Manuel Leal

Dr. Manuel Leal is a Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Missouri’s College of Arts and Science. His research focuses on behavioral and evolutionary ecology, particularly in lizards, exploring mechanisms shaping behavioral trait evolution and species diversity. The Leal Lab integrates behavioral, ecological, neurophysiological, and physiological studies within an evolutionary framework, often combining field and lab work with a focus on West Indian anoles.

Dr. Leal holds a PhD from Washington University (2000). His awards include the Richard F. and Sharon A. Keister Faculty Enhancement Award (2021), Outstanding Departmental Contribution Award (2020), and the Abraham Eisenstark Faculty Fellow Award (2015). His research spans topics like habitat complexity’s impact on neuron numbers, 3D musculoskeletal modeling, and the evolutionary radiation of anoles.

Key research themes include animal communication, behavioral drive, and divergence axes. His work often addresses how environmental factors influence cognitive performance, brain evolution, and predator-prey dynamics. Collaborative projects investigate sensory drive in signal evolution and the ecological impacts of predator morphology changes.

Dr. Leal leads the Leal Lab, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to understand biodiversity and evolutionary processes. His lab’s studies often involve fieldwork in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, linking neurobiology, morphology, and ecology to explain adaptive radiation and speciation mechanisms.