Biology

An article on research conducted at WKU and a photo of a chameleon by University Photographer Clinton Lewis are featured on the cover of the November 2020 issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology.

The article, The role of hyoid muscles in biotremor production in Chamaeleo calyptratus, spotlights groundbreaking work on chameleon communication conducted by former WKU graduate student Samuel M. Tegge, WKU biology professor Steve Huskey, University of South Dakota biology professor Christopher V. Anderson and WKU biology professor Michael E. Smith.

About the project: Dr. Steve Huskey’s lab has spent much of the last decade working to determine the mechanism by which chameleons generate vibrations thought to be useful for communication. The vibrations are hypothesized to travel through branches so chameleons can communicate with each other when out of sight or when their vision is blocked by vegetation. It has been known that some species are quite capable of generating these vibrations, but the way they produce them, as well as what they mean, are still unknown. A portion of this groundbreaking research was tackled by one of Dr. Huskey’s previous graduate students, Sam Tegge, with the help of Dr. Chris Anderson (USD) and Dr. Michael Smith (WKU).

“Sam conducted EMG’s (electromyography) on a number of muscles in the chameleon’s throat to determine which ones were active during vibrations in hopes of implicating the source of these biotremors,” Dr. Huskey said. “His work led to a manuscript recently published in the Journal of Experimental Biology which also featured cover photography by WKU’s university photographer Clinton Lewis of a male veiled chameleon housed in EBS. The research is groundbreaking and the cover art is a highly coveted spot. Congratulations to Sam, his co-authors, and Clinton for their amazing accomplishment.”

Contact: Steve Huskey, steve.huskey@wku.edu