mm 36.0 mm 36.5 mm 34.9 mm 31.9 mm 32.6 mm 35.5 mm 36.1 mm 34.9 mm 33.3 mm
Length
Body 43.7 mm 43.8 mm 44.4 mm 44.2 mm 38.3 mm 41.4 mm 44.8 mm 45.3 mm 45.5 mm 43.0
Length
Relative
hindlimb 0.82 0.82 0.82 0.79 0.83 0.79 0.79 0.80 0.77 0.77
length

In this table we can observe the hindlimb and body length of the same specie after few years from the
day they were taken to other island (experimental island), we also can see the relative hindlimb length.

Table 3: Iron Cay and Experimental Island sample mean, sample SD, SEM and 95% Cl

Iron Cay Experimental Island

Sample Mean 0.854 Sample Mean 0.800
Sample SD 0.029 Sample SD 0.022
Standard Error (SEM) 0.009 Standard Error (SEM) 0.007
95% Cl 0.018 95% Cl 0.014

In this table we can see the sample mean, sample SD, SEM and the 95% Cl of Iron Cay and
Experimental islands.

Graph 5: Relative hindlimb length of different islands groups

In this graph, we can see the mean relative hindlimb length of the different island groups. We can see
that the Iron Cay mean relative hindlimb length is greater than the Experimental island mean relative
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hindlimb length. This is an evidence of evolution because, although they are the same species, they
adapted to the new environment, as it had smaller branches, the lizards had to evolve to have shorter
legs.

This is an example of allopatric speciation that occurs when a geographical barrier physically isolates
populations of an ancestral species. In this case, the physical barrier is the sea that separe the Iron Cay
island from the Experimental island.

Module 4:

Table 4: Dewlap color mean of two species of Anolis lizards

A. cristatellus A. cooki
Individual Dewlap color mean Individual Dewlap color mean
1 4.5 1 3.5
2 5.5 2 3.5
3 6 3 4.5
4 6 4 1
5 6 5 3.5

In this table we can see the dewlap color mean of two species, A. cristatellus and A. cooki, and the
differences between them.

Table 5: A. cristatellus and A. cooki sample mean, sample SD, SEM and 95% Cl

A. cristatellus A. cooki
Sample Mean 5.600 Sample Mean 3.200
Sample SD 0.652 Sample SD 1.304
Standard Error (SEM) 0.292 Standard Error (SEM) 0.583
95% Cl 0.583 95% Cl 1.166

In this table we can see the sample mean, sample SD, SEM and the 95% Cl of A. cristatellus and A.
cooki.
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Graph 6: Dewlap color of different species

In this graph we can see the dewlap color of different lizard species, we see that the dewlap color of A.
cristatellus is greater thsn the dewlap color of A. cooki. This depend on the environment they live, for
example if the environment is bright, their dewlap would be darker because it can be more seen by
females, if the environment is dark, their dewlaps would be brighter because is more seen by females. In
this case A. cristatellus must life in a darker part than A. cooki.

We can see that this module is based in sympatric speciation because there is a divergence of species
within the same geographical location, it don’t have a physical barrier. The species are separated by
reproductive isolation, it can be because behavioral pre-zygotic isolating mechanisms. The females of A.
cristatellus would not pay attention to dark dewlap because it would be difficult to see and females of A.
cooki would not pay attention to bright dewlap because it would be difficult to see in that part.

References:

- www.allaboutscience.org/what-is-evolution-faq.htm
- http://biologos.org/common-questions/scientific-evidence/what-is-evolution
- www.livescience.com
- www.eduscapes.com/nature/lizard/index3.htm