Reproductive Isolation and Speciation in Lizards
Resource Type
Duration
00:02:38Description
This animation shows how a single species can give rise to many different species with distinct traits, using anole lizards as an example.
The anole lizards of the Caribbean Islands represent a group of about 150 closely related species, most of which evolved within the past 50 million years from a single colonizing species on each island. The animation illustrates different processes — including geographic isolation, reproductive isolation, and adaptation to different environments — that have played a role in anole speciation.
Depending on students’ background, it may be helpful to pause the animation at various points to discuss different parts of the speciation process.
Key Terms
Anolis, anole, dewlap, evolution, natural selection, niche, population, species, trait
Terms of Use
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