Species of Anolis
lizards that use broad substrates have long legs, which provide enhanced
maximal sprint speed, whereas species that use narrow surfaces have short
legs, which permit careful movements. We raised hatchling A. sagrei
in terraria provided either with only broad or only narrow surfaces.
At the end of the experiment, lizards in the broad treatment had relatively
longer hindlimbs than lizards in the narrow treatment. These results indicate
that not only is hindlimb length a plastic trait in these lizards, but
that this plasticity leads to the production of phenotypes appropriate
to particular environments. Comparison to hindlimb lengths of other
Anolis species indicates that the range of plasticity is limited
compared to the diversity shown throughout the anole radiation. Nonetheless,
this plasticity potentially could have played an important role in the
early stages of the Caribbean anole radiation.