Travis Hagey

Travis Hagey

Mar 31, 2016

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Measuring how sticky gecko toes are

These two videos show one way that I measure how sticky gecko toe pads are. By suspending a live, non-sedated gecko by a single back toe, I can measure the ratio of friction and adhesion they generate. Don't worry though, this test doesn't hurt the animals.



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About This Project

My research investigates why animals are shaped the way that they are shaped. I focus on gecko lizards, and their sticky toe pads. There is much variation in toe pad shape and size across species, suggesting that geckos are likely adapted to particular environments, yet no one has investigated how species use different habitats. I plan to measure the texture of surfaces used by geckos in Madagascar to see which kinds of toe pads are adapted to which environments.

More Lab Notes From This Project

Blast off!

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