EEB Tuesday Seminar Series - Trait complexity in squamate reptiles and its effects on evolutionary analyses

Description: Functional and phenotypic traits are used as tools for studying evolutionary diversification and ecological interactions. However, many features that constitute these traits are complex, multidimensional and challenging to quantify. In this presentation, I investigate how representations of the same biological trait can influence downstream assessments of evolutionary outcomes. I use snake diets as a case study, with diet acting as a case example of an ecological trait that can be represented under different biological criteria. I will apply a similar approach to a color pattern dataset of Australian lizards (Ctenotus) in the remainder of my dissertation and will use multiple scoring and modeling approaches to test how color pattern has evolved within in this genus. Finally, I will leverage phylogenomic and microhabitat data to explore the distribution of color patterns in populations undergoing different stages of speciation and apply this knowledge to improve understanding of species boundaries between Ctenotus. In doing so, I will provide a more holistic view of how organisms and their traits evolve over time.