Our laboratory uses modern molecular and developmental biology approaches to study the evolution and development of adaptive morphologies in natural populations of vertebrates, therefore we rely heavily on field work to obtain the samples for our experiments. Currently we have ongoing projects in the Galapagos Islands and the Islands of the Lesser Antilles where we study Darwin’s Finches, other closely related lineages of birds and Anole lizards
Field Sites
 
Abzhanov Lab
             Harvard University
Figure taken from Pierre Constant
The Birds
The Field Sites
The People
Large Cactus Finch (Geospiza conirostris)
The Large Cactus Finch uses its elongated beak to probe the flowers
A Large Ground Finch (G. magnirostris) with nest building material The Warbler Finch (Certhidea fusca) The Large Ground Finch (G. magnirostris) The Sharp-beaked Finch (G. difficilis) considering its options
Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Sunset in Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos
Campsite in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Crater Lake in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Opuntia cactus on Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Sunrise in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Santa Cruz Field Team: Francisco (Field Assistant), Celine and Ricardo
The boss takes a nap before arriving to Genovesa Island, Galápagos
An improvised molecular biology lab (Temp: 105 F)
Los Gemelos Craters in Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos
Others
Blue-footed booby in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Galápagos Turtle posing for the picture
Frigate birds in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Tropical birds in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Masked boobies in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Not so friendly Land Iguana in Santa Cruz, Galápagos
 
A typical meal in Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos
Storm Petrels flying near campsite in Genovesa, Galápagos
Green Heron in Genovesa Island, Galápagos
Arkhat gives a talk at the Charles Darwin Research Station in Galápagos (Ricardo serves as a simultaneous translator)
A bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) showing all of its repertoire The Lesser Antillean bullfinch Loxigilla noctis A grassquit (Tiaris bicolor) poses for the picture
In Barbados birds prefer to nest near man-made constructions. This church had 5 nests inside
No words necessary (Bathsheba, Barbados)
One of our field sites in Barbados: grad students in the lab can choose between climbing one of those trees to get a sample or taking the qualifying exams
Jen learning from the masters (Drs. Peter and Rosemary Grant)
All the hard work pays off when we collect our first embryos
(The eggs)
Galapagos
The Caribbean
Pictures
The best of two schools under the same roof (Ecuador)
Taking bill measurements from an African Seed-cracker (Pyrenestes ostrinus)
The Lizards
Thom “I don’t need binoculars” Sanger spotting an Anole from the distance
Thom taking measurements of Anole lizards
Juvenile crown-giant from Jamaica (Anolis garmani) Jamaican trunk ground (Anolis lineatopis) and trunk crown (A. grahmi) Dominican trunk crown (A. coelistinus) Puerto Rican Trunk-crown (Anolis evermanni)
Dominican Republic Field Team: Chris Kozak (Harvard undergrad), Jorge Brocca (Director: Sociedad Ornitológica Hispaniola), and Nicolas Corona (the best field assistant in the universe; yes, the whole universe)
Some amazing beach in the Dominican Republic where Thom happened to find a lizard worthwhile collecting