Jacob George

I am a PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program at Ohio University. I am interested in form-function relationships, particularly when existing structures are co-opted for novel roles. To address this, I am studying protrusible gular display structures that are supported by the hyoid apparatus and associated tissues. These display structures appear in squamates (lizards and snakes) as dewlaps, beards, or frills, as you might see in anoles, bearded dragons, frilled lizards, respectively. My work specifically aims to explore biomechanics of display mechanisms in relation to their morphology and how the evolution of the hyoid apparatus for display behaviors in squamates may have impacted swallowing and respiratory mechanics.