Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES NORTE STATE COLLEGE
F. Pimentel Avenue, Brgy. 2, Daet, Camarines Norte, 4600 Philippines
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
[email protected]Name: PERIOL, Frances Nicole K. Date Submitted: March 31, 2025
Year/Section: BS Biology 2A Evolutionary Biology
Analysis Questions:
A. Identifying Ecomorphs and Exploring Anole Adaptive Radiation
1. I grouped the lizards primarily based on their observable body features,
specifically focusing on their limb length, body size, and overall build. I think
that lizards with longer limbs and a slender body, for example, would likely
occupy a different niche than those with shorter, stockier limbs and a robust
body. I suspected that limb length could correlate with their movement and
agility, suggesting differences in habitat preferences – perhaps the longer-
limbed ones are better suited for climbing or running. Similarly, body size and
build likely indicate differences in diet and predator avoidance strategies. I
noticed some had larger heads and jaws, leading me to believe they might be
more suited for consuming larger prey.
2. The film emphasized the concept of ecomorphs, where distinct physical
adaptations directly correlate with specific habitat niches within an island. For
example, I had initially grouped lizards with long limbs together, assuming they
were all "climbers." However, the film clarified that there are "twig" anoles
(very slender, long-limbed) and "trunk-ground" anoles (larger, long-limbed),
each with different habitat preferences despite the shared limb length. So, I
reorganized my groupings to reflect these ecomorph categories. I paid closer
attention to subtle differences in limb and body proportions, as well as
behavioral observations shown in the film.
3. No, my initial groupings did not perfectly match the ecomorphs described in the
film. I initially assumed that similar-looking anoles across different islands were
closely related. The film corrected this, revealing that similar ecomorphs
evolved independently on each island due to adaptive radiation. This meant my
cross-island groupings were often phylogenetically inaccurate.
4. I'd like to focus on the Twig ecomorph. After watching the film and examining
the table, my initial assumptions about long limbs being for general climbing
were way off. The table reveals that Twig anoles have very short limbs, not long
ones. This, combined with their small toe pads, initially puzzled me. However,
the film showed them navigating incredibly narrow twigs and branches, and it
suddenly made sense. Their short limbs allow for precise movements and
balance on these thin surfaces, minimizing unnecessary weight and maximizing
control. The small toe pads provide enough grip for their lightweight bodies
without being cumbersome. Furthermore, their gray coloration acts as excellent
camouflage against the bark of the twigs, offering protection from predators.
Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES NORTE STATE COLLEGE
F. Pimentel Avenue, Brgy. 2, Daet, Camarines Norte, 4600 Philippines
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
[email protected]5. The diverse ecomorphs of anole lizards, such as twig, trunk-ground, and crown-
giant, exemplify adaptive radiation as a single ancestral species, upon
colonizing Caribbean islands, diversified into various forms to exploit
unoccupied ecological niches. Natural selection favored specific physical traits
that suited each habitat, leading to distinct ecomorphs with specialized
adaptations. This process occurred independently on each island, resulting in
convergent evolution where similar ecomorphs evolved from different lineages
due to similar environmental pressures, showcasing how a single species can
rapidly diversify to fill a range of ecological roles.
6. My hypothesis is that the recurrence of similar ecomorph classes across the
Caribbean islands is primarily due to convergent evolution driven by parallel
ecological niches. Each island, despite its geographic isolation, presents a
similar set of habitats: canopy, tree trunks, ground, and thin branches. When
ancestral anole populations colonized these islands, they encountered
comparable environmental pressures and opportunities. Natural selection then
favored individuals with traits that best suited them for these specific niches.
Because the selective pressures were similar across islands, the evolutionary
outcomes were also similar, leading to the independent development of
analogous ecomorphs. Therefore, while the anoles sharing an ecomorph on
different islands might not be closely related, they share similar adaptations
because they faced similar ecological challenges, demonstrating the powerful
influence of environmental constraints on evolution.
Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES NORTE STATE COLLEGE
F. Pimentel Avenue, Brgy. 2, Daet, Camarines Norte, 4600 Philippines
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
[email protected]B. Generating a Phylogeny from DNA Sequences and Revealing Evolutionary
Relationships of Anoles
1. The phylogenetic tree of Anolis lizards reveals two primary clades, supported by
generally high bootstrap values, indicating robust evolutionary relationships. While
branch lengths suggest relatively consistent evolutionary rates, the basal branch and
some internal nodes exhibit lower support, reflecting potential uncertainties.
Leiocephalus barahonesis serves as an outgroup, rooting the tree and highlighting
the divergence of Anolis species. Closely related species pairings, such as Anolis
ophiolepis and Anolis sagrei, suggest recent common ancestry.
a. Phylogeny colored based on geographical distribution
LEGEND:
Yellow = Cuba
Blue = Jamaica
Green = Puerto Rico
Violet = Hispaniola
b. Phylogeny colored in according to ecomorphs
LEGEND:
Yellow = Trunk-ground
Blue = Trunk-crown
Green = Grass-bush
Violet = Twig
Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES NORTE STATE COLLEGE
F. Pimentel Avenue, Brgy. 2, Daet, Camarines Norte, 4600 Philippines
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
[email protected]2. Species from the same ecomorph do not group together on the tree. This scattered
distribution of ecomorph colors indicates that species sharing the same ecomorph
do not share a recent common ancestor exclusively with other species of that
ecomorph.
3. Yes, the species from the same island tend to group together on the tree, with some
variations. The phylogenetic tree, colored according to geographical distribution,
demonstrates a clear pattern of island-based clustering. Jamaican species form a
distinct clade, while Puerto Rican and Hispaniolan species show significant, though
less complete, clustering. Cuban species exhibit some clustering but are more
dispersed.
4. The species that live on the same islands are more closely related to each other than
species that belong to the same ecomorphs. The evidence from both colored
phylogenetic trees strongly suggests that geographical location, specifically island
origin, is a stronger predictor of phylogenetic relationships in Anolis lizards than
ecomorph. The distinct clades formed by species from the same islands, especially
Jamaica, coupled with the scattered distribution of ecomorphs across the tree,
supports this conclusion. This indicates that allopatric speciation (speciation due to
geographic isolation) has played a more significant role in the diversification of
these lizards than convergent evolution driven by similar ecological niches.
5. The DNA analysis supports the hypothesis that ecomorphs evolved repeatedly and
independently on each of the islands. The lack of ecomorph-based clades and the
presence of island-based clades indicate that geographical isolation and subsequent
adaptive radiation have been more influential in the evolution of Anolis lizards than
a single origin of each ecomorph. This points towards convergent evolution as a
significant factor in the diversification of these lizards.
6. The image depicts a phylogenetic tree of Anolis lizards, color-coded by ecomorph
and island distribution. It reveals that species from the same island tend to cluster
together more strongly than species of the same ecomorph, suggesting island origin
is a better predictor of evolutionary relationships. However, the close relationship
between Anolis sheplani (Cuba) and Anolis angusticeps (Hispaniola), both "twig"
ecomorphs, presents an exception. This suggests a possible recent dispersal event
between the islands and conservation of the ancestral ecomorph, indicating that
while island-based speciation is dominant, other factors can influence evolutionary
relationships.
7. The film and the activity share a common understanding of the dominant role of
island-based speciation and the independent evolution of ecomorphs in Anolis
lizards. However, differences in species composition, data sources, and presentation
can lead to variations in the specific phylogenetic patterns observed. Both
contribute to a broader understanding of Anolis evolution, but through different
understanding.
Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES NORTE STATE COLLEGE
F. Pimentel Avenue, Brgy. 2, Daet, Camarines Norte, 4600 Philippines
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
[email protected] References
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D. G. (2007). Clustal W and Clustal Xversion 2.0. Bioinformatics 23, 2947–2948.
Phylogeny.fr: Dereeper, A., Guignon, V., Blanc, G., Audic, S., Buffet, S., Chevenet, F., Dufayard, J.
F., Guindon, S., Lefort, V., Lescot, M., Claverie, J. M., Gascuel, O. (2008). Phylogeny.fr:
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https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/origin-species-lizards-evolutionary-tree
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radiation of island lizards. PNAS 107, 2217–22183.
