climate change series: anole lizards adapt

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  • irene muehldorf's avatar Artist
    irene mueh...
  • DDG Model
    ChatGPT 2
  • Mode
    Ultra
  • Access
    Public
  • Created
    2d ago
  • Try (1) Try style

Prompt

In times of climate change, the anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis) living in cities in Puerto Rico look quite different than their forest-dwelling counterparts. The lizards i9n urban habitats have evolved longer limbs and more toe lamellae – the fine scales on the bottom of their feet – to allow them to scale buildings and sprint across hot surfaces. These traits are believed to help them better cling to smooth human-made surfaces like glass and metal. Behavioral or genetic changes enabling animals to adapt to climate change or, indeed, to urban habitats can happen over very short timeframes, sometimes just a few generations. Wildlife is dramatically accelerating its pace of adaptation in what is known as “contemporary evolution.” The image is an exquisitely detailed National Geographic quality close-up illustration showing three small, green anole lizards scaling a glass window on a modest high-rise building. The style is a biological illustration with extreme scientific precision, drawn as line art in bold colors.

More about climate change series: anole lizards adapt

Anole lizards in urban habitats have evolved to more easily scale glass with more toe lamellae and sprint across hot surfces with longer limbs.

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