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Calvete JJ, Lomonte B, Tena-Garcés J, Zollweg M, Mebs D. Mandibular gland proteomics of the Mexican alligator lizard, Abronia graminea, and the red-lipped arboreal alligator lizard, Abronia lythrochila. Toxicon 2024; 249:108055. [PMID: 39097104 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.108055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
A useful approach to deepen our knowledge about the origin and evolution of venom systems in Reptilia has been exploring the vast biodiversity of this clade of vertebrates in search of orally produced proteins with toxic actions, as well as their corresponding delivery systems. The occurrence of toxins in anguimorph lizards has been demonstrated experimentally or inferred from reports of the toxic effects of the oral secretions of taxa within the Varanidae and Helodermatidae families. In the present study, we have focused on two alligator lizards of the Anguidae family, the Mexican alligator lizard, Abronia graminea, and the red-lipped arboreal alligator lizard, A. lythrochila. In addition, the fine morphology of teeth of the latter species is described. The presence of a conserved set of proteins, including B-type natriuretic peptides, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, group III phospholipase A2, and kallikrein, in submandibular gland extracts was demonstrated for both Abronia species. These proteins belong to toxin families found in oral gland secretions of venomous reptile species. This finding, along with previous demonstration of toxin-producing taxa in both paleo- and neoanguimorpha clades, provides further support for the existence of a handful of conserved toxin families in oral secretions across the 100+ million years of Anguimorpha cladogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Calvete
- Laboratorio de Venómica Evolutiva y Traslacional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, C.S.I.C., Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Bruno Lomonte
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiologia, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 11501, Costa Rica.
| | - Jordi Tena-Garcés
- Laboratorio de Venómica Evolutiva y Traslacional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, C.S.I.C., Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | | | - Dietrich Mebs
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Kennedyallee 104, D-60569, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Clause AG, Luna-Reyes R, Mendoza-Velázquez OM, Nieto-Montes de Oca A, Solano-Zavaleta I. Bridging the gap: A new species of arboreal Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295230. [PMID: 38170723 PMCID: PMC10763973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The mountain forests of Middle America are renowned for their endemic biodiversity, and arboreal alligator lizards (genus Abronia) are high-profile vertebrates endemic to this region. In this work, we describe a new species of arboreal Abronia that is known only from the type locality in the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. The new species is diagnosed from all other members of the genus Abronia by the following combination of characters: lack of protuberant or spine-like supra-auricular scales, lack of protuberant or casque-like posterolateral head scales, dorsum of head pale yellow with distinct dark markings, 35-39 transverse dorsal scale rows, lateralmost row of ventral scales enlarged relative to adjacent medial row, and dorsum brown with darker crossbands that are sometimes reduced to rows of spots. We provisionally include the new species in the subgenus Lissabronia based on genomic and morphological evidence, but our results also suggest a close relationship to the subgenus Abaculabronia. The new species is geographically separated from the nearest Lissabronia and Abaculabronia species by the lowland Central Depression of Chiapas. Ongoing habitat loss and other factors imperil the new species, leading us to propose its listing under multiple threatened species frameworks. Because the Northern Highlands have poor coverage of protected areas, we briefly comment on the potential of this new species for stimulating conservation in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam G. Clause
- Department of Herpetology, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Roberto Luna-Reyes
- Dirección de Áreas Naturales y Vida Silvestre, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente e Historia Natural, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
| | - Oscar M. Mendoza-Velázquez
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
| | - Adrián Nieto-Montes de Oca
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Israel Solano-Zavaleta
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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Ramírez-Bautista A, Torres-Hernández LA, Cruz-Elizalde R, Berriozabal-Islas C, Hernández-Salinas U, Wilson LD, Johnson JD, Porras LW, Balderas-Valdivia CJ, González-Hernández AJX, Mata-Silva V. An updated list of the Mexican herpetofauna: with a summary of historical and contemporary studies. Zookeys 2023; 1166:287-306. [PMID: 37346766 PMCID: PMC10280392 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1166.86986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The growth in our knowledge of the diversity of the herpetofauna of Mexico has occurred over the period of approximately 445 years from the work of Francisco Hernández to that of a broad multinational array of present-day herpetologists. The work of this huge group of people has established Mexico as one of the most significant centers of herpetofaunal biodiversity in the world. This status is the result of a complex orography, in addition to diverse habitats and environments and the biogeographic history of Mexico. The current herpetofauna consists of 1,421 native and introduced species, allocated to 220 genera, and 61 families. This figure is comprised of 1,405 native species and 16 non-native species (as of April 2023). The non-native species include two anurans, 13 squamates, and one turtle. The level of endemism is very high, presently lying at 63%, with this level expected to increase with time. Species richness varies among the 32 federal entities in the country, from a low of 50 in Tlaxcala to a high of 492 in Oaxaca. Amphibian species richness by state-level can be envisioned as comprising three levels of low, medium, and high, with the lowest levels occurring in the Peninsula of Baja California, a group of seven states in north-central and central Mexico, and a group of three states in the Yucatan Peninsula, with the highest levels occupying the southern states of Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas, and the medium level in the remaining states of the country. Reptile species richness also can be allocated to three categories, with the lowest level occupying Baja California Sur, a group of central states, and the states of the Yucatan Peninsula, and the highest level found in a cluster of the states of Veracruz, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Knowledge of the Mexican herpetofauna will continue to grow with additional studies on systematics, conservation, and the construction of checklists at various levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Km 4.5 Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo, 42184 Mineral de La Reforma, Hidalgo, MexicoUniversidad Autónoma del Estado de HidalgoMineral de la ReformaMexico
| | - Lizzeth A. Torres-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Km 4.5 Carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo, 42184 Mineral de La Reforma, Hidalgo, MexicoUniversidad Autónoma del Estado de HidalgoMineral de la ReformaMexico
| | - Raciel Cruz-Elizalde
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N, Santa Fe Juriquilla, C. P. 76230, Querétaro, Querétaro, MexicoUniversidad Autónoma de QuerétaroQuerétaroMexico
| | - Christian Berriozabal-Islas
- Programa Educativo de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Universidad Politécnica de Quintana Roo, Av. Arco Bicentenario, M 11, Lote 1119-33, Sm 255, 77500 Cancún, Quintana Roo, MexicoUniversidad Politécnica de Quintana RooCancúnMexico
| | - Uriel Hernández-Salinas
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CIIDIR Unidad Durango, Sigma 119, Fraccionamiento 20 de Noviembre II, Durango 34220, MexicoInstituto Politécnico Nacional, CIIDIR Unidad DurangoDurangoMexico
| | - Larry David Wilson
- Centro Zamorano de Biodiversidad, Escuela Agrícola Panamericana Zamorano, Departamento de Francisco Morazán, Tegucigalpa, HondurasCentro Zamorano de Biodiversidad, Escuela Agrícola Panamericana ZamoranoTegucigalpaHonduras
- 1350 Pelican Court, Homestead, Florida 33035-1031, USAUnaffiliatedHomesteadUnited States of America
| | - Jerry D. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968-0500, USAThe University of Texas at El PasoEl PasoUnited States of America
| | - Louis W. Porras
- 7705 Wyatt Earp Avenue, Eagle Mountain, Utah, 84005, USAUnaffiliatedEagle MountainUnited States of America
| | - Carlos Jesús Balderas-Valdivia
- Dirección General de Divulgación de la Ciencia, Zona Cultural de Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, MexicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico CityMexico
| | - Adriana J. X. González-Hernández
- Colección Nacional de Anfibios y Reptiles, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, CP04510, MexicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCoyoacánMexico
| | - Vicente Mata-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968-0500, USAThe University of Texas at El PasoEl PasoUnited States of America
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Cruz-Elizalde R, Ochoa-Ochoa LM, Flores-Villela OA, Velasco JA. Taxonomic distinctiveness and phylogenetic variability of amphibians and reptiles in the cloud forest of Mexico. COMMUNITY ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42974-022-00075-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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OUP accepted manuscript. Zool J Linn Soc 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Cruz-Machuca TE, Palacios-Aguilar R. A new distributional record for the Martin del Campo’s Arboreal Alligator Lizard (Abronia martindelcampoi) with comments on the biogeography of arboreal Alligator-lizards in the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico. NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2021.2000301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thalia E. Cruz-Machuca
- Laboratorio de Ecología, UBIPRO, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, México
| | - Ricardo Palacios-Aguilar
- Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Edificio A, 1er. Piso, Circuito de Posgrados, Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuidad de México, México
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Blair C, Bryson RW, García-Vázquez UO, Nieto-Montes De Oca A, Lazcano D, Mccormack JE, Klicka J. Phylogenomics of alligator lizards elucidate diversification patterns across the Mexican Transition Zone and support the recognition of a new genus. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Genomic data continue to advance our understanding of species limits and biogeographic patterns. However, there is still no consensus regarding appropriate methods of phylogenomic analysis that make the best use of these heterogeneous data sets. In this study, we used thousands of ultraconserved element (UCE) loci from alligator lizards in the genus Gerrhonotus to compare and contrast species trees inferred using multiple contemporary methods and provide a time frame for biological diversification across the Mexican Transition Zone (MTZ). Concatenated maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian analyses provided highly congruent results, with differences limited to poorly supported nodes. Similar topologies were inferred from coalescent analyses in Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography and SVDquartets, albeit with lower support for some nodes. All divergence times fell within the Miocene, linking speciation to local Neogene vicariance and/or global cooling trends following the mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum. We detected a high level of genomic divergence for a morphologically distinct species restricted to the arid mountains of north-eastern Mexico, and erected a new genus to better reflect evolutionary history. In summary, our results further advocate leveraging the strengths and weaknesses of concatenation and coalescent methods, provide evidence for old divergences for alligator lizards, and indicate that the MTZ continues to harbour substantial unrecognized diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Blair
- Department of Biological Sciences, New York City College of Technology, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Biology PhD Program, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert W Bryson
- Department of Biology and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Uri O García-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Sistemática Molecular, Unidad Multidisiplinaria de Investigacion Experimental, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Adrián Nieto-Montes De Oca
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - David Lazcano
- Laboratorio de Herpetología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo León CP, Mexico
| | - John E Mccormack
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John Klicka
- Department of Biology and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Goulding TC, Khalil M, Tan SH, Cumming RA, Dayrat B. Global diversification and evolutionary history of onchidiid slugs (Gastropoda, Pulmonata). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 168:107360. [PMID: 34793980 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Many marine species are specialized to specific parts of a habitat. In a mangrove forest, for instance, species may be restricted to the mud surface, the roots and trunks of mangrove trees, or rotting logs, which can be regarded as distinct microhabitats. Shifts to new microhabitats may be an important driver of sympatric speciation. However, the evolutionary history of these shifts is still poorly understood in most groups of marine organisms, because it requires a well-supported phylogeny with relatively complete taxon sampling. Onchidiid slugs are an ideal case study for the evolutionary history of habitat and microhabitat shifts because onchidiid species are specialized to different tidal zones and microhabitats in mangrove forests and rocky shores, and the taxonomy of the family in the Indo-West Pacific has been recently revised in a series of monographs. Here, DNA sequences for onchidiid species from the North and East Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic are used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among Onchidella species, and are combined with new data for Indo-West Pacific species to reconstruct a global phylogeny of the family. The phylogenetic relationships of onchidiid slugs are reconstructed based on three mitochondrial markers (COI, 12S, 16S) and three nuclear markers (28S, ITS2, H3) and nearly complete taxon sampling (all 13 genera and 62 of the 67 species). The highly-supported phylogeny presented here suggests that ancestral onchidiids most likely lived in the rocky intertidal, and that a lineage restricted to the tropical Indo-West Pacific colonized new habitats, including mudflats, mangrove forests, and high-elevation rainforests. Many onchidiid species in the Indo-West Pacific diverged during the Miocene, around the same time that a high diversity of mangrove plants appears in the fossil record, while divergence among Onchidella species occurred earlier, likely beginning in the Eocene. It is demonstrated that ecological specialization to microhabitats underlies the divergence between onchidiid genera, as well as the diversification through sympatric speciation in the genera Wallaconchis and Platevindex. The geographic distributions of onchidiid species also indicate that allopatric speciation played a key role in the diversification of several genera, especially Onchidella and Peronia. The evolutionary history of several morphological traits (penial gland, rectal gland, dorsal eyes, intestinal loops) is examined in relation to habitat and microhabitat evolutionary transitions and that the rectal gland of onchidiids is an adaptation to high intertidal and terrestrial habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tricia C Goulding
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Munawar Khalil
- Department of Marine Science, Universitas Malikussaleh, Reuleut Main Campus, Kecamatan Muara Batu, North Aceh, Aceh 24355, Indonesia
| | - Shau Hwai Tan
- Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden Penang, Malaysia; Marine Science Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden Penang, Malaysia
| | - Rebecca A Cumming
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Benoît Dayrat
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Scarpetta SG, Ledesma DT, Bell CJ. A new extinct species of alligator lizard (Squamata: Elgaria) and an expanded perspective on the osteology and phylogeny of Gerrhonotinae. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:184. [PMID: 34587907 PMCID: PMC8482661 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01912-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alligator lizards (Gerrhonotinae) are a well-known group of extant North American lizard. Although many fossils were previously referred to Gerrhonotinae, most of those fossils are isolated and fragmentary cranial elements that could not be placed in a precise phylogenetic context, and only a handful of known fossils are articulated skulls. The fossil record has provided limited information on the biogeography and phylogeny of Gerrhonotinae. RESULTS We redescribe a nearly complete articulated fossil skull from the Pliocene sediments of the Anza-Borrego Desert in southern California, and refer the specimen to the alligator lizard genus Elgaria. The fossil is a representative of a newly described species, Elgaria peludoverde. We created a morphological matrix to assess the phylogeny of alligator lizards and facilitate identifications of fossil gerrhonotines. The matrix contains a considerably expanded taxonomic sample relative to previous morphological studies of gerrhonotines, and we sampled two specimens for many species to partially account for intraspecific variation. Specimen-based phylogenetic analyses of our dataset using Bayesian inference and parsimony inferred that Elgaria peludoverde is part of crown Elgaria. The new species is potentially related to the extant species Elgaria kingii and Elgaria paucicarinata, but that relationship was not strongly supported, probably because of extensive variation among Elgaria. We explored several alternative biogeographic scenarios implied by the geographic and temporal occurrence of the new species and its potential phylogenetic placements. CONCLUSIONS Elgaria peludoverde is the first described extinct species of Elgaria and provides new information on the biogeographic history and diversification of Elgaria. Our research expands the understanding of phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of alligator lizards and strengthens the foundation of future investigations. The osteological data and phylogenetic matrix that we provided will be critical for future efforts to place fossil gerrhonotines. Despite limited intraspecific sampled sizes, we encountered substantial variation among gerrhonotines, demonstrating the value of exploring patterns of variation for morphological phylogenetics and for the phylogenetic placement of fossils. Future osteological investigations on the species we examined and on species we did not examine will continue to augment our knowledge of patterns of variation in alligator lizards and aid in phylogenetics and fossil placement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon G Scarpetta
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA.
| | - David T Ledesma
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
| | - Christopher J Bell
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
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Ledesma DT, Scarpetta SG, Bell CJ. Variation in the skulls of Elgaria and Gerrhonotus (Anguidae, Gerrhonotinae) and implications for phylogenetics and fossil identification. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11602. [PMID: 34327052 PMCID: PMC8310624 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are limited data on intra- and interspecific osteological variation for many squamate clades. Those data are relevant for phylogenetic analyses that use osteological characters and for apomorphic identifications of fossils. We investigate whether morphological features in the skulls of extant gerrhonotine lizards can be used to distinguish taxa at the species- and genus-level and assess whether newly discovered intra- and interspecific osteological variation alters the utility of previously reported apomorphic features. We examined skulls of species belonging to the gerrhonotine genera Elgaria and Gerrhonotus. These genera contain 17 extant species, but the cranial osteology of only a few species was previously examined. As a result, intra- and interspecific osteological variation of these gerrhonotines is poorly understood. METHODS We employed high-resolution x-ray computed tomography (CT) to scan 25 alcohol-preserved specimens. We provide data on the skulls of all eight species of Elgaria, four for the first time, and five species of Gerrhonotus, three for the first time. We examined 3-D reconstructed skulls of the scanned specimens as well as dry, traditionally prepared skeletons (when they were available). RESULTS We found that the purported diagnostic utility of many previously described morphological features is impacted because of substantial morphological variation between and within species. We present an assessment of osteological differences that may be useful to differentiate species of Elgaria and Gerrhonotus, many of which are present on isolated cranial elements commonly recovered as fossils, including the premaxilla, maxilla, parietal, pterygoid, prootic, dentary, and surangular. We demonstrate the importance of documenting patterns of osteological variation using large sample sizes, and the utility of examining disarticulated cranial elements of the squamate skull to identify diagnostic morphology. This study adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that extensive documentation of morphological variation is needed to further our understanding of the phylogenetic and diagnostic utility of morphological features across vertebrate clades. Efforts in that direction likely will benefit from examination of disarticulated skeletal elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T. Ledesma
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
| | - Simon G. Scarpetta
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
| | - Christopher J. Bell
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
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11
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Sikorski AV, Radashevsky VI, Castelli A, Pavlova LV, Nygren A, Malyar VV, Borisova PB, Mikac B, Rousou M, Martin D, Gil J, Pacciardi L, Langeneck J. Revision of the Laonice bahusiensis complex (Annelida: Spionidae) with a description of three new species. Zootaxa 2021; 4996:253-283. [PMID: 34810532 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4996.2.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The morphological reexamination of specimens previously identified as Laonice bahusiensis Sderstrm, 1920 from North European and Mediterranean collections, supported by the molecular analysis of freshly collected material, enabled the recognition of four different species in the region: the genuine L. bahusiensis, L. irinae n. sp. from North European waters, and L. grimaldii n. sp. and L. mediterranea n. sp. from the Mediterranean Sea. The morphology of these species is described and illustrated, and their distributions are clarified based on old and new materials. A key for their identification is also provided. The Bayesian analysis of the COI sequences (483 bp) showed that these four species form a clade, namely the L. bahusiensis species complex, morphologically characterized by the continuous dorsal crests on postbranchiate chaetigers in the adults. The genetic p-distances between the species of the complex ranged from 13.27% to 17.99%, while the intraspecific variability ranged from 0.6% to 1.57%. Together with the sister species Laonice cirrata (Sars, 1851), the L. bahusiensis complex formed the Laonice (Laonice) clade, which is morphologically characterized by the prostomium fused with the anterior peristomial margin. However, the monophyly of the L. bahusiensis complex, as well as that of the clade Laonice (Laonice), needs to be further supported through the analysis of a greater set of genes from a larger number of species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vasily I Radashevsky
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 17 Palchevsky Street, Vladivostok 690041, Russia. .
| | - Alberto Castelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Universit di Pisa, via Derna 1, 56126 Pisa, Italy. .
| | - Lyudmila V Pavlova
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Kola Science Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, 17 Vladimirskaya Street, Murmansk 183010, Russia. .
| | - Arne Nygren
- Sjfartsmuseet Akvariet, Karl Johansgatan 1-3, 414 59 Gteborg, Sverige. .
| | - Vasily V Malyar
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 17 Palchevsky Street, Vladivostok 690041, Russia. (ii) Laboratory of ecology and evolutionary biology of aquatic organisms (LEEBAO), School of Natural Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok 690091, Russia. .
| | - Polina B Borisova
- P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36 Nakhimovsky Prospekt, Moscow 117997, Russia. .
| | - Barbara Mikac
- University of Bologna, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Via SantAlberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy. .
| | - Maria Rousou
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, P.O. Box 28548, 2080, Nicosia, Cyprus. (ii) Marine and Environmental Research Lab Ltd, 4533, Limassol Cyprus. (iii) School of Biology, Department of Zoology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), P.O. Box 134, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece. .
| | - Daniel Martin
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEABCSIC), carrer daccs a la Cala St. Francesc, 14, BlanesGirona17300, Catalunya (Spain). .
| | - Joo Gil
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal. .
| | - Lorenzo Pacciardi
- Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina e Ecologia Applicata G. Bacci (CIBM), Viale N. Sauro, 4 57128 Livorno, Italy. .
| | - Joachim Langeneck
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Universit di Pisa, via Derna 1, 56126 Pisa, Italy. .
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