The Origin of Species: Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree

Graphic of four islands close to each other. Each island has lizards on it. Caption: evolved independently on each island.

Working in the islands of the Caribbean, biologist Jonathan Losos has discovered the traits that enable dozens of anole species to adapt to different vertical niches in the forest. Differences in limb length, body shape, and toepad size allow different species to flourish on the ground. However, lizards living on thin branches or high in the canopy have different characteristics. These varied adaptations have played a key role in reproductive isolation and the formation of new species.

(Source: DCMP)

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  • The Origin of Species: Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree

    Type:
    Video
    Format:
    Streaming
    Accommodations:
    English Audio Descriptions - Visual, English Captions - Auditory, Spanish Audio Descriptions - Visual, Spanish Captions - Auditory
    Languages:
    English, Spanish
    License:
    OER
    Author:
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute
    Length:
    18 minutes