Anolis ecomorphs
Grouping of species of lizard / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The ecomorph concept is a term first coined by Ernest Edward Williams in 1972 which he defined as a “species with the same structural habitat/niche, similar in morphology and behavior, but not necessarily close phyletically.”[1] Williams first applied this definition to the Greater Antillean anoles (specifically in Puerto Rico) upon observing their evolutionary radiation, although it has since been used widely elsewhere.[2]
Anoles have repeatedly evolved into similar forms on different islands, dubbed 'ecomorphs'. Convergence is in microhabitat specialty, behavior, and morphology.[3] Langerhans, Knouft & Losos call the set of Anolis lizard ecomorphs of the Greater Antilles "a classic example of convergent evolution."[4][5] Jonathan Losos defined six Anolis ecomorphs according to the predominant microhabitat (e.g. grasses, open ground, different parts of trees) of the respective Anolis: crown giant, trunk-crown, trunk, trunk-ground, twig, and grass-bush.[5][6]