DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Historical Processes and Genetic Implications of Limb Reduction and Loss in an Island Skink Lineage

从有肢到无肢的身体结构转变在许多不相关的爬行动物群体中反复发生。 该项目将调查肢体减少和损失的过程，以及肢体变化的模式如何与东南亚石龙子属Brachymeles的穴居蜥蜴的物种关系的遗传模式相关。 这一组中的物种表现出全方位的肢体发育，包括完全肢体，中间和无肢体形式。通过整合遗传数据、体型测量、生态学和地理学，这项研究将为肢体缺失研究中可检验的假设提供基础，这将是第一项研究与穴居生活方式相关的肢体减少和缺失相关的精细规模人群遗传模式。 实地考察将涉及菲律宾学生和当地社区。与菲律宾-美国教育基金会的合作努力将为菲律宾-美国和美国富布赖特研究员提供机会。 研究结果将用于在堪萨斯大学自然历史博物馆开发关于肢体还原进化的展品。 最后，该项目有望提高东南亚已知爬行动物的多样性，并为未来的合作研究提供途径。

The transition from fully limbed to limbless body plans has occurred repeatedly in many unrelated groups of reptiles. This project will investigate the process of limb reduction and loss, and how the patterns of limb changes are correlated with genetic patterns of species relationships in burrowing lizards of the skink genus Brachymeles from Southeast Asia. Species in this group exhibit a full range of limb development, including fully limbed, intermediate, and limbless forms. By integrating genetic data, measurements of body form, ecology, and geography, this study will provide a basis for testable hypotheses in studies of limb loss.This will be the first study to investigate fine-scale population genetic patterns associated with limb reduction and loss related to a burrowing lifestyle. Fieldwork will involve Philippine students and local communities. Collaborative efforts with the Philippine-American Education Foundation will provide opportunities for Philippine-American and American Fulbright Fellows. Results will be used to develop exhibits on evolution of limb reduction at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. Finally, this project is expected to enhance the known reptile diversity in SE Asia, and provide avenues for future collaborative research.