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Paiva CL, Hipsley CA, Müller J, Zaher H, Costa HC. Comparative skull osteology of Amphisbaena arda and Amphisbaena vermicularis ( Squamata: Amphisbaenidae). J Morphol 2024; 285:e21702. [PMID: 38693678 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The skull anatomy of amphisbaenians directly influences their capacity to burrow and is crucial for the study of their systematics, which ultimately contributes to our comprehension of their evolution and ecology. In this study, we employed three-dimensional X-ray computed tomography to provide a detailed description and comprehensive comparison of the skull anatomy of two amphisbaenian species with similar external morphology, Amphisbaena arda and Amphisbaena vermicularis. Our findings revealed some differences between the species, especially in the sagittal crest of the parietal bone, the ascendant process, and the transverse occipital crest of the occipital complex. We also found intraspecific variation within A. vermicularis, with some specimens displaying morphology that differed from their conspecifics but not from A. arda. The observed intraspecific variation within A. vermicularis cannot be attributed to soil features because all specimens came from the same locality. Specimen size and soil type may play a role in the observed differences between A. arda and A. vermicularis, as the single A. arda specimen is the largest of our sample and soil type and texture differ between the collection sites of the two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina L Paiva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Christy A Hipsley
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Johannes Müller
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hussam Zaher
- Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo City, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Henrique C Costa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Bento HJ, Ferreira A, Rosa JMA, de Campos CG, da Silva SLR, Curcio FF, Pescador CA, da Paz RCR. Histological aspects of the renal sexual segment of Brazilian snakes of the Boidae family. Anat Histol Embryol 2024; 53:e13049. [PMID: 38702901 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.13049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Snakes represent a wide and diverse group of species and have anatomical particularities, such as the renal sexual segment (RSS), a structure located in the kidneys and formed from the hypertrophy of the urinary ducts and nephrons. This study aims at describing the histological aspects of the RSS of Boa constrictor, Epicrates cenchria and Corallus hortulanus, all of which are Brazilian snake species from the Boidae family. The reproductive system and kidneys of five male specimens of E. cenchria, three male specimens of C. hortulanus and two male specimens of B. constrictor were obtained. Tissue samples were processed histologically and different stains used (Toluidine Blue, Alcian Blue and Periodic Acid Schiff). The histological evaluation of the RSS of E. cenchria, C. hortulanus and B. constrictor shows that the RSS in these species varies when comparing individuals in the reproductive period with those which are not. It also allows for the observation of the segment's secretory activity in animals in the reproductive stage (mature sperm in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules) as well as in those which are not. Finally, the histological evaluation also reveals the variation of the secretion product in individuals in the reproductive period, in those which are not, and also among individuals within the same reproductive stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heitor José Bento
- Graduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
- Wildlife Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine (FAVET), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Adelina Ferreira
- Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Janaina Marcela Assunção Rosa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine (FAVET), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Camila Gonçalves de Campos
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine (FAVET), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Sávio Lucas Rodrigues da Silva
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine (FAVET), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Felipe Franco Curcio
- Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Caroline Argenta Pescador
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine (FAVET), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Regina Celia Rodrigues da Paz
- Graduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
- Wildlife Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine (FAVET), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Mato Grosso, Brazil
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Wilenzik IV, Barger BB, Pyron RA. Fossil-informed biogeographic analysis suggests Eurasian regionalization in crown Squamata during the early Jurassic. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17277. [PMID: 38708352 PMCID: PMC11067913 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Squamata (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians) is a Triassic lineage with an extensive and complex biogeographic history, yet no large-scale study has reconstructed the ancestral range of early squamate lineages. The fossil record indicates a broadly Pangaean distribution by the end- Cretaceous, though many lineages (e.g., Paramacellodidae, Mosasauria, Polyglyphanodontia) subsequently went extinct. Thus, the origin and occupancy of extant radiations is unclear and may have been localized within Pangaea to specific plates, with potential regionalization to distinct Laurasian and Gondwanan landmasses during the Mesozoic in some groups. Methods We used recent tectonic models to code extant and fossil squamate distributions occurring on nine discrete plates for 9,755 species, with Jurassic and Cretaceous fossil constraints from three extinct lineages. We modeled ancestral ranges for crown Squamata from an extant-only molecular phylogeny using a suite of biogeographic models accommodating different evolutionary processes and fossil-based node constraints from known Jurassic and Cretaceous localities. We hypothesized that the best-fit models would not support a full Pangaean distribution (i.e., including all areas) for the origin of crown Squamata, but would instead show regionalization to specific areas within the fragmenting supercontinent, likely in the Northern Hemisphere where most early squamate fossils have been found. Results Incorporating fossil data reconstructs a localized origin within Pangaea, with early regionalization of extant lineages to Eurasia and Laurasia, while Gondwanan regionalization did not occur until the middle Cretaceous for Alethinophidia, Scolecophidia, and some crown Gekkotan lineages. While the Mesozoic history of extant squamate biogeography can be summarized as a Eurasian origin with dispersal out of Laurasia into Gondwana, their Cenozoic history is complex with multiple events (including secondary and tertiary recolonizations) in several directions. As noted by previous authors, squamates have likely utilized over-land range expansion, land-bridge colonization, and trans-oceanic dispersal. Tropical Gondwana and Eurasia hold more ancient lineages than the Holarctic (Rhineuridae being a major exception), and some asymmetries in colonization (e.g., to North America from Eurasia during the Cenozoic through Beringia) deserve additional study. Future studies that incorporate fossil branches, rather than as node constraints, into the reconstruction can be used to explore this history further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian V. Wilenzik
- Department of Biology, George Washington University, Washington D.C., United States of America
| | - Benjamin B. Barger
- Department of Biology, George Washington University, Washington D.C., United States of America
| | - R. Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biology, George Washington University, Washington D.C., United States of America
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Giacometti D, Palaoro AV, Leal LC, de Barros FC. How seasonality influences the thermal biology of lizards with different thermoregulatory strategies: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:409-429. [PMID: 37872698 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Ectotherms that maintain thermal balance in the face of varying climates should be able to colonise a wide range of habitats. In lizards, thermoregulation usually appears as a variety of behaviours that buffer external influences over physiology. Basking species rely on solar radiation to raise body temperatures and usually show high thermoregulatory precision. By contrast, species that do not bask are often constrained by climatic conditions in their habitats, thus having lower thermoregulatory precision. While much focus has been given to the effects of mean habitat temperatures, relatively less is known about how seasonality affects the thermal biology of lizards on a macroecological scale. Considering the current climate crisis, assessing how lizards cope with temporal variations in environmental temperature is essential to understand better how these organisms will fare under climate change. Activity body temperatures (Tb ) represent the internal temperature of an animal measured in nature during its active period (i.e. realised thermal niche), and preferred body temperatures (Tpref ) are those selected by an animal in a laboratory thermal gradient that lacks thermoregulatory costs (i.e. fundamental thermal niche). Both traits form the bulk of thermal ecology research and are often studied in the context of seasonality. In this study, we used a meta-analysis to test how environmental temperature seasonality influences the seasonal variation in the Tb and Tpref of lizards that differ in thermoregulatory strategy (basking versus non-basking). Based on 333 effect sizes from 137 species, we found that Tb varied over a greater magnitude than Tpref across seasons. Variations in Tb were not influenced by environmental temperature seasonality; however, body size and thermoregulatory strategy mediated Tb responses. Specifically, larger species were subjected to greater seasonal variations in Tb , and basking species endured greater seasonal variations in Tb compared to non-basking species. On the other hand, the seasonal variation in Tpref increased with environmental temperature seasonality regardless of body size. Thermoregulatory strategy also influenced Tpref , suggesting that behaviour has an important role in mediating Tpref responses to seasonal variations in the thermal landscape. After controlling for phylogenetic effects, we showed that Tb and Tpref varied significantly across lizard families. Taken together, our results support the notion that the relationship between thermal biology responses and climatic parameters can be taxon and trait dependent. Our results also showcase the importance of considering ecological and behavioural aspects in macroecological studies. We further highlight current systematic, geographical, and knowledge gaps in thermal ecology research. Our work should benefit those who aim to understand more fully how seasonality shapes thermal biology in lizards, ultimately contributing to the goal of elucidating the evolution of temperature-sensitive traits in ectotherms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Giacometti
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, L2S3A1, Canada
| | - Alexandre V Palaoro
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
- Department of Material Sciences and Engineering, 490 Sirrine Hall, Clemson University, 515 Calhoun Dr, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão Trav. 14, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brasil
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Avenida Coronel Francisco H. dos Santos 100, Curitiba, Paraná, 82590-300, Brasil
| | - Laura C Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
| | - Fábio C de Barros
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Avenida Juca Stockler 1130, Passos, Minas Gerais, 37900-106, Brasil
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Meza A, Bell CJ, Daza JD, Thies ML, Lewis PJ. Variation in the cranial osteology of the amphisbaenian genus Zygaspis based on high-resolution x-ray computed tomography. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:475-494. [PMID: 37849441 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Amphisbaenians are a specialized fossorial group of reptiles, having developed head-first burrowing, a specialized skull architecture, and an elongated body. This group is generally small-bodied, with some species possessing skulls only a few millimeters long. In this study, we used high-resolution x-ray computed tomography to compare the skulls of 15 specimens from seven of the eight species in the amphisbaenian genus Zygaspis (Zygaspis dolichomenta, Zygaspis ferox, Zygaspis quadrifrons, Zygaspis kafuensis, Zygaspis nigra, Zygaspis vandami, and Zygaspis violacea). Both interspecific and intraspecific variation, including asymmetry, is observed among the cranial bones of the specimens. There are unique morphological features on some cranial bones, including the premaxilla and ectopterygoid of Z. quadrifrons, the pterygoid and vomer of Z. kafuensis, and the extracolumella of Z. nigra. Sexual dimorphism has been previously reported for the species Z. quadrifrons and is observed here as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Meza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Christopher J Bell
- Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
| | - Monte L Thies
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
| | - Patrick J Lewis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
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Maliuk A, Marghoub A, Williams CJA, Stanley E, Kéver L, Vickaryous M, Herrel A, Evans SE, Moazen M. Comparative analysis of osteoderms across the lizard body. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38396371 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Osteoderms (ODs) are mineralized tissue embedded within the skin and are particularly common in reptiles. They are generally thought to form a protective layer between the soft tissues of the animal and potential external threats, although other functions have been proposed. The aim of this study was to characterize OD variation across the lizard body. Adults of three lizard species were chosen for this study. After whole body CT scanning of each lizard, single ODs were extracted from 10 different anatomical regions, CT scanned, and characterized using sectioning and nanoindentation. Morphological analysis and material characterization revealed considerable diversity in OD structure across the species investigated. The scincid Tiliqua gigas was the only studied species in which ODs had a similar external morphology across the head and body. Greater osteoderm diversity was found in the gerrhosaurid Broadleysaurus major and the scincid Tribolonotus novaeguineae. Dense capping tissue, like that reported for Heloderma, was found in only one of the three species examined, B. major. Osteoderm structure can be surprisingly complex and variable, both among related taxa, and across the body of individual animals. This raises many questions about OD function but also about the genetic and developmental factors controlling OD shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia Maliuk
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Arsalan Marghoub
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Catherine J A Williams
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Edward Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Loïc Kéver
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France
| | - Matthew Vickaryous
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Susan E Evans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mehran Moazen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
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Guerra-Fuentes RA, de Sousa RG, da Costa Prudente AL. Embryonic development of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb skeletal elements in Anilius scytale (Linnaeus, 1758) (Serpentes: Aniliidae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:66-80. [PMID: 37365957 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Anilius scytale is the sister lineage of all other alethinophidian snakes. Morphology of the hind limb complex in adult A. scytale (Aniliidae) has been documented. We herein, for the first time, describe the embryology of the skeletal elements of its hind limb and pelvic girdle and contextualize the evolution of these structures. We identified pregnant females of A. scytale in the Herpetology Collection of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi and separated 40 embryos. The embryos were sequentially staged using external and internal anatomy, collectively comprising a developmental series representing six stages. We cleared-stained one specimen of stages 31, 34, 36, and 37. Using the embryological information gleaned from A. scytale, we reinterpret evidence relating to the ossification of the pelvis and hindlimbs. In A. scytale hindlimb buds develop as transient structures that developed before Stage 30 and regresses in subsequent stages. There is no external or internal evidence of the forelimb or scapular girdle. From Stage 31 onwards the ischium, pubis, ilium, femur and zeugopodial cartilages are visible. Pubis and femur ossify towards the end of embryonic life, and cloacal spurs do not develop in the embryo. Skeletal elements of the hindlimb and pelvic girdle develop initially in the ventral zone of the cloaca-tail region. In subsequent stages the hindlimb and pelvic girdle elements migrate dorsally, with the pubis/ischium positioned medial to the ribs. A similar process may be associated with the achievement of the condition of the pelvic girdle in adults of scolecophidians, pythonids and boids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Arturo Guerra-Fuentes
- Faculdade de Ciências Naturais, Campus Universitário do Tocantins-Cametá, Universidade Federal do Pará, Travessa Padre Antônio Franco, Cametá, Pará, Brazil
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Romário Gemaque de Sousa
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia da Costa Prudente
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
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Meyer D, Brownstein CD, Jenkins KM, Gauthier JA. A Morrison stem gekkotan reveals gecko evolution and Jurassic biogeography. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20232284. [PMID: 38018104 PMCID: PMC10685121 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Geckos are a speciose and globally distributed clade of Squamata (lizards, including snakes and amphisbaenians) that are characterized by a host of modifications for nocturnal, scansorial and insectivorous ecologies. They are among the oldest divergences in the lizard crown, so understanding the origin of geckoes (Gekkota) is essential to understanding the origin of Squamata, the most species-rich extant tetrapod clade. However, the poor fossil record of gekkotans has obscured the sequence and timing of the assembly of their distinctive morphology. Here, we describe the first North American stem gekkotan based on a three-dimensionally preserved skull from the Morrison Formation of western North America. Despite its Late Jurassic age, the new species already possesses several key characteristics of the gekkotan skull along with retained ancestral features. We show that this new stem gekkotan, and several previously named species of uncertain phylogenetic relationships, comprise a widespread clade of early crown lizards, substantiating faunal homogeneity in Laurasia during the Late Jurassic that extended across disparate ecological, body-size and physiological classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalton Meyer
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06506520-8109, USA
| | - Chase D. Brownstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8106, USA
- Stamford Museum and Nature Center, Stamford, CT 06903, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Jenkins
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06506520-8109, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT 06520-8118, USA
| | - Jacques A. Gauthier
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06506520-8109, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT 06520-8118, USA
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Field EK, Terry J, Hartzheim AM, Krajcir K, Mullin SJ, Neuman-Lee LA. Investigating relationships among stress, reproduction, and immunity in three species of watersnake. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 343:114350. [PMID: 37524232 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Energy is a finite resource required for all physiological processes and must be allocated efficiently among essential activities to ensure fitness and survival. During the active season, adult organisms are expected to prioritize investment in reproduction over other energetically expensive processes, such as responding to immunological challenges. Furthermore, when encountering a stressor, the balance between reproduction and immunity might be disrupted in order to fuel the stress response. Because of the distinct differences in life histories across species, watersnakes provide a unique group of study in which to examine these tradeoffs. Over a two-year period, we captured three watersnake species throughout Northeast Arkansas. Animals were subjected to restraint stress and blood samples were collected throughout the acute stress response. Blood samples were used to assess innate immunity and steroid hormone concentrations. We found the peak in corticosterone concentration is season-specific, potentially because energetic reserves fluctuate with reproductive activities. We also found body condition was positively related to acute stress and negatively related to immunity. Watersnakes evidently prioritize reproduction over immunity, especially during the energetically intensive process of vitellogenesis. Energetic tradeoffs between reproduction, immunity, and the stress response are complex, and this study contributes to our understanding of energetic shifts in free-living organisms in the context of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Field
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, United States; Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson MS, United States.
| | - Jennifer Terry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, United States
| | - Alyssa M Hartzheim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, United States; North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Kevin Krajcir
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, United States; Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Stephen J Mullin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, United States.
| | - Lorin A Neuman-Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, United States.
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Navarro EA, Quipildor M, Quinteros S. Description of the neuroanatomy of the brachial plexus in South American lizards. Phylogenetic implications. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21629. [PMID: 37585222 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Few studies considered the anatomy of the nerve plexuses and musculature associated with them in ectothermic sauropsids. Based on differentiated Sudan Black B staining and conventional dissections, we describe the neuroanatomy of the brachial plexus, its main associated nerves, and muscles. For that, representatives of the genera Diplolaemus, Liolaemus, Phymaturus, and Tropidurus were selected. Based on this, potentially useful characters for phylogenetic analysis were described. Our results show that the brachial plexus can be formed by four, five, or six nerve branches. The brachial flexor trunk, circumflex, interosseous, median, radial, subscapulocoracoid, supracoracoid, and ulnar nerves were identified. Regarding the muscles innervated by the main nerves, the following muscles were identified: biceps brachii, deltoideus scapularis, latissimus dorsi, levator scapulae, pectoralis, serratus thoracis, trapezius, triceps longus caudalis, and triceps longus lateralis. Phylogenetic analyzes revealed 31 potential synapomorphies. There exists evidence that neuroanatomy studies in a phylogenetic context could provide useful information helping to elucidate the relationships between taxonomic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Exequiel Alejandro Navarro
- IBIGEO (Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Matias Quipildor
- IBIGEO (Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Sebastián Quinteros
- IBIGEO (Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
- Cátedra de Sistemática Filogenética, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
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Bishop AP, Westeen EP, Yuan ML, Escalona M, Beraut E, Fairbairn C, Marimuthu MPA, Nguyen O, Chumchim N, Toffelmier E, Fisher RN, Shaffer HB, Wang IJ. Assembly of the largest squamate reference genome to date: The western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis. J Hered 2023; 114:521-528. [PMID: 37335574 PMCID: PMC10445515 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiny lizards (genus Sceloporus) have long served as important systems for studies of behavior, thermal physiology, dietary ecology, vector biology, speciation, and biogeography. The western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, is found across most of the major biogeographical regions in the western United States and northern Baja California, Mexico, inhabiting a wide range of habitats, from grassland to chaparral to open woodlands. As small ectotherms, Sceloporus lizards are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and S. occidentalis has also become an important system for studying the impacts of land use change and urbanization on small vertebrates. Here, we report a new reference genome assembly for S. occidentalis, as part of the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP). Consistent with the reference genomics strategy of the CCGP, we used Pacific Biosciences HiFi long reads and Hi-C chromatin-proximity sequencing technology to produce a de novo assembled genome. The assembly comprises a total of 608 scaffolds spanning 2,856 Mb, has a contig N50 of 18.9 Mb, a scaffold N50 of 98.4 Mb, and BUSCO completeness score of 98.1% based on the tetrapod gene set. This reference genome will be valuable for understanding ecological and evolutionary dynamics in S. occidentalis, the species status of the California endemic island fence lizard (S. becki), and the spectacular radiation of Sceloporus lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusha P Bishop
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Erin P Westeen
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Michael L Yuan
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Merly Escalona
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Eric Beraut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Colin Fairbairn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Mohan P A Marimuthu
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Oanh Nguyen
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Noravit Chumchim
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Erin Toffelmier
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Robert N Fisher
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - H. Bradley Shaffer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ian J Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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12
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Capaldo A. The Adrenal Gland of Squamata (Reptilia): A Comparative Overview. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2686. [PMID: 37684950 PMCID: PMC10486442 DOI: 10.3390/ani13172686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The adrenal gland is a complex endocrine organ composed of two components: a steroidogenic tissue, which produces steroid hormones, and a chromaffin tissue, which mainly produces norepinephrine and epinephrine. Through evolution, their relationships with each other changed. They begin as isolated chromaffin and steroidogenic cell aggregates, typical of fish, and end with the advanced compact gland, typical of mammals, which consists of an external steroidogenic cortical zone and an internal chromaffin medullary zone. The adrenal gland of reptiles is unique because, with few exceptions, it is near the gonads and genital ducts, and the chromaffin and steroidogenic tissues are closely associated. However, the degree of mixing is variable. For example, in Squamata, the mixing degree of chromaffin and steroidogenic tissues, their reciprocal position in the gland, and the relative quantities of norepinephrine and epinephrine secreted by the chromaffin cells are extremely variable. This variability could be related to the phylogenetic history of the species. After a brief discussion of the adrenal gland and its main functions in vertebrates, this overview will examine the general characteristics of the adrenal gland of squamates, the differences in morphology of the gland, and the possible relationships with the phylogeny of the different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Capaldo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, Edificio 7, 80126 Naples, Italy
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13
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Mezzasalma M, Brunelli E, Odierna G, Guarino FM. Chromosome Diversity and Evolution of the Endemic Malagasy Velvet Geckos of the Genus Blaesodactylus (Reptilia, Gekkonidae). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2068. [PMID: 37443866 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We performed a molecular and phylogenetic analysis and a comparative cytogenetic study with standard karyotyping, silver staining (Ag-NOR) and sequential C-banding + Giemsa, + fluorochromes on several Blaesodactylus samples. The phylogenetic inference retrieved two main clades, the first comprises B. victori, B. microtuberculatus and B. boivini, while the second includes B. sakalava, B. antongilensis and B. ambonihazo. The available samples of B. sakalava form two different clades (here named B. sakalava clade A and clade B), which probably deserve a taxonomic re-evaluation. We found a karyological variability in Blaesodactylus in terms of chromosome number (2n = 40-42), morphology, location of NORs, and heterochromatin distribution pattern. Blaesodactylus antongilensis and B. sakalava clade A and B showed a karyotype of 2n = 40 mostly telocentric chromosomes. Pairs 1 and 6 were metacentric in B. sakalava clade A and B, while pair 1 was composed of subtelocentric/submetacentric elements in B. antongilensis. In contrast, B. boivini displayed a karyotype with 2n = 42 only telocentric chromosomes. NORs were on the first chromosome pair in B. boivini, and on the second pair in B. antongilensis. Adding our data to those available from the literature on evolutionarily related species, we highlight that the chromosome diversification in the genus probably proceeded towards a progressive reduction in the chromosome number and the formation of metacentric elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Mezzasalma
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Elvira Brunelli
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Gaetano Odierna
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Fabio Maria Guarino
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
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14
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Bolet A. Lizards and amphisbaenians (Reptilia, Squamata) from the middle Eocene of Mazaterón (Soria, Spain). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023. [PMID: 37283299 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The assemblage of lizards and amphisbaenians (Reptilia, Squamata) from the middle Eocene locality of Mazaterón (Spain) is described. Considering the rather limited material available for the study, the assemblage shows a moderate diversity with eight taxa corresponding to five different families. In most cases the scarcity and fragmentary nature of squamate specimens precludes a precise identification, but provides insights on identity of the groups represented. Mazaterón fills the gap between early and late Eocene Iberian localities, showing the persistence of iguanids (possibly Geiseltaliellus), lacertids (possibly Dormaalisaurus), and glyptosaur (tribes glyptosaurini and "melanosaurini") and anguine anguids through most of the Iberian Eocene. It also records the return of amphisbaenians (Blanidae) after their temporary retrieval from Europe during most of the middle Eocene, and the presence of two scincids, one of them possibly corresponding to a new taxon. The information provided by squamates complements what is already known from mammals, crocodylians, and turtles in what is arguably one of the most important vertebrate Paleogene localities of the Iberian Peninsula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Bolet
- Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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15
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Schöneberg Y, Winter S, Arribas O, Riccardo Di Nicola M, Master M, Benjamin Owens J, Rovatsos M, Wüster W, Janke A, Fritz U. Genomics reveals broad hybridization in deeply divergent Palearctic grass and water snakes (Natrix spp.). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 184:107787. [PMID: 37080398 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Understanding speciation is one of the cornerstones of biological diversity research. Currently, speciation is often understood as a continuous process of divergence that continues until genetic or other incompatibilities minimize or prevent interbreeding. The Palearctic snake genus Natrix is an ideal group to study speciation, as it comprises taxa representing distinct stages of the speciation process, ranging from widely interbreeding parapatric taxa through parapatric species with very limited gene flow in narrow hybrid zones to widely sympatric species. To understand the evolution of reproductive isolation through time, we have sequenced the genomes of all five species within this genus and two additional subspecies. We used both long-read and short-read methods to sequence and de-novo-assemble two high-quality genomes (Natrix h. helvetica, Natrix n. natrix) to their 1.7 Gb length with a contig N50 of 4.6 Mbp and 1.5 Mbp, respectively, and used these as references to assemble the remaining short-read-based genomes. Our phylogenomic analyses yielded a well-supported dated phylogeny and evidence for a surprisingly complex history of interspecific gene flow, including between widely sympatric species. Furthermore, evidence for gene flow was also found for currently allopatric species pairs. Genetic exchange among these well-defined, distinct, and several million-year-old reptile species emphasizes that speciation and maintenance of species distinctness can occur despite continued genetic exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannis Schöneberg
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sven Winter
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Oscar Arribas
- IES Castilla, Junta de Castilla, Castilla y León, 42003 Soria, Spain
| | | | - Maya Master
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor (MEEB), School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | - John Benjamin Owens
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor (MEEB), School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | - Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Wolfgang Wüster
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor (MEEB), School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | - Axel Janke
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberg Nature Research Society, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Uwe Fritz
- Senckenberg Dresden, Museum of Zoology, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany.
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16
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Mutafchiev Y, Vergilov V. Redescription of Thubunaea schukurovi Annaev, 1973 from Ablepharus chernovi, with notes on the members of Thubunaea (Spirurida: Physalopteridae) from the Palaearctic and Indomalayan realms. J Helminthol 2023; 97:e39. [PMID: 37070395 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x23000172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The spirurid nematode Thubunaea schukurovi Annaev, 1973 (Physalopteridae) is redescribed by means of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy from Ablepharus chernovi collected in Çamlıyayla, Turkey. This is the first record of the species from this host and the first record of the genus Thubunaea from Turkey. The taxonomic status of the species of the genus Thubunaea from the Palaeacrtic and Indomalayan realms is reviewed based on their original morphological descriptions; as a result, Thubunaea dessetae Barus & Tenora, 1976, a parasite of Saara hardwickii (Gray) (Agamidae) in Afghanistan, is transferred to the genus Pseudabbreviata as Pseudabbreviata dessetae (Barus & Tenora, 1976) n. comb. Several species described in India, that is, Thubunaea singhi Deshmukh, 1969 and Thubunaea brooki Deshmukh, 1969, both from Hemidactylus brookii Gray (Gekkonidae), and Thubunaea aurangabadensis Deshmukh, 1969 and Thubunaea syedi Deshmukh, 1969, both from Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, are considered members of the genus Physalopteroides; therefore, the following new combinations are proposed: Physalopteroides singhi, Physalopteroides brooki, Physalopteroides aurangabadensis and Physalopteroides syedi. Thubunaea hemidactylae Oshmarin & Demshin, 1972 from Hemidactylus frenatus Duméril & Bibron in Vietnam is considered a member of the genus Physalopteroides as P. hemidactylae (Oshmarin & Demshin, 1972) n. comb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Mutafchiev
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - V Vergilov
- National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
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17
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Latimer AE, Sherratt E, Bonnet T, Scheyer TM. Semicircular canal shape diversity among modern lepidosaurs: life habit, size, allometry. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:10. [PMID: 37046214 PMCID: PMC10091843 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02113-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The shape of the semicircular canals of the inner ear of living squamate reptiles has been used to infer phylogenetic relationships, body size, and life habits. Often these inferences are made without controlling for the effects of the other ones. Here we examine the semicircular canals of 94 species of extant limbed lepidosaurs using three-dimensional landmark-based geometric morphometrics, and analyze them in phylogenetic context to evaluate the relative contributions of life habit, size, and phylogeny on canal shape. RESULTS Life habit is not a strong predictor of semicircular canal shape across this broad sample. Instead, phylogeny plays a major role in predicting shape, with strong phylogenetic signal in shape as well as size. Allometry has a limited role in canal shape, but inner ear size and body mass are strongly correlated. CONCLUSIONS Our wide sampling across limbed squamates suggests that semicircular canal shape and size are predominantly a factor of phylogenetic relatedness. Given the small proportion of variance in semicircular canal shape explained by life habit, it is unlikely that unknown life habit could be deduced from semicircular canal shape alone. Overall, semicircular canal size is a good estimator of body length and even better for body mass in limbed squamates. Semiaquatic taxa tend to be larger and heavier than non-aquatic taxa, but once body size and phylogeny are accounted for, they are hard to distinguish from their non-aquatic relatives based on bony labyrinth shape and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Latimer
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Emma Sherratt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Timothée Bonnet
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
| | - Torsten M Scheyer
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006, Zurich, Switzerland.
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18
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Scherz MD, Schmidt R, Brown JL, Glos J, Lattenkamp EZ, Rakotomalala Z, Rakotoarison A, Rakotonindrina RT, Randriamalala O, Raselimanana AP, Rasolonjatovo SM, Ratsoavina FM, Razafindraibe JH, Glaw F, Vences M. Repeated divergence of amphibians and reptiles across an elevational gradient in northern Madagascar. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9914. [PMID: 36937068 PMCID: PMC10019947 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
How environmental factors shape patterns of biotic diversity in tropical ecosystems is an active field of research, but studies examining the possibility of ecological speciation in terrestrial tropical ecosystems are scarce. We use the isolated rainforest herpetofauna on the Montagne d'Ambre (Amber Mountain) massif in northern Madagascar as a model to explore elevational divergence at the level of populations and communities. Based on intensive sampling and DNA barcoding of amphibians and reptiles along a transect ranging from ca. 470-1470 m above sea level (a.s.l.), we assessed a main peak in species richness at an elevation of ca. 1000 m a.s.l. with 41 species. The proportion of local endemics was highest (about 1/3) at elevations >1100 m a.s.l. Two species of chameleons (Brookesia tuberculata, Calumma linotum) and two species of frogs (Mantidactylus bellyi, M. ambony) studied in depth by newly developed microsatellite markers showed genetic divergence up the slope of the mountain, some quite strong, others very weak, but in each case with genetic breaks between 1100 and 1270 m a.s.l. Genetic clusters were found in transect sections significantly differing in bioclimate and herpetological community composition. A decrease in body size was detected in several species with increasing elevation. The studied rainforest amphibians and reptiles show concordant population genetic differentiation across elevation along with morphological and niche differentiation. Whether this parapatric or microallopatric differentiation will suffice for the completion of speciation is, however, unclear, and available phylogeographic evidence rather suggests that a complex interplay between ecological and allopatric divergence processes is involved in generating the extraordinary species diversity of Madagascar's biota. Our study reveals concordant patterns of diversification among main elevational bands, but suggests that these adaptational processes are only part of the complex of processes leading to species formation, among which geographical isolation is probably also important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D. Scherz
- Zoologisches InstitutTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen ØDenmark
| | - Robin Schmidt
- Zoologisches InstitutTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
| | - Jason L. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesSouthern Illinois UniversityCarbondaleIllinoisUSA
| | - Julian Glos
- Institute of Cell and Systems BiologyUniversität HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Ella Z. Lattenkamp
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biology IILudwig Maximilians University MunichMartinsriedGermany
| | | | - Andolalao Rakotoarison
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité AnimaleUniversité d'AntananarivoAntananarivoMadagascar
- School for International TrainingAntananarivoMadagascar
| | | | - Onja Randriamalala
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité AnimaleUniversité d'AntananarivoAntananarivoMadagascar
| | - Achille P. Raselimanana
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité AnimaleUniversité d'AntananarivoAntananarivoMadagascar
- Association VahatraAntananarivoMadagascar
| | - Safidy M. Rasolonjatovo
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité AnimaleUniversité d'AntananarivoAntananarivoMadagascar
- Association VahatraAntananarivoMadagascar
| | | | - Jary H. Razafindraibe
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité AnimaleUniversité d'AntananarivoAntananarivoMadagascar
| | - Frank Glaw
- Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM‐SNSB)MunichGermany
| | - Miguel Vences
- Zoologisches InstitutTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
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19
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Harrington S, Burbrink F. Complex cycles of divergence and migration shape lineage structure in the common kingsnake species complex. J Biogeogr 2023; 50:341-351. [PMID: 36817740 PMCID: PMC9937589 DOI: 10.1111/jbi.14536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Aim The Nearctic is a complex patchwork of habitats and geologic features that form barriers to gene flow resulting in phylogeographic structure and speciation in many lineages. Habitats are rarely stable over geologic time, and the Nearctic has undergone major climatic changes in the past few million years. We use the common kingsnake species complex to study how climate, geography, and history influence lineage formation over a large, complex landscape. Location Nearctic/North America. Taxon Common kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula, species complex. Methods We analyzed genome-wide sequence data from 51 snakes spanning the majority of the species complex's range. We used population clustering, generalized dissimilarity modeling, and coalescent methods to identify the number of genetic clusters within the L. getula complex, infer the environmental correlates of genetic differentiation, and estimate models of divergence and gene flow among lineages. Results We identified three major lineages within the L. getula complex and further continuous spatial structure within lineages. The most important ecological correlates of genetic distance in the complex are related to aridity and precipitation, consistent with lineage breaks at the Great Plains/Desert ecotone and the Cochise Filter Barrier. Lineages are estimated to have undergone multiple rounds of isolation and secondary contact, with highly asymmetric migration occurring at present. Main conclusions Changing climates combined with a large and geologically complex landscape have resulted in a mosaic of discrete and spatially continuous genetic structure. Multiple rounds of isolation and secondary contact as climate fluctuated over the past ~4.4 My have likely driven the evolution of discrete lineages that maintain high levels of gene flow. Continuous structure is strongly shaped by aridity and precipitation, suggesting roles for major precipitation gradients in helping to maintain lineage identity in the face of gene flow when lineages are in geographic contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Harrington
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192, USA
- INBRE Data Science Core, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Frank Burbrink
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192, USA
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20
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Tishakova KV, Prokopov DY, Davletshina GI, Rumyantsev AV, O'Brien PCM, Ferguson-Smith MA, Giovannotti M, Lisachov AP, Trifonov VA. Identification of Iguania Ancestral Syntenic Blocks and Putative Sex Chromosomes in the Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus, Chamaeleonidae, Iguania). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36555478 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) is a typical member of the family Chamaeleonidae and a promising object for comparative cytogenetics and genomics. The karyotype of C. calyptratus differs from the putative ancestral chameleon karyotype (2n = 36) due to a smaller chromosome number (2n = 24) resulting from multiple chromosome fusions. The homomorphic sex chromosomes of an XX/XY system were described recently using male-specific RADseq markers. However, the chromosomal pair carrying these markers was not identified. Here we obtained chromosome-specific DNA libraries of C. calyptratus by chromosome flow sorting that were assigned by FISH and sequenced. Sequence comparison with three squamate reptiles reference genomes revealed the ancestral syntenic regions in the C. calyptratus chromosomes. We demonstrated that reducing the chromosome number in the C. calyptratus karyotype occurred through two fusions between microchromosomes and four fusions between micro-and macrochromosomes. PCR-assisted mapping of a previously described Y-specific marker indicates that chromosome 5 may be the sex chromosome pair. One of the chromosome 5 conserved synteny blocks shares homology with the ancestral pleurodont X chromosome, assuming parallelism in the evolution of sex chromosomes from two basal Iguania clades (pleurodonts and acrodonts). The comparative chromosome map produced here can serve as the foundation for future genome assembly of chameleons and vertebrate-wide comparative genomic studies.
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21
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Park D, Kim IH, Park IK, Grajal-Puche A, Park J. A comparison of gene organisations and phylogenetic relationships of all 22 squamate species listed in South Korea using complete mitochondrial DNA. Zookeys 2022; 1129:21-35. [PMID: 36761844 PMCID: PMC9836557 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1129.82981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies using complete mitochondrial genome data have the potential to increase our understanding on gene organisations and evolutionary species relationships. In this study, we compared complete mitochondrial genomes between all 22 squamate species listed in South Korea. In addition, we constructed Maximum Parsimony (MP), Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) phylogenetic trees using 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes. The mitochondrial genes for all six species in the suborder Sauria followed the same organisation as the sequenced Testudines (turtle) outgroup. In contrast, 16 snake species in the suborder Serpentes contained some gene organisational variations. For example, all snake species contained a second control region (CR2), while three species in the family Viperidae had a translocated tRNA-Pro gene region. In addition, the snake species, Elapheschrenckii, carried a tRNA-Pro pseudogene. We were also able to identify a translocation of a tRNA-Asn gene within the five tRNA (WANCY gene region) gene clusters for two true sea snake species in the subfamily Hydrophiinae. Our BI phylogenetic tree was also well fitted against currently known Korean squamate phylogenetic trees, where each family and genus unit forms monophyletic clades and the suborder Sauria is paraphyletic to the suborder Serpentes. Our results may form the basis for future northeast Asian squamate phylogenetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daesik Park
- Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of KoreaKangwon National UniversityChuncheonRepublic of Korea
| | - Il-Hun Kim
- National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seochun, Republic of KoreaNational Marine Biodiversity Institute of KoreaSeochunRepublic of Korea
| | - Il-Kook Park
- Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of KoreaKangwon National UniversityChuncheonRepublic of Korea
| | - Alejandro Grajal-Puche
- Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USANorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffUnited States of America
| | - Jaejin Park
- Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of KoreaKangwon National UniversityChuncheonRepublic of Korea
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22
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Tuska-Szalay B, Kelly H, Takács N, Kontschán J, Votýpka J, Hornok S. Molecular evidence of Monocercomonas and Acanthamoeba in the feces of captive reptiles. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3681-3687. [PMID: 36184660 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07677-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Reptiles are frequently kept as pet animals. They are considered as important reservoirs of protozoa with veterinary-medical significance. At a reptile farm in Ireland, fecal samples were collected from 98 captive reptiles, representing 43 species of three orders (Squamata, Testudines, and Crocodylia). After DNA extraction, all samples were screened by conventional PCRs, targeting the ribosomal small subunit (SSU) RNA and alpha-tubulin genes of trichomonads and SSU RNA gene of Acanthamoeba spp. One leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) was positive for a not yet reported species/genotype of the genus Monocercomonas, different from M. colubrorum. Various Acanthamoeba genotypes were detected in six reptilian species, i.e., Acanthamoeba genotype T11 in Eunectes notaeus and Heloderma suspectum/horridum; genotype T4 in Varanus exanthematicus, Chlamydosaurus kingii, and Macrochelys temminckii; and the genotype T13 in Iguana iguana. Some of these amoeba species might have clinicopathological significance in both humans and animals. Our findings highlight the importance to monitor pathogenic protozoa in pet as well as wildlife reptiles, as a source of possible infection for animals and humans living nearby.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Tuska-Szalay
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Hannah Kelly
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nóra Takács
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, ELKH-ÁTE Climate Change, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jenő Kontschán
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, ELKH, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Sándor Hornok
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, ELKH-ÁTE Climate Change, Budapest, Hungary
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23
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Loïc K, Olivier D, Marghoub A, Evans SE, Vickaryous MK, Moazen M, Herrel A. Biomechanical behaviour of lizard osteoderms and skin under external loading. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276967. [PMID: 36177797 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many species of lizards are partially enveloped by a dermal armour made of ossified units called osteoderms. Lizard osteoderms demonstrate considerable species-specific variation in morphology and histology. Although a physical/protective role (against predators, prey, conspecifics, and impact loading during falls) is frequently advanced, empirical data on the biomechanics of lizard osteoderms are scarce, limiting our understanding of form-function relationships. Here, we report deformation recorded at the surface of temporal osteoderms during controlled external loading of preserved specimens of eleven lizard species (Tiliqua rugosa, Tiliqua scincoides, Corucia zebrata, Pseudopus apodus, Timon lepidus, Matobosaurus validus, Broadleysaurus major, Tribolonotus gracilis, Tribolonotus novaeguineae, Heloderma horridum and Heloderma suspectum). Based on the strains recorded in situ and from isolated osteoderms, the skin of the species investigated can be ranked along a marked stiffness gradient that mostly reflects the features of the osteoderms. Some species like Tiliqua rugosa and the two Heloderma species had very stiff osteoderms and skin while others like Timon lepidus and Pseudopus apodus were at the other end of the spectrum. Histological sections of the osteoderms suggest that fused (vs. compound) osteoderms with a thick layer of capping tissue are found in species with a stiff skin. In most cases, loading neighbouring osteoderms induced large strains in the instrumented osteoderm attesting that, in most species, lizard osteoderms are tightly interconnected. These data empirically confirm that the morphological diversity observed in lizard osteoderms is matched by variability in biomechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kéver Loïc
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Damien Olivier
- Departamento Académico de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.,Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Arsalan Marghoub
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Susan E Evans
- Centre for Integrative Anatomy, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Mehran Moazen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
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24
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Bolet A, Stubbs TL, Herrera-Flores JA, Benton MJ. The Jurassic rise of squamates as supported by lepidosaur disparity and evolutionary rates. eLife 2022; 11:e66511. [PMID: 35502582 PMCID: PMC9064307 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The squamates (lizards, snakes, and relatives) today comprise more than 10,000 species, and yet their sister group, the Rhynchocephalia, is represented by a single species today, the tuatara. The explosion in squamate diversity has been tracked back to the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution, 100 million years ago (Ma), the time when flowering plants began their takeover of terrestrial ecosystems, associated with diversification of coevolving insects and insect-eating predators such as lizards, birds, and mammals. Squamates arose much earlier, but their long pre-Cretaceous history of some 150 million years (Myr) is documented by sparse fossils. Here, we provide evidence for an initial radiation of squamate morphology in the Middle and Late Jurassic (174-145 Ma), and show that they established their key ecological roles much earlier than had been assumed, and they have not changed them much since.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Bolet
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaCerdanyola del VallèsSpain
- School of Earth Sciences, University of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas L Stubbs
- School of Earth Sciences, University of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Michael J Benton
- School of Earth Sciences, University of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
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25
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Yánez-Muñoz MH, Torres-Carvajal O, Reyes-Puig JP, Urgiles-Merchán MA, Koch C. A new and very spiny lizard (Gymnophthalmidae: Echinosaura) from the Andes in northwestern Ecuador. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12523. [PMID: 34966579 PMCID: PMC8667736 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a new species of Neotropical spiny-lizard of the genus Echinosaura from the Imbabura and Carchi Provinces on the western slopes of the Andes in northwestern Ecuador. The new species mostly resembles E. horrida. However, it can be distinguished from all congeners by having keeled enlarged dorsal scales forming a paired vertebral row, two paravertebral series of short oblique rows of projecting scales, and a pair of spine-like scales on temporal and nuchal regions. We also provide a detailed description of the osteology of the skull and pectoral girdle of the new species and present a phylogenetic hypothesis for Echinosaura based on three mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, ND4) and one nuclear gene (c-mos).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario H Yánez-Muñoz
- Unidad de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO), Quito, Ecuador.,Fundación Ecominga Red de Protección de Bosques Amenazados, Fundación Oscar Efrén Reyes, Departamento de Ambiente, Baños, Ecuador
| | - Omar Torres-Carvajal
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Juan P Reyes-Puig
- Unidad de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO), Quito, Ecuador.,Fundación Ecominga Red de Protección de Bosques Amenazados, Fundación Oscar Efrén Reyes, Departamento de Ambiente, Baños, Ecuador
| | | | - Claudia Koch
- Herpetology, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Bonn, Germany
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26
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Gower DJ, Fleming JF, Pisani D, Vonk FJ, Kerkkamp HMI, Peichl L, Meimann S, Casewell NR, Henkel CV, Richardson MK, Sanders KL, Simões BF. Eye-Transcriptome and Genome-Wide Sequencing for Scolecophidia: Implications for Inferring the Visual System of the Ancestral Snake. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6430116. [PMID: 34791190 PMCID: PMC8643396 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular genetic data have recently been incorporated in attempts to reconstruct the ecology of the ancestral snake, though this has been limited by a paucity of data for one of the two main extant snake taxa, the highly fossorial Scolecophidia. Here we present and analyze vision genes from the first eye-transcriptomic and genome-wide data for Scolecophidia, for Anilios bicolor, and A. bituberculatus, respectively. We also present immunohistochemistry data for retinal anatomy and visual opsin-gene expression in Anilios. Analyzed in the context of 19 lepidosaurian genomes and 12 eye transcriptomes, the new genome-wide and transcriptomic data provide evidence for a much more reduced visual system in Anilios than in non-scolecophidian (=alethinophidian) snakes and in lizards. In Anilios, there is no evidence of the presence of 7 of the 12 genes associated with alethinophidian photopic (cone) phototransduction. This indicates extensive gene loss and many of these candidate gene losses occur also in highly fossorial mammals with reduced vision. Although recent phylogenetic studies have found evidence for scolecophidian paraphyly, the loss in Anilios of visual genes that are present in alethinophidians implies that the ancestral snake had a better-developed visual system than is known for any extant scolecophidian.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Gower
- Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - James F Fleming
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Davide Pisani
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Freek J Vonk
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Leo Peichl
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sonja Meimann
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nicholas R Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Christiaan V Henkel
- Institute of Biology, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Kate L Sanders
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bruno F Simões
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
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27
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Mohanty NP, Wagener C, Herrel A, Thaker M. The ecology of sleep in non-avian reptiles. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:505-526. [PMID: 34708504 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Sleep is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom and yet displays considerable variation in its extent and form in the wild. Ecological factors, such as predation, competition, and microclimate, therefore are likely to play a strong role in shaping characteristics of sleep. Despite the potential for ecological factors to influence various aspects of sleep, the ecological context of sleep in non-avian reptiles remains understudied and without systematic direction. In this review, we examine multiple aspects of reptilian sleep, including (i) habitat selection (sleep sites and their spatio-temporal distribution), (ii) individual-level traits, such as behaviour (sleep postures), morphology (limb morphometrics and body colour), and physiology (sleep architecture), as well as (iii) inter-individual interactions (intra- and inter-specific). Throughout, we discuss the evidence of predation, competition, and thermoregulation in influencing sleep traits and the possible evolutionary consequences of these sleep traits for reptile sociality, morphological specialisation, and habitat partitioning. We also review the ways in which sleep ecology interacts with urbanisation, biological invasions, and climate change. Overall, we not only provide a systematic evaluation of the conceptual and taxonomic biases in the existing literature on reptilian sleep, but also use this opportunity to organise the various ecological hypotheses for sleep characteristics. By highlighting the gaps and providing a prospectus of research directions, our review sets the stage for understanding sleep ecology in the natural world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitya P Mohanty
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560 012, India
| | - Carla Wagener
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, 7600, South Africa
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, MECADEV UMR7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France
| | - Maria Thaker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560 012, India
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28
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Sánchez-Loria O, Gomez E, Arce O, Chamut S. Metabolic and Hormonal Changes Associated with Vitellogenesis in Salvator merianae Lizards. Zoolog Sci 2021; 38:459-465. [PMID: 34664921 DOI: 10.2108/zs210013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Vitellogenesis in oviparous vertebrates is a critical marker of the restart of seasonal reproductive activity. During this process of multihormonal regulation, females allocate a considerable amount of organic and mineral reserves to the synthesis of yolk, with changes in their plasma values. In this work, we determined plasma levels of various metabolites and steroid hormones throughout the reproductive cycle in females of Salvator merianae who developed vitellogenic and non-vitellogenic follicular cycles. We worked for two consecutive years with 20 adult females from the Experimental Hatchery of the Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia of the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Values of metabolites: glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, calcium, phosphorus, albumin, total proteins, and hormones: estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, were determined during the following stages of the annual cycle: hibernation, hibernation emergence, courtship-mating, oviposition, and incubation. Vitellogenic females showed significantly higher plasma levels of triglycerides, calcium, phosphorus, and albumin than non-vitellogenic females, mainly in the courtship-mating stage (advanced vitellogenesis). In contrast, annual cholesterol averages were lower in vitellogenic females. Glucose showed changes throughout the annual cycle regardless of the vitellogenic condition. Total proteins plasma levels had very few fluctuations during the cycle. Among the hormones studied, only testosterone showed differences related to vitellogenic condition, with higher levels in non-vitellogenic females during the entire reproductive cycle. The knowledge of these changes associated with vitellogenesis will improve zootechnical management and will allow optimizing the reproductive efficiency of Salvator lizards in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Sánchez-Loria
- Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. F. Ameghino s/n. 4105. Tucumán. Argentina,
| | - Eliana Gomez
- Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. F. Ameghino s/n. 4105. Tucumán. Argentina
| | - Osvaldo Arce
- Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. F. Ameghino s/n. 4105. Tucumán. Argentina
| | - Silvia Chamut
- Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. F. Ameghino s/n. 4105. Tucumán. Argentina
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29
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Yu H, Liu Y, Liu Y, Yang J, Li S, Bi J, Zhang R. Complete mitochondrial genome of Teratoscincus przewalskii (Reptilia, Squamata, Sphaerodactylidae) and phylogenetic analysis. Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2021; 6:3166-3168. [PMID: 34660892 PMCID: PMC8519532 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2021.1987162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The complete mitochondrial genome of the lizard, Teratoscincus przewalskii, which belongs to the family Sphaerodactylidae was determined based on Illumina data in this study. The result showed that the closed double-stranded circular mitogenome was 16,779 bp in total length (GenBank accession number: MW491837) with 44.07% GC. The complete mitochondrial genome consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal genes, and one noncoding control region. Phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial genomes suggested that T. przewalskii was most closely related to its congener T. keyserlingii. This work provides valuable molecular information for further research on species identification and molecular evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yu
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Key Laboratory of Biodiversity conservation and Sustainable utilization for College and University of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yan Liu
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Junmei Yang
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Siqi Li
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Junhuai Bi
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Ruidong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Key Laboratory of Biodiversity conservation and Sustainable utilization for College and University of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
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30
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Paparella I, Caldwell MW. Cranial anatomy of the Galápagos marine iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus ( Squamata: Iguanidae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:1739-1786. [PMID: 34652885 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Amblyrhynchus cristatus, the marine iguana, is unique among the ~7,000 species of living limbed lizards as it has successfully evolved adaptations that allow it to live in both terrestrial and marine environments. This species is endemic to the Galápagos Archipelago and has evolved a specialized feeding behavior, consuming primarily the algae that grow on the rocky seafloor. The intriguing questions arising around the evolution of the marine iguana concerns the use of exaptations of terrestrial features for aquatic and specifically marine adaptations. However, the lack of fundamental information about its anatomy currently prevents us from understanding how it became adapted to such a peculiar lifestyle in comparison to all other iguanids. The goal of this study is to provide the first ever description of the skull, mandible, and hyoid of Amblyrhynchus. We examined several specimens of marine iguana, including skeletal, wet, and ct-scanned material, and individuals at different ontogenetic stages. We also analyzed specimens of all other modern iguanid genera (Conolophus, Iguana, Ctenosaura, Cyclura, Dipsosaurus, Brachylophus, Sauromalus) in order to make comparisons between Amblyrhynchus and its closest relatives. We were able to identify several autapomorphic features that distinguish the marine iguana from all other iguanids. These unique morphologies are mostly associated with the modified configuration of the snout (nasal chamber), increased muscle attachments in the temporal-postorbital region of the skull, and dentition. Since Amblyrhynchus is the only nonophidian squamate currently able to exploit the ocean at least for some vital functions (i.e., feeding), we used comparisons to fossil marine lizards (e.g., mosasaurids) to discuss some of these unique traits. The new cranial features described for Amblyrhynchus may represent a source of novel morphological characters for use in future phylogenetic analyses of iguanian (or squamate) relationships, which will then serve as the foundation for the exploration of evolutionary patterns and processes that led to the development of such unique adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Paparella
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael W Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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31
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Gippner S, Travers SL, Scherz MD, Colston TJ, Lyra ML, Mohan AV, Multzsch M, Nielsen SV, Rancilhac L, Glaw F, Bauer AM, Vences M. A comprehensive phylogeny of dwarf geckos of the genus Lygodactylus, with insights into their systematics and morphological variation. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 165:107311. [PMID: 34530117 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The 71 currently known species of dwarf geckos of the genus Lygodactylus are a clade of biogeographic interest due to their occurrence in continental Africa, Madagascar, and South America. Furthermore, because many species are morphologically cryptic, our knowledge of species-level diversity within this genus is incomplete, as indicated by numerous unnamed genetic lineages revealed in previous molecular studies. Here we provide an extensive multigene phylogeny covering 56 of the named Lygodactylus species, four named subspecies, and 34 candidate species of which 19 are newly identified in this study. Phylogenetic analyses, based on ∼10.1 kbp concatenated sequences of eight nuclear-encoded and five mitochondrial gene fragments, confirm the monophyly of 14 Lygodactylus species groups, arranged in four major clades. We recover two clades splitting from basal nodes, one comprising exclusively Malagasy species groups, and the other containing three clades. In the latter, there is a clade with only Madagascar species, which is followed by a clade containing three African and one South American species groups, and its sister clade containing six African and two Malagasy species groups. Relationships among species groups within these latter clades remain weakly supported. We reconstruct a Lygodactylus timetree based on a novel fossil-dated phylotranscriptomic tree of squamates, in which we included data from two newly sequenced Lygodactylus transcriptomes. We estimate the crown diversification of Lygodactylus started at 46 mya, and the dispersal of Lygodactylus among the main landmasses in the Oligocene and Miocene, 35-22 mya, but emphasize the wide confidence intervals of these estimates. The phylogeny suggests an initial out-of-Madagascar dispersal as most parsimonious, but accounting for poorly resolved nodes, an out-of-Africa scenario may only require one extra dispersal step. More accurate inferences into the biogeographic history of these geckos will likely require broader sampling of related genera and phylogenomic approaches to provide better topological support. A survey of morphological characters revealed that most of the major clades and species groups within Lygodactylus cannot be unambiguously characterized by external morphology alone, neither by unique character states nor by a diagnostic combination of character states. Thus, any future taxonomic work will likely benefit from integrative, phylogenomic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Gippner
- Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; State Natural History Museum of Braunschweig, Pockelsstr. 10, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Scott L Travers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University-Newark, 195 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Mark D Scherz
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Timothy J Colston
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, 220 Bartram Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Mariana L Lyra
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Rio Claro, Avenida 24A, N 1515 Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP CEP13506-900, Brazil
| | - Ashwini V Mohan
- Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Malte Multzsch
- Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stuart V Nielsen
- Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd St., Gainesville, FL 32606, USA; Florida Museum of Natural History, Division of Herpetology, 1659 Museum Road - Dickinson Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Loïs Rancilhac
- Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Frank Glaw
- Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), Münchhausenstraße 21, 81247 München, Germany
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Miguel Vences
- Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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Alibardi L, Meyer-Rochow VB. Regeneration in Reptiles Generally and the New Zealand Tuatara in Particular as a Model to Analyse Organ Regrowth in Amniotes: A Review. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:36. [PMID: 34564085 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9030036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to repair injuries among reptiles, i.e., ectothermic amniotes, is similar to that of mammals with some noteworthy exceptions. While large wounds in turtles and crocodilians are repaired through scarring, the reparative capacity involving the tail derives from a combined process of wound healing and somatic growth, the latter being continuous in reptiles. When the tail is injured in juvenile crocodilians, turtles and tortoises as well as the tuatara (Rhynchocephalia: Sphenodon punctatus, Gray 1842), the wound is repaired in these reptiles and some muscle and connective tissue and large amounts of cartilage are regenerated during normal growth. This process, here indicated as “regengrow”, can take years to produce tails with similar lengths of the originals and results in only apparently regenerated replacements. These new tails contain a cartilaginous axis and very small (turtle and crocodilians) to substantial (e.g., in tuatara) muscle mass, while most of the tail is formed by an irregular dense connective tissue containing numerous fat cells and sparse nerves. Tail regengrow in the tuatara is a long process that initially resembles that of lizards (the latter being part of the sister group Squamata within the Lepidosauria) with the formation of an axial ependymal tube isolated within a cartilaginous cylinder and surrounded by an irregular fat-rich connective tissue, some muscle bundles, and neogenic scales. Cell proliferation is active in the apical regenerative blastema, but much reduced cell proliferation continues in older regenerated tails, where it occurs mostly in the axial cartilage and scale epidermis of the new tail, but less commonly in the regenerated spinal cord, muscles, and connective tissues. The higher tissue regeneration of Sphenodon and other lepidosaurians provides useful information for attempts to improve organ regeneration in endothermic amniotes.
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Mezzasalma M, Guarino FM, Odierna G. Lizards as Model Organisms of Sex Chromosome Evolution: What We Really Know from a Systematic Distribution of Available Data? Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1341. [PMID: 34573323 PMCID: PMC8468487 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Lizards represent unique model organisms in the study of sex determination and sex chromosome evolution. Among tetrapods, they are characterized by an unparalleled diversity of sex determination systems, including temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and genetic sex determination (GSD) under either male or female heterogamety. Sex chromosome systems are also extremely variable in lizards. They include simple (XY and ZW) and multiple (X1X2Y and Z1Z2W) sex chromosome systems and encompass all the different hypothesized stages of diversification of heterogametic chromosomes, from homomorphic to heteromorphic and completely heterochromatic sex chromosomes. The co-occurrence of TSD, GSD and different sex chromosome systems also characterizes different lizard taxa, which represent ideal models to study the emergence and the evolutionary drivers of sex reversal and sex chromosome turnover. In this review, we present a synthesis of general genome and karyotype features of non-snakes squamates and discuss the main theories and evidences on the evolution and diversification of their different sex determination and sex chromosome systems. We here provide a systematic assessment of the available data on lizard sex chromosome systems and an overview of the main cytogenetic and molecular methods used for their identification, using a qualitative and quantitative approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Mezzasalma
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, I-80126 Naples, Italy; (F.M.G.); (G.O.)
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, 4485-661 Vairaõ, Portugal
| | - Fabio M. Guarino
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, I-80126 Naples, Italy; (F.M.G.); (G.O.)
| | - Gaetano Odierna
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, I-80126 Naples, Italy; (F.M.G.); (G.O.)
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Williams C, Kirby A, Marghoub A, Kéver L, Ostashevskaya-Gohstand S, Bertazzo S, Moazen M, Abzhanov A, Herrel A, Evans SE, Vickaryous M. A review of the osteoderms of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata). Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:1-19. [PMID: 34397141 PMCID: PMC9292694 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Osteoderms are mineralised structures consisting mainly of calcium phosphate and collagen. They form directly within the skin, with or without physical contact with the skeleton. Osteoderms, in some form, may be primitive for tetrapods as a whole, and are found in representatives of most major living lineages including turtles, crocodilians, lizards, armadillos, and some frogs, as well as extinct taxa ranging from early tetrapods to dinosaurs. However, their distribution in time and space raises questions about their evolution and homology in individual groups. Among lizards and their relatives, osteoderms may be completely absent; present only on the head or dorsum; or present all over the body in one of several arrangements, including non-overlapping mineralised clusters, a continuous covering of overlapping plates, or as spicular mineralisations that thicken with age. This diversity makes lizards an excellent focal group in which to study osteoderm structure, function, development and evolution. In the past, the focus of researchers was primarily on the histological structure and/or the gross anatomy of individual osteoderms in a limited sample of taxa. Those studies demonstrated that lizard osteoderms are sometimes two-layered structures, with a vitreous, avascular layer just below the epidermis and a deeper internal layer with abundant collagen within the deep dermis. However, there is considerable variation on this model, in terms of the arrangement of collagen fibres, presence of extra tissues, and/or a cancellous bone core bordered by cortices. Moreover, there is a lack of consensus on the contribution, if any, of osteoblasts in osteoderm development, despite research describing patterns of resorption and replacement that would suggest both osteoclast and osteoblast involvement. Key to this is information on development, but our understanding of the genetic and skeletogenic processes involved in osteoderm development and patterning remains minimal. The most common proposition for the presence of osteoderms is that they provide a protective armour. However, the large morphological and distributional diversity in lizard osteoderms raises the possibility that they may have other roles such as biomechanical reinforcement in response to ecological or functional constraints. If lizard osteoderms are primarily for defence, whether against predators or conspecifics, then this 'bony armour' might be predicted to have different structural and/or mechanical properties compared to other hard tissues (generally intended for support and locomotion). The cellular and biomineralisation mechanisms by which osteoderms are formed could also be different from those of other hard tissues, as reflected in their material composition and nanostructure. Material properties, especially the combination of malleability and resistance to impact, are of interest to the biomimetics and bioinspired material communities in the development of protective clothing and body armour. Currently, the literature on osteoderms is patchy and is distributed across a wide range of journals. Herein we present a synthesis of current knowledge on lizard osteoderm evolution and distribution, micro- and macrostructure, development, and function, with a view to stimulating further work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Williams
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.,Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114-116, Aarhus C, DK-8000, Denmark
| | - Alexander Kirby
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, U.K.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Arsalan Marghoub
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, U.K
| | - Loïc Kéver
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 MECADEV C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N., Bâtiment d'Anatomie Comparée, 55 rue Buffon, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Sonya Ostashevskaya-Gohstand
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, U.K
| | - Sergio Bertazzo
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Mehran Moazen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, U.K
| | - Arkhat Abzhanov
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, U.K
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 MECADEV C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N., Bâtiment d'Anatomie Comparée, 55 rue Buffon, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Susan E Evans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Matt Vickaryous
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
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Ananjeva NB, Gordeev DA, Korost DV. The Review of the Autotomy of Agamid Lizards with Considerations about the Types of Autotomy and Regeneration. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9030032. [PMID: 34449652 PMCID: PMC8395757 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9030032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a review of the data on the intervertebral autotomy and regeneration of agamid lizards based on an analysis of information obtained over a 35-year period after the publication of thorough reviews (Arnold, 1984, 1988 and Bellairs, Bryant, 1985). It is supplemented by our own studies of 869 specimens of agamid lizards (Sauria, Agamidae) stored in the herpetological collections of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg, Russia) and the Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia), represented by 31 species of 16 genera. The manifestations of the ability for autotomy and regeneration in phylogenetic lineages within the family—Leiolepidinae, Amphibolurinae, Agaminae, Draconinae—are considered. A comparative morphological analysis of the structure of the caudal vertebrae was carried out using the Computer Microtomography Methods (micro-CT) in the following ecomorphological types of agama: (1) with developed abilities to caudal autotomy and regeneration, (2) with the ability to caudal autotomy but without regeneration and (3) without the ability to autotomy. The phenomenon of intervertebral autotomy (urotomy) in snakes is considered too. Possible ways of evolution of the ability to caudal autotomy as a defense strategy against predators are discussed in the phylogenetic context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dmitry Anatolyevich Gordeev
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, Volgograd State University, 400062 Volgograd, Russia;
- Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VolgogradNIRO), 400001 Volgograd, Russia
| | - Dmitry Vyacheslavovich Korost
- Department of Geology and Geochemistry of Fossil Fuels, Faculty of Geology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
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Agarwal I, Ceríaco LMP, Metallinou M, Jackman TR, Bauer AM. How the African house gecko ( Hemidactylus mabouia) conquered the world. R Soc Open Sci 2021; 8:210749. [PMID: 34386263 PMCID: PMC8334833 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Alien species are among the greatest threats to biodiversity, but the evolutionary origins of invasiveness remain obscure. We conducted the first range-wide sampling of Hemidactylus mabouia from more than 120 localities across Africa, Madagascar and the Neotropics to understand the evolutionary history of one of the most widely distributed, invasive vertebrates in the world. We used a multi-locus phylogeny, species delimitation, fossil-calibrated timetree, ancestral area reconstruction and species distribution models (SDMs) to determine how many putative species-level lineages are contained within H. mabouia, the timing and tempo of diversification, and the origins of commensality-providing insights into the evolutionary origins of invasiveness. Our analyses suggest 'H. mabouia' originated in the Miocene in the Zambezian biogeographic region and includes as many as 20 putative species-level lineages, of which only Hemidactylus mabouia sensu stricto is invasive and widely distributed, including all Neotropical records. Zambezia is the hotspot for diversity within the group with 14 species in southeastern Zambezia. SDMs suggest that H. mabouia was able to establish in the Neotropics due to habitat suitability, and globalization and the slave trade probably allowed it to cross the Atlantic. Distribution models for the H. mabouia complex overpredict the range of the invasive H. mabouia sensu stricto-highlighting the importance of taxonomy in invasive species management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishan Agarwal
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
- Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, Vaibhav Chambers, Bandra, Mumbai 400051, India
| | - Luis M. P. Ceríaco
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
- Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| | - Margarita Metallinou
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Todd R. Jackman
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Aaron M. Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
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Sakich NB, Tattersall GJ. Bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) with reduced scalation lose water faster but do not have substantially different thermal preferences. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269179. [PMID: 34137892 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.234427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Whether scales reduce cutaneous evaporative water loss in lepidosaur reptiles (Superorder Lepidosauria) such as lizards and snakes has been a contentious issue for nearly half a century. Furthermore, while many studies have looked at whether dehydration affects thermal preference in lepidosaurs, far fewer have examined whether normally hydrated lepidosaurs can assess their instantaneous rate of evaporative water loss and adjust their thermal preference to compensate in an adaptive manner. We tested both of these hypotheses using three captive-bred phenotypes of bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) sourced from the pet trade: 'wild-types' with normal scalation, 'leatherbacks' exhibiting scales of reduced prominence, and scaleless bearded dragons referred to as 'silkbacks'. Silkbacks on average lost water evaporatively at about twice the rate that wild-types did. Leatherbacks on average were closer in their rates of evaporative water loss to silkbacks than they were to wild-types. Additionally, very small (at most ∼1°C) differences in thermal preference existed between the three phenotypes that were not statistically significant. This suggests a lack of plasticity in thermal preference in response to an increase in the rate of evaporative water loss, and may be reflective of a thermal 'strategy' as employed by thermoregulating bearded dragons that prioritises immediate thermal benefits over the threat of future dehydration. The results of this study bolster an often-discounted hypothesis regarding the present adaptive function of scales and have implications for the applied fields of animal welfare and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B Sakich
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Glenn J Tattersall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
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Abstract
Parthenogenesis is rare in nature. With 39 described true parthenogens, scaled reptiles (Squamata) are the only vertebrates that evolved this reproductive strategy. Parthenogenesis is ecologically advantageous in the short term, but the young age and rarity of parthenogenetic species indicate it is less advantageous in the long term. This suggests parthenogenesis is self-destructive: it arises often but is lost due to increased extinction rates, high rates of reversal or both. However, this role of parthenogenesis as a self-destructive trait remains unknown. We used a phylogeny of Squamata (5388 species), tree metrics, null simulations and macroevolutionary scenarios of trait diversification to address the factors that best explain the rarity of parthenogenetic species. We show that parthenogenesis can be considered as self-destructive, with high extinction rates mainly responsible for its rarity in nature. Since these parthenogenetic species occur, this trait should be ecologically relevant in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Owen Moreira
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Carlos Fonseca
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
- ForestWISE - Collaborative Laboratory for Integrated Forest and Fire Management, Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Danny Rojas
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Cali, Colombia
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Van Ha N, An OV, Sato H, Greiman SE, Linh LTM, Binh TT. Description and Molecular Differentiation of a New Falcaustra (Nematode: Kathlaniidae) from the Indochinese Water Dragon, Physignathus cocincinus ( Squamata: Agamidae) in North-central Vietnam. J Parasitol 2021; 107:98-107. [PMID: 33567092 DOI: 10.1645/20-57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Falcaustra vietnamensis n. sp. is described from the small intestine of Physignathus cocincinus from north-central Vietnam. The new species is characterized by the large male worms (20.2-28.8 mm in length and 557-724 μm in width) relative to known members of the genus, 2 sharply pointed alate spicules of equal length (1,128-1,256 μm in length), gubernaculum including 2 separate pieces, 1 ventral with a pointed distal end and 1 dorsal with a blunt distal end (164-192 μm and 155-172 μm in length, respectively), and 12 pairs of caudal papillae. Female worms are larger than male worms (24.2-34.1 mm in length and 532-735 μm in width), with the vulva situated in the posterior half of body, and elliptical eggs, 60-70 μm long by 42-47 μm wide. Falcaustra vietnamensis n. sp. represents the 38th species assigned to the genus and the third species recorded from a lizard host in the Oriental biogeographical region. Partial sequences of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) are provided for the new species. The molecular phylogenetic position of the genus Falcaustra is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Van Ha
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Ong Vinh An
- Department of Biology, Vinh University, 182 Le Duan Street, Vinh City, Nghe An Province, Vietnam
| | - Hiroshi Sato
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
| | - Stephen E Greiman
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Road, Statesboro, Georgia 30460
| | - Le Thi Mai Linh
- Department of Molecular Systematics and Conservation Genetics, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tran Thi Binh
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Vassetzky NS, Kosushkin SA, Korchagin VI, Ryskov AP. New Ther1-derived SINE Squam3 in scaled reptiles. Mob DNA 2021; 12:10. [PMID: 33752750 PMCID: PMC7983390 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-021-00238-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SINEs comprise a significant part of animal genomes and are used to study the evolution of diverse taxa. Despite significant advances in SINE studies in vertebrates and higher eukaryotes in general, their own evolution is poorly understood. RESULTS We have discovered and described in detail a new Squam3 SINE specific for scaled reptiles (Squamata). The subfamilies of this SINE demonstrate different distribution in the genomes of squamates, which together with the data on similar SINEs in the tuatara allowed us to propose a scenario of their evolution in the context of reptilian evolution. CONCLUSIONS Ancestral SINEs preserved in small numbers in most genomes can give rise to taxa-specific SINE families. Analysis of this aspect of SINEs can shed light on the history and mechanisms of SINE variation in reptilian genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita S Vassetzky
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Sergei A Kosushkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Vitaly I Korchagin
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Alexey P Ryskov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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Dutel H, Gröning F, Sharp AC, Watson PJ, Herrel A, Ross CF, Jones MEH, Evans SE, Fagan MJ. Comparative cranial biomechanics in two lizard species: impact of variation in cranial design. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.234831. [PMID: 33504585 PMCID: PMC7970069 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.234831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cranial morphology in lepidosaurs is highly disparate and characterised by the frequent loss or reduction of bony elements. In varanids and geckos, the loss of the postorbital bar is associated with changes in skull shape, but the mechanical principles underlying this variation remain poorly understood. Here, we sought to determine how the overall cranial architecture and the presence of the postorbital bar relate to the loading and deformation of the cranial bones during biting in lepidosaurs. Using computer-based simulation techniques, we compared cranial biomechanics in the varanid Varanus niloticus and the teiid Salvator merianae, two large, active foragers. The overall strain magnitude and distribution across the cranium were similar in the two species, despite lower strain gradients in V. niloticus. In S. merianae, the postorbital bar is important for resistance of the cranium to feeding loads. The postorbital ligament, which in varanids partially replaces the postorbital bar, does not affect bone strain. Our results suggest that the reduction of the postorbital bar impaired neither biting performance nor the structural resistance of the cranium to feeding loads in V. niloticus. Differences in bone strain between the two species might reflect demands imposed by feeding and non-feeding functions on cranial shape. Beyond variation in cranial bone strain related to species-specific morphological differences, our results reveal that similar mechanical behaviour is shared by lizards with distinct cranial shapes. Contrary to the situation in mammals, the morphology of the circumorbital region, calvaria and palate appears to be important for withstanding high feeding loads in these lizards. Summary:In vivo measurements and computer-based simulations of the cranial mechanics of two large lizards indicate that similar mechanical behaviour is shared by lizards with distinct cranial architecture, and show the importance of the postorbital bar in resisting the feeding loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Dutel
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK .,Department of Engineering, Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Flora Gröning
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Alana C Sharp
- Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L7 8TX, UK.,Centre for Integrative Anatomy, Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Anatomy Building, Gower Street, London, WCIE 6BT, UK
| | - Peter J Watson
- Department of Engineering, Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179 MECADEV, MNHN - CNRS, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Callum F Ross
- Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, 1027 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Marc E H Jones
- Centre for Integrative Anatomy, Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Anatomy Building, Gower Street, London, WCIE 6BT, UK
| | - Susan E Evans
- Centre for Integrative Anatomy, Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Anatomy Building, Gower Street, London, WCIE 6BT, UK
| | - Michael J Fagan
- Department of Engineering, Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
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Herrera-Flores JA, Stubbs TL, Benton MJ. Ecomorphological diversification of squamates in the Cretaceous. R Soc Open Sci 2021; 8:201961. [PMID: 33959350 PMCID: PMC8074880 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Squamates (lizards and snakes) are highly successful modern vertebrates, with over 10 000 species. Squamates have a long history, dating back to at least 240 million years ago (Ma), and showing increasing species richness in the Late Cretaceous (84 Ma) and Early Palaeogene (66-55 Ma). We confirm that the major expansion of dietary functional morphology happened before these diversifications, in the mid-Cretaceous, 110-90 Ma. Until that time, squamates had relatively uniform tooth types, which then diversified substantially and ecomorphospace expanded to modern levels. This coincides with the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution, when angiosperms began to take over terrestrial ecosystems, providing new roles for plant-eating and pollinating insects, which were, in turn, new sources of food for herbivorous and insectivorous squamates. There was also an early Late Cretaceous (95-90 Ma) rise in jaw size disparity, driven by the diversification of marine squamates, particularly early mosasaurs. These events established modern levels of squamate feeding ecomorphology before the major steps in species diversification, confirming decoupling of diversity and disparity. In fact, squamate feeding ecomorphospace had been partially explored in the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, and jaw innovation in Late Cretaceous squamates involved expansions at the extremes of morphospace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A. Herrera-Flores
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Thomas L. Stubbs
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Michael J. Benton
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Meiri S, Murali G, Zimin A, Shak L, Itescu Y, Caetano G, Roll U. Different solutions lead to similar life history traits across the great divides of the amniote tree of life. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:3. [PMID: 33557958 PMCID: PMC7869468 DOI: 10.1186/s40709-021-00134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Amniote vertebrates share a suite of extra-embryonic membranes that distinguish them from anamniotes. Other than that, however, their reproductive characteristics could not be more different. They differ in basic ectothermic vs endothermic physiology, in that two clades evolved powered flight, and one clade evolved a protective shell. In terms of reproductive strategies, some produce eggs and others give birth to live young, at various degrees of development. Crucially, endotherms provide lengthy parental care, including thermal and food provisioning—whereas ectotherms seldom do. These differences could be expected to manifest themselves in major differences between clades in quantitative reproductive traits. We review the reproductive characteristics, and the distributions of brood sizes, breeding frequencies, offspring sizes and their derivatives (yearly fecundity and biomass production rates) of the four major amniote clades (mammals, birds, turtles and squamates), and several major subclades (birds: Palaeognathae, Galloanserae, Neoaves; mammals: Metatheria and Eutheria). While there are differences between these clades in some of these traits, they generally show similar ranges, distribution shapes and central tendencies across birds, placental mammals and squamates. Marsupials and turtles, however, differ in having smaller offspring, a strategy which subsequently influences other traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel. .,The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Gopal Murali
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, Israel
| | - Anna Zimin
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lior Shak
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yuval Itescu
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 12587, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriel Caetano
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, Israel
| | - Uri Roll
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, Israel
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Carvalho PS, Zaher H, da Silva Jr NJ, Santana DJ. A morphological and molecular study of Hydrodynastes gigas (Serpentes, Dipsadidae), a widespread species from South America. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10073. [PMID: 33304646 PMCID: PMC7698695 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies with integrative approaches (based on different lines of evidence) are fundamental for understanding the diversity of organisms. Different data sources can improve the understanding of the taxonomy and evolution of snakes. We used this integrative approach to verify the taxonomic status of Hydrodynastes gigas (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854), given its wide distribution throughout South America, including the validity of the recently described Hydrodynastes melanogigas Franco, Fernandes & Bentim, 2007. METHODS We performed a phylogenetic analysis of Bayesian Inference with mtDNA 16S and Cytb, and nuDNA Cmos and NT3 concatenated (1,902 bp). In addition, we performed traditional morphometric analyses, meristic, hemipenis morphology and coloration pattern of H. gigas and H. melanogigas. RESULTS According to molecular and morphological characters, H. gigas is widely distributed throughout South America. We found no evidence to support that H. gigas and H. melanogigas species are distinct lineages, therefore, H. melanogigas is a junior synonym of H. gigas. Thus, the melanic pattern of H. melanogigas is the result of a polymorphism of H. gigas. Melanic populations of H. gigas can be found in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila S. Carvalho
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
- Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Hussam Zaher
- Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nelson J. da Silva Jr
- Escola de Ciências Médicas, Farmacêuticas e Biomédicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Diego J. Santana
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
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Šmíd J, Uvizl M, Shobrak M, Salim AFA, AlGethami RHM, Algethami AR, Alanazi ASK, Alsubaie SD, Busais S, Carranza S. Swimming through the sands of the Sahara and Arabian deserts: Phylogeny of sandfish skinks (Scincidae, Scincus) reveals a recent and rapid diversification. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 155:107012. [PMID: 33217580 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.107012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Large parts of the Sahara Desert and Arabia are covered by sand seas and sand dunes, which are inhabited by specialized animal communities. For example, many lizards have developed adaptations to life in loose sand, including sand-swimming behavior. The best-known sand swimmers of the Saharo-Arabia are the sandfish skinks (genus Scincus). Although there are currently only four Scincus species recognized, their phylogenetic relationships have not yet been addressed in detail. We use eight genetic markers (three mitochondrial, five nuclear) and a complete sampling of species to infer the relationships within the genus. We employ multiple phylogenetic approaches to reconstruct the evolutionary history of these skinks and to assess the level of reticulation at the onset of their radiation. Our results indicate the presence of five strongly supported species-level lineages, four represented by the currently recognized species and the fifth by S. scincus conirostris, which does not form a clade with S. scincus. Based on these results we elevate the Iranian and northern Arabian S. conirostris to the species level. The two Saharan species, S. albifasciatus and S. scincus, are sister in all analyses. Deeper relationships within the genus, however, remained largely unresolved despite the extensive genetic data set. This basal polytomy, together with the fact that we detected no sign of hybridization in the history of the genus, indicates that the diversification of the five Scincus species was rapid, burst-like, and not followed by secondary hybridization events. Divergence time estimations show a Middle Pliocene crown radiation of the genus (3.3 Mya). We hypothesize that the aridification of the Saharo-Arabia that began in the Late Miocene triggered the initial diversification of Scincus, and that the subsequent expansion of sand deserts enabled their dispersal over the large Saharan and Arabian range. We discuss the evolution of body form in sand swimming lizards and ponder how Scincus retained their fully limbed morphology despite being sand swimmers that are typically limbless.
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Cubides-Cubillos SD, Patané JSL, Pereira da Silva KM, Almeida-Santos SM, Polydoro DS, Galassi GG, Travaglia Cardoso SR, Silva MJDJ. Evidence of facultative parthenogenesis in three Neotropical pitviper species of the Bothrops atrox group. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10097. [PMID: 33240594 PMCID: PMC7680053 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined four suspected cases of facultative parthenogenesis in three species of a neotropical lineage of pitvipers of the Bothrops atrox group. Reproduction without mating was observed in captive females of B. atrox, B. moojeni and B. leucurus housed alone for seven years (the two former species) and nine years (the latter one). In addition to the observation of captivity data, we investigated molecularly this phenomenon using heterologous microsatellites. DNA was extracted from the mothers’ scales or liver, from embryo and newborn fragments, and yolked ova. Four of the microsatellites showed good amplification using Polymerase Chain Reaction and informative band segregation patterns among each mother and respective offspring. Captivity information, litter characteristics (comparison of the number of newborns, embryos and yolked ova) and molecular data altogether agreed with facultative parthenogenesis predictions in at least three out of the four mothers studied: B. atrox (ID#933) was heterozygous for three out of the four markers, and the sons S1 and S2 were homozygous; B. moojeni (BUT86) was heterozygous for two out of four markers, offspring S1, S3, E2, and E4, and O1 to O6 were homozygous; and B. leucurus (MJJS503) was heterozygous for three out of four markers, and son E1 and O1 were homozygous. B. moojeni (BUT44) was homozygous for all loci analyzed in the mother and offspring, which although not informative is also consistent with parthenogenesis. This study represents the first molecular confirmation of different pitviper species undergoing facultative parthenogenesis among Neotropical endemic snakes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José S L Patané
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
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Souza RBBD, Bonfim VMG, Rios VP, Klein W. Allometric relations of respiratory variables in Amniota: Effects of phylogeny, form, and function. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2020; 252:110845. [PMID: 33197562 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Biological variables are frequently described by analyzing scaling relationships of the variable against body mass (MB). Respiratory variables are no exception and allometric relations for oxygen consumption, pulmonary ventilation, tidal volume, breathing frequency, and lung volume have been described in the literature. While the allometric relations of respiratory variables given for mammals and birds are very consistent among different studies, scaling relationships for non-avian reptiles have only been scarcely described and show considerable variation between studies. Since no comprehensive study of allometric relations of respiratory variables has been carried out comparing the different groups of non-avian reptiles, we analyzed morphological and physiological variables of the respiratory system of crocodilians, chelonians, lizards, snakes, birds, and mammals, regarding the allometric relations of each variable from a phylogenetic perspective as well as related to lung morphology. Our results indicated that few respiratory variables possess significant phylogenetic signals and that tidal volume, breathing frequency (except mammals), and air convection requirement were independent of phylogeny. Contrary to the literature, lung volume of amniotes scaled isometrically to MB, with the exception of lizards (MB0.78). Air convection requirement scaled isometrically in mammals and birds, but was more variable among non-avian reptiles, from a taxonomic perspective and in regard to different lung structures. In conclusion, respiratory variables among non-avian reptiles scaled more variably than previously expected, both according to phylogeny and to lung type, warranting future studies to explore structure-function relations of the reptilian respiratory system, especially regarding snakes and crocodilians, since these groups had very few data available for analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Brasil Bueno de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Maria Gomes Bonfim
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Comparada, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vitor Passos Rios
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Comparada, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, São Paulo, Brazil; Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Passos 37900-106, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wilfried Klein
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Russell AP, Bauer AM. Vocalization by extant nonavian reptiles: A synthetic overview of phonation and the vocal apparatus. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 304:1478-1528. [PMID: 33099849 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Among amniote vertebrates, nonavian reptiles (chelonians, crocodilians, and lepidosaurs) are regarded as using vocal signals rarely (compared to birds and mammals). In all three reptilian clades, however, certain taxa emit distress calls and advertisement calls using modifications of regions of the upper respiratory tract. There is no central tendency in either acoustic mechanisms or the structure of the vocal apparatus, and many taxa that vocalize emit only relatively simple sounds. Available evidence indicates multiple origins of true vocal abilities within these lineages. Reptiles thus provide opportunities for studying the early evolutionary stages of vocalization. The early literature on the diversity of form of the laryngotracheal apparatus of reptiles boded well for the study of form-function relationships, but this potential was not extensively explored. Emphasis shifted away from anatomy, however, and centered instead on acoustic analysis of the sounds that are produced. New investigative techniques have provided novel ways of studying the form-function aspects of the structures involved in phonation and have brought anatomical investigation to the forefront again. In this review we summarize what is known about hearing in reptiles in order to contextualize the vocal signals they generate and the sound-producing mechanisms responsible for them. The diversity of form of the sound producing apparatus and the increasing evidence that reptiles are more dependent upon vocalization as a communication medium than previously thought indicates that they have a significant role to play in the understanding of the evolution of vocalization in amniotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony P Russell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA
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Abstract
Mosasaurs were large, globally distributed aquatic lizards that lived during the Late Cretaceous. Despite numerous specimens of varying maturity, a detailed growth series has not been proposed for any mosasaur taxon. Two taxa-Tylosaurus proriger and T. kansasensis/nepaeolicus-have robust fossil records with specimens spanning a wide range of sizes and are thus ideal for studying mosasaur ontogeny. Tylosaurus is a genus of particularly large mosasaurs with long, edentulous anterior extensions of the premaxilla and dentary that lived in Europe and North America during the Late Cretaceous. An analysis of growth in Tylosaurus provides an opportunity to test hypotheses of the synonymy of T. kansasensis with T. nepaeolicus, sexual dimorphism, anagenesis, and heterochrony. Fifty-nine hypothetical growth characters were identified, including size-dependent, size-independent, and phylogenetic characters, and quantitative cladistic analysis was used to recover growth series for the two taxa. The results supported the synonymy of T. kansasensis with T. nepaeolicus and that T. kansasensis represent juveniles of T. nepaeolicus. A Spearman rank-order correlation test resulted in a significant correlation between two measures of size (total skull length and quadrate height) and maturity. Eleven growth changes were shared across both species, neither of the ontogram topologies showed evidence of skeletal sexual dimorphism, and a previous hypothesis of paedomorphy in T. proriger was not rejected. Finally, a novel hypothesis of anagenesis in Western Interior Seaway Tylosaurus species, driven by peramorphy, is proposed here.
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Szabo B, Noble DWA, Whiting MJ. Learning in non-avian reptiles 40 years on: advances and promising new directions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:331-356. [PMID: 33073470 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Recently, there has been a surge in cognition research using non-avian reptile systems. As a diverse group of animals, non-avian reptiles [turtles, the tuatara, crocodylians, and squamates (lizards, snakes and amphisbaenids)] are good model systems for answering questions related to cognitive ecology, from the role of the environment on the brain, behaviour and learning, to how social and life-history factors correlate with learning ability. Furthermore, given their variable social structure and degree of sociality, studies on reptiles have shown that group living is not a pre-condition for social learning. Past research has demonstrated that non-avian reptiles are capable of more than just instinctive reactions and basic cognition. Despite their ability to provide answers to fundamental questions in cognitive ecology, and a growing literature, there have been no recent systematic syntheses of research in this group. Here, we systematically, and comprehensively review studies on reptile learning. We identify 92 new studies investigating learning in reptiles not included in previous reviews on this topic - affording a unique opportunity to provide a more in-depth synthesis of existing work, its taxonomic distribution, the types of cognitive domains tested and methodologies that have been used. Our review therefore provides a major update on our current state of knowledge and ties the collective evidence together under nine umbrella research areas: (i) habituation of behaviour, (ii) animal training through conditioning, (iii) avoiding aversive stimuli, (iv) spatial learning and memory, (v) learning during foraging, (vi) quality and quantity discrimination, (vii) responding to change, (viii) solving novel problems, and (ix) social learning. Importantly, we identify knowledge gaps and propose themes which offer important future research opportunities including how cognitive ability might influence fitness and survival, testing cognition in ecologically relevant situations, comparing cognition in invasive and non-invasive populations of species, and social learning. To move the field forward, it will be immensely important to build upon the descriptive approach of testing whether a species can learn a task with experimental studies elucidating causal reasons for cognitive variation within and among species. With the appropriate methodology, this young but rapidly growing field of research should advance greatly in the coming years providing significant opportunities for addressing general questions in cognitive ecology and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Szabo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia.,Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, Bern, 3032, Switzerland
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Martin J Whiting
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
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