Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree: Studies on the Origin and Ecology of Biological Diversity

Presented by visiting Harvard Professor Jonathan Losos
Wednesday 20 October 2010
5:45pm – 6:45pm

Lizards are an extraordinarily old and diverse group of animals. Around since the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs, lizards (including snakes, which are evolutionarily derived from lizards) have more species diversity than do mammals. Lizards live in almost all parts of the world and show a myriad of different adaptations for living in different environments. Many species are easy to observe in the wild and study in the laboratory, making them ideal organisms for investigating the origin and maintenance of biological diversity.

In this presentation, Jonathan Losos will focus on his research, which has synthesised experimental and observational approaches of habitat use, behavior, function, and genetics to understand the evolution of a particularly diverse group of Caribbean lizards that have become a model studying evolution.

Date and Time

Wednesday 20 October 2010
5:45pm – 6:45pm

Venue

Eastern Avenue Auditorium, The University of Sydney