Forest lizards have genetically morphed to survive life in the city, researchers say

[Judi Lynn]

By The Associated Press
Published January 10, 2023 at 12:03 PM CST

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Lizards that once dwelled in forests but now slink around urban areas have genetically morphed to survive life in the city, researchers have found.

The Puerto Rican crested anole, a brown lizard with a bright orange throat fan, has sprouted special scales to better cling to smooth surfaces like walls and windows and grown larger limbs to sprint across open areas, scientists say.

"We are watching evolution as it's unfolding," said Kristin Winchell, a biology professor at NYU and main author of the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

As urbanization intensifies around the world, it's important to understand how organisms adapt and humans can design cities in ways that support all species, Winchell said.

More:
https://www.wkms.org/npr-news/2023-01-10/forest-lizards-have-genetically-morphed-to-survive-life-in-the-city-researchers-say



Puerto Rican crested anole

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Personally think it's more likely this is an expression of previous adaptations that were dormant

And I think the environment (esp. during gestation) can actually trigger the expression of these dormant genes.

This is a very short of period of time in these creatures history (lizards have existed for 10's of millions of years), I really doubt these adaptations suddenly cropped up in the past 100 years of heavy urbanization by humans.

My bet is they were already there, because they provided advantages in 'natural' settings as well, millions of years ago perhaps. And conditions can actually trigger their re-expression, above and beyond simple 'survival of the fittest'.

I think DNA is, in a sense, smarter than we give it credit for.