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Bourke JM, Witmer LM. Soft tissues influence nasal airflow in diapsids: Implications for dinosaurs. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21619. [PMID: 37585224 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21619] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The nasal passage performs multiple functions in amniotes, including olfaction and thermoregulation. These functions would have been present in extinct animals as well. However, fossils preserve only low-resolution versions of the nasal passage due to loss of soft-tissue structures after death. To test the effects of these lower resolution models on interpretations of nasal physiology, we performed a broadly comparative analysis of the nasal passages in extant diapsid representatives, e.g., alligator, turkey, ostrich, iguana, and a monitor lizard. Using computational fluid dynamics, we simulated airflow through 3D reconstructed models of the different nasal passages and compared these soft-tissue-bounded results to similar analyses of the same airways under the lower-resolution limits imposed by fossilization. Airflow patterns in these bony-bounded airways were more homogeneous and slower flowing than those of their soft-tissue counterparts. These data indicate that bony-bounded airway reconstructions of extinct animal nasal passages are far too conservative and place overly restrictive physiological limitations on extinct species. In spite of the diverse array of nasal passage shapes, distinct similarities in airflow were observed, including consistent areas of nasal passage constriction such as the junction of the olfactory region and main airway. These nasal constrictions can reasonably be inferred to have been present in extinct taxa such as dinosaurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Bourke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Lawrence M Witmer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
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2
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Oitaven LPC, Calado SS, da Costa HN, Cruz GS, Monrós JS, Mesquita DO, Teixeira ÁAC, Teixeira VW, de Moura GJB. Trophic ecology of Gymnodactylus geckoides Spix, 1825 (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) from Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil. HERPETOZOA 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e87199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The diet of lizards is mainly composed of arthropods. It can be affected by biotic and abiotic factors, which influence the energy supply provided by the composition of the animal´s diet. The richness and abundance of many arthropod species can be influenced by environmental seasonality, especially in the Caatinga ecoregion, due to the rainfall regimes. The present study aims to describe aspects of the seasonal and morphological variation in the lizard Gymnodactylus geckoides diet and their energy content. We collected 157 individuals (63 females, 68 males, and 26 juveniles) at the Catimbau National Park, Northeastern Brazil, of which 72 were analyzed for the dry season and 59 for the rainy season. Our data indicates Isoptera to be the most common prey in G. geckoides’s diet. Energy content, prey number was higher in the dry season, whereas prey volume and glycogen content increased in the rainy season. Proteins and lipids did not show marked differences. The present study represents the first effort to understand variations in G. geckoide’s trophic ecology, indicating that this specie presents a wide variation in their diet, especially when considering seasonal factors, revealing their needs and restrictions according to prey availability and environmental conditions.
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Baeckens S, Whiting MJ. Investment in chemical signalling glands facilitates the evolution of sociality in lizards. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202438. [PMID: 33593182 PMCID: PMC7935108 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of sociality and traits that correlate with, or predict, sociality, have been the focus of considerable recent study. In order to reduce the social conflict that ultimately comes with group living, and foster social tolerance, individuals need reliable information about group members and potential rivals. Chemical signals are one such source of information and are widely used in many animal taxa, including lizards. Here, we take a phylogenetic comparative approach to test the hypothesis that social grouping correlates with investment in chemical signalling. We used the presence of epidermal glands as a proxy of chemical investment and considered social grouping as the occurrence of social groups containing both adults and juveniles. Based on a dataset of 911 lizard species, our models strongly supported correlated evolution between social grouping and chemical signalling glands. The rate of transition towards social grouping from a background of ‘epidermal glands present’ was an order of a magnitude higher than from a background of ‘no epidermal glands’. Our results highlight the potential importance of chemical signalling during the evolution of sociality and the need for more focused studies on the role of chemical communication in facilitating information transfer about individual and group identity, and ameliorating social conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Baeckens
- Functional Morphology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Martin J Whiting
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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4
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Kaczmarek P, Metscher B, Rupik W. Embryology of the naso-palatal complex in Gekkota based on detailed 3D analysis in Lepidodactylus lugubris and Eublepharis macularius. J Anat 2021; 238:249-287. [PMID: 33169847 PMCID: PMC7812140 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The vomeronasal organ (VNO), nasal cavity, lacrimal duct, choanal groove, and associated parts of the superficial (soft tissue) palate are called the naso-palatal complex. Despite the morphological diversity of the squamate noses, little is known about the embryological basis of this variation. Moreover, developmental data might be especially interesting in light of the morpho-molecular discordance of squamate phylogeny, since a 'molecular scenario' implies an occurrence of unexpected scale of homoplasy also in olfactory systems. In this study, we used X-ray microtomography and light microscopy to describe morphogenesis of the naso-palatal complex in two gekkotans: Lepidodactylus lugubris (Gekkonidae) and Eublepharis macularius (Eublepharidae). Our embryological data confirmed recent findings about the nature of some developmental processes in squamates, for example, involvement of the lateral nasal prominence in the formation of the choanal groove. Moreover, our study revealed previously unknown differences between the studied gekkotans and allows us to propose redefinition of the anterior concha of Sphenodon. Interpretation of some described conditions might be problematic in the phylogenetic context, since they represent unknown: squamate, nonophidian squamate, or gekkotan features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Kaczmarek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental ProtectionFaculty of Natural SciencesUniversity of Silesia in KatowiceKatowicePoland
| | - Brian Metscher
- Department of Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Weronika Rupik
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental ProtectionFaculty of Natural SciencesUniversity of Silesia in KatowiceKatowicePoland
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5
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Kaczmarek P, Janiszewska K, Metscher B, Rupik W. Development of the squamate naso-palatal complex: detailed 3D analysis of the vomeronasal organ and nasal cavity in the brown anole Anolis sagrei (Squamata: Iguania). Front Zool 2020; 17:28. [PMID: 32983242 PMCID: PMC7507828 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-020-00369-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the diverse morphology of the adult squamate naso-palatal complex - consisting of the nasal cavity, vomeronasal organ (VNO), choanal groove, lacrimal duct and superficial palate - little is known about the embryology of these structures. Moreover, there are no comprehensive studies concerning development of the nasal cavity and VNO in relation to the superficial palate. In this investigation, we used X-ray microtomography and histological sections to describe embryonic development of the naso-palatal complex of iguanian lizard, the brown anole (Anolis sagrei). The purpose of the study was to describe the mechanism of formation of adult morphology in this species, which combines the peculiar anole features with typical iguanian conditions. Considering the uncertain phylogenetic position of the Iguania within Squamata, embryological data and future comparative studies may shed new light on the evolution of this large squamate clade. Results Development of the naso-palatal complex was divided into three phases: early, middle and late. In the early developmental phase, the vomeronasal pit originates from medial outpocketing of the nasal pit, when the facial prominences are weakly developed. In the middle developmental phase, the following events can be noted: the formation of the frontonasal mass, separation of the vestibulum, appearance of the lacrimal duct, and formation of the choanal groove, which leads to separation of the VNO from the nasal cavity. In late development, the nasal cavity and the VNO attain their adult morphology. The lacrimal duct establishes an extensive connection with the choanal groove, which eventually becomes largely separated from the oral cavity. Conclusions Unlike in other tetrapods, the primordium of the lacrimal duct in the brown anole develops largely beyond the nasolacrimal groove. In contrast to previous studies on squamates, the maxillary prominence is found to participate in the initial fusion with the frontonasal mass. Moreover, formation of the choanal groove occurs due to the fusion of the vomerine cushion to the subconchal fold, rather than to the choanal fold. The loss or significant reduction of the lateral nasal concha is secondary. Some features of anole adult morphology, such as the closure of the choanal groove, may constitute adaptations to vomeronasal chemoreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Kaczmarek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Janiszewska
- Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Brian Metscher
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Weronika Rupik
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
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Bels VL, Jamniczky HA, Montuelle S, Pallandre J, Kardong KV, Russell AP. Mechanics and kinematics of fluid uptake and intraoral transport in the leopard gecko. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- V. L. Bels
- Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Sorbonne Université Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité UMR 7205 CNRS/MNHN/EPHE/UA Paris Cedex 05 France
| | - H. A. Jamniczky
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy Cumming School of Medicine University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
| | - S. Montuelle
- Department of Biomedical Sciences Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Ohio University Warrensville Heights OH USA
| | - J.‐P. Pallandre
- Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Sorbonne Université Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité UMR 7205 CNRS/MNHN/EPHE/UA Paris Cedex 05 France
| | - K. V. Kardong
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman WA USA
| | - A. P. Russell
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
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Van Dyke JU, Thompson MB, Burridge CP, Castelli MA, Clulow S, Dissanayake DSB, Dong CM, Doody JS, Edwards DL, Ezaz T, Friesen CR, Gardner MG, Georges A, Higgie M, Hill PL, Holleley CE, Hoops D, Hoskin CJ, Merry DL, Riley JL, Wapstra E, While GM, Whiteley SL, Whiting MJ, Zozaya SM, Whittington CM. Australian lizards are outstanding models for reproductive biology research. AUST J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/zo21017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Australian lizards are a diverse group distributed across the continent and inhabiting a wide range of environments. Together, they exhibit a remarkable diversity of reproductive morphologies, physiologies, and behaviours that is broadly representative of vertebrates in general. Many reproductive traits exhibited by Australian lizards have evolved independently in multiple lizard lineages, including sociality, complex signalling and mating systems, viviparity, and temperature-dependent sex determination. Australian lizards are thus outstanding model organisms for testing hypotheses about how reproductive traits function and evolve, and they provide an important basis of comparison with other animals that exhibit similar traits. We review how research on Australian lizard reproduction has contributed to answering broader evolutionary and ecological questions that apply to animals in general. We focus on reproductive traits, processes, and strategies that are important areas of current research, including behaviours and signalling involved in courtship; mechanisms involved in mating, egg production, and sperm competition; nesting and gestation; sex determination; and finally, birth in viviparous species. We use our review to identify important questions that emerge from an understanding of this body of research when considered holistically. Finally, we identify additional research questions within each topic that Australian lizards are well suited for reproductive biologists to address.
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Pinto BJ, Nielsen SV, Gamble T. Transcriptomic data support a nocturnal bottleneck in the ancestor of gecko lizards. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 141:106639. [PMID: 31586687 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Gecko lizards are a species-rich clade of primarily-nocturnal squamate reptiles. In geckos, adaptations to nocturnality have dramatically reshaped the eye. Perhaps the most notable change is the loss of rod cells in the retina and subsequent "transmutation" of cones into a rod-like morphology and physiology. While many studies have noted the absence of some rod-specific genes, such as the visual pigment Rhodopsin (RH1), these studies have focused on just a handful of species that are nested deep in the gecko phylogeny. Thus, it is not clear whether these changes arose through convergence, are homologous and ubiquitous across geckos, or restricted to a subset of species. Here, we used de novo eye transcriptomes from five gecko species, and genomes from two additional gecko species, representing the breadth of extant gecko diversity (i.e. 4 of the 7 gecko families, spanning the deepest divergence of crown Gekkota), to show that geckos lost expression of almost the entire suite of necessary rod-cell phototransduction genes in the eye, distinct from all other squamate reptiles. Geckos are the first vertebrate group to have lost their complete rod-cell expression pathway, not just the visual pigment. In addition, all sampled species have also lost expression of the cone-opsin SWS2 visual pigment. These results strongly suggest a single loss of rod cells and subsequent cone-to-rod transmutation that occurred prior to the diversification of extant geckos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Pinto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
| | - Stuart V Nielsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA.
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Griffing AH, Sanger TJ, Daza JD, Nielsen SV, Pinto BJ, Stanley EL, Gamble T. Embryonic development of a parthenogenetic vertebrate, the mourning gecko (
Lepidodactylus lugubris
). Dev Dyn 2019; 248:1070-1090. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron H. Griffing
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Thomas J. Sanger
- Department of BiologyLoyola University in Chicago Chicago Illinois
| | - Juan D. Daza
- Department of Biological SciencesSam Houston State University Huntsville Texas
| | - Stuart V. Nielsen
- Department of HerpetologyFlorida Museum of Natural History Gainesville Florida
| | - Brendan J. Pinto
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of HerpetologyFlorida Museum of Natural History Gainesville Florida
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Public Museum Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Bell Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of Minnesota Saint Paul Minnesota
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10
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No Evidence for Across-Population Scent Discrimination of Cloacal Gland Secretions in Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). J HERPETOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1670/15-062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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11
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Williams R, Pernetta AP, Horrocks JA. Outcompeted by an invader? Interference and exploitative competition between tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) and Barbados leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus pulcher) for diurnal refuges in anthropogenic coastal habitats. Integr Zool 2017; 11:229-38. [PMID: 26923791 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
House geckos in the genus Hemidactylus are highly successful colonizers of regions beyond their native range, with colonization often resulting in displacement of native gecko species through competitive interactions for daytime refuge (crevices) and prey resources. We report on data collected from nighttime surveys undertaken in April-May 2014 on Barbados, West Indies, that focused on the distribution and abundance of the endemic Barbados leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus pulcher) and the introduced tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) along unlit coastal walls and among boulders in the grounds of a hotel resort. In contrast to patterns of displacement of native species by H. mabouia seen elsewhere, P. pulcher was more abundant than H. mabouia on coastal walls, whereas the latter was found in greater numbers using boulders at this site. Walls and boulders differed with regard to availability of diurnal refugia suitable for geckos, with the walls having high frequency of small crevices with openings <20 mm, and boulders offering very little cover other than the underside of the boulder itself. To investigate whether this niche separation was a result of differences in diurnal refuge use between the species, we conducted experimental trials in which geckos were allowed to select between refugia with different characteristics. Both species selected for narrower and warmer refugia, and refugia that had been previously occupied by the other species. These shared preferences for refugia type suggest that other factors underlie the niche separation observed in the field. In supporting high densities of P. pulcher, coastal walls could offer important secondary habitat by augmenting the natural cliff side habitat of this endemic gecko, a finding that could be exploited for the conservation of this candidate species for Critically Endangered classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Williams
- Ecology and Conservation Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
| | - Angelo P Pernetta
- Ecology and Conservation Research Group, University of Brighton, Hastings, UK
| | - Julia A Horrocks
- Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Barbados, West Indies
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Bashaw MJ, Gibson MD, Schowe DM, Kucher AS. Does enrichment improve reptile welfare? Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) respond to five types of environmental enrichment. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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13
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Gregorovičová M, Černíková A. Reactions of leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) to defensive secretion of Graphosoma lineatum (Heteroptera Pentatomidae): an experimental approach. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2015.1059895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Gregorovičová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - A. Černíková
- Institute of Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Praha 2, Czech Republic
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Gamble T, Greenbaum E, Jackman TR, Bauer AM. Into the light: diurnality has evolved multiple times in geckos. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tony Gamble
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development; University of Minnesota; Minneapolis MN USA
- Bell Museum of Natural History; University of Minnesota; Minneapolis MN USA
| | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences; The University of Texas at El Paso; El Paso TX USA
| | - Todd R. Jackman
- Department of Biology; Villanova University; Villanova PA USA
| | - Aaron M. Bauer
- Department of Biology; Villanova University; Villanova PA USA
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15
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Gregorovičová M, Černíková A. Reactions of green lizards (Lacerta viridis) to major repellent compounds secreted by Graphosoma lineatum (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). ZOOLOGY 2015; 118:176-82. [PMID: 25869384 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2014] [Revised: 12/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The chemical defence of Heteroptera is primarily based on repellent secretions which signal the potential toxicity of the bug to its predators. We tested the aversive reactions of green lizards (Lacerta viridis) towards the major compounds of the defensive secretion of Graphosoma lineatum, specifically: (i) a mixture of three aldehydes: (E)-hex-2-enal, (E)-oct-2-enal, (E)-dec-2-enal; (ii) a mixture of these three aldehydes and tridecane; (iii) oxoaldehyde: (E)-4-oxohex-2-enal; (iv) secretion extracted from metathoracic scent glands of G. lineatum adults and (v) hexane as a non-polar solvent. All chemicals were presented on a palatable food (Tenebrio molitor larvae). The aversive reactions of the green lizards towards the mealworms were evaluated by observing the approach latencies, attack latencies and approach-attack intervals. The green lizards exhibited a strong aversive reaction to the mixture of three aldehydes. Tridecane reduced the aversive reaction to the aldehyde mixture. Oxoaldehyde caused the weakest, but still significant, aversive reaction. The secretion from whole metathoracic scent glands also clearly had an aversive effect on the green lizards. Moreover, when a living specimen of G. lineatum or Pyrrhocoris apterus (another aposematic red-and-black prey) was presented to the green lizards before the trials with the aldehyde mixture, the aversive effect of the mixture was enhanced. In conclusion, the mixture of three aldehydes had the strong aversive effect and could signal the potential toxicity of G. lineatum to the green lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Gregorovičová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Alena Černíková
- Institute of Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic
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16
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17
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Hernández-Jaimes C, Jerez A, Ramírez-Pinilla MP. Embryonic development of the skull of the Andean lizard Ptychoglossus bicolor (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae). J Anat 2012; 221:285-302. [PMID: 22881276 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2012.01549.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of cranial design and development in Gymnophthalmidae is important to understand the ontogenetic processes behind the morphological diversity of the group and to examine the possible effects of microhabitat use and other ecological parameters, as well as phylogenetic constraints, on skull anatomy. Complete morphological descriptions of embryonic skull development within Gymnophthalmidae are non-existent. Likewise, very little is known about the complete chondrocranium of the family. Herein, the development of the skull of the semi-fossorial lizard Ptychoglossus bicolor is described along with an examination of the chondrocranium of other gymnophthalmid taxa and the teiid Cnemidophorus lemniscatus. Cranial chondrification begins with early condensations in the ethmoid, orbitotemporal and occipital regions of the chondrocranium as well as the viscerocranium. Ossification of the skull starts with elements of the dermatocranium (pterygoid, prefrontal, maxilla and jugal). The orbitosphenoid is the last chondral bone to appear. At birth, the skull is almost completely ossified and exhibits a large frontoparietal fontanelle. In general terms, the chondrocranium of the gymnophthalmids studied is characteristic of lacertiform terrestrial lizards, in spite of their life habits, and resembles the chondrocranium of C. lemniscatus in many aspects. However, the gymnophthalmids show great variation in the orbitosphenoid and a complex nasal capsule. The latter exhibits greater development of some nasal cartilages, which make it more complex than in C. lemniscatus. These characteristics might be related to microhabitat use and the well-developed olfactory and vomeronasal systems observed within this clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Hernández-Jaimes
- Colección Herpetológica y Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva de Vertebrados, Escuela de Biología, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
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Separating the effects of prey size and speed on the kinematics of prey capture in the omnivorous lizard Gerrhosaurus major. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2010; 196:491-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-010-0537-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2009] [Revised: 05/13/2010] [Accepted: 05/17/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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19
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Chemical cues from both dangerous and nondangerous snakes elicit antipredator behaviours from a nocturnal lizard. Anim Behav 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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20
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Wall M, Shine R. The Relationship Between Foraging Ecology and Lizard Chemoreception: Can a Snake Analogue (Burton’s Legless Lizard,Lialis burtonis) Detect Prey Scent? Ethology 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2008.01595.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Daza JD, Abdala V, Thomas R, Bauer AM. Skull anatomy of the miniaturized gecko Sphaerodactylus roosevelti (Squamata: Gekkota). J Morphol 2008; 269:1340-64. [PMID: 18698607 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A detailed description of the skull and jaw of the gecko Sphaerodactylus roosevelti is presented. The bones are described articulated and isolated with special consideration given to the type of suture among joining elements. S. roosevelti was compared with 109 gekkotan species to evaluate the osteological variation and to find characters for cladistic analysis. Changes in the skull associated with the miniaturization process are discussed within the sphaerodactylid geckos. A noticeable increase of overlapping sutures was observed in the snout of the smallest sphaerodactylids compared to other gekkotans. This pattern is convergent with that in miniaturized pygopodids and may be attributed to adaptations for decreasing mechanical resistance of the cranium during feeding or burrowing. New cranial characters support Sphaerodactylinae as a monophyletic group and should be useful for resolving questions such as their relationship with other gekkotans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan D Daza
- Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico 003931-3360.
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SCHWENK KURT. Comparative biology and the importance of cladistic classification: a case study from the sensory biology of squamate reptiles. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.1994.tb00979.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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J. Harmon L, L. Harmon L, G. Jones C. Competition and community structure in diurnal arboreal geckos (genus Phelsuma) in the Indian Ocean. OIKOS 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.2007.0030-1299.15958.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Hibbitts TJ, Whiting MJ. Do male barking geckos (Ptenopus garrulus garrulus) avoid refuges scented by other males? AFR J HERPETOL 2005. [DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2005.9635533] [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]
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Kearney M, Maisano JA, Rowe T. Cranial anatomy of the extinct amphisbaenian Rhineura hatcherii (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) based on high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. J Morphol 2005; 264:1-33. [PMID: 15549718 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The fossilized skull of a small extinct amphisbaenian referable to Rhineura hatcherii Baur is described from high-resolution X-ray computed tomographic (HRXCT) imagery of a well-preserved mature specimen from the Brule Formation of Badlands National Park, South Dakota. Marked density contrast between bones and surrounding matrix and at bone-to-bone sutures enabled the digital disarticulation of individual skull elements. These novel visualizations provide insight into the otherwise inaccessible three-dimensionally complex structure of the bones of the skull and their relationships to one another, and to the internal cavities and passageways that they enclose. This study corrects several previous misidentifications of elements in the rhineurid skull and sheds light on skull construction generally in "shovel-headed" amphisbaenians. The orbitosphenoids in R. hatcherii are paired and entirely enclosed within the braincase by the frontals; this is in contrast to the condition in many extant amphisbaenians, in which a large azygous orbitosphenoid occupies a topologically distinct area of the skull, closing the anterolateral braincase wall. Rhineura hatcherii retains a vestigial jugal and a partially fused squamosal, both of which are absent in many extant species. Sculpturing on the snout of R. hatcherii represents perforating canals conveying sensory innervation; thus, the face of R. hatcherii receives cutaneous innervation to an unprecedented degree. The HRXCT data (available at www.digimorph.org) corroborate and extend previous hypotheses that the mechanical organization of the head in Rhineura is organized to a large degree around its burrowing lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen Kearney
- Department of Zoology, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois 60605, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie J Vitt
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Zoology Department, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73072, USA.
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Vitt LJ, Pianka ER, Cooper WE, Schwenk K. History and the global ecology of squamate reptiles. Am Nat 2003; 162:44-60. [PMID: 12856236 DOI: 10.1086/375172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2002] [Accepted: 01/29/2003] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The structure of communities may be largely a result of evolutionary changes that occurred many millions of years ago. We explore the historical ecology of squamates (lizards and snakes), identify historically derived differences among clades, and examine how this history has affected present-day squamate assemblages globally. A dietary shift occurred in the evolutionary history of squamates. Iguanian diets contain large proportions of ants, other hymenopterans, and beetles, whereas these are minor prey in scleroglossan lizards. A preponderance of termites, grasshoppers, spiders, and insect larvae in their diets suggests that scleroglossan lizards harvest higher energy prey or avoid prey containing noxious chemicals. The success of this dietary shift is suggested by dominance of scleroglossans in lizard assemblages throughout the world. One scleroglossan clade, Autarchoglossa, combined an advanced vomeronasal chemosensory system with jaw prehension and increased activity levels. We suggest these traits provided them a competitive advantage during the day in terrestrial habitats. Iguanians and gekkotans shifted to elevated microhabitats historically, and gekkotans shifted activity to nighttime. These historically derived niche differences are apparent in extant lizard assemblages and account for some observed structure. These patterns occur in a variety of habitats at both regional and local levels throughout the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie J Vitt
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Zoology Department, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73072, USA.
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Rehorek SJ, Firth BT, Hutchinson MN. The structure of the nasal chemosensory system in squamate reptiles. 1. The olfactory organ, with special reference to olfaction in geckos. J Biosci 2000. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03404912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Rehorek SJ, Firth BT, Hutchinson MN. The structure of the nasal chemosensory system in squamate reptiles. 2. Lubricatory capacity of the vomeronasal organ. J Biosci 2000. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03404913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Rehorek SJ, Firth BT, Hutchinson MN. Can an orbital gland function in the vomeronasal sense? A study of the pygopodid Harderian gland. CAN J ZOOL 2000. [DOI: 10.1139/z99-247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Harderian gland occurs in the orbit of most tetrapod vertebrates. A growing body of evidence suggests that this gland is associated with the chemoreceptive function of the vomeronasal organ. In the present study, the morphology of the Harderian gland in two species of pygopodids was examined, and the results were contrasted with those from both geckos and snakes. The results show that the pygopodid Harderian gland shares histochemical and ultrastructural features with that of the geckos. However, in several gross morphological features, the pygopodid Harderian gland more closely resemble that of snakes than that of geckos. In both pygopodids and snakes, the nasolacrimal duct forms a direct link between the Harderian gland and the vomeronasal organ, which indicates that this specialized connection between the Harderian gland and vomeronasal organ is a convergent evolutionary attribute of these two groups.
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Dial BE, Schwenk K. Olfaction and predator detection inColeonyx brevis (Squamata: Eublepharidae), with comments on the functional significance of buccal pulsing in geckos. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-010x(19961215)276:6<415::aid-jez5>3.0.co;2-q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Urbani JM, Bels VL. Feeding behaviour in two scleroglossan lizards:Lacerta viridis(Lacertidae) andZonosaurus laticaudatus(Cordylidae). J Zool (1987) 1995. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1995.tb04493.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Abstract
The serpent's forked tongue has intrigued humankind for millennia, but its function has remained obscure. Theory, anatomy, neural circuitry, function, and behavior now support a hypothesis of the forked tongue as a chemosensory edge detector used to follow pheromone trails of prey and conspecifics. The ability to sample simultaneously two points along a chemical gradient provides the basis for instantaneous assessment of trail location. Forked tongues have evolved at least twice, possibly four times, among squamate reptiles, and at higher taxonomic levels, forked tongues are always associated with a wide searching mode of foraging. The evolutionary success of advanced snakes might be due, in part, to perfection of this mechanism and its role in reproduction.
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