Christopher V. Anderson
@chrisvanderson.bsky.social
Comparative biomechanist, functional morphologist & muscle physiologist obsessed with chameleons
Chair - IUCN/SSC Chameleon Specialist Group
All views my own
Chair - IUCN/SSC Chameleon Specialist Group
All views my own
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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....
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
November 17, 2025 at 4:53 AM
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....
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
🦎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)
Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴☠️
[Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ]
(1/n)
October 14, 2025 at 1:52 PM
🦎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)
Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴☠️
[Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ]
(1/n)
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
122 cases of limb loss in lizards revealed that these these rare survivors of traumatic injuries can run just as fast, maintain healthy body weight, reproduce successfully & live surprisingly long lives.
Article: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
Summary: theconversation.com/3-legged-liz...
Article: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
Summary: theconversation.com/3-legged-liz...
October 13, 2025 at 2:43 PM
122 cases of limb loss in lizards revealed that these these rare survivors of traumatic injuries can run just as fast, maintain healthy body weight, reproduce successfully & live surprisingly long lives.
Article: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
Summary: theconversation.com/3-legged-liz...
Article: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
Summary: theconversation.com/3-legged-liz...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
A new geographic distribution in the latest issue of African Herp News details new records of Rieppeleon brachyurus in Mozambique, including the first record south of the Zambezi River.
African Herp News is available to HAA members or publicly after ~1 yr: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
African Herp News is available to HAA members or publicly after ~1 yr: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
September 30, 2025 at 4:47 PM
A new geographic distribution in the latest issue of African Herp News details new records of Rieppeleon brachyurus in Mozambique, including the first record south of the Zambezi River.
African Herp News is available to HAA members or publicly after ~1 yr: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
African Herp News is available to HAA members or publicly after ~1 yr: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
A new note details egg-laying in Chamaeleo dilepis in Kenya, documenting the process from excavation through departure, noting female color changes & local superstitions about finding a digging chameleon.
African Herp News is available after ~1 year: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
African Herp News is available after ~1 year: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
September 30, 2025 at 4:29 PM
A new note details egg-laying in Chamaeleo dilepis in Kenya, documenting the process from excavation through departure, noting female color changes & local superstitions about finding a digging chameleon.
African Herp News is available after ~1 year: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
African Herp News is available after ~1 year: africanherpetology.org/african-herp...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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...
academic.oup.com/cz/advance-a...
September 20, 2025 at 7:54 PM
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...
academic.oup.com/cz/advance-a...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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...
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...
September 8, 2025 at 9:42 PM
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...
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...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Some nice coverage on our new chameleon and salamander feeding paper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjq...
Ballistic Tongues: How do they do that? | The Bat Signal
YouTube video by Dan Riskin
www.youtube.com
September 10, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Some nice coverage on our new chameleon and salamander feeding paper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjq...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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.
August 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
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.
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
August 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
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...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
A new article documents a new locality for the Endangered Calumma vencesi in the Sorata Forest of NE Madagascar. Their presence supports the need to conserve this valuable mountain forest, which is also home to the likely Critically Endangered Brookesia nana.
www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/v...
www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/v...
August 22, 2025 at 3:35 AM
A new article documents a new locality for the Endangered Calumma vencesi in the Sorata Forest of NE Madagascar. Their presence supports the need to conserve this valuable mountain forest, which is also home to the likely Critically Endangered Brookesia nana.
www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/v...
www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/v...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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!
August 15, 2025 at 3:44 AM
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!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Half of respondents reported seeing flashlights shining at night & some reported trespassing & confrontational interactions with individuals repeatedly entering their yards to collect chameleons, highlighting the importance of recognizing social impacts of species introductions.
August 6, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Half of respondents reported seeing flashlights shining at night & some reported trespassing & confrontational interactions with individuals repeatedly entering their yards to collect chameleons, highlighting the importance of recognizing social impacts of species introductions.
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
A study on societal impacts of introduced populations of F. pardalis in Florida found that residents knew of but expressed low concern about the chameleons' presence, expressing more concern for their safety given the activities of private collectors.
digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
August 6, 2025 at 4:33 PM
A study on societal impacts of introduced populations of F. pardalis in Florida found that residents knew of but expressed low concern about the chameleons' presence, expressing more concern for their safety given the activities of private collectors.
digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Some hopeful news on the Critically Endangered Furcifer belalandaensis, which was recently discovered in some less disturbed habitat than it has previously been known from, possibly providing an opportunity to better protect the species!
Article: greenauve.org/new-hope-for...
Article: greenauve.org/new-hope-for...
August 6, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Some hopeful news on the Critically Endangered Furcifer belalandaensis, which was recently discovered in some less disturbed habitat than it has previously been known from, possibly providing an opportunity to better protect the species!
Article: greenauve.org/new-hope-for...
Article: greenauve.org/new-hope-for...
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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!
July 26, 2025 at 12:19 AM
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!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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!
July 7, 2025 at 3:39 AM
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!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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.
May 31, 2025 at 8:08 AM
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.
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Trioceros hoehnelii from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya!
May 31, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Trioceros hoehnelii from 2,130m elevation on the western/southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Some Trioceros hoehnelii from the Naro Moru route on Mount Kenya!
May 31, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Some Trioceros hoehnelii from the Naro Moru route on Mount Kenya!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Aberdares Montane Dwarf Chameleon (Trioceros kinangopensis)!
May 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Aberdares Montane Dwarf Chameleon (Trioceros kinangopensis)!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Kenya Montane Viper (Montatheris hindii)!
May 27, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Kenya Montane Viper (Montatheris hindii)!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
High-casqued Chameleons (Trioceros hoehnelii)!
May 27, 2025 at 12:37 PM
High-casqued Chameleons (Trioceros hoehnelii)!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
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!
May 27, 2025 at 12:32 PM
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!
Reposted by Christopher V. Anderson
Headed home from a successful trip!
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Headed home from a successful trip!