Description
Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree
Before you do anything else...download and print the answer sheet to the lab here:
DOWNLOAD LIZARD LAB ANSWER SHEET
Next, find your way to the HHMI Virtual Lab on Anolis lizard Evolution
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/lizard-evolution-virtual-lab .
Follow these instructions!
1) Enter the “Virtual Lab”
2) Watch the short introduction video to familiarize yourself with a few Anolislizards.
3) Click the “Ecomorph” Module on the top left and follow the instructions. Note, the “add label” button is on the top right, so don’t cover it with lizards otherwise you can’t add additional labels!
4) Measure your lizards carefully following the provided instructions. Graph your data and answer the questions at the end of the module.
5) Begin Module 2: Phylogeny by watching the short video
6) DO NOT OPEN THE MABL WEBSITE TO PERFORM YOUR SEARCH, JUST HIT CONTINUE!
7) Answer the questions to test your understanding of trees
8) Add colors corresponding to the ecomorphs from part 1 to the branches by dragging and dropping the colored squares onto the appropriate branches. The correct ecomorph is in the parentheses after the species name on the tree (e.g., Anolis cristatellus (TG) = Trunk Ground).
9) Repeat step 8, but use the Islands the lizards are from, rather than Ecomorph.
10) Answer the questions on the Lizard-lab worksheet (due in lab, week 3)
11) Go here to explore more about Anolis biology: http://www.anoleannals.org/
Explanation & Answer
Hello,Attached find the completed work together with the plagiarism report. Go through it and in case you need any corrections kindly let me know.All the best.
Running Head: LIZARD EVOLUTION VIRTUAL LAB
LIZARD EVOLUTION VIRTUAL LAB
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date Submitted
1
Module 1: Ecomorphs
1. At the beginning of the virtual lab, you were asked to sort eight lizards into categories. What
criteria did you initially use to make your groups? Did you revise your criteria later? Why?
In the beginning, I sorted and categorized the eight lizards by color. Afterward, I
revised and sorted them by the length of their tails as it was simple to distinguish their
differences. The short-tailed lizards were categorized in one group and the longer-tailed
were put in another group.
2. An adaptation is a structure or function that is common in a population because it enhances the
ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment. Provide one example and an
explanation of one adaptation in the Anolis lizards.
A sample of adaptation in the Anolis lizard is seen in their toe pad. They all possess
the same toe pads which assist them in climbing trees and also living in different
environments.
3. Provide one evolutionary explanation for why lizards living in the same part of the habitat
(i.e., grass) would have similar characteristics.
The evolutionary explanation behind why lizards existing in the similar parts of
habitat possess the same characteristics is because it helps them in their survival. For
instance, lizards living in grassy areas have their skin-colored green. They ca...