In collaboration with Christy Hipsley, I am helping to study the diversification of lizards in the family Lacertidae. The goal of the project is to examine morphological variation among lacertids and then test how morphological differences are related to the ecology and climate experienced by the lizards. For example, the wedge-snouted lizard, Meroles cuneirostris, is adapted for living on and near sand dunes. Its wedge-shaped head is good for burrowing through sand and it has elongated scales on its toes for swimming through sand. This species also does a dance on the sand to cool off (see this video of a closely related species doing the dance [link to video])
