# Hurricanes rapidly altered grip-related traits in island anoles 2026-08-06T14:20:59+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Researchers recorded Turks and Caicos anoles on Pine Cay and Water Cay before Hurricane Irma hit in September 2017. Hurricane Maria followed two weeks later, damaging vegetation and killing many lizards. Six weeks after the storms, surviving Anolis scriptus had longer forelimbs, shorter hind legs and hind toes, and larger toepads. Wind-tunnel tests found the front limbs supplied most of the grip. A Current Biology study also found higher frequencies of five genes linked to muscle and skeletal development. Gene-editing work in brown anoles connected hs6st1 with fourth-toe development. Researchers said extreme weather can quickly affect wild populations, but its lasting and wider effects remain uncertain. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: anoles, climate science, evolution, genetics, hurricanes Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/hurricanes-rapidly-changed-grip-traits-in-island-anoles/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/hurricanes-rapidly-changed-grip-traits-in-island-anoles/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.