Cranial ossification in leopard geckos examined using Alizarin Red staining.

A chart illustrating ossification sequence in leopard gecko crania

New paper in @journalofanatomy.bsky.social with PAD Wise and AP Russell! We show that using morphological criteria to assign developmental stage provides more ossification sequence resolution than embryo size or developmental time (days).

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

#GeckoEvoDevo

Lateral view of a preserved croaking gecko (Aristelliger) embryo

I’m so excited to announce our new paper in @journal-evo.bsky.social showing how embryology can help us determine ancestral character states in temporal niche

academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...

Collab w/ A Bauer, A Wegerski, @tonygamble.bsky.social, & A Rasys

#GeckoEvoDevo #Aristelliger
1/x

Collaboration with @tonygamble.bsky.social @shylonatasha.bsky.social @aussiebiologist.bsky.social @celestemnelson.bsky.social

#AnoleEvoDevo #GeckoEvoDevo #ChameleonEvoDevo

Some of the developmental staging series Developmental Dynamics has published, including Lepidodactylus lugubris

A parthenogenetic lizard, the mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris), sitting on my thumb.

Pretty cool seeing both my developmental staging series at the @devdynamics.bsky.social table and #Lepidodactylus itself in San Juan for SDB! #2025SDB #2025ICDB #devbio #GeckoEvoDevo #mourninggecko

graphical abstract for our paper showing µCT images, histology, and illustrations of croaking gecko hemipenes hemibaculahttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joa.70009

Excited to share a new #OA paper in @journalofanatomy.bsky.social detailing evolution and development of hemibacula: bizarre mineralized elements in hemipenes of croaking geckos.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

#GeckoEvoDevo #Aristelliger

Part of an embryonic series of the mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris). Earlier stage embryos are in the top left corner with later stages descending to the bottom right corner.

So cool! That cleared and stained dolphin is incredible.
Plenty more gecko embryos where this came from!
#GeckoEvoDevo

Eventually, we studied development of sticky toes! We found similar derived developmental patterns of convergently evolved #toepads, despite approximately 200 million years of independent evolution!
@tonygamble.bsky.social @thomsanger.bsky.social
#GeckoEvoDevo
academic.oup.com/biolinnean/a...

The cover of Integrative & Comparative Biology, volume 64, number 5, 2024. The cover features a view from above of a viper gecko (Hemidactylus imbricatus), a brown gecko with large scales and tan speckles.

A scanning electron micrograph (greyscale image) of an embryonic viper gecko hand, with a view of the palm. The toe pads and other scales are well-developed.

Very stoked to get the most recent cover of @sicbjournals.bsky.social! Here's a glorious, pad-reduced viper #gecko (Hemidactylus imbricatus). Check out our the article below and the rest of this awesome issue!

doi.org/10.1093/icb/...

#GeckoEvoDevo

A phylogeny with gecko embryos at the tips, encompassing 11 different gecko species. Each embryo is approximately the same developmental stage and has an arrow pointing towards a near-hatchling representative of each species.

Aaron holding a turnip tail gecko (Thecadactylus rapicauda) found during field work in the Virgin Islands.

Hey new folks on Bluesky! I'm Aaron (he/him). I'm a biologist studying morphological evolution, development, & genomics of lizards (mostly geckos). Primarily studying integument, bones, & lungs. I post about weird/convergent morphology, developmental patterns, & amazing critters!
#GeckoEvoDevo

Excited to share our new paper in press at @sicbjournals.bsky.social describing #toepad development in #Hemidactylus #geckos!

#GeckoEvoDevo #Embryology #SEM

Collab w: @tonygamble.bsky.social Lab, Higham Lab, & @thomsanger.bsky.social Lab

academic.oup.com/icb/advance-...

Excited to announce our new #openaccess paper in press at @anatrecord.bsky.social reporting preovipositional embryonic development in the legless #gecko #Lialis! #GeckoEvoDevo #diceCT

Collab w: @drscanley.bsky.social and Dan Paluh

anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....