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3,538 results for “Lizard”
Cycling temperature treatments and digestion in prairie lizards (Sceloporus consobrinus)
<p>In nature, many organisms experience a daily range of body temperatures. Thermal performance at stable temperatures is often extrapolated to predict function in cyclical environments. However, temperature order and cyclicity may influence physiological processes. The current study compared energy intake, digestive passage time, and energy budgets across stable temperature (30˚C, 33˚C, 36˚C) and two temperature cycles in lizards (<em>Sceloporus conosbrinus</em>), determining 1) if stable treatments adequately project performance in a cycling environment and 2) if temperature order influences performance. Cycles rotated through 30˚C, 33˚C, 36˚C daily, with equal durations of time at each temperature but differing temperature order, with warm days and cool nights in cycle 1 and cool days and warm nights in cycle 2. For analyses, stable treatments were compiled into a single dataset and compared to cycles. If temperature is the primary factor regulating performance, then performance averages from stable treatments and cycles should compare favorably. However, physiological performance varied based on temperature treatment. Intake and energy budgets were similar between stable trials and cycle 1 but not cycle two. Passage time was quicker in cycle 1 than cycle 2 and stable treatment predictions. Notably, the two cycling regimes consistently varied in performance, indicating that temperature order plays a primary role in regulating performance. Physiological data collection requires careful consideration of effects of cycling versus stable temperature treatments. Stable temperatures do not consistently represent performance in cycling regimes and consideration should be paid not only to which temperatures animals experience, but how temperature is experienced in nature.</p>
Data from: Inter- and intrapopulation resource use variation of marine subsidized western fence lizards
<p>Marine resource subsidies can alter consumer dynamics of recipient populations in coastal systems. The response to these subsidies by generalist consumers is often not uniform, resulting in inter- and intrapopulation diet variation and niche diversification that may be intensified across heterogeneous landscapes.</p> <p>We sampled western fence lizards, <em>Sceloporus occidentalis</em>, from Puget Sound beaches and from coastal and inland forest habitats, as well as the lizards' marine and terrestrial prey items to quantify marine and terrestrial resource use with stable isotope analysis (SIA) and mixing models.</p> <p>Isotopic results reveal beach lizards had higher average δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N values compared to coastal and inland forest lizards, exhibiting a strong mixing line between marine and terrestrial prey items. Across five beach sites, lizard populations received 20 to 51% of their diet from marine resources, on average, with individual lizards ranging between 7% and 86% marine diet.</p> <p>The hillslope of the transition zone between marine and terrestrial environments at beach sites was positively associated with marine-based diets, as beach sites with the steepest slopes had the highest percent marine diets. Additionally, within-beach variation in transition zone slope was positively correlated with the isotopic niche space of beach lizard populations. Together, these results demonstrate that the physiography of transitional landscapes can mediate resource flow between environments, and variable habitat topography promotes niche diversification within a lizard population.</p> <p>Marine resource subsidization of Puget Sound beach <em>S. occidentalis </em>populations may facilitate occupation of the northwesternmost edge of the species range. </p> <p>Human impacts to the physiography of Puget Sound beaches, such as shoreline armoring, may influence the quantity of driftwood habitat available to support the unique ecology of beach-dwelling <em>S. occidentalis</em>. This highlights the importance of shoreline restoration, and conservation of intact beach habitat.</p>
Different selection regimes explain morphological evolution in fossorial lizards
<p>Independent origins of similar phenotypes are ubiquitous to the evolutionary process and evoke strong and recurrent environmental associations. Snakelike lizards evolved multiple times and are often portrayed as limb-reduced and body-elongated outcomes from shared selection associated with fossoriality. However, a refined evaluation including specific head traits and subtle differences in subterranean microhabitats unveils some degree of uniqueness even among lineages traditionally interpreted as phenotypically similar. Here we address regimes of selection in fossorial lizards accounting for differences in the burrowing substrate and emphasizing head shape in addition to body and limbs. We assembled an ecomorphological database comprising 213 species from all major lizard clades, and then characterized contemporary morphological diversity and modeled phenotypic evolution to test the hypothesis that fossoriality encompasses at least two distinct selection regimes. We identified two ecomorphological groups within the fossorial lizards: moist-soil fossorial and dry-soil fossorial. Both groups evolved towards distinct adaptive optima concerning head shape and limb size. Despite some degree of uniqueness, these groups also share similar patterns in specific traits. Dry-soil fossorial lizards present less morphological variation than moist-soil fossorial, possibly due to the combination of distinct sets of selective pressures with shared ancestry. Our study provides evidence that an often-interpreted general adaptive regime (e.g., fossoriality) may in fact comprise enough ecological and functional diversity to elicit several distinct ecomorphological associations despite overall convergence among phenotypic traits.</p>
Hotter deserts and the impending challenges for the spiny-tailed lizard in India
<p>Ectotherms are particularly vulnerable to climate change, especially those living in extreme areas, such as deserts, where species are already thermally constrained. Using the vulnerable herbivorous lizard, <em>Saara hardwickii</em>, as a model system, we used a multi-pronged approach to understand the thermal ecology of a desert agamid and the potential impacts of rising temperatures. Our data included field-based measures of operative temperatures, body temperatures, and activity, as well as lab-based measures of thermal limits, preferences, and sprint speed. As expected, the temperature dependence of locomotor performance and foraging activity was different, and in the worst-case global warming scenario (SSP5-8.5), potential sprint speed may decrease by up to 14.5% and foraging activity may decrease by up to 43.5% by 2099. Burrows are essential thermal refuges, and global warming projections suggest that <em>S. hardwickii </em>may be restricted to burrows for up to 9 hours per day by 2099, which would greatly limit critical activities, like foraging and seeking mating opportunities. Overall, we show that key information on thermal ecology, including temperature-sensitive behaviours in the wild, is necessary to understand the multiple ways in which increasing temperatures may influence ectothermic vertebrates, especially for species like <em>S. hardwickii </em>which are already vulnerable to environmental change.</p>
Population genomics of flat-tailed horned lizards (Phrynosoma mcallii) informs conservation and management across a fragmented Colorado Desert landscape
<p><em>Phrynosoma mcallii</em> (flat-tailed horned lizards) is a species of conservation concern in the Colorado Desert of the United States and Mexico. We analyzed ddRADseq data from 45 lizards to estimate population structure, infer phylogeny, identify migration barriers, map genetic diversity hotspots, and model demography. We identified the Colorado River as the main geographic feature contributing to population structure, with the populations west of this barrier further subdivided by the Salton Sea. Phylogenetic analysis confirms that northwestern populations are nested within southeastern populations. The best-fit demographic model indicates Pleistocene divergence across the Colorado River, with significant bidirectional gene flow, and a severe Holocene population bottleneck. These patterns suggest that management strategies should focus on maintaining genetic diversity on both sides of the Colorado River and Salton Sea. We recommend additional lands in the U.S. and Mexico that should be considered for similar conservation goals as those in the Rangewide Management Strategy (RMS). We also recommend periodic rangewide genomic sampling to monitor ongoing attrition of diversity, hybridization, and changing structure due to habitat fragmentation, climate change and other long-term impacts.</p>
Rare but not lost: Endemic mountain lizard occupancy following mega-fire and grazing disturbances
<p>Wildfires and grazing by invasive herbivores can influence habitat suitability for ground‐dwelling fauna, such as reptiles. Australia has a large and diverse reptile fauna, with the Australian Alps bioregion in the southeast of the continent supporting a disproportionately high number of threatened species. In this bioregion, many species are threatened by fire, habitat loss or modification, and invasive species. The range of one such threatened endemic lizard, <em>Cyclodomorphus praealtus</em> (family Scincidae), was impacted by the 2019–20 mega-fires and is also subject to widespread grazing by invasive species. We investigated the relationship between <em>C. praealtus</em> site occupancy and fire and grazing. We completed 2045 surveys across 120 sites over 4 years, detecting the species at 43% of sites and increasing the species' known geographic range. Using single-season detection occupancy models, we found <em>C. praealtus</em> occupancy was not associated with elevation, vegetation height, or whether the site was burnt, but was positively associated with grazing activity. Our results indicate that <em>C. praealtus</em> can persist following a single fire in some cases and that habitats with high occupancy probabilities are subject to high grazing pressure. However, our results do not rule out more nuanced impacts associated with these disturbances, which affect a large proportion of <em>C. praealtus</em>' habitat. Our cumulative detection probability calculations revealed that considerable survey effort is often required to determine <em>C. praealtus</em> site occupancy. We therefore recommend that impact assessments assume species presence within areas of suitable habitat within the species' range. Our study improves our understanding of disturbance impacts on <em>C. praealtus</em>' occupancy while demonstrating the need for sufficiently resourced impact assessments for cryptic and threatened species.</p>
Data for: The hydrodynamics of Lizard Island lagoon, Great Barrier Reef
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
FIG. 6 in The lizard (Reptilia, Squamata) assemblage from the Paleocene of Montchenot (Paris Basin, MP6)
FIG. 6. —?Lacertidae, distal end of a left humerus, MNHN.F.MTC239, ventral view. Scale bar: 1 mm.
Identifying traits that enable lizard adaptation to different habitats
<p><b>Aim: </b>Species adapt differently to contrasting environments, such as open habitats with sparse vegetation and forested habitats with dense forest cover. We investigated colonization patterns in the open and forested environments in the Diagonal of Open Formations and surrounding rain forests (i.e., Amazon and Atlantic Forest) in Brazil, tested whether the diversification rates were affected by the environmental conditions, and identified traits that enabled species to persist in those environments.</p> <p><b>Location: </b>South America, Brazil.</p> <p><b>Taxon: </b>Squamata, Lizards</p> <p><b>Methods: </b>We estimated ancestral ranges to identify range shifts relative to traditional open and forested habitats for all species. We used phylogenetic information and the current distribution of species in open and forested environments. To evaluate whether these environments influenced species diversification, we tested 12 models using a Hidden Geographic State Speciation and Extinction analysis. Finally, we combined phylogenetic relatedness and species traits in a machine learning framework to identify the traits permitting adaptation in those contrasting environments.</p> <p><b>Results: </b>We identified 41 total transitions between open and forested habitats, of which 80% were from the forested habitats to the open habitats. Widely distributed species had lower speciation and extinction rates than species in forested or open habitats, with the latter having the higher overall rates. Mean body temperature, microhabitat, female SVL, and diet were identified as putative traits that enabled adaptation to different environments, and phylogenetic relatedness was an important predictor of species occurrence.</p> <p><b>Main conclusions:</b> Our results indicate that transitions from forested to open habitats are most common. The combination of phylogenetic reconstruction of ancestral distributions and the machine learning framework enables us to integrate organismal trait data, environmental data, and evolutionary history in a manner that could be applied on a global scale.</p>
Thermal-metabolic phenotypes of the lizard Podarcis muralis differ across elevation, but converge in high elevation hypoxia
<p>In response to a warming climate, many montane species are shifting upslope to track the emergence of preferred temperatures. Characterizing patterns of variation in metabolic, physiological and thermal traits along an elevational gradient, and the plastic potential of these traits, is necessary to understand current and future responses to abiotic constraints at high elevations, including limited oxygen availability. We performed a transplant experiment with the upslope-colonizing common wall lizard (<em>Podarcis</em> <em>muralis</em>) in which we measured nine aspects of thermal physiology and aerobic capacity in lizards from replicate low- (400 m above sea level, ASL) and high-elevation (1700 m ASL) populations. We first measured traits at their elevation of origin and then transplanted half of each group to extreme high elevation (2900 m ASL; above the current elevational range limit of this species), where oxygen availability is reduced by ∼25% relative to sea level. After 3 weeks of acclimation, we again measured these traits in both the transplanted and control groups. The multivariate thermal–metabolic phenotypes of lizards originating from different elevations differed clearly when measured at the elevation of origin. For example, high-elevation lizards are more heat tolerant than their low-elevation counterparts (counter-gradient variation). Yet, these phenotypes converged after exposure to reduced oxygen availability at extreme high elevation, suggesting limited plastic responses under this novel constraint. Our results suggest that high-elevation populations are well suited to their oxygen environments, but that plasticity in the thermal–metabolic phenotype does not pre-adapt these populations to colonize more hypoxic environments at higher elevations.</p>
How melanism affects the sensitivity of lizards to climate change
<p>The impact of climate change on global biodiversity is firmly established, but the differential effect of climate change on populations within the same species is rarely considered. In ectotherms, melanism (i.e. darker integument due to heavier deposition of melanin) can significantly influence thermoregulation, as dark individuals generally heat more and faster than bright ones. Therefore, darker ectotherms might be more susceptible to climate change. Using the color-polyphenic lizard <em>Karusasaurus polyzonus</em> (Squamata: Cordylidae), we hypothesized that, under future climatic projections, darker populations will decrease their activity time more than brighter ones due to their greater potential for overheating. To test this, we mechanistically modeled the body temperatures of 56 individuals from five differently-colored populations under present and future climate conditions. We first measured morphological traits and integumentary reflectance from live animals, and then collected physiological data from the literature. We used a biophysical model to compute activity time of individual lizards as proxy for their viability, and thereby predict how different populations will cope with future climate conditions. Contrary to our expectations, we found that all populations will increase activity time and, specifically, that darker populations will become relatively more active than bright ones. This suggests that darker populations of <em>K. polyzonus</em> may benefit from global warming. Our study emphasizes the importance of accounting for variation between populations when studying responses to climate change, as we must consider these variations to develop efficient and specific conservation strategies.</p>
Dataset for: 'Influence of seasonal temperature fluctuation on successful reproduction of the Gorongosa girdled lizard (Smaug mossambicus)' - Baker and Jones
<p>Datasets for recreating figures in 'Influence of seasonal temperature fluctuation on successful reproduction of the Gorongosa girdled lizard (<em>Smaug mossambicus)' </em>, and an accompanying R script. </p> <p> </p>
Hyperspectral X-ray CT dataset of a single, iodine-stained lizard head sample
<p><strong>General Data description:</strong></p> <p>This is a hyperspectral (energy-resolved) X-ray CT projection dataset of a lizard head sample, stained with an iodine contrast agent. It was acquired in a custom-built, laboratory micro-CT scanner with an energy-sensitive HEXITEC detector in the Henry Moseley X-ray Imaging Facility at The University of Manchester.</p> <p>The following data contains all the files necessary for reconstruction, after a hyperspectral scan was taken of a single, iodine-stained lizard head sample. The iodine contrast agent provided a spectral marker, measured by an energy-sensitive detector, which may be used for spatial mapping and segmentation of stained soft tissue regions.</p> <p><strong>File descriptions:</strong></p> <p>Contained are four MATLAB (.mat) data files, as well as a single text (.txt) file.</p> <p>Lizard_head_scan_parameters.txt provides the full sample and detector geometry of the scan acquisition.</p> <p>lizard_180Proj_noSupp_1_180.mat contains the full 4D sinogram constructed following flatfield normalisation of the raw projection data. The 4D array contains the total number of energy channels acquired during scanning, vertical and horizontal pixel number, and total projections angles acquired. The data provided is prior to application of any post-processing filters. The first 180 energy channels are included.</p> <p>lizard_180Proj_Supp_1_180.mat contains the full 4D sinogram constructed following flatfield normalisation of the raw projection data. This dataset is identical to the .mat file above, however here we have also applied a ring-reduction filter, using a wavelet-based Fourier filter which suppresses the presence of ring artefacts in every energy channel. The first 180 energy channels are included.</p> <p>Energy_axis.mat provides a direct conversion between the energy channels, and the energies (in keV) that they correspond to, following a calibration procedure prior to scanning.</p> <p>FF.mat contains the 4D flatfield data acquired when no sample was present. This data was used to normalise the projection datasets, as the sinogram was constructed. The first 180 energy channels are included.</p>
Data from: Reduced mitochondrial respiration in hybrid asexual lizards
<p><span>The scarcity of asexual reproduction in vertebrates alludes to an inherent cost. Several groups of asexual vertebrates exhibit lower endurance capacity (a trait predominantly sourced by mitochondrial respiration) compared to congeneric sexual species. Here we measure endurance capacity in five species of <i>Aspidoscelis </i>lizards and examine mitochondrial respiration between sexual and asexual species using mitochondrial respirometry. Our results show reduced endurance capacity, mitochondrial respiration, and phenotypic variability in asexual species compared to parental sexual species along with a positive relationship between endurance capacity and mitochondrial respiration. Results of lower endurance capacity and lower mitochondrial respiration in asexual <i>Aspidoscelis </i>are consistent with hypotheses involving mitonuclear incompatibility.</span></p> <p><span>This repository includes files with DNA sequence alignments, evolutionary relationships, mitochondrial respiration, and endurance measurements for five species of whiptail lizards. Code used to analyze the data in the context of the study is also included.</span></p>
A model of digestive tooth corrosion in lizards: experimental tests and taphonomic implications
<p>Abstract </p><p>Corrosion patterns induced by gastric fluids on the skeleton of prey animals may depend on the nature of the corrosive agents (acid, enzymes) as well as on the composition of the hard parts and the soft tissues that surround them. We propose a framework for predicting and interpreting corrosion patterns on lizard teeth, our model system, drawing on the different digestive pathways of avian and non-avian vertebrate predators. We propose that high-acid, low-enzyme systems (embodied by mammalian carnivores) will lead to corrosion of the tooth crowns, whereas low-acid, high-enzyme systems (embodied by owls) will lead to corrosion of the tooth shafts. We test our model experimentally using artificial gastric fluids (with HCl and pepsin) and feeding experiments, and phenomenologically using wild-collected owl pellets with lizard remains. Finding an association between the predictions and the experimental results, we then examine corrosion patterns on nearly 900 fossil lizard jaws. Given an appropriate phylogenetic background, our focus on physiological rather than taxonomic classes of predators allows the extension of the approach into Deep Time.</p><p></p>
Grandmaternal age at reproduction affects grandoffspring body condition, reproduction and survival in a wild population of lizards
<p>Age at reproduction can influence the survival and future reproduction of an individual as well as that of their offspring. Remarkably, it has been shown that grandmaternal age at reproduction can also affect the characteristics of grandoffspring in humans and in laboratory or semi-captive animals. However, currently we do not know whether grandmaternal age effects exist in wild populations.</p> <p>We gathered data on female age at reproduction, offspring and grandoffspring characteristics using a 16-year long-term survey of a natural population of the common lizard, <em>Zootoca vivipara</em>. The dataset contains 579 grandoffspring from 135 litters.</p> <p>Body size at birth was not correlated with grandmaternal age at reproduction. However, grandoffspring body condition at birth, grandoffspring survival and reproductive performance of granddaughters were dependent on grandmaternal age. These relationships were independent of maternal age.</p> <p>An age-structured model showed that the global effect of grandmaternal age was nonlinear and was largely driven by its effect on grandoffspring survival. Fitness was higher for granddaughters produced by grandmothers of intermediate ages.</p> <p>The study shows that age can shape life-history traits for more than one generation, documenting the importance that grandmaternal age can have in wild populations.</p>
Data from: Moderate climate warming scenarios during embryonic and post-embryonic stages benefit a cold-climate lizard
<p>Warming temperatures caused by climate change are predicted to vary temporally and spatially. For mid- and high-latitude reptiles, the seasonal variation in warming temperatures experienced by embryos and hatchlings may determine offspring fitness, yet this has remained largely unexplored.</p> <p>To evaluate the independent and interactive influence of seasonal variation in warming temperatures on embryonic and hatchling development, we incubated eggs and reared hatchlings of a cold-climate oviparous ectothermic species, the Heilongjiang grass lizard (<em>Takydromus amurensis</em>), following a 2 × 2 factorial design (present climate vs. warming climate for embryos × present climate vs. warming climate for hatchlings). We then evaluated embryonic and hatchling development, including hatching success, incubation period, initial hatchling body size, hatchling metabolic rate, growth rate, and survival in the mesocosms.</p> <p>We found that warming temperatures shortened the incubation period and produced hatchlings with higher survival rates than those incubated under the present climate conditions. Similarly, hatchlings reared under a warming climate had similar growth rates and resting metabolic rates, but higher survival rates than those reared under the present climate. Hatchlings that experienced both warming incubation and warming growth conditions had the highest survival rates.</p> <p>This study revealed that moderate warming temperatures (Representative Concentration Pathway, RCP 4.5, 1.1–2.6 °C) experienced by embryos and hatchlings interact to benefit hatchling fitness in cold-climate oviparous ectotherms. Our study also highlighted the importance of integrating seasonal variation in warming temperatures when evaluating the responses to climate warming in multiple developmental stages in oviparous ectotherms.</p>
Fig. 1 in Color Features Of Sand Lizards, Lacerta Agilis (Sauria, Lacertidae), In Kyiv Region (Ukraine)
Fig. 1. Map of sand lizard distribution and places of sampling in Kyiv Region:
Fig. 3 in Current Distribution Of The Introduced Rock Lizards Of The Darevskia (Saxicola) Complex (Sauria, Lacertidae, Darevskia) In Zhytomyr Region (Ukraine)
Fig. 3. «Brown melanist» (partially melanist) D. dahli from near Denyshy Village.
Data from: Fixation and preservation contribute to distortion in vertebrate museum specimens: a ten-year study with the lizard Anolis sagrei
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="MsoIntenseEmphasis"><span>Preservation of museum specimens depends on chemical fixation and preservation, processes that might distort the original material. Relatively few studies have examined preservation effects in potentially susceptible soft-bodied taxa like herpetofauna, and those that have rarely extend over more than a few months. We collected six common morphological measurements from the same set of radiographed specimens of the Neotropical lizard Anolis sagrei over nearly ten years to investigate whether morphometric changes result from fixation in formalin and/or subsequent long-term preservation in ethanol. Snout-vent length (SVL) declined 3.5% on average over 10 years, starting almost immediately with fixation and continuing to decline during fluid preservation, eventually leveling off at 40 weeks and beyond. The mostly-ossified component of SVL, spine length, declined 2% on average, but the decline did not begin until fluid preservation commenced and continued throughout the duration of the study. Other characters showed significant decline over the course of the study. Our findings suggest caution when combining fresh and preserved specimens, or specimens of different preservation ages, as a decline in snout-vent length but not in other allometrically proportional characters will introduce error when correcting characters for body size in preserved animals. </span></span></p>
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