The role of habitat shift in the evolution of lizard morphology: evidence from tropical Tropidurus.

ABSTRACT: We compared morphology of two geographically close populations of the tropical lizard Tropidurus hispidus to test the hypothesis that habitat structure influences the evolution of morphology and ecology at the population level. T. hispidus isolated on a rock outcrop surrounded by tropical forest use rock crevices for refuge and appear dorsoventrally compressed compared with those in open savanna. A principal components analysis revealed that the populations were differentially distributed along an axis representing primarily three components of shape: body width, body height, and hind-leg length. Morphological divergence was supported by a principal components analysis of size-free morphological variables. Mitochondrial DNA sequences of ATPase 6 indicate that these populations are closely

SUBMITTER: Vitt LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC20526 | biostudies-literature | 1997 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature