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Anderson Lab

@andersonlabusd.bsky.social
24 followers 9 following 34 posts

Studying comparative biomechanics, functional morphology & the physiology of movement, mostly in chameleons and anoles; All views our own

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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Tomorrow (May 9) is International Chameleon Day! Here is an interview with The Revalator pitching to increase education on chameleons globally & locally in range states year round & discussing the conservation of chameleons. therevelator.org/chameleons-c...
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Today we had a litter of Jackson’s Three-horned Chameleons (Trioceros j. jacksonii) born in the lab. These will now be a part of various projects we have going on focusing on different aspects of physiology, metabolism & scaling. Lots of babies in the lab & it looks like a more to come soon!
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
John R. Platt @johnrplatt.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
We need to talk about #chameleons. When I started researching this article, I found there had been almost no coverage of chameleon conservation issues over the past few years. It's time to change that: therevelator.org/chameleons-c...
therevelator.org
Even Chameleons Can’t Hide From Climate Change • The Revelator
These amazing, camouflaged reptiles have adapted to life in unique microhabitats, but that’s also made them more vulnerable to disruption.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Had a litter of Trioceros hoehnelii born in the lab today. The mother of this clutch is in the lab for some locomotion work we are doing. These will now be a part of various projects we have going on focusing on different aspects of physiology, metabolism & scaling. Always fun having babies born!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Busy week from the field back to USD.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
The montane fynbos ecomorph of the Southern Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion ventrale) at Groendal Nature Reserve.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
The “typical” forest ecomorph of the Pondo Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion caffrum) at Port St. Johns.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Grassland ecomorph of the Pondo Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion caffer) at Mkambati Nature Reserve.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
We made it to the third round, one step closer to a $10,000 prize to support chameleon conservation! Please vote again for Rhampholeon acuminatus to help us secure this funding! You can vote every day on every device! Voting for the third round ends on March 26! Vote now!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
One round closer to a $10,000 prize to support chameleon conservation! Please vote again for Rhampholeon acuminatus in the second round of this competition to help us secure this funding!
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Help Rhampholeon acuminatus come roaring back by casting your vote in the Indianapolis Zoo's Uproar Conservation Challenge! Every vote helps our species advance to the next round and brings us closer to the $10,000 conservation prize! Round one voting ends March 19 www.UproarChallenge.com
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Vote to help our species advance through the bracket-style competition and compete for a $10,000 conservation prize that supports our conservation efforts! Visit the website for more info on this conservation themed March Madness-style bracket competition: www.indianapoliszoo.com/uproar-conse...
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Help earn conservation funding for chameleons by voting to advance the Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon (Rhampholeon acuminatus) through the Indianapolis Zoo Uproar Conservation Challenge starting March 16. www.indianapoliszoo.com/uproar-conse...
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
Nikole Schneider, PhD @chameleonologist.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Want to learn more about chameleons @sicb.bsky.social ?? The @andersonlabusd.bsky.social has some great talks coming up this week that you should check out!!
Image shows a list of times and titles of talks that will be given by Anderson Lab members
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Some Chamaeleo calyptratus hatching in the lab currently as part of a bunch of thermal physiology, metabolic and scaling work. Always fun having babies born!
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
The first digital anatomical atlases of the chameleon skull, nervous system & cranial & hyolingual muscles are published, including lesson plans to bridge a gap between theoretical knowledge & hands-on analysis in comparative anatomy anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
James T. Stroud @jameststroud.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
🦎THREAD: We just published something wild in @asn-amnat.bsky.social - lizards missing entire limbs not only survive, but some appear to actually thrive in the wild?! Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴‍☠️ [Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ] (1/n)
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Some fun chameleon and Anolis contributions from the Anderson Lab to this work!
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
A reevaluation of chameleon foraging mode using movement- & attack-based indices. Chameleons spent most of the day in stationary positions & fed more when stationary than when moving, suggesting they should be considered ambush foragers rather than "cruise foragers". academic.oup.com/cz/advance-a...
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Some nice coverage on our new chameleon and salamander feeding paper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjq...
youtube.com
Ballistic Tongues: How do they do that? | The Bat Signal
YouTube video by Dan Riskin
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
Current Biology @currentbiology.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
In our latest issue, we're going ballistic! On the cover, a chameleon capturing prey, using its ballistic tongue, driven by a linear actuator, a skeletal rod squeezed out by muscles. So ingenious is the solution that lungless salamanders evolved it too... 🦎 www.cell.com/current-biol...
A Wolkberg dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion transvaalense) using its ballistic tongue to capture prey.
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
While similar mechanistically, ballistic tongues of chameleons & salamanders were each assembled via a different sequence of innovations, highlighting how biomechanical modularity, rather than exceptional materials, underlies this vertebrate ballistic innovation.
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Reposted by Anderson Lab
IUCN SSC Chameleon Specialist Group @iucnchameleons.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Chameleons & salamanders evolved a sliding-based linear actuator to launch the tongue via muscular squeezing of a tapered skeletal rod, contrasting with tendon-driven pulling mechanisms common in most musculoskeletal systems, allowing acceleration along a straight path. www.cell.com/current-biol...
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
A 2nd clutch of Bradypodion melanocephalum from Durban was born in the lab this week (in addition to the clutch from Hilton ~2.5 weeks ago)! Here a 2 day old neonate is next to an ~12 week old juvenile (clutch has grown 6-10x in mass since birth). Lots of cool data being collected in the lab!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
A clutch of Bradypodion cf. melanocephalum “Hilton” born in the lab today! Immediately getting some metabolic rate data from them to follow through ontogeny! Have also been getting metabolic rate data from the mother for the last 3 months and will continue as she recovers from birth as well!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Anderson lab members are coauthoring 11 talks and posters with collaborators at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyology and Herpetology (JMIH) this week in St. Paul, MN!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Two female Trioceros jacksonii, which appear to be T. j. xantholophus with rostral horns, from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Trioceros hoehnelii from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Some Trioceros hoehnelii from the Naro Moru route on Mount Kenya!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Aberdares Montane Dwarf Chameleon (Trioceros kinangopensis)!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Kenya Montane Viper (Montatheris hindii)!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
High-casqued Chameleons (Trioceros hoehnelii)!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Members of the Anderson Lab (past and present) in Kenya. Of course they are finding lots of cool chameleons and other herps! Stay tuned for some cool highlights!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Headed home from a successful trip!
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
Recording feeding trials at different temperatures using high-speed video to look at thermal effects on performance in elastic recoil- and muscle-powered movements.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
Searching for Bradypodion sp. “Emerald” (Emerald Dwarf Chameleons) and a couple things along the way.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Finding and photographing Bradypodion thamnobates, and animal care in the field at Colin Tilbury’s house.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
Finishing off some collection and checking out some other local chameleon taxa. Bradypodion cf. melanocephalum “Hilton” & Bradypodion cf. thamnobates “Karkloof”
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
Some good luck finding chameleons & some looks at a few local snakes thanks to help from local herpers Nick Evans & Carla Goede! Bradypodion melanocephalum, Chamaeleo dilepis, Python natalensis hatchlings, & Dastpeltis inornata.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
Off for a round of fieldwork in South Africa! Pictures from the trip and work to follow as usual.
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Anderson Lab @andersonlabusd.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Thread: A new lab publication explores functional, anatomical and developmental aspects of extreme length change among chameleon hyoid musculature. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... 1/6
royalsocietypublishing.org
Feats of supercontractile strength: functional convergence of supercontracting muscle properties among hyoid musculature in chameleons | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
The structure of sarcomeres imposes limits to the capacity of striated muscle to change length and produce force, with z-disc and myosin filament interactions constraining shortening. Conversely, supercontracting muscles, hitherto only known among ...
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