Ecomorphology and Convergence in Arboreal Snakes
My research focuses on the ecology and evolution of snakes. For my dissertation, I am researching the evolutionary convergence of arboreal snakes in ecomorphology, where distantly related species evolved similarities in morphology and lifestyle owing to similar ecological functional demands. Due to their body plan, snakes are constrained from diverging greatly in morphology; however despite a burrowing origin, snakes have successfully colonized most habitats and evolved different habits ranging from burrowing, aquatic, terrestrial, to arboreal. Therefore, snakes of each habit should have a certain morphology or suite of characters that will allow them to perform better than snakes of different habits given the unique functional demands required, such as climbing trees or cantilevering between branches for arboreal snakes. By using comparative phylogenetic techniques I can then test the number of times arboreality independently evolved, identify traits associated with arboreality and how they evolved or changed through time, and measure morphological convergence between distantly related species.
I will also use phylogenetic techniques to address questions associated with community structure. I am interested in examining the influence ecomorphology has on niche partitioning and community structure, particularly how differences in morphology between arboreal snakes allows them to coexist by allowing them to occupy different niches based on habitat use and diet. Some snakes will have similar morphologies due to being closely related but some snakes will have similar morphologies due to convergent evolution. Therefore, similarities in morphology, ecology, and behavior will lead to competition between species, whereas, differences in either of these will promote their coexistence.
I will also use phylogenetic techniques to address questions associated with community structure. I am interested in examining the influence ecomorphology has on niche partitioning and community structure, particularly how differences in morphology between arboreal snakes allows them to coexist by allowing them to occupy different niches based on habitat use and diet. Some snakes will have similar morphologies due to being closely related but some snakes will have similar morphologies due to convergent evolution. Therefore, similarities in morphology, ecology, and behavior will lead to competition between species, whereas, differences in either of these will promote their coexistence.
Gonyophis margaritatus
