Sexual dimorphisms are prevalent and astonishingly varied throughout nature. Antlers of cervids, tail feathers of peacocks, and eyestalks of stalk-eyed flies are dramatic and well known examples of exaggerated male traits. Darwin proposed that such traits are the result of sexual selection. Male brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) have a cartilaginous dewlap that is facultatively extended during both competitive and courtship displays, which suggests the dewlap is a sexually selected trait. I will examine how the dewlap relates to reproductive success, performance, and survival in a population of brown anoles on South Bimini, Bahamas. For a video of a male display, click here.
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Feeding is an example of a relatively complex behavior. The ability to modulate this behavior could allow an organism to exploit an otherwise inaccessable resource. With Kris Lappin and Kiisa Nishikawa, I examined how prey hardness affects feeding behavior in the collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris). Click here for a video of a collared lizard eating a curculionid (weevil). |
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