Meeting Abstract

S1-2.1  Thursday, Jan. 3  Exploiting Genomic Resources in Studies of Speciation and Adaptive Radiation of Anolis Lizards. SCHNEIDER, Christopher; Boston University cschneid@bu.edu

Lizards of the genus Anolis have radiated extensively within and among islands in the Caribbean. Here I provide a prospectus and preliminary data on the genetics of features important in anoline diversification and discuss promising avenues of research facilitated by the completion of the Anolis carolinensis genome project. In particular, I focus on the genetic determinants of body size and relative appendage length, and the genetics of color and pattern. Finally, I discuss how population genetic markers developed from genome sequence data provide the opportunity for analyses of gene flow, isolation, time of divergence, and the geographic context of speciation. Difficulties with lab husbandry limit the utility of Anolis for many genetic studies at present but, if such difficulties can be overcome, Anolis will become an important model organism for ecological and evolutionary genetics.