Lizard bite force
Here is a fun and informative video by scientist-filmmakers Neil Losin and Dan Nappen on the bite of the crested anole–a lizard native to Puerto Rico which has invaded South Florida. Neil is researching how the transplanted anole has adapted to its new environment by measuring its bite force, an indicator of food preference and level of competition with other lizards. The video has a great sound track and engages us with simple motion graphics that help elucidate where the research is taking place and how the Florida anole compares to its island-inhabiting progenitors. You can watch more of Neil and Dan’s videos on the website of their production company Day’s Edge Productions.
(Thanks to Bora Zikovic @BoraZ for the tip.)
Asep
August 12, 2015 @ 9:19 am
I’ve seen adult male sagrei conmuse cicadas (the big, hard-bodied ones) in Florida. In one instance, the cicada had probably recently emerged and was still soft, but in another instance the cicada appeared to be fully mature with a hard exoskeleton (it was able to alarm call, which drew my attention to the lizard). It looked impossible and took forever, but somehow the anole managed to get it down. In a third instance I was again alerted to the interaction by the cicada’s alarm call, but the cicada eventually escaped, possibly because I disturbed the anole with my approach.