Jonathan Losos, a doctoral student working under the supervision of Dr. Harry Greene at the University of California- Berkeley, is conducting an integrated study of anatomical adaptations, ecology and performance (jumping ability, sprint speed, clinging ability, etc.) of Anolis lizards of the Caribbean Islands set in context of the evolutionary history of the group. Anatomical studies of the numerous species of Caribbean Anoles suggests considerable parallel and convergent evolution has occurred in anatomy, behavior and performance skills among distantly related species as a result of adaptation to similar ecological conditions. Losos studies the ecology and behavior of lizards in natural habitats; the animals are then captured and a number of performance variables measured in a field laboratory; morphological measurements are subsequently made. The latter include measures of mass, body size, limb-length and scanning electron microscope assessments of digital lamellar hairs which function in adhesion. Integrated studies such as this, that take advantage of diverse species in natural environments, lead to an understanding of how species evolve adaptations to their environments. This, in turn, provides basic information on how to protect the biodiversity of the earth.
