Big cities, big bodies: urbanisation correlates with large body sizes and enhanced body condition in African dwarf chameleons (Genus: Bradypodion )

African Zoology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 9

Published: Oct. 11, 2024

AbstractUrbanisation is a major driver of habitat transformation that alters the environmental conditions and selective regimes habitats where it occurs. For species inhabiting urban habitats, such alterations can facilitate adaptive responses in their phenotypes, including morphology. Quantifying potential could provide important information for assessing adaptation to urbanisation may also be relevant conservation. Previous studies on African dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion) have shown these lizards remarkable capacity response different (e.g. closed canopy vs. open habitats). Several exploit but extent which populations are adapting environments has only recently started receive attention. In this study, we quantify differences body size condition between natural five chameleons. most comparisons, either females, males or both sexes from were longer, heavier and/or had better than those populations. remaining cases, there no traits Our findings conform with emerging paradigm positively correlates enhanced lizard sizes condition, although reasons complex. Nevertheless, our data an avenue future research into investigating factors food supply, predation risk, etc.) trends observed.Keywords: adaptationAfricaecologymorphologyreptiles

Language: Английский

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Developmental reaction norms vary among families of lizards in response to multivariate nest environments

Oikos, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 30, 2024

Developmental plasticity is the capacity of a single genotype to express multiple phenotypes in response different early‐life environments. Such responses are defined by reaction norms, which may vary among individuals or populations. Variation developmental norms allows natural selection operate on and rarely examined vertebrates. We quantified variation embryonic within between populations using brown anole lizard. captured lizards from two islands Matanzas River (Florida, USA) incubated their eggs under one multivariate treatments that mimicked temperature, moisture substrates nest sites either shaded open habitat. measured hatchling morphology, performance, physiology quantify family‐level norms. observed evidence for morphology but not performance physiology, indicating an opportunity shape body size. Overall, results indicate abiotic conditions nests combine increase reduce phenotypic variation, provides potential plasticity.

Language: Английский

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Differences in Sex Ratio, Tail Autotomy, Body Size and Body Condition Between Suburban and Forest Populations of the Cuban Endemic Lizard Anolis Homolechis

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 1, 2022

Abstract Although growing evidence suggests that natural and sexual selection pressures may differ between urban habitats, their consequences in terms of morphological differentiation, extent dimorphism sex ratio remain poorly studied. Anolis lizards are an ideal model to study the phenotypic effects urbanization, as they well known for existence ecomorphs adapted particular microhabitats. However, so far most studies populations anoles have considered invasive species largely focused on males. Here, we compared suburban forest native A. homolechis , Western Cuba, based large sample size (n > 800) a balanced nested design. Overall, both male female individuals from surburban were larger better body condition than populations. In addition, caudal autotomy was more twice frequent ones, with no effect. Habitat type season year had additive ratios, significant excess males habitats during non-reproductive season. Accordingly, pronounced ones. Our results suggest shape direction anoles.

Language: Английский

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