Meeting Abstract

44.3  Monday, Jan. 5  Evolution of Dewlap Pigmentation in Anoline Lizards CRAWFORD, N.G.*; SCHNEIDER, C.J.; LOSOS, J.B.; HOEKSTRA, H.E.; Boston University; Boston University; Harvard University; Harvard University ngcrawfo@bu.edu

Anoles (genus Anolis) are small arboreal lizards found throughout the Caribbean and Central and northern South America. Anoles are sexually dimorphic and males have extensible gular folds known as dewlaps. Dewlaps come in a variety of hues including red, orange, blue, pink, white, and green. Dewlap colors differ among species and are thought to play a role in species recognition and also perhaps in sexual selection. Anole species on different Caribbean islands have convergently evolved dewlaps of similar colors. The genetic basis of skin pigmentation in reptiles is poorly known, but chromatographic studies have shown that pteridine pigments play a significant role. Pteridine pigments are synthesized within specialized cells, and a pathway for pteridine biosynthesis has been proposed. In this study we identify the genes involved in the pteridine biosynthetic pathway in Anolis and assay their activity in species of Anolis that have convergently evolved similar dewlap colors. This is a significant step toward understanding the genetic basis for color in reptiles and determining if convergent phenotypes result from convergent changes in the genome.