Travis Hagey’s publications

*undergraduate authors

15. Phillips, J.G., Hagey, T.J., Hagemann, M., and E. Gering. 2024. Analysis of Morphological Change during a Co‐invading Assemblage of Lizards in the Hawaiian Islands. Evolutionary Biology, 51: 257–268.
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To compare ecomorphological changes among co-invading species with overlapping niches, we examined three lizards on the island of O‘ahu (Anolis carolinensis, A. sagrei, Phelsuma laticauda). We found species-specific and sex-specific patterns of body size and limb length changes over the last 30 years. This study illustrates how museum and field-based research can be used to investigate contemporary evolutionary and ecological patterns.

14. McCann J. and T.J. Hagey. 2024. Early Burst of Parallel Evolution Describes the Diversification of Gecko Toe Pads. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11:1334870. 
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Using geometric morphometrics, we evaluated parallel morphological differences in toe pad shape across geckos. We also adapted the use of phylogenetic independent contrasts for shape data to conduct a node height test. We found multiple examples of significant parallel differences in toe pad morphology and support for a model of early burst morphological evolution suggesting the diversification of Gekkotan toe pads included repeated parallel changes from padless ancestral morphologies to repeated derived pad bearing morphologies. This morphological diversification occurred rapidly early in the diversification of gecko families and genera and slowed more recently, during diversification within genera.

13. Michaud, R.*, Hagey, T.J., De León, L., Revell, L., and K. Avilés Rodríguez. 2023. Geometric morphometric assessment of toe shape in forest and urban lizards following hurricane disturbances. Integrative Organismal Biology, 5(1): 1-19. 
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Hurricanes can influence the evolution of organisms. W quantified toepad shape before and after Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017) in forest and urban populations of the Puerto Rican lizard Anolis cristatellus. We found that the hurricanes affected front and rear toe morphologies and this affect varied between forest and urban sites. We also found that toepad area and toe lengths were stronger predictors of adhesive forces than toepad shape.

12. Whittaker, D.J., Atyam, A.*, Burroughs, N.A., Greenburg, J.M., Hagey, T.J., Novotny, M.V., Soini, H.A., Theis, K.R., Van Laar, T.A., and J.W.G. Slade. 2023. Effects of short-term experimental manipulation of captive social environment on uropygial gland microbiome and preen oil volatile composition. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10:1027399.
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Avian preen oil is important for sexual communication, with volatile compounds produced by symbiotic microbes in birds’ uropygial gland. We investigated how social environment may dictate uropygial gland microbiome, and hence individual’s preen oil composition, by housing wild caught birds together, hypothesizing that their preen oil would become more similar over time. We found that sex and subspecies were stronger predictors of microbiome composition, suggesting that hormonal changes related to breeding condition were more important that social environment in dictating individuals’ uropygial gland microbiome and preen oil composition. 

11. Howell, B.*, Winchell, K.M., and T.J. Hagey. 2022. Geometric Morphometrics Reveal Shape Differences in the Toes of Urban Lizards. Integrative Organismal Biology, 4(1): 1-15. 
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Using geometric morphometrics, we compared toe pad shape of urban and forest dwelling anole lizards (Anolis cristetellus) in Puerto Rico. We found urban lizards had increased their toe pad area by increasing toe pad length more than toe pad width, while the toe pad also covered a larger proportion of the toe length. Urban specimens also had significantly more shape disparity. These results suggest urban environments may represent a source of ecological opportunity for adaptation and diversification and that geometric morphometrics are a great tool to elucidate subtle differences in lizard toe pad shape.

10. Falvey, C.H.*, Aviles-Rodriguez, K.J., Hagey, T.J., and K.M. Winchell. 2020. The Finer Points of Urban Adaptation: Intraspecific Variation in Lizard Claw Morphology. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 131: 304-318.
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Using geometric morphometrics, we compared the claw shape of different urban and forest dwelling anole lizards. We found urban populations had similar shifts in claw shape, moving towards taller, less curved, less pointed, and shorter claws. Urban populations also had more variables claws. These results suggest urban environments may represent a source of ecological opportunity for adaptation and diversification.

9. Hagey, T.J. Evolutionary Biomechanics. Oxford Bibliographies in “Evolutionary Biology.” Ed. Sarah Kain. New York: Oxford University Press, Oct 25, 2018.
DOI: 10.1093/OBO/9780199941728-0117

Compiled research guide on Evolutionary Biomechanics, including an overview of the topic and an annotated bibliography of relevant sources.

8. Hagey, T.J., Uyeda, J.C., Crandell, K.E.*, Cheney, J.*, Autumn, K., and L.J. Harmon. 2017. Tempo and Mode of Performance Evolution Across Independent Origins. Evolution, 71(10): 2344–2358. 
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Modeling the evolution of toe pad performance for gecko and anole lizards using multiple Brownian motion and Ornstein Uhlenbeck based models of trait evolution, we found that Brownian motion with a trend best fit the evolution of adhesion in geckos, while an Ornstein Uhlenbeck model clearly described the evolution of anole adhesion.

7. Hagey, T.J., Harte, S., Vickers, M., Harmon, L.J., and L. Schwarzkopf. 2017. There’s More than One Way to Climb a Tree: Limb Length and Microhabitat Use in Lizards with Toe Pads. PLoS ONE,12(9): e0184641.
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To investigate the generality of classic lizard ecomorphological patterns, we considered gecko lizards, finding that as a general pattern, geckos tend to have shorter limbs than anoles. Using more focused microhabitat observations, we found that although gecko and anoles use similar microhabitats we observed geckos with relatively longer limbs using narrower perches, differing from patterns observed in anoles and other lizards. 

6. Hagey, T.J., Puthoff, J.B., Crandell, K.E*., Autumn, K, and L.J. Harmon. 2016. Modeling Observed Animal Performance Using the Weibull Distribution. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219: 1603-1607. 
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We describe a novel approach to model expected animal performance observations using the Weibull distribution. This approach allows for power analyses and conclusions from studies considering animals performance. 

5. Hagey, T.J., Cole, N., Davidson, D.*, Henricks, A.*, Harmon, L.L., and L.J. Harmon. 2016. Temporal Variation in Structural Microhabitat Use of PhelsumaGeckos in Mauritius. Journal of Herpetology, 50(1): 102-107.
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We investigated the presence of temporal habitat partitioning in Phelsuma geckos from Mauritius with relation to competition. While we did observe temporal variation in microhabitat use, this variation was not clearly associated with the presence of other focal Phelsuma species, suggesting competition may not be responsible for the observed pattern.

4. Hagey, T.J., Puthoff, J.B., Holbrook, M.*, Harmon, L.J., and K. Autumn. 2014. Variation in Setal Micromechanics and Performance of Two Gecko Species. Zoomorphology,133 (2): 111-126.
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We compared the predictions from three setal mathematical models against experimental observations considering both Gekko gecko and Phelsuma grandis, to quantify interspecific variation in setal micromechanics.

3. T.J. Hagey. 2013. Mechanics, Diversity, and Ecology of Gecko Adhesion. Biological Sciences. Moscow, University of Idaho. PhD: 1-141.
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My dissertation considered the link between morphology and performance and the relationship between performance and ecology, focusing on the adhesive abilities of geckos. Specifically I considered the relationship between gecko setal morphology and performance, the diversity of adhesive performance across padded lizards, and correlations between gecko adhesive performance, limb morphology, and microhabitat use.

2. Yoder, J.B., DesRoches, S., Eastman, J.M., Gentry, L., Godsoe, W.K.W., Hagey, T.J., Jochimsen, D., Oswald, B.P., Robertson, J., Sarver, B.A.J., Schenk, J.J., Spear, S.F., and L.J. Harmon. 2010. Ecological Opportunity and the Origin of Adaptive Radiations. Journal of Evolutionary Biology,23: 1581-1596.
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We propose that ecological opportunity can promote adaptive radiation by generating specific changes to the selective regimes acting on natural populations, both by relaxing effective stabilizing selection and by creating conditions that ultimately generate diversifying selection, assessing theoretical and empirical evidence.

1. Hagey, T.J., Losos, J.B., and L.J. Harmon. 2010. Cruise Foraging of Invasive Chameleon (Chamaeleo jacksonii xantholophus) in Hawai’i. Breviora, 519: 1-7.
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After quantifying the foraging behavior of the invasive Jackson’s chameleon (Chamaeleo jacksonii xantholophus), in Hawai’i, our results support previous findings that chameleons are ‘‘cruise foraging” lizards.