A striking new species of Anolis lizard (Squamata, Iguania) from Panama

Aquí describimos una especie nueva de lagartija Anolis de Panamá. Esta forma nueva es más similar a Anolis mirus y A. parilis de América del Sur, pero difiere en caracteres del patrón de color y de escamas. La especie nueva parece ser un pariente cercano de otras Anolis Alfa grandes de tierra firme (grupo latifrons; Dactyloa).Here we describe a new Anolis lizard from Panama. The new form is most similar to South American Anolis mirus and Anolis parilis but differs in characters of color pattern and scalation. The new species appears to be a close relative of other large mainland Alpha Anolis (latifrons group; "Dactyloa")

The existence and evolution of morphotypes in Anolis lizards: coexistence patterns, not adaptive radiations, distinguish mainland and island faunas

The evolution of distinct ecologies and correlated morphologies (“ecomorphs,” in combination) among similar species allows sympatric occupation of diverse microhabitats. Particular ecomorphs may evolve repeatedly, that is, convergently, as separate lineages arrive at similar solutions. Caribbean Anolis lizards (anoles) are a classic ecomorph system, particularly well-studied for the diverse morphotypes resulting from adaptive radiations. But few studies have analyzed the equally species-diverse mainland Anolis. Here, we use clustering analyses of nine traits for 336 species of Anolis to objectively identify morphological groups (morphotypes). We analyze the presence of recovered morphotypes on mainland and islands in general and relative to the composition of 76 mainland and 91 island anole assemblages. We test for evolutionary convergence of morphotypes within and between mainland and island environments by mapping our recovered morphotypes onto recent phylogenetic estimates and by analyzing four of our measured traits using program SURFACE. We find that particular morphotypes tend to be restricted to either mainland or island environments. Morphotype diversity and convergence are not concentrated within either island or mainland environments. Morphotype content of assemblages differs between mainland and island areas, with island assemblages displaying greater numbers of morphotypes than mainland assemblages. Taken with recent research, these results suggest a restructuring of one of the classic adaptive radiation stories and a reconsideration of research concerning island–mainland faunal differences. Island radiations of anoles are unexceptional relative to mainland radiations with regard to species count, rates of speciation and phenotypic evolution, morphotype diversity, and rates of convergence. But local island assemblage appear to be more diverse than mainland assemblages. The explanation for this assemblage disparity may reside in one of the classic hypothesized island–mainland environmental differences (i.e., greater numbers of predators/competitors/environmental complexity on the mainland). Similarity between mainland and island anole radiations may indicate exceptional evolution in the anole clade overall or ordinary evolution in an extraordinarily studied clade

Traits associated with naturalization in Anolis lizards: comparison of morphological, distributional, anthropogenic, and phylogenetic models

Abstract The worldwide spread of invasive species affects native biodiversity and causes economic loss, but also allows better understanding of historical biogeographic patterns. Prediction of likely invaders facilitates economic and conservation decisions and gives insight into characteristics that have allowed natural colonization over evolutionary time. However, it is not clear what types of characters best predict naturalization or even whether naturalization is predictable at all. Squamate reptiles have been understudied subjects for invasion biology. Lizards of the genus Anolis have been highly successful colonizers both recently and over evolutionary time. Nineteen of the approximately 350 described species of Anolis have established naturalized populations. We constructed models of naturalization using morphological, distributional, anthropogenic, and phylogenetic characters and compared these single character class models to each other and to a composite model incorporating all four classes. We show that (1) each class of variables significantly predicts invasion, (2) a composite model significantly outperforms each of the submodels, and (3) the final composite model displays extraordinary ability to objectively identify naturalized species of Anolis

Anolis soinii Poe and Yañez-Miranda, 2008 (Squamata: Iguanidae: Polychrotinae): distribution extension, first records for Ecuador and notes on geographic variation

The anole lizard Anolis soinii was described from a single locality in northern Peru in 2008. We report the first records of A. soinii from southern Ecuador, Provincia Zamora-Chinchipe: Valladolid-Yangana road; Romerillos Alto; Estación Científica San Francisco; Zamora-Loja road; and Refugio de Vida Silvestre El Zarza. The Valladolid-Yangana road, the nearest record, is approximately 196 km NW from the only known locality of A. soinii (Venceremos, Departamento San Martín, Peru). We also present information on lepidosis and coloration of the new specimens.

Morphology and ecology of the Mexican cave anole Anolis alvarezdeltoroi

We redescribe the ecologically unusual lizard Anolis alvarezdeltoroi, previously known from a single specimen, based on newly collected and previously unidentified preserved specimens from the type-locality region in Chiapas, as well as new localities in Veracruz and Oaxaca. We include information on color, morphological variation, and natural history. Anolis alvarezdeltoroi occupies limestone caves, an unusual habitat for anoles. We found individuals active on limestone surfaces during the day at heights from 0.42 to 5 m, and sleeping mainly in cave interiors, with some individuals observed on ceilings deep within caves.NSF grant DEB 0844624 to Steven Poe as well as DGAPA, UNAM (PAPIIT no. 224009) and CONACYT (no. 154093), both to Adrián Nieto Montes de Oca.Geological Science

New York Economic Handbook, 2006

E.B. 2005-1

Climatic and evolutionary factors shaping geographical gradients of species richness in Anolis lizards

Understanding the climatic and historical factors shaping species richness is a major goal of ecology and biogeography. Consensus on how climate affects species richness is still lacking, but four potential and non-exclusive explanations have emerged: water-energy, where diversity is determined by precipitation and/or temperature; seasonality, where diversity is determined by seasonal variation in climate; heterogeneity, where diversity is determined by spatial variability in climate; and historical climatic stability, where diversity is determined by changes in climate through evolutionary time. Climate–richness relationships are also mediated by historical processes such as phylogenetic niche conservatism and lineage diversification across regions. We evaluated the effect of climate on species richness gradients of Anolis lizards and tested the role of phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC) and regional diversification (RD) in the origin and maintenance of climate-richness relationships. Climate had a strong non-stationary relationship with species richness with strong shared effects among several climate axes. Regional differences in climate–richness relationships suggest different assembly processes between regions. However, we did not find evidence for a role of evolutionary factors such as PNC or RD underlying these relationships. We suggest that evolutionary processes affecting climate-richness relationships in Anolis likely were obscured by high dispersal rates between regions

Climatic and evolutionary factors shaping geographical gradients of species richness in Anolis lizards

Understanding the climatic and historical factors shaping species richness is a major goal of ecology and biogeography. Consensus on how climate affects species richness is still lacking, but four potential and non-exclusive explanations have emerged: water-energy, where diversity is determined by precipitation and/or temperature; seasonality, where diversity is determined by seasonal variation in climate; heterogeneity, where diversity is determined by spatial variability in climate; and historical climatic stability, where diversity is determined by changes in climate through evolutionary time. Climate–richness relationships are also mediated by historical processes such as phylogenetic niche conservatism and lineage diversification across regions. We evaluated the effect of climate on species richness gradients of Anolis lizards and tested the role of phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC) and regional diversification (RD) in the origin and maintenance of climate-richness relationships. Climate had a strong non-stationary relationship with species richness with strong shared effects among several climate axes. Regional differences in climate–richness relationships suggest different assembly processes between regions. However, we did not find evidence for a role of evolutionary factors such as PNC or RD underlying these relationships. We suggest that evolutionary processes affecting climate-richness relationships in Anolis likely were obscured by high dispersal rates between regions