Where do you work and what do you do? 

I study how anoles are adapting to urban areas. I am currently a post-doctoral researcher in the Losos lab at Washington University. My doctoral research focused on lizards in Puerto Rico but I study anoles throughout the Caribbean. 

What aspects of anole biology do you study, and what have you learned? 

I study how anoles are adapting to urbanization. In other words, how their ecology, morphology, and physiology differs in human-dominated habitats like cities. I have found that lizards in urban habitats use microhabitat that is very different from forest habitats, such as buildings and fences, which differ in structural, surface, and microclimate properties. But I have also found that not all species found in urban habitats exploit the urban habitat to the same extent – some still rely on natural elements such as trees or are only found in parks and not on buildings. One species in particular, the Puerto Rican Crested Anole (Anolis cristatellus) exploits urban habitat extensively in its native range. I found that this shift in habitat use is correlated with a shift in morphology: urban lizards across the island of Puerto Rico have relatively longer limbs, larger toepads, more subdigital lamellae compared to their nearby forest counterparts. Based on performance tests and our understanding of the function of these traits, the longer limbs are likely very important for sprinting across the open urban habitat and perching on broad surfaces (like buildings) while the shifts in toepad morphology help improve grip on smooth urban surfaces (like painted walls and metal fences).  

How and why did you start studying anoles? 

I started studying anoles when I started my PhD research. During my Master’s research I studied turtles in urban areas from an ecological perspective. I was surprised at the extent to which wildlife persists in urban habitats, and how healthy the individuals and populations appeared to be. I knew I wanted to study how urban reptiles were adapting but also knew turtles were not ideal for that type of research. I needed a species that had an evolutionary history of adapting to different habitats and even better if there was evidence of contemporary adaptation to different habitats. Anoles fit that description. Add to that the wealth of literature on their ecology, morphology, and physiology and they were the perfect study group for my interests. I caught my first anole in 2011 and was instantly enamored with them. 

What do you love most about studying anoles? 

I love that there are seemingly limitless possibilities of what you can study! They are also really fun to catch. 

What is your favorite anole species? 

I guess I’m partial to the species I studied for most of my dissertation: Anolis cristatellus. They’re abundant in urban areas, and even though they don’t have the flashy colors of some of the other anole species, A. cristatellus are pretty charismatic. 

Where can people learn more about you and follow you online?  

Website: kmwinchell.com 

Twitter: @kmwinchell

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