Document Type

Thesis

Production/Collection Date

June 22, 2024 - August 13, 2024

Production/Collection Location

Jamaica

Depositor

Lillian Durand/ Frishkoff Lab at University of Texas at Arlington

Deposit Date

12-20-2024

Data Type

Morphological quantitive data, population survey data

Abstract

Anolis lizards are model organisms for studying natural selection and evolutionary processes. One trait that is hypothesized to be advantageous for males is head size, as larger heads lead to stronger bite forces and increased likelihood in outcompeting other males for mates. To better understand how linked head size and intraspecific competition are, the head morphology of male A. lineatopus was analyzed among Jamaican populations with varying levels of population density. Population densities were determined using standardized plot surveys and mark resight models. Head dimensions and body condition for individual lizards were measured at each site. My study found that relative head size did not significantly differ between sites in males, and changes in females could not be attributed to density. In addition, I determined that as population densities increase, head volume becomes more advantageous in achieving higher body conditions. In females a negative correlation between head volume and body condition for all but the most populous site.

Disciplines

Animal Sciences | Biology | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Evolution | Life Sciences | Other Animal Sciences | Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Population Biology | Zoology

Publication Date

12-1-2024

Language

English

Faculty Mentor of Honors Project

Luke Frishkoff

Comments

Thank you to Dr. Luke Frishkoff and Dr. Daniel Nicholson for all of their assistance with this project and including me on their fieldwork.

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