Elevated genetic load is associated with reduced bite force in insular lizard populations
Lisa Van Linden, Ioanna Gavriilidi, Francisco Campuzano Jiménez, Zoë Maesen, Anamaria Štambuk, Anthony Herrel, Raoul Van Damme, Hannes Svardal
The paper examines how demographic history affects genetic diversity and performance traits in insular and mainland lizard populations, finding elevated genetic load correlates with reduced bite force.
bioRxiv · Oct 9, 2026 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology