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de Oliveira L, Gower DJ, Wilkinson M, Segall M. Comparative morphology of oral glands in snakes of the family Homalopsidae reveals substantial variation and additional independent origins of salt glands within Serpentes. J Anat 2024; 244:708-721. [PMID: 38234265 PMCID: PMC11021688 DOI: 10.1111/joa.14005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Using diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT), we examined the morphology of the oral glands of 12 species of the family Homalopsidae. Snakes of this family exhibit substantial interspecific morphological variation in their oral glands. Particular variables are the venom glands, ranging from large (e.g., Subsessor bocourti) to small (e.g., Erpeton tentaculatum). The supra- and infralabial glands are more uniform in morphology, being the second most developed in almost all the sampled species. Premaxillary glands distinct from the supralabial glands were observed in five species (Myron richardsonii, Bitia hydroides, Cantoria violacea, Fordonia leucobalia, and Gerarda prevostiana), in addition to Cerberus rynchops, the only species in which this condition was previously documented associated with the excretion of salt. In the three species of the saltwater group of homalopsids (C. violacea, F. leucobalia, and G. prevostiana), the premaxillary glands also extend posteriorly, occupying a large area above the supralabial gland, a condition not observed in any other species of snake studied thus far. Character evolution analyses indicate that premaxillary glands differentiated from the supralabial gland and evolved independently three or four times in the family, always in lineages that invaded marine habitats. Our results suggest that the differentiated premaxillary glands are likely salt glands, as is the case in C. rynchops. If corroborated, this increases to six or seven the number of independent evolutionary origins of salt glands in snakes that have undergone an evolutionary transition to marine life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
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2
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Chan AHE, Thaenkham U, Poodeepiyasawat A, Boonserm S, Namjad P, Laoungbua P, Tawan T, Bun NP, Ratnarathorn N, Charoennitiwat V. Discovery of Encyclometra bungara (Digenea: Encyclometridae) in a new host ( Enhydris enhydris) from Thailand and Cambodia through morphological and molecular identification. Parasitology 2024; 151:77-83. [PMID: 38229575 PMCID: PMC10941033 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023001166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The genus Encyclometra is one of the two genera in family Encyclometridae, known for parasitising the oesophagus, stomach and intestine of snakes. Among Encyclometra, the species present are: Encyclometra colubrimurorum, Encyclometra japonica, Encyclometra asymmetrica and Encyclometra bungara. Species discrimination within Encyclometra has predominantly relied on morphological differences, such as the length of the caeca and the position of the testes. Morphological overlaps exist among these species making species discrimination challenging. Additionally, the use of molecular information has been limited for Encyclometra. To determine the Encyclometra species infecting Enhydris enhydris from Thailand and Cambodia, morphological and molecular identification was conducted. Morphological characters and measurements were obtained from 30 Encyclometra adults, and they were compared with previous studies of other Encyclometra species. Novel sequences of E. bungara were generated using the nuclear 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA genes, and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Our results revealed that the specimens could be morphologically identified as E. bungara, with support from molecular information obtained from the phylogenies of the 3 genetic markers employed. Molecular analysis showed that the Encyclometra specimens were distinct from E. colubrimurorum and E. japonica. Through morphological and molecular identification of the Encyclometra specimens found in E. enhydris from Thailand and Cambodia, we describe and provide a record of E. bungara in a new host and new locality. Additionally, novel molecular sequences were generated, revealing the phylogenetic position of E. bungara within the superfamily Gorgoderoidea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Hui En Chan
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Urusa Thaenkham
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Akkarin Poodeepiyasawat
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Somusa Boonserm
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pakteema Namjad
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Panithi Laoungbua
- Snake Farm, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, The Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tanapong Tawan
- Snake Farm, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, The Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ngor Peng Bun
- Faculty of Fisheries, Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Napat Ratnarathorn
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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3
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Herlambang AEN, Kusrini MD, Hamidy A, Arida E, Mumpuni, Riyanto A, Shine R, Natusch D. Sexual dimorphism and reproductive biology of the Asian bockadam snake (Cerberus schneiderii) in West Java. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20730. [PMID: 36456671 PMCID: PMC9715675 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25007-6] [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: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Although they are among the most abundant snakes on Earth, and are heavily exploited for their skins and meat, Asian bockadams (or "dog-faced water snakes", Cerberus schneiderii) have attracted relatively little study across their wide geographic range. Based on dissection of 3,382 snakes brought to processing facilities in and around the city of Cirebon in West Java, Indonesia, we document facets of the biology of these mangrove-dwelling aquatic homalopsids. Females attain larger body sizes than do males, and are heavier-bodied (due in part to greater fat reserves) but have shorter tails relative to snout-vent length. Males showed testicular enlargement late in the year (August-November) but both reproductive and non-reproductive females were found year-round. Litters were large (3 to 45 offspring), especially in larger females. The commercial harvest falls mainly on adult snakes of both sexes, with seasonal variation in sex ratios. Life-history traits such as early maturation and frequent production of large litters render this species resilient to commercial harvesting. Future research should explore reasons for strong variation among facilities in the sex ratios of snakes, potentially identifying ways to focus the harvest on the sex (males) whose numbers are less critical for population viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alamsyah E. N. Herlambang
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, Organization Research of Life Sciences and Environment, Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Gd. Widyasatwaloka, Cibinong Science Center, Jl. Raya Jakarta, Bogor, Indonesia ,grid.440754.60000 0001 0698 0773Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Mirza D. Kusrini
- grid.440754.60000 0001 0698 0773Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Amir Hamidy
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, Organization Research of Life Sciences and Environment, Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Gd. Widyasatwaloka, Cibinong Science Center, Jl. Raya Jakarta, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Evy Arida
- Research Center for Applied Zoology, Organization Research of Life Sciences and Environment, Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Gd. Widyasatwaloka, Cibinong Science Center, Jl. Raya Jakarta, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Mumpuni
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, Organization Research of Life Sciences and Environment, Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Gd. Widyasatwaloka, Cibinong Science Center, Jl. Raya Jakarta, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Awal Riyanto
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, Organization Research of Life Sciences and Environment, Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Gd. Widyasatwaloka, Cibinong Science Center, Jl. Raya Jakarta, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Richard Shine
- grid.1004.50000 0001 2158 5405School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Daniel Natusch
- grid.1004.50000 0001 2158 5405School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
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4
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Jowers MJ, Simone Y, Herrel A, Cabezas MP, Xavier R, Holden M, Boistel R, Murphy JC, Santin M, Caut S, Auguste RJ, van der Meijden A, Andreone F, Ineich I. The Terrific Skink bite force suggests insularity as a likely driver to exceptional resource use. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4596. [PMID: 35301350 PMCID: PMC8930981 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08148-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural history museum collections hold extremely rare, extinct species often described from a single known specimen. On occasions, rediscoveries open new opportunities to understand selective forces acting on phenotypic traits. Recent rediscovery of few individuals of Bocourt´s Terrific Skink Phoboscincus bocourti, from a small and remote islet in New Caledonia allowed to genetically identify a species of land crab in its diet. To explore this further, we CT- and MRI-scanned the head of the holotype, the only preserved specimen dated to about 1870, segmented the adductor muscles of the jaw and bones, and estimated bite force through biomechanical models. These data were compared with those gathered for 332 specimens belonging to 44 other skink species. Thereafter we recorded the maximum force needed to generate mechanical failure of the exoskeleton of a crab specimen. The bite force is greater than the prey hardness, suggesting that predation on hard-shelled crabs may be an important driver of performance. The high bite force seems crucial to overcome low or seasonal variations in resource availability in these extreme insular environments. Phoboscincus bocourti appears to be an apex predator in a remote and harsh environment and the only skink known to predate on hard-shelled land crabs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Jowers
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal. .,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Yuri Simone
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, 57 Rue Cuvier, Case postale 55, 75231, Paris Cedex 5, France.,Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Campus Ledeganck, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - M Pilar Cabezas
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Raquel Xavier
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Magaly Holden
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (UMR CNRS 5175), École Pratique des Hautes Études, Biogéographie et Écologie des Vertébrés, Campus CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Renaud Boistel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, 57 Rue Cuvier, Case postale 55, 75231, Paris Cedex 5, France
| | - John C Murphy
- Science and Education, Field Museum, 1400 Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - Mathieu Santin
- Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Centre for NeuroImaging Research, ICM (Brain and Spine Institute), Sorbonne University, Paris, France.,Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Stephane Caut
- ANIMAVEG Conservation, 58 Avenue Allende, 94800, Villejuif, France
| | - Renoir J Auguste
- Department of Life Science, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Arie van der Meijden
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Franco Andreone
- Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Via G. Giolitti, 36, 10123, Turin, Italy
| | - Ivan Ineich
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, École Pratique des Hautes Études, CNRS, Université des Antilles, CP 30, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
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5
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Cleuren SGC, Hocking DP, Evans AR. Fang evolution in venomous snakes: Adaptation of 3D tooth shape to the biomechanical properties of their prey. Evolution 2021; 75:1377-1394. [PMID: 33904594 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Venomous snakes are among the world's most specialized predators. During feeding, they use fangs to penetrate the body tissues of their prey, but the success of this penetration depends on the shape of these highly specialized teeth. Here, we examined the evolution of fang shape in a wide range of snakes using 3D geometric morphometrics (3DGM) and cross-sectional tooth sharpness measurements. We investigated the relationship of these variables with six diet categories based on the prey's biomechanical properties, and tested for evolutionary convergence using two methods. Our results show that slender elongate fangs with sharp tips are used by snakes that target soft-skinned prey (e.g., mammals), whereas fangs become more robust and blunter as the target's skin becomes scaly (e.g., fish and reptiles) and eventually hard-shelled (e.g., crustaceans), both with and without correction for evolutionary allometry. Convergence in fang shape is present, indicating that fangs of snakes with the same diet are more similar than those of closely related species with different diets. Establishing the relationship between fang morphology and diet helps to explain how snakes became adapted to different lifestyles, while also providing a proxy to infer diet in lesser known species or extinct snakes from the fossil record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke G C Cleuren
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - David P Hocking
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Alistair R Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
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6
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Motani R, Vermeij GJ. Ecophysiological steps of marine adaptation in extant and extinct non-avian tetrapods. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1769-1798. [PMID: 33904243 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Marine reptiles and mammals are phylogenetically so distant from each other that their marine adaptations are rarely compared directly. We reviewed ecophysiological features in extant non-avian marine tetrapods representing 31 marine colonizations to test whether there is a common pattern across higher taxonomic groups, such as mammals and reptiles. Marine adaptations in tetrapods can be roughly divided into aquatic and haline adaptations, each of which seems to follow a sequence of three steps. In combination, these six categories exhibit five steps of marine adaptation that apply across all clades except snakes: Step M1, incipient use of marine resources; Step M2, direct feeding in the saline sea; Step M3, water balance maintenance without terrestrial fresh water; Step M4, minimized terrestrial travel and loss of terrestrial feeding; and Step M5, loss of terrestrial thermoregulation and fur/plumage. Acquisition of viviparity is not included because there is no known case where viviparity evolved after a tetrapod lineage colonized the sea. A similar sequence is found in snakes but with the haline adaptation step (Step M3) lagging behind aquatic adaptation (haline adaptation is Step S5 in snakes), most likely because their unique method of water balance maintenance requires a supply of fresh water. The same constraint may limit the maximum body size of fully marine snakes. Steps M4 and M5 in all taxa except snakes are associated with skeletal adaptations that are mechanistically linked to relevant ecophysiological features, allowing assessment of marine adaptation steps in some fossil marine tetrapods. We identified four fossil clades containing members that reached Step M5 outside of stem whales, pinnipeds, sea cows and sea turtles, namely Eosauropterygia, Ichthyosauromorpha, Mosasauroidea, and Thalattosuchia, while five other clades reached Step M4: Saurosphargidae, Placodontia, Dinocephalosaurus, Desmostylia, and Odontochelys. Clades reaching Steps M4 and M5, both extant and extinct, appear to have higher species diversity than those only reaching Steps M1 to M3, while the total number of clades is higher for the earlier steps. This suggests that marine colonizers only diversified greatly after they minimized their use of terrestrial resources, with many lineages not reaching these advanced steps. Historical patterns suggest that a clade does not advance to Steps M4 and M5 unless these steps are reached early in the evolution of the clade. Intermediate forms before a clade reached Steps M4 and M5 tend to become extinct without leaving extant descendants or fossil evidence. This makes it difficult to reconstruct the evolutionary history of marine adaptation in many clades. Clades that reached Steps M4 and M5 tend to last longer than other marine tetrapod clades, sometimes for more than 100 million years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Motani
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, U.S.A
| | - Geerat J Vermeij
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, U.S.A
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7
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Kojima Y, Fukuyama I, Kurita T, Hossman MYB, Nishikawa K. Mandibular sawing in a snail-eating snake. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12670. [PMID: 32728121 PMCID: PMC7391773 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69436-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The jaws of vertebrates display a striking diversity in form and function, but they typically open and close like a trapdoor rather than sliding like a saw. Here, we report unique feeding behaviour in the blunt-headed snail-eating snake, Aplopeltura boa (family Pareidae), where the snake cuts off and circumvents the indigestible part (the operculum) of its prey in the mouth using long sliding excursions of one side of the mandible, while the upper jaws and the mandible on the other side maintain a stable grasp on the prey. This behaviour, which we call ‘mandibular sawing’, is made possible by extraordinarily independent movements of the jaw elements and is a surprising departure from usual feeding behaviour in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Kojima
- Department of Biology, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan.
| | - Ibuki Fukuyama
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takaki Kurita
- Chiba Biodiversity Center, Aoba-cho 955-2, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8682, Japan
| | | | - Kanto Nishikawa
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.,Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
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8
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Haskins DL, Gogal RM, Tuberville TD. Snakes as Novel Biomarkers of Mercury Contamination: A Review. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2020; 249:133-152. [PMID: 30879139 DOI: 10.1007/398_2019_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is an environmental contaminant that has been reported in many wildlife species worldwide. The organic form of Hg bioaccumulates in higher trophic levels, and thus, long-lived predators are at risk for higher Hg exposure. Although ecological risk assessments for contaminants such as Hg include pertinent receptor species, snakes are rarely considered, despite their high trophic status and potential to accumulate high levels of Hg. Our current knowledge of these reptiles suggests that snakes may be useful novel biomarkers to monitor contaminated environments. The few available studies show that snakes can bioaccumulate significant amounts of Hg. However, little is known about the role of snakes in Hg transport in the environment or the individual-level effects of Hg exposure in this group of reptiles. This is a major concern, as snakes often serve as important prey for a variety of taxa within ecosystems (including humans). In this review, we compiled and analyzed the results of over 30 studies to discuss the impact of Hg on snakes, specifically sources of exposure, bioaccumulation, health consequences, and specific scientific knowledge gaps regarding these moderate to high trophic predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Haskins
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Robert M Gogal
- Department of Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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9
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Geometric morphometric analyses of sexual dimorphism and allometry in two sympatric snakes: Natrix helvetica (Natricidae) and Vipera berus (Viperidae). ZOOLOGY 2018; 129:25-34. [PMID: 30170745 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The non-venomous grass snake (Natrix helvetica) and the venomous adder (Vipera berus) are two native species that are often found in sympatry in Great Britain and Europe. They occupy partially overlapping ecological niches and prey on small vertebrates, but use different feeding strategies. Here, we investigated the morphologies of grass snakes and adders from Dorset (UK) using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics to assess the degree of sexual dimorphism in size and shape together with the relative impact of allometry and general body dimensions on head shape. Both species showed significant sexual dimorphism in head size, but not in head shape. We found a clear allometric pattern in N. helvetica, whereas allometry in V. berus was generally less pronounced. Body dimensions were strongly correlated with head shape in the grass snake, but not in the adder. The fact that V. berus is venomous appears to explain the lack of allometric patterns and the lack of an association between body dimensions and head shape. The high degree of size dimorphism identified in both species could originate from the advantages of reduced intraspecific competition that are conveyed by a partial differentiation in feeding morphology.
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10
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Jayne BC, Voris HK, Ng PKL. How big is too big? Using crustacean-eating snakes (Homalopsidae) to test how anatomy and behaviour affect prey size and feeding performance. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruce C Jayne
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Harold K Voris
- Science and Education, Field Museum of Natural History, South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Peter K L Ng
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Conservatory Drive, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
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11
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Fabre AC, Bickford D, Segall M, Herrel A. The impact of diet, habitat use, and behaviour on head shape evolution in homalopsid snakes. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Fabre
- Evolutionary Anthropology; Duke University; Durham NC 27708-0383 USA
| | - David Bickford
- Department of Biological Sciences; Faculty of Science; National University of Singapore; 14 Science Drive 4 Block S3 Singapore 117543 Singapore
| | - Marion Segall
- UMR7179 CNRS/MNHN; “Mécanismes adaptatifs: des organismes aux communautés»; 55 Rue Buffon 75005 Paris France
- Université Paris Descartes; Paris France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR7179 CNRS/MNHN; “Mécanismes adaptatifs: des organismes aux communautés»; 55 Rue Buffon 75005 Paris France
- Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates; Ghent University; K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35 B-9000 Ghent Belgium
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Mizuno
- Applied Entomology Laboratory; Center for Bioresources Field Science; Kyoto Institute of Technology; Kyoto Japan
| | - Y. Kojima
- Department of Zoology; Graduate School of Science; Kyoto University; Kyoto Japan
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13
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Kumar AB, Sanders KL, George S, Murphy JC. The status of Eurostus dussumierii and Hypsirhina chinensis (Reptilia, Squamata, Serpentes): with comments on the origin of salt tolerance in homalopsid snakes. SYST BIODIVERS 2012. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2012.751940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Biju Kumar
- a Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries , University of Kerala , Thiruvananthapuram , 695 581 , Kerala , India
| | - Kate L. Sanders
- b School of Earth and Environmental Sciences , University of Adelaide , Adelaide , Australia
| | - Sanil George
- c Chemical Biology Group , Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology , Thiruvananthapuram , 695 014 , Kerala , India
| | - John C. Murphy
- d Division of Amphibians and Reptiles , Field Museum of Natural History , 1400 S, Lake Shore Drive, Chicago , IL , 60605–2496 , USA
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Murphy JC. Marine Invasions by Non-Sea Snakes, with Thoughts on Terrestrial-Aquatic-Marine Transitions. Integr Comp Biol 2012; 52:217-26. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/ics060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Murphy JC, Mumpuni, Sanders KL. First molecular evidence for the phylogenetic placement of the enigmatic snake genus Brachyorrhos (Serpentes: Caenophidia). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2011; 61:953-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2011.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 07/20/2011] [Accepted: 08/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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16
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Bain RH, Hurley MM. A Biogeographic Synthesis of the Amphibians and Reptiles of Indochina. BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2011. [DOI: 10.1206/360.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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17
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Wu JP, Luo XJ, Zhang Y, Yu M, Chen SJ, Mai BX, Yang ZY. Biomagnification of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls in a highly contaminated freshwater food web from South China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2009; 157:904-9. [PMID: 19062142 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2008] [Revised: 10/20/2008] [Accepted: 11/02/2008] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
To evaluate the biomagnification extent of polybrominated diphenyls ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a highly contaminated freshwater food web from South China, trophic magnification factors (TMFs) for 18 PBDE congeners and 53 PCB congeners were calculated. The TMF values ranged 0.26-4.47 for PBDEs and 0.75-5.10 for PCBs. Forty-five of 53 PCBs and BDEs 47, 100 and 154 had TMFs greater than one, suggesting their biomagnification in the present food web. The TMFs for PBDEs were generally smaller than those for PCBs with the same degree of halogenation, indicating a lower biomagnification potential for PBDEs compared to PCBs. For PCBs, it followed a parabolic relationship between TMFs and logK(OW) (octanol-water partition coefficient). However, this relationship was not significant for PBDEs, possibly due to the more complex behaviors of PBDEs in the food web (e.g., metabolism), compared to that of PCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Ping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
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Brooks S, Allison E, Gill J, Reynolds J. Reproductive and Trophic Ecology of an Assemblage of Aquatic and Semi-Aquatic Snakes in Tonle Sap, Cambodia. COPEIA 2009. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-07-102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Conrad JL. Phylogeny And Systematics Of Squamata (Reptilia) Based On Morphology. BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2008. [DOI: 10.1206/310.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 318] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Vincent SE, Dang PD, Herrel A, Kley NJ. Morphological integration and adaptation in the snake feeding system: a comparative phylogenetic study. J Evol Biol 2006; 19:1545-54. [PMID: 16910984 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01126.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A long-standing hypothesis for the adaptive radiation of macrostomatan snakes is that their enlarged gape--compared to both lizards and basal snakes--enables them to consume "large" prey. At first glance, this hypothesis seems plausible, or even likely, given the wealth of studies showing a tight match between maximum consumed prey mass and head size in snakes. However, this hypothesis has never been tested within a comparative framework. We address this issue here by testing this hypothesis in 12 monophyletic clades of macrostomatan snakes using recently published phylogenies, published maximum consumed prey mass data and morphological measurements taken from a large sample of museum specimens. Our nonphylogenetically corrected analysis shows that head width--independent of body size--is significantly related to mean maximum consumed prey mass among these clades, and this relationship becomes even more significant when phylogeny is taken into account. Therefore, these data do support the hypothesis that head shape is adapted to prey size in snakes. Additionally, we calculated a phylogenetically corrected morphological variance-covariance matrix to examine the role of morphological integration during head shape evolution in snakes. This matrix shows that head width strongly covaries with both jaw length and out-lever length of the lower jaw. As a result, selection on head width will likely be associated with concomitant changes in jaw length and lower jaw out-lever length in snakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S E Vincent
- Department of Zoology, Ethology Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
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Voris HK, Alfaro ME, Karns DR, Starnes GL, Thompson E, Murphy JC. Phylogenetic Relationships of the Oriental-Australian Rear-Fanged Water Snakes (Colubridae: Homalopsinae) Based on Mitochondrial DNA Sequences. COPEIA 2002. [DOI: 10.1643/0045-8511(2002)002[0906:protoa]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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