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199218 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.199218 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ All Rights Reserved 2024 2026-12-01T12:24:46 175 pages Doctoral Dissertation Academic theses eng Araya donoso, Raúl Ignacio Kusumi, Kenro Dolby, Greer Geneva, Anthony DeNardo, Dale Arizona State University Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2024 Field of study: Evolutionary Biology Understanding the causes of differential divergence patterns in nature is a longstanding challenge in evolutionary biology. While external factors such as landscape change or selective pressures have been commonly proposed as the main drivers of differentiation, the intrinsic features of organisms can also influence the accumulation of divergence. In this dissertation, I explored the ecological and genomic features that shape genetic and phenotypic divergence in pleurodont lizards, focusing on the species-limited genus Uta and the species-rich genus Anolis. First, ecological niche analysis of 21 lizard and non-lizard taxa shows how species within a community respond differently to shared past environmental variation depending on their ecological niche characteristics, using the Baja California peninsula as a model setting. Second, I explored the features that could constrain phenotypic differentiation between genetically differentiated populations of Uta stansburiana on the Baja California peninsula. Physical isolation and precipitation differences explained ~87% of the genetic divergence. Behavioral thermoregulation could explain the lack of differentiation in morphology, habitat use, microclimate preferences, and thermoregulation-associated genes between populations. Genetic signatures of selection associated with the nervous system and biomolecule metabolism suggested adaptations to different precipitation regimes. Finally, the relationship between intrinsic genomic characteristics and disparate phenotypes of four Anolis species was evaluated. Results suggest structural rearrangements, the density of repeat elements, and selection on coding and regulatory regions enhance phenotypic variation and could contribute to the high evolutionary potential in the Anolis adaptive radiation. These findings show that environmental factors, as well as organismal characteristics, can be relevant for promoting divergence. The interaction between extrinsic and intrinsic features could determine the differential divergence patterns across the tree of life. However, more directed comparisons under a standardized framework are required to quantify the relative relevance of these features. Evolution & development Genetics Zoology Genomic and Ecological Factors Affecting Speciation Rate in Pleurodont Iguanian Lizards