Evolutionary consequences of competition between two Anolis

lizards in recent secondary contact

Proposed MSc research by Christina Miller

Lizards

A. sagreiCuba

A. cristatellusPuerto Rico

Schwartz & Thomas, 1975;

Bell, 1953;

Salzberg, 1984

Background

Secondary contact When two allopatric species come into sympatry

Interference competition Species engage in costly interactions over shared resources

Adaptive responses Changes in habitat, morphology and behaviour

Salzberg, 1984; Hess & Losos, 1991; Endler, 1993; Melville, 2002; Grether et al. 2009

Aims and Research Questions

Aim - To discover the evolutionary consequences of A. cristatellus on A. sagrei when living in sympatry

Questions: Can these two lizards coexist or is one likely to go extinct?

Can A. cristatellus displace A. sagrei?

Does the presence of A. cristatellus have an impact on A. sagreis’s behavioural territorial responses?

Could this potentially lead to a species split

Importance of research Initial stage of contact

Essentially viewing evolution in action

Salzberg, 1984

Methodology

Habitat A. sagrei’s habitat will be compared against sympatric and allopatric

environments

Perch height, diameter, and thermal microhabitat will be recorded

Three simple regressions

Behavioural territorial responses Experimentally manipulating male on male behavioural territorial

responses

Aggression and submissive behaviours will be recorded using an ethogram

ANCOVA – To control for size differences

Morphological changes Measurements taken of their body size, dewlap colour and limb length

MANOVA- Multiple DV’s and one IV (Location)Salzberg, 1984

Behavioural Territorial Conditions

Allopatric A. sagrei vs allopatric A. sagrei

Allopatric A. sagrei vs sympatric A. sagrei

Sympatric A. sagrei vs sympatric A. sagrei

Allopatric A. sagrei vs sympatric A. cristatellus

Sympatric A. sagrei vs sympatric A. cristatellus

Sympatric A. sagrei vs allopatric A. cristatellus

Allopatric A. sagrei vs allopatric A. cristatellus

Expected results

A. sagrei will engage in a habitat shift when living in secondary contact with A. critatellus

Sympatric sagrei should shift their habitat to the ground and branches to compensate for coexisting with a competitor

A. sagrei will differ in their territorial behaviour responses

Reduction in territorial responses to a competitor would be adaptive

A. sagrei will differ in their morphology in sympatry with A. cirstatellus, compared to in allopatry

A. sagrei may have longer limbs if mostly on the ground

Schwartz & Thomas, 1975; Salzberg, 1984; Losos & Sinervo, 1989; Losos 2009

Summary

Advance the field on evolutionary consequences during the initial stage of contact

Enhance knowledge of the conditions underlining coexistence

Discover any ecological, morphological and behavioural adaptations A. sagrei has had to adapt to

Wider context- could be used in conservation research

References

Bell, L. M. (1953). Notes on three subspecies of the lizard Anolis sagrei in southern Florida. Copeia 63.

Endler, J.A. (1993). The colour of light in forests and its implications. Ecologzcal Monographs 63 1-27.

Grether, G.F., Losin, N., Anderson, C.N. & Okamoto, K. (2009). The role of interspecific interference competition in character displacement and the evolution of competitor recognition. Biology Review 84, 617–635.

Hess, N.E. & Losos, J.B. (1991). Interspecific aggression between Anolis cristatellus and A. gundlachi: Comparison of sympatric and allopatric populations. Journal of Herpetology 25, 256-259.

Losos, J. B. (2009). Lizards in an evolutionary tree: Ecology and adaptive radiation of anoles. USA: University of calafornia press.

Melville, J. (2002). Competition and character displacement in two species of scincid lizards. Ecology letters 5, 386- 393.

Schwartz, A. & Thomas. R. (1975). A check-list of West Indian amphibians and reptiles. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication 1.

Salzburg, M.A. (1984). Anolis sagrei and Anolis cristatellus in Southern Florida: A Case Study in Interspecific Competition. Ecological Society of America 65, 14-19.

Thank you for Listening

Any questions?