Jonathan Losos

Lizard Noosing Material Update

On June 2, 2011

In Notes from the Field, Research Methods

Equaline? CVS? 'Fraid not.

A few months back, we had a lively discussion of the best material to use to make a lizard noose.

I and others went old school and advocated dental floss as the lariat of choice. In this vein, I have an update. Now in the field in the Bahamas, Jason Kolbe and I have been using two newish brands of the waxy stuff, and neither of us has a good thing to say. I have been using a new type, “Just the Basics,” which seems to be a CVS store brand. All I can say is: Avoid!!! By “basics,” they mean “basically terrible.” It frays very quickly, so that by the time you’ve snagged your third lizard, you have to make another noose. Very annoying. Meanwhile, Jason has been using a floss produced by Equaline. He gives it two thumbs down, claiming that it disintegrates—believe it or not—after a single lizard capture.

How the Presence of Curly Tailed Lizards Affects Brown Anole Behavior

By Jonathan Losos

On May 30, 2011

In Notes from the Field

Over at Chipojolab, the Chipojo Bobo himself and his merry band of ethologists are providing regular updates on their research on the behavior of brown anoles, and how it is affected by the presence of predatory curly-tailed lizards. Check it out, and follow the exploits of Nolan, the conch-shell inhabiting bull sagrei.

p.s. In Cuba, the locals refer to crown giant anoles, members of the A. equestris group as “chipojos.” False chameleons, Chamaeleolis, are called “chipojo bobos,” meaning, more-or-less, clumsy crown giant anoles.

Find the Anoles

By Jonathan Losos

On May 29, 2011

In Anole Annals Trivia

It’s time for the latest installment of our perennial crowd pleaser, Find the Anole!

In picture #1, we have three questions:

1) How many species of anoles are in this picture?

2) Which species are they?

3) Bonus Points: What is the interesting evolutionary/biogeographical story represented here?

Picture #2 is a tough one.

Thirsty, Thirsty Anoles

By Jonathan Losos

On May 26, 2011

In Natural History Observations

It’s been very dry here in the Bahamas; we’ve barely seen any rain at all. So, when a few drops splattered mid-afternoon, out came the lizards, slurping up every droplet they could find. In the subsequent 30 minutes, I found six Bahamian green anoles (A. smaragdinus), compared to a rate of 1-2/hour for the rest of the day (this rate, in turn, twice as high as in previous days because it was cloudy and cool).

Ever watched an anole drink when it’s thirsty? This video shows what it looks like.

Name That Evolutionary Icon

By Jonathan Losos

On May 25, 2011

In Notes from the Field

While out studying everyone’s favorite evolutionary radiation in the Bahamas, one can’t help but come across exemplars of another important evolutionary group, pictured above. Can anyone tell us what that group is, and what its place is in the history of evolutionary biology?

Anole Annals Wants You!

By Jonathan Losos

On May 24, 2011

In All Posts

Sum, sum, summertime, and Anole Annals readers of all stripes are out there, finding and studying anoles. Why not tell us what you’re seeing and doing? Observations, anecdotes, photographs, descriptions of research projects–the anole world needs to know! Or comment on a new paper, or an old one that made an impression. Or any other aspect of anoliana that comes to mind. Anole Annals welcomes posts on all matters anoline.

In it’s brief existence, AA has already published posts by 21 authors, and many more have commented. Why don’t you join the team? Information on how to post is available here.

p.s. Bonus points to anyone who can name the species above.

p.p.s. Thanks to Melissa Woolley for constructing the image above.

Land of the Three-Footed Lizards

By Jonathan Losos

On May 23, 2011

In Natural History Observations

I noted recently that the brown anoles here in Staniel Cay seem exceptionally skittish, and we don’t know why. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but we’ve found a trio of three-footed lizards. What’s going on?

Return to Staniel Cay

By Jonathan Losos

On May 21, 2011

In Notes from the Field

Staniel Cay is one of the quaint Caribbean backwaters, populated by yachtsmen, expats, scalawags, locals and…scientists. For more than 30 years, Tom Schoener, David Spiller and associates have worked here, producing a series of textbook studies on food web ecology (most recently here).

Having finished our work in Marsh Harbour, we have relocated to Staniel, marking a return for me after a 19 year absence. As our plane wended its way down the Exuma

: Headin’ south down the Exumas.

chain, the memories of my previous visits and their results came flooding back. While a graduate student in the 80’s, I read Schoener and Schoener’s 1983 Nature paper reporting the results of introductions of brown anoles (A. sagrei) to very small islands (approx. the size of a baseball diamond) around Staniel Cay. S&S, noting that islands of this size do not normally harbor anoles, decided to introduce lizards to watch the populations wither away, and thus learn something about the process of extinction. But to their surprise, the populations did not go quietly into the night. Instead, they thrived and some downright exploded in numbers, one island going from 10 introduced lizards to 98 the next year.

Anolis Captive Husbandry Manual

By Jonathan Losos

On May 19, 2011

In All Posts

The Brodie Lab at the University of Virginia has developed a manual for breeding and raising anoles in lab colonies, entitled “Anolis Colony Care: A manual developed for the Brodie laboratory at University of Virginia.”

Bahamas Fieldwork 2011, Part II

By Jonathan Losos

On May 16, 2011

In Notes from the Field

Captain Leal and First Mate Kolbe. Photo by Gilligan.

Over at Chipojolab, Manuel Leal has a video and a photograph from last week’s field work on Abaco, Bahamas. The video is of yours truly, failing to noose a wily brown anole, Anolis sagrei. More interesting is the photo of Leal next to an odd looking piece of equipment. What is that gizmo? Here’s a close-up: