Behavioral Ecology of Mexican Montane Lizards

My dissertation research focused on the behavioral ecology and evolution of throat color morphs in the mesquite lizard Sceloporus grammicus, primarily in central and northern Mexico. Below, you can find some pictures of the lizards I studied (with their amazing diversity of coloration), the locations where I worked, and selected publications.

Top photo: Three color morphs in male S. grammicus from Cerro Peña Nevada, Nuevo León, Mexico. Middle photo: Our field site from 2011 at Cerro Peña Nevada. Bottom photo: A lower-elevation field site near Nopalillo, Hidalgo, México.

Selected Publications

Bastiaans, E., G. Morinaga, J.G. Castañeda Gaytán, J.C. Marshall, and B. Sinervo. 2013. Male aggression varies with throat color in 2 distinct populations of the mesquite lizard. Behavioral Ecology 24(4): 968-981. Link to paper.

Bastiaans, E., F. Méndez de la Cruz, K. Rodríguez Hernández, C. Flores Aguirre, and B. Sinervo. 2013. Female reproductive investment in the mesquite lizard (Sceloporus grammicus) species complex (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae). The Southwestern Naturalist 58(3): 335-343. Link to paper.

Bastiaans, E., M.J. Bastiaans, G. Morinaga, J.G. Castañeda Gaytán, J.C. Marshall, B. Bane, F. Méndez de la Cruz, and B. Sinervo. 2014. Female Preference for Sympatric vs. Allopatric Male Throat Color Morphs in the Mesquite Lizard (Sceloporus grammicus) Species Complex. PLOS ONE 9(4): e93197. Link to paper.