第1712期:Study: Lizard Changed Genetically to Survive in the City

A new study has found that a lizard that once lived in forests has gone through genetic changes to survive in city environments.Researchers studied a lizard called the crested anole. The lizard’s official name is Anolis cristatellus. It is commonly found in the American territory of Puerto Rico. The team said it discovered the lizard had grown special scales that helped it climb more easily on smooth surfaces like walls and windows. It also grew longer legs in order to run faster across open areas.

一项新的研究发现，曾经生活在森林中的蜥蜴经历了基因变化以在城市环境中生存。↳ 研究人员研究了一种叫做凤头变色龙的蜥蜴。蜥蜴的正式名称是 Anolis cristatellus。它常见于波多黎各的美国领土。该团队表示，他们发现这只蜥蜴长出了特殊的鳞片，可以帮助它更轻松地爬上墙壁和窗户等光滑表面。它还长出了更长的腿，以便在开阔地带跑得更快。

Kristin Winchell is a biology professor at New York University and the main writer of the study. She told The Associated Press, “We are watching evolution as it’s unfolding.” Research results were recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Winchell said as city development spreads out around the world, it is important to understand how organisms adapt to new environments. That way, she added, humans can design cities in ways that can support all kinds of animals.

克里斯汀温切尔是纽约大学的生物学教授，也是该研究的主要作者。她告诉美联社，“我们正在观察正在发生的进化。”研究结果最近发表在美国国家科学院院刊上。温切尔说，随着城市发展在世界范围内蔓延，了解生物体如何适应新环境非常重要。她补充说，这样一来，人类就可以以支持各种动物的方式设计城市。

The study examined 96 Anolis cristatellus lizards. Researchers compared the genetic makeup of lizards in forests to those living in Puerto Rico's capital, San Juan, as well as two other cities. Scientists found that 33 genes were repeatedly linked to city spread. Wouter Halfwerk is an evolutionary ecologist and professor at Vrije University Amsterdam. He was not involved in the study. He told the AP, “You can hardly get closer to a smoking gun,” meaning evidence or proof of something.

该研究检查了 96 只 Anolis cristatellus 蜥蜴。研究人员将森林蜥蜴的基因构成与生活在波多黎各首都圣胡安以及其他两个城市的蜥蜴进行了比较。科学家发现有 33 个基因与城市传播反复相关。 Wouter Halfwerk 是阿姆斯特丹自由大学的进化生态学家和教授。他没有参与这项研究。他告诉美联社，“你很难靠近确凿的证据”，意思是证据或证据。

Halfwerk said he was excited that the researchers were able to identify such rich evidence that the lizards had changed genetically to adapt to a different environment. Winchell said the research demonstrated that scientists might be able to predict how populations will react to city environments just by looking at genetic signs.

Halfwerk 说，他很高兴研究人员能够找到如此丰富的证据，证明蜥蜴已经发生基因改变以适应不同的环境。温切尔说，这项研究表明，科学家们或许能够通过观察遗传信号来预测人口对城市环境的反应。

The study found that larger legs permitted the lizards to run more quickly across open city areas. And the special scales they developed permit them to hold onto surfaces that are much smoother than trees. The scientists followed many lizards for the study, using their hands or fishing poles to catch them. “It takes some practice,” Winchell said. Among Winchell’s favorite findings was a rare albino lizard. She also found a nearly 20-centimeter-long one, a rather large individual for that species of lizard. She decided to call that one “Godzilla.”

研究发现，较大的腿使蜥蜴能够更快地穿过开阔的城市地区。他们开发的特殊鳞片使它们能够抓住比树木光滑得多的表面。科学家们在研究中跟踪了许多蜥蜴，用它们的手或鱼竿来捕捉它们。 “这需要一些练习，”Winchell 说。温切尔最喜欢的发现之一是一种罕见的白化蜥蜴。她还发现了一只近20厘米长的蜥蜴，对于这种蜥蜴来说，个体算是比较大的了。她决定称那个为“哥斯拉”。

The study centered on adult male lizards, so it is unclear if females are changing in the same way or at the same rate as males. The researchers said it is also not clear at which point in a lizard’s life the changes happen. Halfwerk’s own research showed how one frog species changed its reproducing call in city areas. He said scientists should look next for possible limitations on evolutionary changes and how genetic adaptations relate to reproductive behavior. Halfwerk added that for the adaptive changes to be lasting, “they need to lead to higher reproduction.”

该研究以成年雄性蜥蜴为中心，因此尚不清楚雌性是否以与雄性相同的方式或以相同的速度发生变化。研究人员表示，目前还不清楚这种变化是在蜥蜴生命的哪个阶段发生的。 Halfwerk 自己的研究表明，一种青蛙物种如何改变其在城市地区的繁殖叫声。他说科学家接下来应该寻找进化变化的可能限制以及遗传适应与生殖行为的关系。 Halfwerk 补充说，要使适应性变化持久，“它们需要带来更高的繁殖率。”