Journal articles on the topic 'Lizard distribution patterns'
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Leung, M. N. Y., C. A. Paszkowski, and A. P. Russell. "Genetic structure of the endangered Greater Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) in Canada: evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear genes." Canadian Journal of Zoology 92, no. 10 (October 2014): 875–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0079.
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The northern edge of the range of the Greater Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi Girard, 1858) occurs in western Canada, where the species has “endangered” status and exhibits a patchy distribution. Phylogenetic inference and genetic analyses were employed to investigate the genetic structure of P. hernandesi throughout its Canadian range. One nuclear and two mitochondrial DNA genes were sequenced from 94 lizard tail tips. Overall, sequences from lizards from both Alberta and Saskatchewan displayed very little variability, and the consistent clustering of all the P. hernandesi mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences from Canada in both phylogenetic and population genetic analyses is consistent with the lizards from all sampled localities having originated from a single glacial refugium, and with being, until recently (or currently) interconnected genetically. The genetic data obtained so far furnish no information useful for interpreting the species’ present-day patchy distribution patterns or for formulating conservation strategies.
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Török, János, Gábor Herczeg, and Zoltán Korsós. "Size-dependent heating rates determine the spatial and temporal distribution of small-bodied lizards." Amphibia-Reptilia 28, no. 3 (2007): 347–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853807781374674.
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AbstractThe rate of heat exchange with the environment is of obvious importance in determining the time budget of behavioural thermoregulation in ectotherms. In small reptiles, heating rate depends mainly on their physical characteristics. We analysed the effect of body size, and the possible joint effects originating from shape and colour differences on heating rate in three small-bodied (0.15-20 g) sympatric lizard species. Heating rate was strongly influenced by body size, while no joint effects with the two other factors were detected. We found that the increase in heating rate with decreasing body size accelerated dramatically below a body weight of 2-3 g. We also analysed associations between body size, seasonal activity patterns and thermal characteristics of the sites where lizards were encountered in the field. Differently sized lizards occurred in thermally different sites and differed in their seasonal activity patterns, both within and among species. Smaller (<2-3 g) lizards occurred in cooler sites and exhibited very low activity during summer. Our results suggest that body size has a considerable influence on the spatial and temporal distribution of extremely small lizards in environments subject to a danger of overheating.
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Kutt, A. S., B. L. Bateman, and E. P. Vanderduys. "Lizard diversity on a rainforest - savanna altitude gradient in north-eastern Australia." Australian Journal of Zoology 59, no. 2 (2011): 86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo11036.
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Mountain ecosystems act as natural experiments for investigating the relationship between environmental heterogeneity and species diversity. A review of the global altitudinal distribution of reptiles identified a diverse range of patterns driven by climate and taxonomy. No Australian examples were included in this analysis. We addressed this gap by surveying the reptile assemblage along an altitude gradient from upland rainforest (~1000 m) through to open savanna woodlands (~350 m) in north-eastern Australia. Reptiles were sampled on four separate occasions between May 2006 and November 2007. Thirty-six species, representing seven families, were recorded along the gradient. As we used only diurnal active searching, snakes and nocturnal geckoes were probably under-sampled; thus we considered only lizards in the analysis of altitude pattern. Lizard species richness peaked at the mid-altitudes (600–900 m, 11–12 spp.) and abundance highest at the lower (<500 m) and higher (>800 m) zones. This pattern is likely a factor of both the increase in radiant heat sources (reduced canopy cover) and increased species packing due to the diversity of niches available (presence of rock cover and increase in saxicolous species). In the lower-altitude sites the high abundance of few species seems linked to the dominance of disturbance-tolerant species. We conclude that lizard richness and abundance patterns on this transect are not necessarily exhibiting a mid-domain effect, but instead are a function of species-specific ecological and habitat requirements.
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Helmer, W., H. Strijbosch, and P. T. Scholte. "Distribution and ecology of lizards in the Greek province of Evros." Amphibia-Reptilia 10, no. 2 (1989): 151–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853889x00188.
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AbstractDuring a field study in 1983-1984 in a 200 km 2 study area in the south of Evros province (Greece) the presence of 11 lizard species was established. For every species a distribution map within the area is supplied. In different parts of the area thc lizards formed different species combinations. Ophisops elegans appeared to vicariate in certain terrains with both Podarcis erhardii and P. taurica. By studying habitat selection and activity patterns of all species data on spatial and temporal niche segregation could be obtained. The activity patterns of all species were strongly influenced by exposition and altitude. In some species a strong altitude influence was also measured on growth and some other life history data. Some pairs of morphologically or ecologically related species are compared in more detail. Some species occurred in very high densities (Lacerta viridis up to 500, Ablepharus kitaibelii up to 1100 ind./ha). Tail loss frequencies of all species are given. For many birds of prey they formed an essential food source.
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Lizana-Ciudad, Diego, Víctor J. Colino-Rabanal, Óscar J. Arribas, and Miguel Lizana. "Connectivity Predicts Presence but Not Population Density in the Habitat-Specific Mountain Lizard Iberolacerta martinezricai." Sustainability 13, no. 5 (March 2, 2021): 2647. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13052647.
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The Batuecan lizard Iberolacerta martinezricai is a critically endangered species due to its significantly reduced distribution, which is restricted to the scree slopes (SS) of a few mountain peaks within the Batuecas-Sierra de Francia Natural Park (western Spain). Given its high specialisation in this type of discontinuous habitat, the long-term conservation of the species requires maintaining the connectivity between populations. This study analyses the contribution of connectivity, as well as other patch-related factors, in the distribution and density patterns of the species. With this aim, 67 SS were sampled by line transects from May to October 2018. Each SS was characterised using variables indicative of the microhabitat conditions for the lizard. Inter-SS connectivity was quantified using graph theory for seven distances. Generalised linear models (GLMs) were performed for both presence and density. Model results showed that while connectivity was a relevant factor in the presence of lizards, density only involved patch-related variables. Discrepancies probably occurred because the factors influencing presence operate on a wider scale than those of abundance. In view of the results, the best-connected SS, but also those where the lizard is most abundant and from which more dispersed individuals are likely to depart, seem to be the essential patches in any conservation strategy. The results may also be relevant to other species with habitat-specific requirements.
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Singchat, Worapong, Thitipong Panthum, Syed Farhan Ahmad, Sudarath Baicharoen, Narongrit Muangmai, Prateep Duengkae, Darren K. Griffin, and Kornsorn Srikulnath. "Remnant of Unrelated Amniote Sex Chromosomal Linkage Sharing on the Same Chromosome in House Gecko Lizards, Providing a Better Understanding of the Ancestral Super-Sex Chromosome." Cells 10, no. 11 (November 1, 2021): 2969. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells10112969.
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Comparative chromosome maps investigating sex chromosomal linkage groups in amniotes and microsatellite repeat motifs of a male house gecko lizard (Hemidactylus frenatus, HFR) and a flat-tailed house gecko lizard (H. platyurus, HPL) of unknown sex were examined using 75 bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) from chicken and zebra finch genomes. No massive accumulations of microsatellite repeat motifs were found in either of the gecko lizards, but 10 out of 13 BACs mapped on HPL chromosomes were associated with other amniote sex chromosomes. Hybridization of the same BACs onto multiple different chromosome pairs suggested transitions to sex chromosomes across amniotes. No BAC hybridization signals were found on HFR chromosomes. However, HFR diverged from HPL about 30 million years ago, possibly due to intrachromosomal rearrangements occurring in the HFR lineage. By contrast, heterochromatin likely reshuffled patterns between HPL and HFR, as observed from C-positive heterochromatin distribution. Six out of ten BACs showed partial homology with squamate reptile chromosome 2 (SR2) and snake Z and/or W sex chromosomes. The gecko lizard showed shared unrelated sex chromosomal linkages—the remnants of a super-sex chromosome. A large ancestral super-sex chromosome showed a correlation between SR2 and snake W sex chromosomes.
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Uchôa, Lucas Rafael, Fagner Ribeiro Delfim, Daniel Oliveira Mesquita, Guarino Rinaldi Colli, Adrian Antonio Garda, and Thaís B. Guedes. "Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from the Caatinga, northeastern Brazil: Detailed and updated overview." Vertebrate Zoology 72 (August 12, 2022): 599–659. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e78828.
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Abstract The Caatinga is the largest seasonal dry tropical forest in South America and it has been historically neglected in terms of its biodiversity. Regarding lizards, different studies led to the current knowledge of diversity and endemism in Caatinga, but detailed syntheses are scarce in the literature. We present the most detailed and up-to-date synthesis of knowledge about Caatinga lizards by providing a detailed (i) list of species; (ii) taxonomic richness patterns; (iii) knowledge gaps and spatial biases; and (iv) detailed distribution maps of all species that contain at least one occurrence record within Caatinga limits. We created a distribution database using occurrences of lizards in Caatinga based on scientific collections, field collection, and literature. We produce up-to-date distribution maps, calculate the Extent of Occurrence and provide the environmental and bioclimatic profile for each species recorded. We draw taxonomic richness and sampling gap maps. Our database has 20,538 records of occurrence of lizards of the Caatinga. We recorded 93 lizard species (13 families), 52.7% of which are endemic. Forthy-four percent of the species present restricted distributions. We identified that 53% of the Caatinga area (or 70% of the municipalities) has no record of occurrence of lizards. The data presented are an important step towards synthesizing in detail the accumulated knowledge about Caatinga lizards and is crucial for accurate strategies for the conservation planning. It directs actions to advance our knowledge on Caatinga lizards: to concentrate inventories in sample void areas; continuous update of the species occurrence database, advance in the generation of autoecology data for species.
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Crespo, Eduardo, Luís Vicente, and Paulo Sá-Sousa. "Morphological variability of Podarcis hispanica (Sauria: Lacertidae) in Portugal." Amphibia-Reptilia 23, no. 1 (2002): 55–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853802320877627.
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AbstractA total of 35 morphological characters (biometry, scalation, chromatic pattern) were studied through multivariate analyses on 10 populations sampled across the range of the Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis hispanica) in Portugal. Biometry clearly splits the samples into two different types. Differences in scalation between the two types were not clear, but multiple correspondence analyses showed that different chromatic patterns fit each of the types: one presented dark dorsal patterns (e.g. reticulated, eyeled, striped) and whitish-pearly belly, while the other showed green or yellow-brown patterns and yellow-orange belly. These two morphotypes constitute different molecular lineages and have different ranges of distribution.
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Macedo-Lima, Matheus, Marco Aurélio M. Freire, Hugo de Carvalho Pimentel, Lívia Cristina Rodrigues Ferreira Lins, Katty Anne Amador de Lucena Medeiros, Giordano Gubert Viola, José Ronaldo dos Santos, and Murilo Marchioro. "Characterization of NADPH Diaphorase- and Doublecortin-Positive Neurons in the Lizard Hippocampal Formation." Brain, Behavior and Evolution 88, no. 3-4 (2016): 222–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000453105.
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The lizard cortex has remarkable similarities with the mammalian hippocampus. Both regions process memories, have similar cytoarchitectural properties, and are important neurogenic foci in adults. Lizards show striking levels of widespread neurogenesis in adulthood and can regenerate entire cortical areas after injury. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important regulatory factor of mammalian neurogenesis and hippocampal function. However, little is known about its role in nonmammalian neurogenesis. Here, we analyzed the distribution, morphology, and dendritic complexity (Neurolucida reconstructions) of NO-producing neurons through NADPH diaphorase (NADPHd) activity, and how they compare with the distribution of doublecortin-positive (DCX+) neurons in the hippocampal formation of the neotropical lizard Tropidurus hispidus. NADPHd-positive (NADPHd+) neurons in the dorsomedial cortex (DMC; putatively homologous to mammalian CA3) were more numerous and complex than the ones in the medial cortex (MC; putatively homologous to the dentate gyrus). We found that NADPHd+ DMC neurons send long projections into the MC. Interestingly, in the MC, NADPHd+ neurons existed in 2 patterns: small somata with low intensity of staining in the outer layer and large somata with high intensity of staining in the deep layer, a pattern similar to the mammalian cortex. Additionally, NADPHd+ neurons were absent in the granular cell layer of the MC. In contrast, DCX+ neurons were scarce in the DMC but highly numerous in the MC, particularly in the granular cell layer. We hypothesize that NO-producing neurons in the DMC provide important input to proliferating/migrating neurons in the highly neurogenic MC.
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Abell, Allison J. "Male-female spacing patterns in the lizard, Sceloporus virgatus." Amphibia-Reptilia 20, no. 2 (1999): 185–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853899x00196.
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AbstractThe spatial distribution of Sceloporus virgatus in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona was studied during the breeding season. Male home ranges were, on average, more than four times larger than those of females. Home range overlap of both sexes was extensive, with most individuals overlapping multiple males and multiple females. Home range overlap of males with females was significantly correlated with an independently calculated estimate of male mating success. For most females (71%), one of the males overlapped a substantially larger portion of her home range than any other male. Similarly, for most females (76%) a single one of the overlapping males courted the female more often or was sighted at closer distances to the female. The remaining females did not associate primarily with a single male.
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Grechko, Vernata V., Doina G. Ciobanu, Ilya S. Darevsky, Sergey A. Kosushkin, and Dmitri A. Kramerov. "Molecular evolution of satellite DNA repeats and speciation of lizards of the genus Darevskia (Sauria: Lacertidae)." Genome 49, no. 10 (October 2006): 1297–307. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/g06-089.
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Satellite DNA repeats were studied in Caucasian populations of 18 rock lizard species of the genus Darevskia. Four subfamilies (Caucasian Lacerta satellites (CLsat)I–IV) were identified, which shared 70%–75% sequence similarity. The distribution of CLsat subfamilies among the species was studied. All the species could be divided into at least 3 clades, depending on the content of CLsat subfamilies in each genome: “saxicola”, “rudis”, and “mixta” lizards. CLsatI was found in all studied species, but in very different quantities; the “saxicola” group contained this subfamily predominantly. The “rudis” group also contained CLsatIII, and the “mixta” group carried considerable amounts of CLsatII. The highest concentrations of CLsatI and CLsatII were detected in 2 ground lizards — D. derjugini and D. praticola, respectively. D. parvula predominantly carried CLsatIII. CLsatIV was found only in the Crimean species D. lindholmi. The distribution patterns of satellite subfamilies show possible postglacial speciation within the genus Darevskia. A hybrid origin of species that possess 2 or 3 CLsat subfamilies and important clarifications to the systematics of the genus are proposed.
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James, Sarah E., and Robert T. M'Closkey. "Patterns of microhabitat use in a sympatric lizard assemblage." Canadian Journal of Zoology 80, no. 12 (December 1, 2002): 2226–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-212.
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The distribution of animals among habitats and microhabitats has frequently been used to examine patterns of niche overlap. We characterized microhabitat differences within an assemblage of four phrynosomatine lizard species (Sceloporus graciosus, Sceloporus undulatus, Urosaurus ornatus, and Uta stansburiana) that are commonly syntopic in the pinyon pine juniper woodland habitat on the elevated mesas of western Colorado. We censused lizard populations and recorded microhabitat characteristics of areas surrounding capture sites within Colorado National Monument, U.S.A. Discriminant function analysis of microhabitat features extracted two significant roots, explaining 89% of the microhabitat variation observed among species. Planned comparisons of canonical scores revealed two significant microhabitat niche differences. First, the microhabitat niche of U. ornatus was distinguished from those of all the other species by higher perch height and more vertical substrate, indicating this species' arboreality. Second, the microhabitat niche of S. graciosus was distinguished from those of the other species by having more flatland and less rock, indicating the use of more open flat sandy areas within the pinyon pine juniper woodland by this terrestrial species. Although the observed differences in microhabitat may influence the coexistence of these ecologically similar species, changes in relative abundance of the species over time suggest alternative mechanisms of coexistence.
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Atencia, Pedro Luis, Cristian José Castillo, and Luis Fernando Montes. "Use of microhabitat and activity patterns of two lizard species from a seasonal dry forest in northern Colombia." Neotropical Biology and Conservation 15, no. 2 (June 8, 2020): 153–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.15.e49713.
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In this work, the microhabitat use and activity patterns of two lizard species with sympatric distribution were evaluated in a dry forest fragment within the department of Sucre, northern Colombia. Data was collected in May, June, September and October of 2017, using the active search method limited by time (7:00 and 19:00 hours). Substrates used, spatial distribution and time of capture were recorded for individuals of the species Loxopholis rugiceps (Cope 1869) and Lepidoblepharis sanctaemartae (Ruthven 1916). Complementarily, environmental and physical parameters were recorded, which allowed us to characterise the microhabitats of the species. A total of 276 lizards were recorded, 177 belonging to the species Loxopholis rugiceps and 99 to Lepidoblepharis sanctaemartae. The results showed similar resource use by the two species for the spatial dimension, with both exploiting different terrestrial elements mainly from the interior forest, followed by the riverbed stream and forest edge. Differences were found in the daily activity patterns between species, with individuals of L. sanctaemartae more frequently recorded in the morning hours and L. rugiceps in the afternoon hours. The activity patterns did not differ by age groups: juveniles and adults. Both species were more frequently found in the litter substrate within the forest, followed by rocks and bare ground. Our results indicate that both species are tolerant to matrix conditions, however, they require internal forest conditions to exploit food resources and refuge.
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Fischer, Joern, David B. Lindenmayer, Simon Barry, and Emily Flowers. "Lizard distribution patterns in the Tumut fragmentation “Natural Experiment” in south-eastern Australia." Biological Conservation 123, no. 3 (June 2005): 301–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2004.11.018.
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Walker, James M., Julio A. Lemos-Espinal, James E. Cordes, and Hobart M. Smith. "Abundance, color pattern variation, life cycle, and reproduction of the triploid parthenogenetic lizard Aspidoscelis uniparens (Squamata: Teiidae) in Chihuahua, Mexico." Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology 17, no. 1 (June 26, 2018): 83. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v17i1p83-99.
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Abundance, color pattern variation, life cycle, and reproduction of the triploid parthenogenetic lizard Aspidoscelis uniparens (Squamata: Teiidae) in Chihuahua, Mexico. We have observed the triploid parthenogenetic lizard Aspidoscelis uniparens in syntopy with many congeners, as well as allopatric to them, within a distribution area in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas (USA), and Chihuahua and Sonora (Mexico). In July 2000, we discovered arrays (= groups) of A. uniparens with distinctive dorsal color patterns, allopatric to congeners, at a cluster of three sites in northwestern Chihuahua. These arrays were distinguishable based on strikingly different dorsal color patterns. Thus, we designated specimens from two mapped sites in the Municipality of Casas Grandes and from one nearby mapped site in the Municipality of Nuevo Casas Grandes as vividly striped lizards (VSL). Specimens from other mapped sites were designated normally striped lizards (NSL). We observed that the three VSL sites along the base of foothills of the eastern slope of the Sierra Madre Occidental were ecologically different from NSL sites such as El Sueco and Pradera de Janos in central and northwestern Chihuahua, respectively. All VSL specimens possessed wider and more vividly hued primary stripes, whereas the stripes were of normal width and low-contrast color hues in samples NSL-1 and NSL-2. We used samples NSL-1, NSL-2, and VSL for statistical comparisons of means ± 1 SE for the following characters: snout‒vent length (the three arrays had similar maximum SVL measurements and mean differences attributable to the year-class structure of samples); number of granular scales between the paravertebral stripes at midbody (revealing signifcant differences between some samples); percent of granular scales around midbody situated between the paravertebral stripes at midbody (revealing signifcant differences between all samples); percent of the vertebral feld with a vertebral stripe (revealing signifcant differences between some samples); and clutch size (revealing signifcant differences between some samples). We concluded that qualitative characters diagnostic of the VSL sample of A. uniparens were not accompanied by unique quantitative characters.
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Vásquez-Restrepo, Juan D., Roberto Ibáñez, Santiago J. Sánchez-Pacheco, and Juan M. Daza. "Phylogeny, taxonomy and distribution of the Neotropical lizard genus Echinosaura (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae), with the recognition of two new genera in Cercosaurinae." Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 189, no. 1 (December 12, 2019): 287–314. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz124.
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Abstract The family Gymnophthalmidae is a highly diverse Neotropical lizard clade. Although multiple phylogenetic and taxonomic studies have reshaped our understanding of gymnophthalmid systematics and diversity, many groups remain understudied. This is the case for the cercosaurine genus Echinosaura, which includes eight species of small riparian lizards distributed across lower Central America and northern South America. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Echinosaura, including DNA data for all species of the genus for the first time. To rigorously test the relationships of all Echinosaura, we have assembled the largest molecular dataset of cercosaurine lizards to date. Our analysis refutes the monophyly of Echinosaura, with E. apodema and E. sulcarostrum not closely related to the remaining species. To remedy the polyphyly of Echinosaura, we describe two new genera for E. apodema and E. sulcarostrum. Morphological distinctiveness and biogeography further support these taxonomic changes. In light of our phylogenetic results, we review the species-level taxonomy of the redefined Echinosaura based on morphological and genetic variation. We resurrect E. centralis and designate a neotype given the absence of type and topotypic material. In addition, we provide taxonomic accounts for each species and analyse their patterns of geographic distribution.
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Chamorro-Vargas, Carol Tatiana, Sebastian Perez-Rojas, Uber Schalke Rozo Garcia, Juan Diego Rodríguez Rodríguez, Miguel Ángel Méndez-Galeano, and Jherandyne Castillo-Rivera. "Living in a cold tropical mountain: do the microhabitat use and activity pattern change with elevation in the high-Andean lizard Stenocercus trachycephalus (Squamata: Tropiduridae)?" Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 61 (August 16, 2021): e20216170. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2021.61.70.
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The high mountain environment is a tough habitat that imposes many challenges to reptiles. As temperature decreases with altitude and has a dramatic variation throughout the day in the tropical mountains, ectotherms must cope with these harsh conditions. We studied the use of microhabitat and activity patterns of Stenocercus trachycephalus in the eastern Andes mountain range of Colombia. Three localities were sampled across the wide altitudinal distribution of this lizard species, in a range from 2,670 to 3,950 m a.s.l. The initial hypothesis was that these natural history traits would change with altitude but instead, we found that they remained roughly consistent, showing the great plasticity of this species. The results support that this lizard is a microhabitat-generalist using principally herb across the gradient, rarely shifting to specific plants or microhabitats such as rocks depending on availability. Regarding the activity pattern, this species was active throughout the day from 8:00 to 16:00 with a similar pattern along the gradient. Nevertheless, some differences were detected across localities. The activity pattern shifted from bimodal in the lower locality to unimodal in the higher ones. As expected, a correlation between temperature and activity patterns was found in one of the study sites. However, this was not the case for the lower and mid-elevation localities, where there was no correlation between these variables. The mid-elevation study site was the most interesting locality as the use of microhabitat relied virtually just on the herb stratum and the activity was constrained to the morning hours. These findings may be the result of the synergic effects of other ecological variables (weather variability, human impact, predation, population structure, or reproductive season). Our study gives the basis for a better understanding of how behavior (microhabitat choice and hours of activity) of ectotherms can help to counter thermal constraints in the neotropics when facing an altitudinal gradient. Further studies should focus on the thermal biology of this species, considering the influence of anthropic impact on these lizards’ populations.
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Harris, D. James, and Paulo Sá-Sousa. "Podarcis carbonelli Pérez-Mellado, 1981 is a distinct species." Amphibia-Reptilia 23, no. 4 (2002): 459–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685380260462365.
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AbstractPodarcis carbonelli is considered a full species on the basis of its morphological and genetic divergence from P. bocagei and P. hispanica. Podarcis carbonelli differs from P. bocagei in all twelve biometric variables compared and also in chromatic patterns. Podarcis carbonelli diverges from P.bocagei by more than 13% between cytochrome b sequences (mitochondrial DNA), a value typically reported between congeneric reptile species. Biogeographical criteria also support this hypothesis, as both lizard forms have different distribution ranges with a limited parapatric zone of contact without morphological intermediates.
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Piazzon, Martín, Asier R. Larrinaga, Javier Rodríguez-Pérez, Lucia Latorre, Luis Navarro, and Luis Santamaría. "Seed dispersal by lizards on a continental-shelf island: predicting interspecific variation in seed rain based on plant distribution and lizard movement patterns." Journal of Biogeography 39, no. 11 (June 21, 2012): 1984–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2012.02718.x.
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Comas, Mar, Senda Reguera, Francisco J. Zamora-Camacho, and Gregorio Moreno-Rueda. "Age structure of a lizard along an elevational gradient reveals nonlinear lifespan patterns with altitude." Current Zoology 66, no. 4 (December 27, 2019): 373–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoz063.
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Abstract Lifespan is one of the main components of life history. Shorter lifespans can be expected in marginal habitats. However, in the case of ectotherms, lifespan typically increases with altitude, even though temperature—one of the main factors to determine ectotherms’ life history—declines with elevation. This pattern can be explained by the fact that a shorter activity time favors survival. In this study, we analyzed how lifespan and other life-history traits of the lizard Psammodromus algirus vary along a 2,200 m elevational gradient in Sierra Nevada (SE Spain). Populations at intermediate altitudes (1,200–1,700 m), corresponding to the optimal habitat for this species, had the shortest lifespans, whereas populations inhabiting marginal habitats (at both low and at high altitudes) lived longest. Therefore, this lizard did not follow the typical pattern of ectotherms, as it also lived longer at the lower limit of its distribution, nor did it show a longer lifespan in areas with optimal habitats. These results might be explained by a complex combination of different gradients along the mountain, namely that activity time decreases with altitude whereas food availability increases. This could explain why lifespan was maximum at both high (limited activity time) and low (limited food availability) altitudes, resulting in similar lifespans in areas with contrasting environmental conditions. Our findings also indicated that reproductive investment and body condition increase with elevation, suggesting that alpine populations are locally adapted.
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PINCHEIRA-DONOSO, DANIEL, J. ALEJANDRO SCOLARO, and PIOTR SURA. "A monographic catalogue on the systematics and phylogeny of the South American iguanian lizard family Liolaemidae (Squamata, Iguania)." Zootaxa 1800, no. 1 (June 16, 2008): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1800.1.1.
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Iguanian lizards comprise two of the most species-rich vertebrate genera on Earth (Anolis and Liolaemus). Therefore, studies with the aim of understanding their diversity and phylogenetic relationships may have major significance for ecological and evolutionary research. However, difficulties are often associated with these diverse groups. For example, adaptive radiations may lead to the evolution of conspicuous patterns of intraspecific (interpopulational) variation in response to local environmental conditions, in the absence of real speciation events. This can lead to the taxonomic recognition of new species in the absence of true reproductive isolation. In addition, although diverse taxa are appropriate models to evaluate comparatively the effects of selection on ecological and life-history traits, it is often a major challenge to gather all the available information on the distribution of these characteristics across species. This necessitates the development of synthetic works. Here we present a monographic catalogue of the diversity and phylogenetic structure of the entire South American iguanian family Liolaemidae, based on previously published studies. We also provide a complete table to summarize the distribution by country, elevational range, diet and reproductive mode of each species for which this information is available. The Liolaemidae family currently consists of a total of 229 species and subspecies belonging to the genera Ctenoblepharys, Liolaemus and Phymaturus. Remarkably, the genus Liolaemus alone comprises 209 of these taxa, consisting of 200 species, five of them polytypic, and recognized on the basis of 14 subspecies. Liolaemus species occur in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, representing the widest range of environments occupied by a single lizard genus. In contrast, the genus Ctenoblepharys is monotypic (Ctenoblepharys adspersa) and endemic to Peru, while 19 species of Phymaturus are distributed in Argentina and Chile. In these lizards, plant consumption and viviparity are strikingly common. Among Liolaemus, dietary information was available for 153 taxa. We found that 76 are arthropofagous, 71 omnivorous and six strictly herbivorous. Reproductive information was gathered for 136 species of this genus: 73 are viviparous and 63 oviparous. In Phymaturus, all species are viviparous and dietary information for 17 species revealed that 16 are herbivorous and only one omnivorous. Ctenoblepharys adspersa is arthropofagous and oviparous. As previously supported both theoretically and empirically, plant consumption and viviparity are associated with high latitudes and elevations. Finally, we suggest that the recently proposed species Phymaturus dorsimaculatus Lobo & Quinteros is conspecific to P. vociferator Pincheira-Donoso, from which the former taxon does not differ in morphology, coloration, patterns of sexual dimorphism or geographical distribution.
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Magalhães-Júnior, A. J. C., G. J. B. Moura, L. B. Ribeiro, and S. M. Azevedo-Júnior. "Potential distribution and conservation of the Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares and Caramaschi, 1998: a rare and endemic lizard of Northeast Brazil." Brazilian Journal of Biology 77, no. 4 (May 25, 2017): 686–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.15815.
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Abstract Ecological niche modeling has contributed to the investigation of the geographical distribution and conservation of rare or little recorded species. Therefore, we studied the known and potential distributions of Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares and Caramaschi 1998 and discuss the implications for its conservation. Data were obtained by manual collections made in quarterly samplings in three different regions, considering the regions with occurrence records and surrounding areas. The known distribution was determined by occurrence records and literature data, and potential distribution was estimated with an ecological niche model by the MaxEnt algorithm. Twenty-five specimens were collected exclusively in forest formations of Caatinga and Caatinga-Cerrado. Our data corroborated the relative rarity of C. carvalhoi and reflected the biogeographical history of the group, where it is restricted to forest formations with milder environmental conditions. The occurrence records indicated new records of C. carvalhoi, but the known distribution value is compatible with a restricted distribution. The ecological niche model estimated few areas with environmental suitability for the species and corroborated the restricted and relict distribution patterns. Finally, the known and potential distribution values were compatible with criteria for threatened species. These results suggest a worrisome scenario for C. carvalhoi conservation. However, the limited data about the species population do not allow the proper definition of its conservation status. Therefore, we suggest using potential distribution values with alternative criteria for redefining the conservation status of C. carvalhoi and the development of new studies that support a better assessment of its conservation aspects.
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Vitt, Laurie J., and Peter A. Zani. "Organization of a taxonomically diverse lizard assemblage in Amazonian Ecuador." Canadian Journal of Zoology 74, no. 7 (July 1, 1996): 1313–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z96-147.
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Of 22 lizard species studied in eastern Ecuador, 21 were diurnal. Ten were active foragers and 12 were sit-and-wait foragers. Considerable variation existed in habitat and microhabitat distribution and body temperatures among species. Body size varied over an order of magnitude (20–270 mm snout–vent length). Most morphological (size-free) variation among species (77%) was accounted for by two principal component axes and appears tied to phylogeny. Prey size was correlated with lizard size and species were separated by prey size. Low overlaps in microhabitat, habitat, and prey type also separated species. Pseudocommunity analysis indicated structure in the consumer–resource matrix. In some comparisons, prey overlaps among species were greater within than between higher taxa, and closely related species tended to be found in similar habitat patches and microhabitats, suggesting that resource-use patterns are determined to some extent by phylogeny. Ecology, morphology, and phylogeny appear tied together in a complex manner, with resource partitioning contributing to maintenance of structure. Historical interactions among closely related species may have been important in determining which species within particular clades invaded and persisted within local assemblages in lowland forest.
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Spiegel, Orr, Stephan T. Leu, Andrew Sih, Stephanie S. Godfrey, and C. Michael Bull. "When the going gets tough: behavioural type-dependent space use in the sleepy lizard changes as the season dries." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282, no. 1819 (November 22, 2015): 20151768. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.1768.
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Understanding space use remains a major challenge for animal ecology, with implications for species interactions, disease spread, and conservation. Behavioural type (BT) may shape the space use of individuals within animal populations. Bolder or more aggressive individuals tend to be more exploratory and disperse further. Yet, to date we have limited knowledge on how space use other than dispersal depends on BT. To address this question we studied BT-dependent space-use patterns of sleepy lizards ( Tiliqua rugosa ) in southern Australia. We combined high-resolution global positioning system (GPS) tracking of 72 free-ranging lizards with repeated behavioural assays, and with a survey of the spatial distributions of their food and refuge resources. Bayesian generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) showed that lizards responded to the spatial distribution of resources at the neighbourhood scale and to the intensity of space use by other conspecifics (showing apparent conspecific avoidance). BT (especially aggressiveness) affected space use by lizards and their response to ecological and social factors, in a seasonally dependent manner. Many of these effects and interactions were stronger later in the season when food became scarce and environmental conditions got tougher. For example, refuge and food availability became more important later in the season and unaggressive lizards were more responsive to these predictors. These findings highlight a commonly overlooked source of heterogeneity in animal space use and improve our mechanistic understanding of processes leading to behaviourally driven disease dynamics and social structure.
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Santamaría, Silvia, Camilla Aviaaja Enoksen, Jens M. Olesen, Giacomo Tavecchia, Andreu Rotger, José Manuel Igual, and Anna Traveset. "Diet composition of the lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Lacertidae) on 2 small islands: an individual-resource network approach." Current Zoology 66, no. 1 (May 21, 2019): 39–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoz028.
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Abstract Despite it is widely accepted that intrapopulation variation is fundamental to ecological and evolutionary processes, this level of information has only recently been included into network analysis of species/population interactions. When done, it has revealed non-random patterns in the distribution of trophic resources. Nestedness in resource use among individuals is the most recurrent observed pattern, often accompanied by an absence of modularity, but no previous studies examine bipartite modularity. We use network analysis to describe the diet composition of the Balearic endemic lizard Podarcis lilfordi in 2 islets at population and individual levels, based on the occurrence of food items in fecal samples. Our objectives are to 1) compare niche structure at both levels, 2) characterize niche partition using nestedness and modularity, and 3) assess how size, sex, season, and spatial location influence niche structure. At population-level niche width was wide, but narrow at the level of the individual. Both islet networks were nested, indicating similar ranking of the food preferences among individuals, but also modular, which was partially explained by seasonality. Sex and body size did not notably affect diet composition. Large niche overlap and therefore possibly relaxed competition were observed among females in one of the islets and during spring on both islets. Likewise, higher modularity in autumn suggests that higher competition could lead to specialization in both populations, because resources are usually scarce in this season. The absence of spatial location influence on niche might respond to fine-grained spatio-temporally distribution of food resources. Behavioral traits, not included in this study, could also influence resource partitioning.
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Blom, Mozes P. K., Nicholas J. Matzke, Jason G. Bragg, Evy Arida, Christopher C. Austin, Adam R. Backlin, Miguel A. Carretero, et al. "Habitat preference modulates trans-oceanic dispersal in a terrestrial vertebrate." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 286, no. 1904 (June 5, 2019): 20182575. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.2575.
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The importance of long-distance dispersal (LDD) in shaping geographical distributions has been debated since the nineteenth century. In terrestrial vertebrates, LDD events across large water bodies are considered highly improbable, but organismal traits affecting dispersal capacity are generally not taken into account. Here, we focus on a recent lizard radiation and combine a summary-coalescent species tree based on 1225 exons with a probabilistic model that links dispersal capacity to an evolving trait, to investigate whether ecological specialization has influenced the probability of trans-oceanic dispersal. Cryptoblepharus species that occur in coastal habitats have on average dispersed 13 to 14 times more frequently than non-coastal species and coastal specialization has, therefore, led to an extraordinarily widespread distribution that includes multiple continents and distant island archipelagoes. Furthermore, their presence across the Pacific substantially predates the age of human colonization and we can explicitly reject the possibility that these patterns are solely shaped by human-mediated dispersal. Overall, by combining new analytical methods with a comprehensive phylogenomic dataset, we use a quantitative framework to show how coastal specialization can influence dispersal capacity and eventually shape geographical distributions at a macroevolutionary scale.
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ROSÁRIO, IGOR RIOS DO, RODRIGO MARQUES LIMA DOS SANTOS, FEDERICO ARIAS, CARLOS FREDERICO DUARTE ROCHA, EDUARDO JOSÉ DOS REIS DIAS, CELSO MORATO DE CARVALHO, and MIGUEL TREFAUT RODRIGUES. "Phylogeography of the endangered sand dune whiptail lizard Glaucomastix abaetensis (Dias, Rocha & Vrcibradic, 2002) with the description of a new species." Zootaxa 4624, no. 4 (July 2, 2019): 451–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4624.4.1.
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Several species of Glaucomastix lizards have been described over the past decade, most of these inhabit inland Brazil. Glaucomastix abaetensis is a threatened whiptail endemic to Brazilian coastal “restinga” (sandy habitats) from Bahia State to Sergipe, with a distribution limited by riverine barriers. In order to investigate the differentiation and relationships in G. abaetensis, we integrated phylogeographic analysis, Bayesian species delimitation and morphological data to detect geographical patterns and historical events responsible for its present distribution. We recovered two highly divergent clades along its range, one of them unnamed. Glaucomastix itabaianensis sp. nov. has a a yellowish green tail, 13–16 scales in the lateral flank, 22–33 scales around tail, 28–35 femoral pores and usually four supraocular scales with the smaller one disposed posteriorly. Our results retrieved the monophyly of Glaucomastix, with G. venetacauda and G. cyanurus being sister species to a clade formed by G. littoralis and G. abaetensis. Divergence between Glaucomastix abaetensis and the new species occurred roughly 2.39 Myr ago; posterior shallow genetic divergences occurred mainly in Pleistocene. Finally, we present data on the conservation of this clade of whiptail lizards.
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Saberi‐Pirooz, Reihaneh, Hassan Rajabi‐Maham, Faraham Ahmadzadeh, Bahram H. Kiabi, Mohammad Javidkar, and Miguel A. Carretero. "Pleistocene climate fluctuations as the major driver of genetic diversity and distribution patterns of the Caspian green lizard, Lacerta strigata Eichwald, 1831." Ecology and Evolution 11, no. 11 (May 2, 2021): 6927–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7543.
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Sound, P., and M. Veith. "Weather effects on intrahabitat movements of the western green lizard, Lacerta bilineata (Daudin, 1802), at its northern distribution range border: a radio-tracking study." Canadian Journal of Zoology 78, no. 10 (October 1, 2000): 1831–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z00-103.
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Daily activity patterns of male western green lizards, Lacerta bilineata (Daudin, 1802), at the edge of their northern distribution range in western Germany after the breeding season from June to October were recorded using implanted radio transmitters. Different activity indices discriminating between stimulation, duration, and length of movement were correlated with actual weather conditions (d0) and with weather conditions on the 2 previous days (d-1 and d-2). The lizards' dependence on weather showed two different phases throughout the study period. During the first period and in the period preceding a drastic change of weather in midsummer, weather had no significant influence on movement parameters. After that event, temperatures dropped and a strong dependence on weather of all movement parameters except those indicating displacements became apparent. Thresholds for 50% activity during this second phase were a maximum temperature of 17°C and a minimum humidity of 35%. Two days after periods of bad weather, the influence of weather conditions increased again. This can be explained by physiological deficits that require compensation during the period of marginal weather conditions prior to hibernation. Displacement movements were significantly longer than home-range movements and were neither triggered nor modulated by the weather. They must therefore represent activities such as patrolling territory boundaries.
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Parlin, Adam F., Paul J. Schaeffer, and Tereza Jezkova. "Modelling the effect of environmental temperatures, microhabitat and behavioural thermoregulation on predicted activity patterns in a desert lizard across its thermally diverse distribution." Journal of Biogeography 47, no. 11 (August 13, 2020): 2315–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13936.
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Prieto-Ramirez, Ana María, Leonie Röhler, Anna F. Cord, Guy Pe’er, Dennis Rödder, and Klaus Henle. "Differential effects of habitat loss on occupancy patterns of the eastern green lizard Lacerta viridis at the core and periphery of its distribution range." PLOS ONE 15, no. 3 (March 5, 2020): e0229600. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229600.
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Bates, Michael F., and Edward L. Stanley. "A taxonomic revision of the south-eastern dragon lizards of the Smaug warreni (Boulenger) species complex in southern Africa, with the description of a new species (Squamata: Cordylidae)." PeerJ 8 (March 25, 2020): e8526. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8526.
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A recent multilocus molecular phylogeny of the large dragon lizards of the genus Smaug Stanley et al. (2011) recovered a south-eastern clade of two relatively lightly-armoured, geographically-proximate species (Smaug warreni (Boulenger, 1908) and S. barbertonensis (Van Dam, 1921)). Unexpectedly, S. barbertonensis was found to be paraphyletic, with individuals sampled from northern Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) being more closely related to S. warreni than to S. barbertonensis from the type locality of Barberton in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Examination of voucher specimens used for the molecular analysis, as well as most other available museum material of the three lineages, indicated that the ‘Eswatini’ lineage—including populations in a small area on the northern Eswatini–Mpumalanga border, and northern KwaZulu–Natal Province in South Africa—was readily distinguishable from S. barbertonensis sensu stricto (and S. warreni) by its unique dorsal, lateral and ventral colour patterns. In order to further assess the taxonomic status of the three populations, a detailed morphological analysis was conducted. Multivariate analyses of scale counts and body dimensions indicated that the ‘Eswatini’ lineage and S. warreni were most similar. In particular, S. barbertonensis differed from the other two lineages by its generally lower numbers of transverse rows of dorsal scales, and a relatively wider head. High resolution Computed Tomography also revealed differences in cranial osteology between specimens from the three lineages. The ‘Eswatini’ lineage is described here as a new species, Smaug swazicus sp. nov., representing the ninth known species of dragon lizard. The new species appears to be near-endemic to Eswatini, with about 90% of its range located there. Our study indicates that S. barbertonensis sensu stricto is therefore a South African endemic restricted to an altitudinal band of about 300 m in the Barberton–Nelspruit–Khandizwe area of eastern Mpumalanga Province, while S. warreni is endemic to the narrow Lebombo Mountain range of South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. We present a detailed distribution map for the three species, and a revised diagnostic key to the genus Smaug.
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Biaggini, Marta. "Occurrence of lizards in agricultural land and implications for conservation." Herpetological Journal, Volume 31 Number 2 (April 1, 2021): 77–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.33256/31.2.7784.
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Agriculture intensification is among one of the major threats affecting terrestrial reptiles worldwide. There is however a lack of information available on the ecology of these vertebrates in agricultural landscapes. Basic information like the pattern of occurrence in cultivated fields is key to assess the probability of an animal being affected by threats driven by agricultural managing. Focussing on the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus), we performed a field study to assess in detail its distribution and abundance in two cultivations, vineyards and cereal fields. Lizard distribution and abundance significantly varied among land uses, regardless of the arthropod fauna composition and diversity (analysed in the same fields), and the management activities. In the cereal fields, lizards were present exclusively along the field margins while in the vineyards they also occurred in the inner portions of the cultivated areas, even if they were more abundant next to the borders. The widespread presence of lizards in the vineyards suggest that P. siculus can likely adapt to such cultivated areas. This partly lowers the effect of habitat loss due to vineyard planting but exposes animals to the risks related to management activities, including mechanical practices and chemical application. In contrast, the presence of sowed lands, as extremely simplified habitats, results primarily in a definitive loss of habitat for lizards that are unable to settle within them, while the exposure to threats driven by management is less direct than in vineyards.
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Rocha, CFD, D. Vrcibradic, MC Kiefer, VA Menezes, AF Fontes, FH Hatano, CAB Galdino, HG Bergallo, and M. Van Sluys. "Species composition, richness and nestedness of lizard assemblages from Restinga habitats along the brazilian coast." Brazilian Journal of Biology 74, no. 2 (May 2014): 349–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.18712.
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Habitat fragmentation is well known to adversely affect species living in the remaining, relatively isolated, habitat patches, especially for those having small range size and low density. This negative effect has been critical in coastal resting habitats. We analysed the lizard composition and richness of restinga habitats in 16 restinga habitats encompassing three Brazilian states (Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and Bahia) and more than 1500km of the Brazilian coast in order to evaluate if the loss of lizard species following habitat reduction occur in a nested pattern or at random, using the “Nestedness Temperature Calculator” to analyse the distribution pattern of lizard species among the restingas studied. We also estimated the potential capacity that each restinga has to maintain lizard species. Eleven lizard species were recorded in the restingas, although not all species occurred in all areas. The restinga with the richest lizard fauna was Guriri (eight species) whereas the restinga with the lowest richness was Praia do Sul (located at Ilha Grande, a large coastal island). Among the restingas analysed, Jurubatiba, Guriri, Maricá and Praia das Neves, were the most hospitable for lizards. The matrix community temperature of the lizard assemblages was 20.49° (= P <0.00001; 5000 randomisations; randomisation temperature = 51.45° ± 7.18° SD), indicating that lizard assemblages in the coastal restingas exhibited a considerable nested structure. The degree in which an area is hospitable for different assemblages could be used to suggest those with greater value of conservation. We concluded that lizard assemblages in coastal restingas occur at a considerable level of ordination in restinga habitats and that some restinga areas such as Jurubatiba, Guriri, Maricá and Praia das Neves are quite important to preserve lizard diversity of restinga environments.
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Rosenblum, Erica Bree, Holger Römpler, Torsten Schöneberg, and Hopi E. Hoekstra. "Molecular and functional basis of phenotypic convergence in white lizards at White Sands." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107, no. 5 (December 28, 2009): 2113–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0911042107.
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There are many striking examples of phenotypic convergence in nature, in some cases associated with changes in the same genes. But even mutations in the same gene may have different biochemical properties and thus different evolutionary consequences. Here we dissect the molecular mechanism of convergent evolution in three lizard species with blanched coloration on the gypsum dunes of White Sands, New Mexico. These White Sands forms have rapidly evolved cryptic coloration in the last few thousand years, presumably to avoid predation. We use cell-based assays to demonstrate that independent mutations in the same gene underlie the convergent blanched phenotypes in two of the three species. Although the same gene contributes to light phenotypes in these White Sands populations, the specific molecular mechanisms leading to reduced melanin production are different. In one case, mutations affect receptor signaling and in the other, the ability of the receptor to integrate into the melanocyte membrane. These functional differences have important ramifications at the organismal level. Derived alleles in the two species show opposite dominance patterns, which in turn affect their visibility to selection and the spatial distribution of alleles across habitats. Our results demonstrate that even when the same gene is responsible for phenotypic convergence, differences in molecular mechanism can have dramatic consequences on trait expression and ultimately the adaptive trajectory.
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Carvalho, André L. G. de, and Alexandre F. B. de Araújo. "Ecomorphometric structure of Restinga da Marambaia lizard community, Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil." Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 24, no. 3 (2007): 786–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0101-81752007000300030.
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In restinga areas of Marambaia, Rio de Janeiro, we recorded nine species of lizards, grouped in four families. The morphometric analysis suggested an invasion-structured pattern, with two distinct groups of species in the community: the "ground-runners", composed of animals with robust bodies and long limbs, represented by Tropidurus torquatus (Wied, 1820), Ameiva ameiva (Linnaeus, 1758), Liolaemus lutzae Mertens, 1938, Cnemidophorus littoralis Rocha, Araujo, Vrcibradic & Costa, 2000 and Tupinambis merianae (Duméril & Bibron, 1839); and the "hiders", composed of small-bodied animals with short limbs, represented by Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès, 1818), Gymnodactylus darwinii (Gray, 1845), Mabuya agilis (Raddi, 1823) and M. macrorhyncha Hoge, 1947. The morphological relationships within the restinga lizard community reflect the influence of the habitat physical structure: bromeliad availability and other refugia, used by the "hiders", and the distribution of open areas, used by the "ground-runners". Our results also indicate that the restingas hold "ecomorphological spaces" (vacant niches) available for occupation by additional lizard species.
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Reeves, Lawrence E., Isaiah Hoyer, Carolina Acevedo, and Nathan D. Burkett-Cadena. "Host Associations of Culex (Melanoconion) atratus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Culex (Melanoconion) pilosus from Florida, USA." Insects 10, no. 8 (August 3, 2019): 239. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects10080239.
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Characterizing the host-use patterns of mosquitoes is an essential component of understanding the transmission dynamics of mosquito-vectored pathogens. The host associations of two species of the medically important Culex subgenus Melanoconion, Culex atratus, and Culex pilosus are unknown or unclear, respectively. Both species have wide neotropical distributions. In the United States of America (USA), Culex pilosus occurs throughout the southeastern coastal plain, while Culex atratus is restricted to the southern Florida Peninsula. Using PCR-based blood meal analysis, we investigated the host associations of Culex atratus and Culex pilosus that were collected from Everglades National Park, Florida, USA We identified the host species of 208 Culex atratus and 168 Culex pilosus. Both species were narrowly associated with reptilian host species, particularly native and non-native lizards of the genus Anolis. Sampled Culex atratus exclusively fed on reptilian hosts, with >99% of blood meals derived from Anolis lizards. Culex pilosus fed predominantly from reptiles, but avian and mammalian blood meals were also detected. Of these, 92% of blood meals were derived from Anolis species. For both species, Anolis sagrei, an invasive exotic lizard in Florida, was the most frequently detected host species. These data indicate that Culex atratus and Culex pilosus are specialists of reptilian hosts, particularly Anolis lizards.
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Alroy, John. "The shape of terrestrial abundance distributions." Science Advances 1, no. 8 (September 2015): e1500082. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500082.
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Ecologists widely accept that the distribution of abundances in most communities is fairly flat but heavily dominated by a few species. The reason for this is that species abundances are thought to follow certain theoretical distributions that predict such a pattern. However, previous studies have focused on either a few theoretical distributions or a few empirical distributions. I illustrate abundance patterns in 1055 samples of trees, bats, small terrestrial mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, ants, dung beetles, butterflies, and odonates. Five existing theoretical distributions make inaccurate predictions about the frequencies of the most common species and of the average species, and most of them fit the overall patterns poorly, according to the maximum likelihood–related Kullback-Leibler divergence statistic. Instead, the data support a low-dominance distribution here called the “double geometric.” Depending on the value of its two governing parameters, it may resemble either the geometric series distribution or the lognormal series distribution. However, unlike any other model, it assumes both that richness is finite and that species compete unequally for resources in a two-dimensional niche landscape, which implies that niche breadths are variable and that trait distributions are neither arrayed along a single dimension nor randomly associated. The hypothesis that niche space is multidimensional helps to explain how numerous species can coexist despite interacting strongly.
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Oda, Welton Yudi. "Microhabitat utilization and population density of the lizard Gonatodes humeralis (Guichenot, 1855) (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) in forest areas in Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil." Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi - Ciências Naturais 3, no. 2 (March 19, 2021): 165–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.46357/bcnaturais.v3i2.684.
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Gonatodes humeralis is a small lizard widely distributed in Amazonia and found on tree trunks. An increase in its abundance in deforested areas has been observed in several studies, although the factors causing this increase remain unknown. In this study, population density was estimated in forests in different stages of regeneration. Population densities and habitat characteristics were analyzed by multiple regression. This analysis showed that population density was positively related to the number of available trunks and negatively related to forest regeneration stage. Analysis of microhabitats used by G. humeralis was made to evaluate whether the species selects the tree trunks it uses. This selection has been reported for arboreal lizards, although only diameter was quantified. Comparison between the frequency distributions of used and available trunks showed that G. humeralis did not select trunks either by circumference or by canopy density. However, amount of leaf litter and trunk rugosity were used in different proportions relative to the available, suggesting that this species prefers trunks with intermediate rugosity and less leaf litter around it. This selection may be related to ease of movement between trees, while the selection of trunks with intermediate surface rugosity may be related both to lizard mobility and predator avoidance. Additional studies would show whether these patterns are also found in other populations
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Bíró, Éva, and Judit Bódis. "Flowering phenology and distribution pattern of Lizard Orchids (Himantoglossum)." Kitaibelia 20, no. 1 (2015): 157–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.17542/kit.20.157.
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Dudek, Krzysztof, Piotr Skórka, Zofia Anna Sajkowska, Anna Ekner-Grzyb, Monika Dudek, and Piotr Tryjanowski. "Distribution pattern and number of ticks on lizards." Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 7, no. 1 (February 2016): 172–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.10.014.
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Ávila, R. W., L. A. Anjos, U. Gonçalves, E. M. X. Freire, W. O. Almeida, and R. J. da Silva. "Nematode infection in the lizard Bogertia lutzae (Loveridge, 1941) from the Atlantic forest in north-eastern Brazil." Journal of Helminthology 84, no. 2 (September 18, 2009): 199–201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x09990538.
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AbstractEndoparasites associated with the small bromelicolous lizard Bogertia lutzae, a poorly studied phyllodactylid inhabitant of north-eastern Brazil, were studied. Fifty-seven specimens collected from the Atlantic Forest of Alagoas state were dissected. Only one species of parasite, the nematode Spauligodon oxkutzcabiensis, was found, with a prevalence of 22.8%. The intensity of infection was 2.62 ± 1.19, and neither the prevalence nor mean intensity differed between the sexes. There was no correlation between lizard body size and intensity of infection. An aggregated pattern of distribution (D = 0.813) of S. oxkutzcabiensis was found in this lizard host population. Bogertia lutzae represents a new host recorded for S. oxkutzcabiensis, a parasite reported for the first time for Brazil.
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Grabec, Igor, and Ada Elizabeta Sok. "Modeling of Lizard Skin Pattern by Cellular Automaton." Nonlinear Phenomena in Complex Systems 23, no. 1 (April 14, 2020): 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.33581/1561-4085-2020-23-1-1-16.
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Properties of lizard skin pattern (LSP) comprised of light and dark scales are characterized statistically and compared with the corresponding properties of a random binary field (RBF). The similarity function of these fields exhibits an outstanding peak that indicates their stochastic character. Stochastic properties are still more generally indicated by the probability distribution of scales in hexagonal cells comprised of a center and ring. It shows that similar scales are grouped together in LSP, but not in RBF. This difference is characterized by the conditional probability that reveals why LSP appears more striped than RBF. For generation of fields resembling LSP the cellular automaton (CA) is adapted to LSP by the non-parametric regression. Its deterministic performance is demonstrated by the operation on RBF. By adding a random number generator to this model the deterministic CA is generalized to a probabilistic one. Its actions cause more expressive changing of the input field as the actions of the deterministic CA.
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Jones, Hugh I. "Physalopterine nematodes in Australian reptiles: interactions and patterns of infection." Australian Journal of Zoology 62, no. 2 (2014): 180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo13033.
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Spirurid nematodes (family Physalopteridae) are widespread as adults or as encysted larvae in many species of Australian reptiles. Fifteen species of physalopterine nematodes (subfamily Physalopterinae) in the genera Kreisiella, Abbreviata and Skrjabinoptera infect more than 40 species of reptile in the five families Agamidae, Varanidae, Gekkonidae, Scincidae and Elapidae. Four species of nematode are host-species specific, six are host-family specific to varanid lizards, and three to agamid lizards. Larger species of reptile support a higher prevalence and abundance of nematodes, and often support multiple infections with more than one species, with the potential for interspecific competition. Geographic distribution of nematodes is partially limited by host distribution, and by climatic factors, mainly precipitation and temperature. There are strong positive and negative associations between several pairs of nematodes. Two species of nematode with the most pronounced muscular development at the anterior end, Abbreviata tumidocapitis and Abbreviata glebopalmae, only occur concurrently, and in low numbers, with species of nematode without these morphological features, suggesting differences in feeding in the hosts’ stomachs. A combination of host specificity, geographic distribution and habitat, climatic factors and feeding organ morphology are factors that probably reduce the potential for interspecific competition. There is no evidence that concurrent infections affect either prevalence or abundance of nematodes, or cause discernible pathological changes to their hosts.
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Aloise, Gaetano, Mara Cagnin, and Luca Luiselli. "Co-occurrence patterns in independently evolved groups of Mediterranean insectivorous vertebrates (lizards and shrews)." Amphibia-Reptilia 36, no. 3 (2015): 233–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00002998.
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Soricid mammals and lizards are small-sized, insectivorous vertebrates that are widespread and abundant in Mediterranean habitats. Because of their broad sympatry and their diet similarity, these taxa have been suspected to compete for food. Therefore, co-occurrence patterns between these taxa were studied at 72 sites in southern Italy by means of trapping methods. The assemblages were quite distinct depending on the site bioclimate: for the Lacertidae,Podarcis siculusdominated in the thermo-Mediterranean sites andP. muralisin the temperate sites, whereas, for the soricids,Suncus etruscusand two species ofCrocidurawere dominant in thermo-Mediterranean sites and threeSorexspecies in the temperate sites. The mean number of captured soricids was statistically higher in the temperate sites, and was positively related to the first component of a Principal Component Analysis summarizing three collinear study site variables (elevation, mean annual temperature, annual rainfall), the reverse being true for lizards. Co-occurrence analysis revealed that a non-segregated structure was present in the dataset, whereas a randomization algorithm showed that the assemblage of small mammals and lizards was non-randomly structured, with the frequency distribution of shrews being non-independent by site from that of lizards. However, when we divided the sites by their bioclimatic regime (thermo-Mediterranean versus temperate), the non-randomness of the community structure disappeared, thus demonstrating that interspecific competition was not the main force driving these assemblages of species. The number of shrews captured in each sampling site was however significantly negatively related to the number of lizards, this pattern being linked to the bioclimate of the various sampling sites. Overall, our data indicated that the assemblage of shrews and lizards was likely regulated essentially by local climate and not by synecological (interspecific competition) dynamics.
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Gallozzi, Francesco, Paolo Colangelo, Gabriele Senczuk, and Riccardo Castiglia. "Phylogeographic and Bioclimatic Determinants of the Dorsal Pattern Polymorphism in the Italian Wall Lizard, Podarcis siculus." Diversity 14, no. 7 (June 28, 2022): 519. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14070519.
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The geographic variability of the dorsal pattern (DP) of the Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus, across its native range was studied with the aim of understanding whether the distributions of this phenotypic trait were more shaped by allopatric differentiation rather than adaptive processes. A total of 1298 georeferenced observations scattered across the Italian peninsula and the main islands (Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia) were obtained from citizen science databases and five DPs were characterized by different shapes of the dark pattern (“reticulated”, “campestris”, “reticulated/campestris” and “striped”) or by absence of it (“concolor”). Frequencies of different DP phenotypes differ between the two main mtDNA lineages settled in central-northern and in southern Italy, respectively. This pattern may be indicative of a role of long-term allopatric historical processes in determining the observed pattern. The analysis also identified a putative wide area of secondary contact, in central southern Italy, characterized by high diversity of the DP. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs), used to estimate a possible association between bioclimatic variables and the observed phenotypic variation, showed that each of the five DPs is correlated to different environmental factors and show a different distribution of areas with high probability of occurrence. However, for all but one of the DPs, the area with the greatest probability does not correspond exactly to the real distribution of the DP. Conversely, the “concolor” phenotype does not seem related to any particular mtDNA lineage and it shows a preference for areas with high temperature and low rainfall. This is in agreement with the expectation of low amount of melanin of the dorsal pattern that, in the study areas, is characterized by a light uniform coloration which could confer a better thermoregulation ability in high temperatures environments to avoid overheating.
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Lanfri, Sofía, Valeria Di Cola, Sergio Naretto, Margarita Chiaraviglio, and Gabriela Cardozo. "Understanding the ecological niche to elucidate spatial strategies of the southernmost Tupinambis lizards." Amphibia-Reptilia 34, no. 4 (2013): 551–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00002917.
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Understanding factors that shape ranges of species is central in evolutionary biology. Species distribution models have become important tools to test biogeographical, ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. Moreover, from an ecological and evolutionary perspective, these models help to elucidate the spatial strategies of species at a regional scale. We modelled species distributions of two phylogenetically, geographically and ecologically close Tupinambis species (Teiidae) that occupy the southernmost area of the genus distribution in South America. We hypothesized that similarities between these species might have induced spatial strategies at the species level, such as niche differentiation and divergence of distribution patterns at a regional scale. Using logistic regression and MaxEnt we obtained species distribution models that revealed interspecific differences in habitat requirements, such as environmental temperature, precipitation and altitude. Moreover, the models obtained suggest that although the ecological niches of Tupinambis merianae and T. rufescens are different, these species might co-occur in a large contact zone. We propose that niche plasticity could be the mechanism enabling their co-occurrence. Therefore, the approach used here allowed us to understand the spatial strategies of two Tupinambis lizards at a regional scale.
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Oraie, Hamzeh, Hassan Rahimian, Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani, Eskandar Rastegar-Pouyani, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani, and Azar Khosravani. "Distribution pattern of the Snake-eyed Lizard,Ophisops elegansMénétriés, 1832 (Squamata: Lacertidae), in Iran." Zoology in the Middle East 60, no. 2 (April 3, 2014): 125–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2014.914716.
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Kukushkin, O. V., O. A. Ermakov, A. Yu Ivanov, I. V. Doronin, E. Yu Sviridenko, E. P. Simonov, R. A. Gorelov, M. A. Khramova, and I. G. Blokhin. "Cytochrome b mitochondrial gene analysis-based phylogeography of a Sand lizard in the Crimea: ancient refugium at the peninsula, late expansion from the North, and first evidence of Lacerta agilis tauridica and L. a. exigua (Lacertidae: Sauria) hybridization." Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS 324, no. 1 (March 24, 2020): 56–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.31610/trudyzin/2020.324.1.56.
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The contact zones of the distribution ranges of closely related reptile taxa are the source of valuable data on the microevolutionary processes in populations, the history of regional faunas origin, and the environmental preferences of the studied forms. Our study is focused on the genetic structure of the populations of sand lizard, Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758, at the Crimean peninsula. This lacertid species inhabits the mountain (afforested) and plain (steppe) parts of the Crimea, being abundant or common in many areas. Lacerta agilis is represented in the Crimea by two subspecies: the widely distributed Eastern (L. a. exigua Eichwald, 1831) inhabiting a large part of Northern Eurasia, and the endemic (L. a. tauridica Suchow, 1927) residing in the Crimean mountains. Mitochondrial haplogroup affiliation corresponding to one of the subspecies (L. a. tauridica, L. a. exigua or L. a. chersonensis) was established for 225 L. agilis individuals from 81 localities in the Crimea and adjacent mainland territories. The nucleotide sequences of the complete cytochrome b gene of mitochondrial DNA (1143 bp) were studied in 75 L. agilis individuals from 68 localities. The genetic distance between both subspecies inhabiting the Crimea revealed by used molecular marker comprised 2.8%, which indicates their early divergence approximately at the transition of Early to Middle Pleistocene (ca. 1 Mya). L. a. tauridica is characterized by a comparatively deep genetic structure. Haplotypes occupying isolated positions on the phylogenetic tree of this subspecies were found in the south-western part of the Crimean Mountains, what might be explained by the localization of L. agilis microrefugia in areas least affected by the Late Pleistocene cooling. Genetic structure of L. a. exigua is more homogeneous. Another important result of our study was an identification of zones of haplogroups «exigua» and «tauridica» coexistence localized along the northern and eastern margins of the Crimean Mountains. The portion of the «exigua» haplogroup in local populations decreases southward and westward. The observed pattern of the spatial distribution of haplogroups seems to be a result of the hybridization zone formation between the sand lizard subspecies during the Holocene expansion of L. a. exigua. Ecological niches modeling for L. agilis subspecies and analysis of morphological variability of the lizards support the hypothesis of L. a. exigua and L. a. tauridica hybridization in the area of contact of their ranges in the eastern part of the Crimean Mountains.
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Oliver, Paul M., Rafe M. Brown, Fred Kraus, Eric Rittmeyer, Scott L. Travers, and Cameron D. Siler. "Lizards of the lost arcs: mid-Cenozoic diversification, persistence and ecological marginalization in the West Pacific." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 285, no. 1871 (January 17, 2018): 20171760. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1760.
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Regions with complex geological histories often have diverse and highly endemic biotas, yet inferring the ecological and historical processes shaping this relationship remains challenging. Here, in the context of the taxon cycle model of insular community assembly, we investigate patterns of lineage diversity and habitat usage in a newly characterized vertebrate radiation centred upon the world's most geologically complex insular region: island arcs spanning from the Philippines to Fiji. On island arcs taxa are ecologically widespread, and provide evidence to support one key prediction of the taxon cycle, specifically that interior habitats (lowland rainforests, montane habitats) are home to a greater number of older or relictual lineages than are peripheral habitats (coastal and open forests). On continental fringes, however, the clade shows a disjunct distribution away from lowland rainforest, occurring in coastal, open or montane habitats. These results are consistent with a role for biotic interactions in shaping disjunct distributions (a central tenant of the taxon cycle), but we find this pattern most strongly on continental fringes not islands. Our results also suggest that peripheral habitats on islands, and especially island arcs, may be important for persistence and diversification, not just dispersal and colonization. Finally, new phylogenetic evidence for subaerial island archipelagos (with an associated biota) east of present-day Wallace's Line since the Oligocene has important implications for understanding long-term biotic interchange and assembly across Asia and Australia.