Hurricanes and lizard evolution

A study finds that two lizard populations affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 passed on large, strong-gripping toepads to the subsequent generation; across 12 island populations of Anolis sagrei lizards and 188 Anolis species from the neotropics, populations and species that frequently experienced hurricanes had larger toepads than those that experienced few hurricanes, suggesting that hurricanes influence lizard evolution at geographic and phylogenetic scales.

Article #20-00801: “Hurricane effects on Neotropical lizards span geographic and phylogenetic scales,” by Colin M. Donihue et al.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Colin Donihue, Washington University in St. Louis, MO; tel; 207-299-3515, email:

[email protected]

; Jonathan Losos, Washington University in St. Louis, MO; tel: 314-935-3460, email:

[email protected]

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