Jonathan Losos with one of his colleagues, a leopard gecko named ‘Eloise’: ‘Measuring lizard functional abilities is much like orchestrating a Lizard Olympics because individuals are put through their paces to determine how fast they can run, how far they can jump, and how well they can cling, among other events.’ Staff photo Rose Lincoln/Harvard News Office |
Lizards shed light on species diversity‘Little dinosaur freak’ grows up to be evolutionary biologistOctober 2, 2007By Steve Bradt
Some people are drawn to majestic racehorses, melodious songbirds, or cuddly puppies. Jonathan Losos has had a lifelong love affair with reptiles. As a youngster in suburban St. Louis, the Harvard professor was a “little dinosaur freak,” bringing bucketfuls of the molded plastic beasts to nursery school. Inspired in fifth grade by a “Leave It to Beaver” rerun wherein “the Beav” procures a baby alligator from Captain Jack’s Alligator Farm, Jonathan asked his mother for a pet caiman, a Central and South American relative of the alligator. In a valiant effort to tamp down the idea, Mrs. Losos suggested he seek the advice of a family friend who happened to be deputy director of the local zoo. The tactic failed miserably when the friend, a zoologist with his own soft spot for reptiles, surprised everyone by replying that he thought it was a fine idea. |
