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Fernández-Lázaro G, Latorre R, Fontanillas Pérez JC, Barja I. Reaction to Novel Objects and Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels in Two Species of Nocturnal Geckos. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3384. [PMID: 37958139 PMCID: PMC10649715 DOI: 10.3390/ani13213384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Many reptiles are maintained in captivity and heavily traded, although welfare measures for many species are not well established and are under-researched compared to other animals. In this study, we focused on two of these species: crested geckos (Correlophus ciliatus) and leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius). To better interpret their behavior in captivity, the individual reaction to novel objects and the fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels were measured in an attempt to identify the potential correlation between them. Also, we explored if some characteristic of the objects (e.g., color, shape, or smell) resulted in being more attractive to some species and/or individuals. Equivalent responses to different objects were not obtained for all the geckos, the behavioral response being highly individual and context-dependent, although modulated by the species. Individuals which manipulated earlier and interacted longer with novel objects showed lower basal fecal corticosterone metabolite (FCM) levels. Differences according to the species suggested that crested geckos have significantly greater and more variable FCM levels than leopard geckos. Our results can help to understand the reaction of geckos to novelty and have the potential to serve in their welfare assessment, although more studies are needed to proper establish welfare protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Fernández-Lázaro
- Departamento de Psicología Biológica y de la Salud, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales, Sociales y Matemáticas, Facultad de Educación, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto Latorre
- Departamento de Ingeniería Informática, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | | | - Isabel Barja
- Eco- and Ethophysiology Lab, Departamento de Biología, Unidad de Zoología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C. Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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2
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Metabolomics approach to assess the effect of siphonal autotomy on metabolic characteristics of razor clam Solen grandis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5528. [PMID: 35365742 PMCID: PMC8976079 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09562-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Autotomy appendages are fundamental evolutionary adaptations to escape predation. The siphon is an important foraging organ for bivalves. Here, we report the first demonstration of autotomy of the siphon in marine bivalves (razor clam Solen grandis) and the effect of siphonal autotomy in S. grandis on foraging and metabolic characteristics. In this study, the feeding rate and digestive enzyme activities upon siphonal autotomy in razor clams were investigated. Moreover, endogenous metabolites pre/post-autotomy of the siphon were investigated using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC–MS). The feeding rate and digestive enzyme activities decreased significantly after siphonal autotomy in S. grandis (P < 0.05), suggesting that autotomy of the siphon negatively affected its foraging. These results might be related to the reduction in the foraging radius. Additionally, the effect of autotomy was investigated on a total of 34 differentially abundant metabolites, and pathway analysis indicated that 32 differentially enriched metabolic pathways were worthy of attention. Further integrated key metabolic pathway analysis showed that glycine, serine and threonine metabolism; taurine and hypotaurine metabolism; biotin metabolism; vitamin B6 and thiamine metabolism were significantly relevant pathways in S. grandis pre/post-autotomy of the siphon. The downregulation of glycine, taurine, and hypotaurine is expected to indicate a shortage of intermediate compounds and energy in S. grandis. Therefore, to provide the required energy and materials for siphon regeneration in S. grandis, we anticipated that it would be necessary to supplement these as exogenous metabolites from the daily diet.
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3
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Fernández‐Rodríguez I, Braña F. Short‐term and long‐term consequences of regeneration on the reproductive investment of a multivoltine lizard. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I. Fernández‐Rodríguez
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology) University of Oviedo Oviedo Spain
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, CSIC/UO/PA) University of Oviedo Mieres Spain
| | - F. Braña
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology) University of Oviedo Oviedo Spain
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4
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Fernández-Rodríguez I, Braña F. Allocation costs of regeneration: tail regeneration constrains body growth under low food availability in juvenile lizards. Oecologia 2021; 198:853-864. [PMID: 34907460 PMCID: PMC9056467 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05084-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The balance of energy allocated to development and growth of different body compartments may incur allocation conflicts and can thereby entail physiological and evolutionary consequences. Regeneration after autotomy restores the functionality lost after shedding a body part but requires a strong energy investment that may trade-off with other processes, like reproduction or growth. Caudal autotomy is a widespread antipredator strategy in lizards, but regeneration may provoke decreased growth rates in juveniles that could have subsequent consequences. Here, we assessed the growth of intact and regenerating hatchling wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) exposed to different food regimens. Regenerating juveniles presented slightly but significantly lower body growth rates than individuals with intact tails when facing low food availability, but there were no differences when food was supplied ad libitum. Regenerating individuals fed ad libitum increased their ingestion rates compared to intact ones during the period of greatest tail growth, which also reveals a cost of tail regeneration. When resources were scarce, hatchlings invested more in tail regeneration in relation to body growth, rather than delay regeneration to give priority to body growth. We propose that, in juvenile lizards, regeneration could be prioritized even at the expense of body growth to restore the functionality of the lost tail, likely increasing survivorship and the probability to reach reproductive maturity. Our study indicates that food availability is a key factor for the occurrence of trade-offs between regeneration and other growth processes, so that environmental conditions would be determinant for the severity of the costs of regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Fernández-Rodríguez
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology), University of Oviedo, 33071, Oviedo, Spain. .,Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, UO/CSIC/PA), University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain.
| | - Florentino Braña
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology), University of Oviedo, 33071, Oviedo, Spain.,Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, UO/CSIC/PA), University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
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5
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Fernández-Rodríguez I, Braña F. Behavioral patterns in the early-stage antipredator response change after tail autotomy in adult wall lizards. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2021; 337:250-257. [PMID: 34783183 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Autotomy is a drastic antipredator defense consisting of the voluntary shedding of a body part to escape from the predators. The loss of a body part may impair locomotion, feeding or mating, so animals may face a higher predation risk shortly after autotomy. Thus, until regeneration is completed, prey may adjust their behavior to reduce predation risk, and this could involve secondary costs. We assessed the effect of tail loss on the antipredator behavior of wall lizards (Podarcis muralis), comparing the behavior of tailed and tailless individuals exposed to a predatory snake (Coronella austriaca) scent, under controlled experimental conditions. Tailless lizards spent significantly more time performing behaviors with antipredatory significance (e.g., moving slowly), whereas tailed individuals performed exploratory walking for significantly more time. Moreover, tailless lizards spent more time basking, which probably increases the effectiveness of their cryptic design and decreases detection by predators. Lizards intensified the tongue flick rates when exposed to a pungent control or snake scents, as compared to their response to a neutral control. Besides, both tailed and tailless lizards intensified some aspects of their antipredator behavior (walking slowly and avoiding refuge use) when exposed to snake scent, which indicates discrimination of the smell of predatory snakes. Lizards decreased refuge use when exposed to predator scents, probably because the refuges are evaluated as unsafe due to a high concentration of snake scents. To conclude, our experiments showed that, after losing their tails, wall lizards modify their behavior in a way that likely minimizes predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Fernández-Rodríguez
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO/CSIC/PA), University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
| | - Florentino Braña
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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6
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Srisuchinnawong A, Wang B, Shao D, Ngamkajornwiwat P, Dai Z, Ji A, Manoonpong P. Modular Neural Control for Gait Adaptation and Obstacle Avoidance of a Tailless Gecko Robot. J INTELL ROBOT SYST 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10846-020-01285-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Barr JI, Somaweera R, Godfrey SS, Gardner MG, Bateman PW. When one tail isn't enough: abnormal caudal regeneration in lepidosaurs and its potential ecological impacts. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1479-1496. [PMID: 32583608 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal caudal regeneration, the production of additional tails through regeneration events, occurs in lepidosaurs as a result of incomplete autotomy or sufficient caudal wound. Despite being widely known to occur, documented events generally are limited to opportunistic single observations - hindering the understanding of the ecological importance of caudal regeneration. Here we compiled and reviewed a robust global database of both peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed records of abnormal regeneration events in lepidosaurs published over the last 400 years. Using this database, we qualitatively and quantitatively assessed the occurrence and characteristics of abnormal tail regeneration among individuals, among species, and among populations. We identified 425 observations from 366 records pertaining to 175 species of lepidosaurs across 22 families from 63 different countries. At an individual level, regenerations ranged from bifurcations to hexafurcations; from normal regeneration from the original tail to multiple regenerations arising from a single point; and from growth from the distal third to the proximal third of the tail. Species showing abnormal regenerations included those with intra-vertebral, inter-vertebral or no autotomy planes, indicating that abnormal regenerations evidently occur across lepidosaurs regardless of whether the species demonstrates caudal autotomy or not. Within populations, abnormal regenerations were estimated at a mean ± SD of 2.75 ± 3.41% (range 0.1-16.7%). There is a significant lack of experimental studies to understand the potential ecological impacts of regeneration on the fitness and life history of individuals and populations. We hypothesised that abnormal regeneration may affect lepidosaurs via influencing kinematics of locomotion, restrictions in escape mechanisms, anti-predation tactics, and intra- and inter-specific signalling. Behaviourally testing these hypotheses would be an important future research direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- James I Barr
- Behavioural Ecology Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, 147 Underwood Avenue, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia
| | - Ruchira Somaweera
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, 147 Underwood Avenue, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia
| | - Stephanie S Godfrey
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, North Dunedin, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Michael G Gardner
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.,The Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Philip W Bateman
- Behavioural Ecology Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
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8
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FernÁndez-RodrÍguez I, BraÑa F. The movement dynamics of autotomized lizards and their tails reveal functional costs of caudal autotomy. Integr Zool 2020; 15:511-521. [PMID: 32297699 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Autotomy has evolved independently several times in different animal lineages. It frequently involves immediate functional costs, so regeneration evolved in many instances to restore the functionality of that body part. Caudal autotomy is a widespread antipredator strategy in lizards, although it may affect energy storage, locomotion dynamics, or survival in future encounters with predators. Here, we assessed the effect of tail loss on the locomotor performance of wall lizards (Podarcis muralis), as well as the recovery of locomotor functionality of lizards with regenerated tails, and the movement dynamics of shed tails that were either intact or having regenerated portions. Tail loss had no effect on locomotion over unhindered spaces, possibly due to compensation between a negative effect on the stride of front limbs, and a positive effect of losing mass and friction force. We found a clear negative impact of tail loss on locomotion in spaces with interspersed obstacles, in which tailed lizards jumped larger distances when leaving the obstacles. Besides, lizards that used the tail to push off the ground were able to approach the obstacles from further, so that the tail seemed to be useful when used during jumping. Regeneration fully restores lizard's locomotor capacities, but tail antipredator value, as indicated by the intensity of post-autotomic movements, is only partially retrieved. From these results, we propose that, together with the recovery of post-autotomy antipredator capacities, the restoration of the organismal locomotor performance may have been an important, yet frequently neglected factor in the evolution of lizard's regeneration ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene FernÁndez-RodrÍguez
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO/CSIC/PA), University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
| | - Florentino BraÑa
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (Zoology), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO/CSIC/PA), University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
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9
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Michelangeli M, Melki-Wegner B, Laskowski K, Wong BB, Chapple DG. Impacts of caudal autotomy on personality. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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10
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Lewis JL, Sullivan AM. Salamander stress and duress: the relationship between CORT, autotomy and regeneration, and exploratory behaviour. ZOOLOGY 2020; 139:125751. [PMID: 32070799 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Responses to stress are generally mediated through the production of glucocorticoids by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (or -interrenal) axis. The prolonged production of stress hormones can contribute to delayed wound healing and growth, but little is known about their influence on regeneration following tail autotomy, or exploratory behaviour in autotomized individuals. Here we examined the relationship between stress, regeneration, and exploratory behaviour in Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) by manipulating corticosterone (CORT) levels via cutaneous patch. First, we measured tail regeneration in salamanders with elevated CORT for 13 weeks after the induction of tail autotomy. Test subjects received a weekly patch to wear for one hour that was saturated with either a low CORT (0.25 mg/ml) or high CORT (0.50 mg/ml) solution. Individuals receiving CORT patches regenerated significantly less of their tail length and volume (versus control), but without exhibiting dose-dependent effects. Second, we used a factorial design to evaluate the effects of autotomy and elevated CORT on exploration within a test arena consisting of low barriers arrayed in concentric rings. Individuals experiencing tail autotomy exhibited significantly less exploratory behaviour indicated by an increased latency to cross first barrier and a decreased number of barriers crossed. Neither elevated CORT (0.50 mg/ml), nor the interaction between elevated CORT and tail autotomy significantly affected salamander activity within the array. Although CORT did not have a direct effect on explorative behaviour, a delay in regeneration attributed to CORT could lead to changes in patterns of movement in autotomized individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L Lewis
- Department of Biology, Houghton College, Houghton, NY 14744, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
| | - Aaron M Sullivan
- Department of Biology, Houghton College, Houghton, NY 14744, USA
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11
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Barr JI, Boisvert CA, Somaweera R, Trinajstic K, Bateman PW. Re-regeneration to reduce negative effects associated with tail loss in lizards. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18717. [PMID: 31822746 PMCID: PMC6904483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55231-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species of lizard use caudal autotomy, the ability to self-amputate a portion of their tail, regenerated over time, as an effective anti-predation mechanism. The importance of this tactic for survival depends on the degree of predation risk. There are, however, negative trade-offs to losing a tail, such as loss of further autotomy opportunities with the regenerated tail vertebrae being replaced by a continuous cartilaginous rod. The common consensus has been that once a tail has been autotomised and regenerated it can only be autotomised proximal to the last vertebral autotomy point, as the cartilage rod lacks autotomy planes. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that although the regenerated portion of the tail is unable to autotomise, it can re-regenerate following a physical shearing event. We assessed re-regeneration in three populations of the King’s skink (Egernia kingii), a large lizard endemic to south-west Western Australia and surrounding islands. We show that re-regeneration is present at an average of 17.2% across the three populations, and re-regenerated tissue can comprise up to 23.3% of an individual’s total tail length. The ability to re-regenerate may minimise the costs to an individual’s fitness associated with tail loss, efficiently restoring ecological functions of the tail.
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Affiliation(s)
- James I Barr
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia. .,CSIRO Land and Water, 147 Underwood Avenue, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia.
| | - Catherine A Boisvert
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Ruchira Somaweera
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, 147 Underwood Avenue, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia
| | - Kate Trinajstic
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Philip W Bateman
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
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12
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Jagnandan K, Higham TE. How rapid changes in body mass affect the locomotion of terrestrial vertebrates: ecology, evolution and biomechanics of a natural perturbation. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Jagnandan
- Life Sciences Department, San Diego City College, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Timothy E Higham
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
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13
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Gillis G, Higham TE. Consequences of lost endings: caudal autotomy as a lens for focusing attention on tail function during locomotion. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:2416-22. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.124024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Autotomy has evolved in many animal lineages as a means of predator escape, and involves the voluntary shedding of body parts. In vertebrates, caudal autotomy (or tail shedding) is the most common form, and it is particularly widespread in lizards. Here, we develop a framework for thinking about how tail loss can have fitness consequences, particularly through its impacts on locomotion. Caudal autotomy is fundamentally an alteration of morphology that affects an animal's mass and mass distribution. These morphological changes affect balance and stability, along with the performance of a range of locomotor activities, from running and climbing to jumping and swimming. These locomotor effects can impact on activities critical for survival and reproduction, including escaping predators, capturing prey and acquiring mates. In this Commentary, we first review work illustrating the (mostly) negative effects of tail loss on locomotor performance, and highlight what these consequences reveal about tail function during locomotion. We also identify important areas of future study, including the exploration of new behaviors (e.g. prey capture), increased use of biomechanical measurements and the incorporation of more field-based studies to continue to build our understanding of the tail, an ancestral and nearly ubiquitous feature of the vertebrate body plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Gillis
- Department of Biology, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Timothy E. Higham
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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14
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Tail autotomy effects on the escape behavior of the lizard Gonatodes albogularis (Squamata: Sphaerodactylidae), from Córdoba, Colombia. REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL 2015. [DOI: 10.1186/s40693-014-0010-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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15
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Jagnandan K, Russell AP, Higham TE. Tail autotomy and subsequent regeneration alter the mechanics of locomotion in lizards. J Exp Biol 2014; 217:3891-7. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.110916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Animals undergo significant weight change due to a variety of causes. Autotomy, the voluntary shedding of an appendage in response to a predator stimulus, provides an effective model for measuring the effects of rapid weight change on locomotor behavior and the responses to more gradual weight gain, particularly in lizards capable of both autotomizing and regenerating their tail. Although the general effects of autotomy on locomotor performance are commonly explored, we investigated changes in locomotor mechanics associated with tail loss and long-term regeneration for the first time by measuring morphology, 3D kinematics, and ground reaction forces (GRFs) in the leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius. Tail autotomy resulted in a 13% anterior shift in the center of mass (CoM), which only partially recovered after full regeneration of the tail. Although no changes in body or forelimb kinematics were evident, decreases in hindlimb joint angles signify a more sprawled posture following autotomy. Changes in hindlimb GRFs resulted in an increase in weight-specific propulsive force, without a corresponding change in locomotor speed. Hindlimb kinematics and GRFs following autotomy recovered to pre-autotomy values as the tail regenerated. These results suggest an active locomotor response to tail loss that demonstrates the causal relationships between morphological, kinematic, and force variation.
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16
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Fleming PA, Valentine LE, Bateman PW. Telling tails: selective pressures acting on investment in lizard tails. Physiol Biochem Zool 2013; 86:645-58. [PMID: 24241062 DOI: 10.1086/673864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Caudal autotomy is a common defense mechanism in lizards, where the animal may lose part or all of its tail to escape entrapment. Lizards show an immense variety in the degree of investment in a tail (i.e., length) across species, with tails of some species up to three or four times body length (snout-vent length [SVL]). Additionally, body size and form also vary dramatically, including variation in leg development and robustness and length of the body and tail. Autotomy is therefore likely to have fundamentally different effects on the overall body form and function in different species, which may be reflected directly in the incidence of lost/regenerating tails within populations or, over a longer period, in terms of relative tail length for different species. We recorded data (literature, museum specimens, field data) for relative tail length (n=350 species) and the incidence of lost/regenerating tails (n=246 species). We compared these (taking phylogeny into account) with intrinsic factors that have been proposed to influence selective pressures acting on caudal autotomy, including body form (robustness, body length, leg development, and tail specialization) and ecology (foraging behavior, physical and temporal niches), in an attempt to identify patterns that might reflect adaptive responses to these different factors. More gracile species have relatively longer tails (all 350 spp., P < 0.001; also significant for five of the six families tested separately), as do longer (all species, P < 0.001; Iguanidae, P < 0.05; Lacertidae, P < 0.001; Scindidae, P < 0.001), climbing (all species, P < 0.05), and diurnal (all species, P < 0.01; Pygopodidae, P < 0.01) species; geckos without specialized tails (P < 0.05); or active-foraging skinks (P < 0.05). We also found some relationships with the data for caudal autotomy, with more lost/regenerating tails for nocturnal lizards (all 246 spp., P < 0.01; Scindidae, P < 0.05), larger skinks (P < 0.05), climbing geckos (P < 0.05), or active-foraging iguanids (P < 0.05). The selective advantage of investing in a relatively longer tail may be due to locomotor mechanics, although the patterns observed are also largely consistent with predictions based on predation pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Fleming
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia; 2Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6845, Australia
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17
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McElroy EJ, Bergmann PJ. Tail Autotomy, Tail Size, and Locomotor Performance in Lizards. Physiol Biochem Zool 2013; 86:669-79. [DOI: 10.1086/673890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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18
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Higham TE, Russell AP, Zani PA. Integrative Biology of Tail Autotomy in Lizards. Physiol Biochem Zool 2013; 86:603-10. [DOI: 10.1086/673875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Ekner-Grzyb A, Sajkowska Z, Dudek K, Gawałek M, Skórka P, Tryjanowski P. Locomotor performance of sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis): effects of predatory pressure and parasite load. Acta Ethol 2013; 16:173-179. [PMID: 24052686 PMCID: PMC3775096 DOI: 10.1007/s10211-013-0148-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Locomotor performance affects foraging efficiency, predator avoidance and consequently fitness. Agility and speed determine the animal's social status and reflect its condition. In this study, we test how predatory pressure and parasite load influences locomotor performance of wild specimens of the sand lizard Lacerta agilis. Animals were chased on a 2-metre racetrack. Lizards with autotomy ran significantly faster than lizards with an intact tail, but there was no significant difference in running speed between individuals with fresh caudal autotomy and regenerated tails. Parasite presence and load, age and sex had no significant effect on speed. Our results indicate that autotomy either alters locomotory behaviour or that individuals with autotomised tails were those that previously survived contact with predators, and therefore represented a subgroup of the fastest individuals. Therefore, in general, predatory pressure but not parasites affected locomotor performance in lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ekner-Grzyb
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
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Guohua DING, Tianbao FU, Zongshi ZHOU, Xiang JI. Tail Autotomy Does Not Increase Locomotor Costs in the Oriental Leaf-toed Gecko Hemidactylus bowringii. ASIAN HERPETOL RES 2012. [DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1245.2012.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Fleming PA, Bateman PW. Autotomy, Tail Regeneration and Jumping ability in Cape Dwarf Geckos (Lygodactylus capensis) (Gekkonidae). AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.3377/004.047.0110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Telemeco RS, Baird TA, Shine R. Tail waving in a lizard (Bassiana duperreyi) functions to deflect attacks rather than as a pursuit-deterrent signal. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Lu HL, Ding GH, Ding P, Ji X. Tail Autotomy Plays No Important Role in Influencing Locomotor Performance and Anti-Predator Behavior in a Cursorial Gecko. Ethology 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2010.01780.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Fleming PA, Verburgt L, Scantlebury M, Medger K, Bateman PW. Jettisoning ballast or fuel? Caudal autotomy and locomotory energetics of the Cape dwarf gecko Lygodactylus capensis (Gekkonidae). Physiol Biochem Zool 2010; 82:756-65. [PMID: 19758092 DOI: 10.1086/605953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Many lizard species will shed their tail as a defensive response (e.g., to escape a putative predator or aggressive conspecific). This caudal autotomy incurs a number of costs as a result of loss of the tail itself, loss of resources (i.e., stored in the tail or due to the cost of regeneration), and altered behavior. Few studies have examined the metabolic costs of caudal autotomy. A previous study demonstrated that geckos can move faster after tail loss as a result of reduced weight or friction with the substrate; however, there are no data for the effects of caudal autotomy on locomotory energetics. We examined the effect of tail loss on locomotory costs in the Cape dwarf gecko Lygodactylus capensis ( approximately 0.9 g) using a novel method for collecting data on small lizards, a method previously used for arthropods. We measured CO(2) production during 5-10 min of exhaustive exercise (in response to stimulus) and during a 45-min recovery period. During exercise, we measured speed (for each meter moved) as well as total distance traveled. Contrary to our expectations, tailless geckos overall expended less effort in escape running, moving both slower and for a shorter distance, compared with when they were intact. Tailless geckos also exhibited lower excess CO(2) production (CO(2) production in excess of normal resting metabolic rate) during exercising. This may be due to reduced metabolically active tissue (tails represent 8.7% of their initial body mass). An alternative suggestion is that a change in energy substrate use may take place after tail loss. This is an intriguing finding that warrants future biochemical investigation before we can predict the relative costs of tail loss that lizards might experience under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Fleming
- School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia
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Bateman PW, Fleming PA. To cut a long tail short: a review of lizard caudal autotomy studies carried out over the last 20 years. J Zool (1987) 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2008.00484.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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