Promoter: Raoul Van Damme
Supervisors: Eleesha Annear, Simon Baeckens, Shaun Welman
Osteoderms are bony elements embedded in the dermal layer of the skin, and constitute an interesting component of the integumentary skeleton of a disparate group of tetrapods (for example crocodiles, turtles, lizards, and some mammals). While osteoderm expression has been widely studied from an anatomical and developmental perspective, much less is known about the functional and ecological basis of variation in this trait. Osteoderms are often associated with a protective function, however recent studies have suggested that osteoderms may play a role in other aspects such as thermoregulation. In reptiles, thermal traits are fundamental to how a species lives in its environment. In this project you will determine the thermal biology of Hemicordylus capensis, a cordylid lizard which shows extensive intra-specific variation in osteoderm expression between populations.
In this project, the student will:
- · Assist in field and lab work in Western Cape, South Africa at sites representative of high, intermediate, and low osteoderm expression.
- · Perform experiments to determine the thermal preferences and tolerance of the lizards.
- · Determine the thermal sensitivity of their running performance.
Student requirements:
- · Interest in ecophysiology.
- · Interest in field and lab work. It would be beneficial if you enjoy long days in the field.
- · A familiarity with the R statistical environment.
- · Enthusiasm for working with reptiles.