Journal articles on the topic 'Lizard'
To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Lizard.
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 journal articles for your research on the topic 'Lizard.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse journal articles on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Akani, Godfrey, Nwabueze Ebere, Valentin Pérez-Mellado, and Luca Luiselli. "Stomach flushing affects survival/emigration in wild lizards: a study case with rainbow lizards (Agama agama) in Nigeria." Amphibia-Reptilia 32, no. 2 (2011): 253–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/017353711x565493.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractStomach flushing is one of the proposed techniques to study lizard diets. Apparently, it is ranged, together with direct observation and faecal analysis, as a non-harmful method for dietary studies. Some works explored the usefullness of stomach flushing, but we lack information about its effect on lizard's survival probabilities. In this paper we studied the effect of stomach flushing in an urban population of the rainbow lizard (Agama agama) from Calabar (Nigeria). During a period of five months of 2010, 147 lizards were noosed, sexed and individually marked. One group of lizards was stomach flushed only once, whereas the rest of lizards were not flushed. The flushed sample of lizards showed a lower survival than non-flushed lizards of all sex and age classes. In this study, the pictured diet from stomach flushing was very similar to results obtained with a faecal analysis of the same lizard population. Thus, both methods seem to be reliable to study the diet of the rainbow lizard. However, our results indicate that stomach flushing increases the probability of mortality (or at least emigration rates) in all age and sex classes, precluding its extensive use as a method to study lizard's diets.
2
Blamires, S. J. "Factors influencing the escape response of an arboreal agamid lizard of tropical Australia (Lophognathus temporalis) in an urban environment." Canadian Journal of Zoology 77, no. 12 (December 1, 1999): 1998–2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z99-166.
Full textAbstract:
The escape response of the agamid lizard Lophognathus temporalis in an urban population was examined during the dry season. Two measurements of escape response were made: the distance an observer can approach before the lizard flees (approach distance) and the distance the lizard flees to refuge (flight distance). The relationship between approach distance and flight distance was examined, as was the relationship between air temperature and both approach distance and flight distance. The influence of time of day, the lizard's perch (in a tree or on the ground), and year (1996 or 1998) on the escape response was determined. Approach distance and flight distance had no relationship with each other. Air temperature had a positive relationship with approach distance, so variations in temperature between the two years might explain variations in approach distance between them. The lizard's perch had the greatest influence on flight distance. Lizards in trees fled shorter distances, usually to the opposite side of the tree trunk or branch to the observer. Lizards on the ground always fled to the nearest refuge.
3
Nielsen, Torben P., and C. Michael Bull. "Winter durability of pygmy bluetongue lizard burrows is higher for occupied than for unoccupied burrows and for those in less-grazed neighbourhoods." Wildlife Research 43, no. 8 (2016): 634. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr16109.
Full textAbstract:
Context Many ectothermic animals survive winter by hibernating, either buried or in burrows. During their hibernation these animals are vulnerable to changes in soil structure and temperature caused by the activity of grazing mammals. This may be a particular risk to ectotherms living in native grassland, as this habitat is often used for livestock grazing. The endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard lives in burrows, in fragments of native grassland in South Australia, and these burrows are likely to be affected by sheep grazing during the lizards’ hibernation. Aims The current study aimed to determine the following effects on the persistence of burrows suitable to the pygmy bluetongue lizard: different levels of grazing, winter vegetation cover, burrow entrance size and whether a lizard was overwintering in the burrow. Methods During two winters, we applied different grazing treatments to six experimental paddocks and determined whether suitable lizard burrows located in autumn were still suitable to lizards in the following spring. For each burrow, we recorded whether a lizard was overwintering, the burrow entrance diameter and the vegetation cover around the burrow during the winter. Key results Increased grazing pressure led to decreased persistence of lizard burrows. We also found that burrows with an overwintering lizard had a greater chance of persisting, but found no direct effect of winter vegetation cover or entrance diameter. Conclusions The results show that although pygmy bluetongue lizards may be able to stabilise their own burrows, the more intense the grazing the lower the chance of lizard burrow persistence. Implications Management of sheep grazing is an important component in future conservation of the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard. Grazing on grassland with a lizard population should be kept at a moderate level and hard grazing should be avoided.
4
Wagner, E. A., and P. A. Zani. "Escape behavior of Side-blotched Lizards (Uta stansburiana) in response to model predators." Canadian Journal of Zoology 95, no. 12 (December 2017): 965–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2016-0255.
Full textAbstract:
Few field studies have tested for geographic variation in escape behavior and even fewer have examined responses of prey to multiple predators despite most prey occurring in multipredator environments. We performed 458 escape trials on Side-blotched Lizards (Uta stansburiana Baird and Girard, 1852) from 10 populations that differed in predator abundances. We quantified escape behavior of Side-blotched Lizards when approached with one of two model predators: a lizard (Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores N.M. Smith and Tanner, 1972)) or a snake (Western Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber mormon Baird and Girard, 1852)). Our results suggest that the escape responses of Side-blotched Lizards (flight initiation distance, distance fled, refuge entry) do not differ when approached by either a model predatory lizard or a model predatory snake. Nor do the escape responses of individual Side-blotched Lizards differ in relation to the abundances of predatory lizards or snakes in the local environment. Rather, only the directness of fleeing toward a refuge differed based on model predator type with Side-blotched Lizards fleeing more directly toward a refuge in response to a model lizard. These findings suggest that Side-blotched Lizards tend to use a more generalized escape response to approaching predators.
5
Cooper, William E., and Wade C. Sherbrooke. "Choosing between a rock and a hard place: Camouflage in the round-tailed horned lizard Phrynosoma modestum." Current Zoology 58, no. 4 (August 1, 2012): 541–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/58.4.543.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The round-tailed horned lizard Phrynosoma modestum is cryptically colored and resembles a small stone when it draws legs close to its body and elevates its back. We investigated effectiveness of camouflage in P. modestum and its dependence on stones by placing a lizard in one of two microhabitats (uniform sand or sand with surface rocks approximately the same size as lizards). An observer who knew which microhabitat contained the lizard was asked to locate the lizard visually. Latency to detection was longer and probability of no detection within 60 s was higher for lizards on rock background than on bare sand. In arenas where lizards could choose to occupy rock or bare sand, much higher proportions selected rocky backgrounds throughout the day; at night all lizards slept among stones. A unique posture gives P. modestum a rounded appearance similar to many natural stones. Lizards occasionally adopted the posture, but none did so in response to a nearby experimenter. Stimuli that elicit the posture are unknown. That P. modestum is better camouflaged among rocks than on bare sand and prefers to occupy rocky areas suggests that special resemblance to rocks (masquerade) enhances camouflage attributable to coloration and immobility.
6
Wieczorek, Magdalena, Robert Rektor, Bartłomiej Najbar, and Federico Morelli. "Tick parasitism is associated with home range area in the sand lizard, Lacerta agilis." Amphibia-Reptilia 41, no. 4 (May 26, 2020): 479–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10018.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) is a common species in Europe that inhabits a wide range of habitats, including anthropogenic environments. It is a frequent carrier of common ticks (Ixodes ricinus), which poses a severe threat to the lizards’ health. We determined the living space used by lizards in a rapidly changing environment and ascertained the number of parasitic ticks found throughout the reptile’s active season. We conducted telemetry research on a dynamically developing housing estate located on the outskirts of the city of Zielona Góra (western Poland) in 2016-2017. We obtained data from 16 adult lizards, from which we collected 2529 ticks. Using generalized linear models (GLMs), we determined the relationships among the number of transmitted parasites, size of occupied areas (minimum convex polygon, MCP), the weight of lizards, and sex of lizards. Results indicated that the number of ticks was negatively correlated with lizard body mass, but positively correlated with home range. Sex was not significantly associated with the number of ticks. Additionally, the parasite load was lower during the lizard’s non-breeding season than during the breeding season and was lower for males than for females during the non-breeding season. Males have larger home ranges than females.
7
Murray, Ian W., Andrea Fuller, Hilary M. Lease, Duncan Mitchell, Blair O. Wolf, and Robyn S. Hetem. "The actively foraging desert lizard Pedioplanis husabensis (Husab Sand Lizard) behaviorally optimizes its energetic economy." Canadian Journal of Zoology 92, no. 10 (October 2014): 905–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0086.
Full textAbstract:
The Husab Sand Lizard (Pedioplanis husabensis Berger-Dell’Mour and Mayer, 1989) is a recently described lacertid lizard endemic to a small region in the central Namib Desert. Although this species is of conservation concern, very little is known about how this lizard functions in its environment. We used the doubly labeled water method to measure the field energetics in this lizard species and we report on its foraging behavior. Pedioplanis husabensis had summer field metabolic rates (330 ± 140 J·d−1) that were similar to those of other similarly sized sit-and-wait foraging lizards (360 J·d−1), but only 43% that of an active foraging lizard of the same mass (770 J·d−1), despite using a movement-intensive, active foraging strategy. Additionally, the mean water influx rate (0.06 ± 0.03 mL·d−1) was 67% that of a desert reptile of the same size (0.09 mL·d−1). Active body temperatures were significantly lower in summer (34.3 ± 1.7 °C) than they were in autumn (36.8 ± 1.6 °C), and daily activity of lizards increased from 2.6 ± 0.9 h·d−1 in summer to 4.3 ± 1.9 h·d−1 in autumn. Relative to other species of actively foraging desert lizards, P. husabensis has lower energy requirements.
8
Altunışık, Abdullah, and Halit Eksilmez. "Demographic life history traits in a population of a critically endangered species, Darevskia dryada (Darevsky & Tuniyev, 1997)." Animal Biology 68, no. 1 (2018): 27–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15707563-17000092.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractKnowing the age structure of endangered species is important in order to contribute to future conservation studies for such species. In this context, we investigated age structure, age at sexual maturity, potential reproductive lifespan and longevity in a population of the Charnali lizard,Darevskia dryada, an endangered species from Turkey. The results show that the Charnali lizard has a longer life span than other lizards of the genusDarevskiathat live in the same region. We estimated that these lizards attain their sexual maturity at the age of one or two years and the potential reproductive life span for males and females is six and five years, respectively. As in many other lizards, the Charnali lizard exhibited a low-level male-biased sexual dimorphism in terms of increased size. We believe that this study, in which prior information related to the Charnali lizard is shared, will contribute to future conservation activities for this critically endangered species.
9
Pérez-Mellado, Valentín, Javier Martín-Vallejo, Richard Brown, Antonia Picornell, José Castro, María Misericordia Ramón, Bárbara Terrassa, Teresa García-Díez, and José Ángel Hernández-Estévez. "Population density in Podarcis lilfordi (Squamata, Lacertidae), a lizard species endemic to small islets in the Balearic Islands (Spain)." Amphibia-Reptilia 29, no. 1 (2008): 49–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853808783431587.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The Balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi, is present in 43 insular populations in the Cabrera archipelago and around the coasts of Mallorca and Menorca islands (Spain). We studied lizard densities over the entire range of distribution, analyzing observed differences of density in relation to island area, habitat diversity, availability of resources, presence of predators, competitors and human disturbances. The density of the Balearic lizard varies from less than 35 to almost 8000 lizards ha–1, with an average of around 1500 lizards ha–1. In some very small islets we detected no more than 10 individuals. Using a subsample of nine coastal islets (Menorca) we did not find any significant correlation between ground arthropod biomass and lizard density. The combination of island area and its maximal altitude, its so-called biotic capacity, was also uncorrelated with lizard density. In addition, neither degree of island accessibility nor presence/absence of seagull breeding colonies, were able to explain lizard densities. Islands without ship rats (Rattus rattus) showed a significantly higher lizard density, but islands in which rat eradication programs were launched during the study period, showed lower densities than those with rats but no eradication actions. Genetic variability was significantly higher on bigger lizard populations, lacking a correlation with lizard densities. No single independent variable can explain density differences among populations under study. Our results are discussed in the light of available hypotheses on factors affecting population densities.
10
De Jesus, Carrie, Chanakya Bhosale, Kristen Wilson, Zoe White, and Samantha M. Wisely. "Reptile Host Associations of Ixodes scapularis in Florida and Implications for Borrelia spp. Ecology." Pathogens 10, no. 8 (August 7, 2021): 999. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10080999.
Full textAbstract:
Host associations of the tick vector for Lyme Borreliosis, Ixodes scapularis, differ across its geographic range. In Florida, the primary competent mammalian host of Lyme disease is not present but instead has other small mammals and herpetofauna that I. scapularis can utilize. We investigated host–tick association for lizards, the abundance of ticks on lizards and the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl). To determine which lizard species I. scapularis associates with, we examined 11 native lizard species from historical herpetological specimens. We found that (294/5828) of the specimens had attached ticks. The most infested species were Plestiodon skinks (241/1228) and Ophisaurus glass lizards (25/572). These species were then targeted at six field sites across Florida and sampled from June to September 2020, using drift fence arrays, cover boards and fishing. We captured 125 lizards and collected 233 immature I. scapularis. DNA was extracted from ticks and lizard tissue samples, followed by PCR testing for Borrelia spp. Of the captured lizards, 69/125 were infested with immature I. scapularis. We did not detect Borrelia spp. from tick or lizard tissue samples. Overall, we found that lizards are commonly infested with I. scapularis. However, we did not detect Borrelia burgdorferi sl. These findings add to a growing body of evidence that lizards are poor reservoir species.
11
M'Closkey, Robert T., Richard J. Deslippe, Christopher P. Szpak, and Keith A. Baia. "Tree lizard distribution and mating system: the influence of habitat and food resources." Canadian Journal of Zoology 68, no. 10 (October 1, 1990): 2083–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z90-290.
Full textAbstract:
We examined the distribution of an insectivorous iguanid lizard (Iguanidae: Urosaurus ornatus, tree lizard) in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona in 1984, 1986, and 1987. The purpose of the investigation was to examine the ecological correlates of lizard distribution and mating system. Data from 420 marked lizards which were captured 1552 times provided information on habitat-level differences in lizard numbers and characteristics of home ranges in which oviposition occurred. In addition, we evaluated the role of arthropod food resources in the distribution of female home range and in the mating status of males. In dry washes tree lizards occupied mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) trees, whereas in flatland habitat they lived in mesquite trees and other sites (dead mesquite and saguaro cactus, Carnegeia gigantea). Lizards were more abundant in dry washes than flatland habitat. The lizard mating system was variable and a greater proportion of males were polygynous in wash (33–67%) compared with flatland (7–33%) habitat. In the flatland, home ranges in which females oviposited could be distinguished from vacant sites by soil hardness, shrub cover, and the presence of wood rat (Neotoma albigula) nests. Arthropod abundance did not differ between female home ranges and nearest vacant site nor between habitats and among male territories. Therefore, food resource distribution does not appear to be a determinant of either female distribution or territory quality in male tree lizards.
12
Ćorović, Jelena, and Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailović. "Aspects of thermal ecology of the meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola)." Amphibia-Reptilia 39, no. 2 (2018): 229–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-17000218.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract We studied the thermal biology of the meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola) in the peripheral part of its distribution range (westernmost edge of the distribution area). We assessed whether these lizards actively thermoregulate, estimated the accuracy and effectiveness of thermoregulation, and evaluated the thermal quality of the habitat using the standard thermal parameters: body (), preferred () with set-point range () and operative temperatures (). of the meadow lizard under controlled laboratory conditions was between 27.8°C and 31.4°C. In the field and averaged 29.0°C and 26.1°C, respectively. A large proportion of s fell below the range of the meadow lizard, and lizard s were substantially closer to the species’ range. Obtained values of thermoregulatory indices suggested that the meadow lizard thermoregulated actively, with a rather high accuracy () and effectiveness ( and ), and that their habitat at this locality was thermally favourable during the spring. Our results suggest that thermal requirements of the meadow lizard resemble those of alpine lacertids, while their s and are lower than in most lacertid lizards. Further thermoregulation studies could be an important step in predicting the impact of the global climate change on the meadow lizard and the risks of local extinctions of its peripheral populations.
13
Ebrahimi, Mehregan, Aaron L. Fenner, and C. Michael Bull. "Lizard behaviour suggests a new design for artificial burrows." Wildlife Research 39, no. 4 (2012): 295. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr11155.
Full textAbstract:
Context The use of artificial refuges is a common strategy for the conservation management of endangered species. However, artificial refuges may alter an animal’s natural behaviour that in turn may be detrimental to the species. The endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard from Australia is one species that will accept artificial burrows. Aims The aim of the present research was to determine whether the normal behaviour of the pygmy bluetongue lizards differed between artificial and natural burrows, so as to determine whether the existing artificial burrow is an optimal design for this species. Methods In the present study, we filmed the behaviour of lizards as they entered artificial and natural burrows. We compared the number of times a lizard entered a burrow, the time that lizards spent inspecting burrows, and the behaviours that lizards used when entering artificial and natural burrows. Key results We found that in natural burrows, lizards always entered head first, and then usually reversed direction inside, using an enlarged basal chamber, to sit with their head uppermost in the entrance. In artificial burrows, however, lizards had to enter head first, then reverse tail-first back out, and then reverse tail-first back into the burrow (so as to have their head facing upwards) We called this behaviour reversing from outside. Key conclusion The stereotyped reversing-from-outside behaviour when entering artificial burrows, and its occasional occurrence in natural burrows, suggest that it has evolved to allow lizards to use narrow burrows as well as those with a chamber, even though it can increase lizard’s surface activity and exposure to predation. Implication The reversing behaviour from outside the artificial burrow increases exposure to potential predators, and our observations suggest that a re-design of artificial burrows to incorporate internal space for turning around may improve their effectiveness in conservation management interventions.
14
Meiri, Shai. "What geckos are – an ecological-biogeographic perspective." Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution 66, no. 3-4 (November 6, 2019): 253–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/22244662-20191075.
Full textAbstract:
Geckos are a hyper-diverse, ancient, and globally distributed group. They have diverged early from other squamates and thus can be expected to differ from them along multiple ecological, life history, and biogeographic axes. I review a wide range of gecko traits, comparing them to those of other lizard taxa, to identify the unique, and unifying, attributes of geckos among lizards, based on comprehensive databases of lizard distributions and biological attributes. Few traits completely separate geckos from other lizard taxa, yet they differ to a large degree along many axes: they are more restricted to low latitudes and altitudes, are especially diverse on islands, but relatively scarce in America. They are small lizards, that lay small, fixed clutch sizes, for which they compensate only partially by laying frequently. Because they mature at relatively similar ages and have similar lifespans to other lizards, geckos produce fewer offspring over a year, and over their lifetimes, perhaps implying that they enjoy higher survival rates. While being the only large lizard clade of predominantly nocturnal lizards a large proportion of species is active by day. Gecko body temperatures and preferred temperatures are lower than those of other lizards –even when they are compared to lizards with similar activity times. Worryingly, most geckos have small ranges that often reside completely outside of protected areas – much more frequently than in other reptile and vertebrate taxa.
15
Ginsberg, Howard S., Graham J. Hickling, Genevieve Pang, Jean I. Tsao, Meghan Fitzgerald, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, and Russell L. Burke. "Selective Host Attachment by Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Tick–Lizard Associations in the Southeastern United States." Journal of Medical Entomology 59, no. 1 (October 29, 2021): 267–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab181.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Questing behavior and host associations of immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, from the southeastern United States are known to differ from those in the north. To elucidate these relationships we describe host associations of larval and nymphal I. scapularis from 8 lizard species sampled from 5 sites in the southeastern U.S. Larvae and nymphs attached in greater numbers to larger lizards than to smaller lizards, with differential levels of attachment to different lizard species. Blacklegged ticks are generally attached to skinks of the genus Plestiodon in greater numbers per unit lizard weight than to anoles (Anolis) or fence lizards (Sceloporus). The broad-headed skink, Plestiodon laticeps (Schneider), was a particularly important host for immature I. scapularis in our study and in several previous studies of tick–host associations in the southeast. Blacklegged ticks show selective attachment to Plestiodon lizard hosts in the southeast, but whether this results from behavioral host preferences or from ecological factors such as timing or microhabitat distributions of tick questing and host activity remains to be determined.
16
Reading, Christopher, and Gabriela Jofré. "Smooth snake population decline and its link with prey availability." Amphibia-Reptilia 41, no. 1 (June 12, 2020): 43–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-20191237.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The relationship between the numbers of smooth snakes, Coronella austriaca, and common lizards, Zootoca vivipara, was investigated in a 6.5 ha area of lowland heath within Wareham Forest in southern England. With the exception of 2002 the numbers of lizards, small mammals and individual smooth snakes captured, or observed, were recorded during each of 21 annual surveys between May and October 1997-2018. Smooth snake diet was investigated annually between 2004 and 2015 by analysing faecal samples and showed that lizards, particularly the common lizard, and pigmy shrews, Sorex minutus, were important prey species. There was no significant correlation between the occurrence of any small mammal species and either snake numbers or their presence in smooth snake diet. Over the study period there was an overall decline in the number of smooth snakes captured whilst there was an overall increase in the number of common lizard sightings. The frequency of common lizards found in the diet of smooth snakes was positively correlated with their abundance within the study area. There was a significant correlation between the decline of smooth snake numbers and the subsequent increase in the number of common lizard sightings suggesting that lizard abundance may be controlled by snake numbers. Conversely, we found no evidence indicating that smooth snake numbers were dependent on lizard numbers suggesting that factors other than prey availability e.g. habitat change due to cattle grazing, blocking ground water drainage ditches, or climatic variables, were impacting on snake numbers, particularly between 2012 and 2018.
17
Blokhin, Ivan, Natalya Veselova, and Gennady Blokhin. "Phenotypic traits of sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and the environmental factor effects." BIO Web of Conferences 43 (2022): 03003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20224303003.
Full textAbstract:
The comparative analysis of the variability of the sand lizard’s (Lacerta agilis) phenotypic traits was carried out. Lizards were trapping in four different localities. 12 morphometric characters and 22 scaling parameters were included in controlled traits; comparisons of populations were performed using Student’s t-test and discriminant analysis. Lizards were captured in the village Yamnoye, Voronezh Region, the village Verkhnekardail’skiy in the Volgograd Region, and in the villages Sredniy and Poperechnyy of the Stavropol Territory. The village Yamnoye is experiencing the greatest anthropogenic pressure due to its proximity to Voronezh city and the airport. The largest number of statistically significant differences in morphometric characters was found between lizards of the Stavropol Territory and lizards from the villages Verkhnekardail’skiy and Yamnoye, between which there were significantly low number statistically significant differences in the same characters. Sexual dimorphism was most pronounced in lizards of the locality with the highest anthropogenic load - the village Yamnoye. When analyzing the characteristics of scaly cover of lizards of closes localities in villages Yamnoye and Verkhnekardail’skiy, there were more statistically significant differences than between the lizards of the last and the most remote Stavropol Territory. When assessing the severity of sexual dimorphism in terms of scaling, statistically significant differences between males and females were observed in population lizards of the Stavropol Territory and the village Verkhnekardail’skiy. The sexual dimorphism on scaly cover in lizard population of the village Yamnoye was not revealed and a relatively reduced diversity of the scaly cover was observed. Our data indicate that the variability of various phenotypic characteristics of the sand lizard is related in different ways to the influence of environmental factors, such as the geocological position of the localities of animal reproduction, anthropogenic load.
18
Pettigrew, Melissa, and C. Michael Bull. "The response of pygmy bluetongue lizards to simulated grazing in the field during three drought years." Wildlife Research 39, no. 6 (2012): 540. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr12086.
Full textAbstract:
Context Grazing by domestic stock can directly influence and shape the functions of an ecosystem. Most remaining remnant native grasslands in Australia are under some form of grazing management, with some possible adverse impacts for endemic grassland biota. For the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard (Tiliqua adelaidensis), grazing of its remnant native grassland habitat has been seen as a potential conservation threat. Aim We aimed to investigate whether lizards altered their basking and foraging behaviour as a response to simulated grazing of the grassland habitat surrounding their burrows. Methods We used field manipulations over 3 years event by manually removing above-ground vegetation in 1 m2 around occupied lizard burrows, to simulate intense grazing events. We video-recorded lizard responses to these manipulations. We filmed lizards before and after the simulated grazing event and monitored basking and foraging response. We also simultaneously filmed a control group of lizards that were not exposed to a simulated grazing event. Key results Although overall time spent basking did not differ between treatment and control groups, the lizards spent more of their basking time completely emerged (bold basking) in the grazing treatment, suggesting they changed behaviour after simulated grazing. Perhaps they were more confident of evading predators that they could more clearly see approaching. In one season lizards made more attempts to catch prey in the grazed treatment than in a control treatment following the treatment, suggesting that grazing might enhance visibility for the ambush predation method that these lizards use. Conclusions The results suggest that grazing may produce some benefits for lizards already established in burrows. This contrasts with some previous results and suggests that management of grazing regimes requires careful consideration of the conditions currently prevalent. In this case, the study was conducted during a drought period, and different results might have emerged in higher rainfall years. Implications Grazing management for lizard conservation requires detailed understanding of the complex relationships among lizard behaviour, vegetation cover and invertebrate prey availability.
19
Fava, Gustavo A., and Juan C. Acosta. "Escape distance and escape latency following simulated rapid bird attacks in an Andean lizard, Phymaturus williamsi." Behaviour 155, no. 10-12 (2018): 861–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-00003506.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Predatory birds represent the greatest risk for many lizard species. However, little is known about the functional relationship between the escape distance and escape latency of lizards during a rapid bird attack. We hypothesised that escape latency and distance in the Andean lizard species Phymaturus williamsi would increase proportionally, but vary according to the means of escape. Over a three-year period we observed seven types of antipredatory behaviour in 98% P. williamsi lizards on simulated predatory bird attacks. Escape distance and latency were positively correlated. 65% of lizards emerged from their refuge within 2 min of an attack. All of these behaviours were positively correlated with escape latency and distance, although we found the former to be more precise. This study contributes to a better understanding of the general antipredatory behaviour in this species of Andean lizard, and will assist in future decisions concerning its conservation.
20
Schall, J. J. "Virulence of lizard malaria: the evolutionary ecology of an ancient parasite—host association." Parasitology 100, S1 (June 1990): S35—S52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182000073005.
Full textAbstract:
SummaryThe negative consequences of parasitic infection (virulence) were examined for two lizard malaria parasite—host associa tions: Plasmodium agamae and P. giganteum, parasites of the rainbow lizard, Agama agania, in Sierra Leone, West Africa; and P. mexicanum in the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, in northern California. These malaria species vary greatly in their reproductive characteristics: P. agamae produces only 8 merozoites per schizont, P. giganteum yields over 100, and P. mexicanum an intermediate number. All three parasites appear to have had an ancient association with their host. In fence lizards, infection with malaria is associated with increased numbers of immature erythrocytes, decreased haemoglobin levels, decreased maximal oxygen consumption, and decreased running stamina. Not affected were numbers of erythrocytes, resting metabolic rate, and sprint running speed which is supported by anaerobic means in lizards. Infected male fence lizards had smaller testes, stored less fat in preparation for winter dormancy, were more often socially submissive and, unexpectedly, were more extravagantly coloured on the ventral surface (a sexually dimorphic trait) than non-infected males. Females also stored less fat and produced smaller clutches of eggs, a directly observed reduction in fitness. Infected fence lizards do not develop behavioural fevers. P. mexicanum appears to have broad thermal buffering abilities and thermal tolerance; the parasite's population growth was unaffected by experimental alterations in the lizard's body temperature. The data are less complete for A. agama, but infected lizards suffered similar haematological and physiological effects. Infected animals may be socially submissive because they appear to gather less insect prey, possibly a result of being forced into inferior territories. Infection does not reduce clutch size in rainbow lizards, but may lengthen the time between clutches. These results are compared with predictions emerging from several models of the evolution of parasite virulence. The lack of behavioural fevers in fence lizards may represent a physiological constraint by the lizards in evolving a thermal tolerance large enough to allow elimination of the parasite via fever. Such constraints may be important in determining the outcome of parasite—host coevolution. Some theory predicts low virulence in old parasite—host systems and higher virulence in parasites with greater reproductive output. However, in conflict with this argument, all three malarial species exhibited similar high costs to their hosts.
21
Borczyk, Bartosz, Iwona Gottfried, Radosław G. Urban, and Jarosław Kania. "Great capricorn beetle-created corridors as refuges for lizards." Herpetozoa 35 (March 14, 2022): 59–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e81190.
Full textAbstract:
Ecosystem engineering is among the most important factors shaping ecosystems; however, it remains largely unstudied. Here, we present observations on three lizard species, the common lizard Zootoca vivipara, the sand lizard Lacerta agilis, and the slow worm Anguis fragilis, which use habitats created by the great capricorn beetle, Cerambyx cerdo. These galleries are heavily used by the common lizards and young sand lizards. We discuss the possible advantages of such beetle-created habitats for reptiles: antipredator refuges, hibernation sites, thermoregulatory behaviour, and preying activities. Since previous studies have reported numerous invertebrate species as well as vertebrates (including bats and snakes) in these refugia, we find the great capricorn beetle-inhabited oaks as potentially important microhabitats for a variety of animals.
22
Mohamed-Ahmed, M. M. "Olfactory responses of Glossina fuscipes fuscipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) to the monitor lizard Varanus niloticus niloticus." Bulletin of Entomological Research 88, no. 3 (June 1998): 311–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s000748530002592x.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractVisual and olfactory responses of Glossina fuscipes fuscipes Newstead to the monitor lizard, Varanus niloticus niloticus Laurenti were studied using various catching devices near Lake Victoria, Kenya. Electric nets baited with visible lizards caught more males (×2.1) and significantly more females (×2.0) than unbaited nets. Lizards concealed in electrified black PVC pipe models, simulating the shape and size of a monitor lizard, increased significantly the catches of tsetse by 2.1 times. Fresh lizard urine dispensed at an evaporation rate of 500 to 1000 mg/h also increased significantly the catches of flies at biconical traps, electrified models and electric nets. Identification of chemical constituents of the odour could improve monitoring and control strategies for G. f. fuscipes, and possibly for other palpalis tsetse species.
23
Matthews, Catherine E., Lacey D. Huffling, and Aerin Benavides. "The Ins & Outs of Developing a Field-Based Science Project." American Biology Teacher 76, no. 5 (May 1, 2014): 320–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/abt.2014.76.5.5.
Full textAbstract:
We describe a field-based lizard project we did with high school students as a part of our summer Herpetological Research Experiences. We describe data collection on lizards captured, identified, and marked as a part of our mark–recapture study. We also describe other lizard projects that are ongoing in the United States and provide resources for teachers to help them start their own field-based science projects. Our work with lizards focuses on fieldwork but also includes classroom components with captive-bred and wild-captured animals. Information on organizations that focus on lizards is provided, including several citizen science opportunities.
24
STASIAK, Aleksandra K. "PROPOSAL OF THE MONITORING METHODOLOGY OF THE VIVIPAROUS LIZARD Zootoca vivipara." Folia Pomeranae Universitatis Technologiae Stetinensis Agricultura, Alimentaria, Piscaria et Zootechnica 362, no. 61 (March 31, 2022): 15–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.21005/aapz2022.61.1.02.
Full textAbstract:
The viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) is a species of the Squamata order from the family of lizards (Lacertidae) covering the wide range – from Western Europe, including British islands and Ireland to the far reaches of Asia with limit of occurrence on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The population of the viviparous lizard is not regularly monitored and does not have specific monitoring rules. Currently, numerous publications in the press and media inform about the progressive intensification of agriculture, intensity of tourist traffic or the increasingly progressive urbanization of the environment, which contributes to the migration of viviparous lizards from these areas. It has been suggested that because of human interference with the environment, viviparous lizards retreat to intact natural habitats. This is related to decrease in the area of occurrence of these reptiles and less frequent observations than before. The work presents a proposed methodology of viviparous lizard monitoring based on the evaluation of population status indicator – relative abundance and habitat condition indicators such as availability of breeding places and availability of hiding places. The aim of the article is to present indicators of the population status and habitat condition indicators, additionally to establish terms and frequency of surveys within the framework of the possibility to conduct monitoring studies of viviparous lizard populations.
25
Cooper, Jr., William E. "Escape behavior by prey blocked from entering the nearest refuge." Canadian Journal of Zoology 77, no. 4 (September 15, 1999): 671–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z99-046.
Full textAbstract:
Current models of optimal antipredation behavior do not apply to prey blocked by a predator from access to the primary refuge because the predator is closer than the optimal approach distance and flight toward the refuge would increase risk. If other alternative refuges are available, the prey should flee toward the best alternative one. I studied the effect of an approaching human simulated predator interposed between prey and refuge on the use of alternative refuges and on flight-initiation distance in the keeled earless lizard, Holbrookia propinqua. When the predator approached on a line between a lizard and its closest refuge, the lizard invariably fled to or toward an alternative refuge. Lizards were significantly more likely to use alternative refuges than lizards approached on a line connecting the closest refuge, prey, and predator, but with the lizard between the predator and the refuge. Flight-initiation distance was significantly greater for lizards having free access to the closest refuge than for those blocked from it, perhaps because of the time required to assess the new risk posed by blockage of the closest refuge, to select the best alternative refuge, or to wait for the predator to commit to a closing pattern before choosing the best flight option.
26
Font, Enrique, Martha Bohórquez-Alonso, and Miguel Molina-Borja. "Activity and body orientation of Gallotia galloti in different habitats and daily times." Amphibia-Reptilia 32, no. 1 (2011): 93–103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/017353710x542994.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractIn lizards, site selection is related to the acquisition of resources such as refuges, mates or prey, but also to the exploitation of sites suitable for thermoregulation. The latter process may be affected by lizard posture and body axis orientation in relation to the sun as a way to optimize heat exchange throughout the day. Specific postures and body orientations could also contribute to more efficient signal transmission in social contexts. In this paper we analyze activity and body axis orientation of adult males and females of the lacertid Gallotia galloti in two localities of Tenerife with different structural habitats. We performed transects at both sampling localities in the morning and at midday during May and June of three years (2002-2004). The numbers of lizards detected per unit time during transects at both localities were similar; however, significantly more males than females were detected. Moreover, more lizards were found oriented parallel or perpendicular to the sun than in alternative (oblique) orientations. Heating rates were not different for copper lizard models oriented parallel or perpendicular to the sun, neither in the morning nor at midday, and there was no significant relationship between air temperature and lizard body orientation. This suggests that lizard body orientation is not constrained by thermoregulatory requirements. We discuss alternative hypotheses and conclude that body axis orientation in G. galloti lizards may reflect a compromise between the conflicting demands imposed by thermoregulation and social communication.
27
VITT, LAURIE J., and PETER A. ZANI. "Ecological relationships among sympatric lizards in a transitional forest in the northern Amazon of Brazil." Journal of Tropical Ecology 14, no. 1 (January 1998): 63–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467498000066.
Full textAbstract:
Sympatric lizards in a transitional forest of Roraima, Brazil, dividing Amazon rain forest from savanna, contained a lizard assemblage of 16 species representing six families. Lizards varied in size, activity (diurnal versus nocturnal), microhabitats used, exposure to various conditions of light availability, prey types, and prey sizes. Overlaps in microhabitat occurrence varied from 0 (no overlap) to 1.0 (total overlap) whereas overlaps in prey types varied from 0.005 to 0.607. Microhabitat overlaps were higher overall than dietary overlaps. Pseudocommunity analyses on microhabitat data indicate that the community is not randomly assembled and that two distinct guilds exist, a leaf-litter guild and an arboreal guild, each with four species. Similar analyses on diet data revealed no apparent guild structure ast the first rank (nearest neighbour). Lizard diets did not differ from a random assortment based on prey type. At lower levels, the assemblage was structured with respect to food. Variation in prey use among lizard species was tied more closely to the effect of lizard body size on prey size (lizards ate different-sized prey items). Although exploitative competition among species may maintain structure within this assemblage it does not necessarily cause the observed differences. Several species are nearly identical ecologically to sister taxa in other environments and within different lizard assemblages suggesting that composition of the local assemblage limits the species that can enter the assemblage. Finally, lack of structure at the lowest (most similar) neighbour ranks may reflect the impact of a transitional habitat on stability of species interactions at the local level.
28
Ritter, D. "Axial muscle function during lizard locomotion." Journal of Experimental Biology 199, no. 11 (November 1, 1996): 2499–510. http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.199.11.2499.
Full textAbstract:
It was recently reported that the epaxial muscles of a lizard, Varanus salvator, function to stabilize the trunk during locomotion, and it was suggested that this stabilizing role may be a shared derived feature of amniotes. This result was unexpected because it had previously been assumed that the epaxial muscles of lizards function to produce lateral bending during locomotion and that only in mammals and birds were the epaxial muscles active in stabilizing the trunk. These results and the inferences made from them lead to two questions. (1) Is the pattern of epaxial muscle activity observed in V. salvator representative of a basal lizard condition or is it a derived condition that evolved within lizards? (2) If the epaxial muscles do not produce lateral bending, which muscles do carry out this function? These questions were addressed by collecting synchronous electromyographic (EMG) and kinematic data from two lizard species during walking and running. EMG data were collected from the epaxial muscles of a lizard species from a basal clade, Iguana iguana, in order to address the first question. EMG data were collected from the hypaxial muscles of both Iguana iguana and Varanus salvator to address the second question. The timing of epaxial muscle activity in Iguana iguana relative to the kinematics of limb support and lateral trunk bending is similar to that observed in Varanus salvator, a finding that supports the hypothesis that the epaxial muscles stabilize the trunk during locomotion in lizards and that this stabilizing role is a basal feature of lizards. Therefore, a stabilizing function of the epaxial muscles is most parsimoniously interpreted as a basal amniote feature. In both Iguana iguana and Varanus salvator, the activity of two of the hypaxial muscles, the external oblique and rectus abdominis, is appropriately timed for the production of lateral bending. This indicates that elements of the hypaxial musculature, not the epaxial musculature, are the primary lateral bending muscles of lizards.
29
Font, Enrique, and Guillem Pérez i de Lanuza. "Ultraviolet reflectance of male nuptial colouration in sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) from the Pyrenees." Amphibia-Reptilia 28, no. 3 (2007): 438–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853807781374764.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractThe evolutionary significance of lacertid colourations is relatively unexplored. However, several studies have demonstrated signalling by means of bright green colouration in Swedish Lacerta agilis males during the breeding season. Unfortunately, most of these studies have been based on human colour perception that differs in several ways from that of lizard. An important difference between human and lizard colour vision is the presence of an ultraviolet (UV) sensitive cone in lizards. The available evidence suggests that male sand lizards colorations do not reflect UV wavelengths, at least in Swedish populations. However, this study, based on objective (spectrophotometric) measures of Pyrenean L. agilis, revealed a secondary reflectance peak in the UV in male green colouration. This secondary peak increases sexual dichromatism and male conspicuousness. Moreover, it could have a social signalling function as do similar UV reflecting patches in other lizard species.
30
Vitt, Laurie J., and Peter A. Zani. "Prey use among sympatric lizard species in lowland rain forest of Nicaragua." Journal of Tropical Ecology 14, no. 4 (July 1998): 537–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467498000388.
Full textAbstract:
The diets of 17 lizard species (seven families) studied simultaneously in a Caribbean lowland forest of Nicaragua were compared. Lizards varied in body size over nearly one order of magnitude. Twelve species for which there were adequate samples separated by prey types and most diet overlaps were low. A pseudocommunity analysis on volumetric diet data revealed significant guild structure in the assemblage. At each nearest neighbour rank in niche space, observed overlaps were higher than expected based on chance alone when all values in the consumer-resource matrix were randomized. There was no difference between observed and pseudocommunity overlaps with zero positions in the consumer-resource matrix retained (conserved-zero overlaps) indicating that the zero structure of the community matrix was important in maintaining structure and that lizards were converging on key resources. Individual prey size varied among species and mean prey size was significantly correlated with body size of lizard species. A phylogenetic analysis revealed no relationship between similarity in prey use (dietary overlap) and evolutionary relationships — more closely related species did not eat more similar prey types. Based on this analysis of Nicaraguan lizard diets and comparisons with other New World tropical lizard assemblages, it is suggested that factors contributing to the organization of tropical lizard assemblages are complex including historical differences in morphology (size), prey types and sizes, habitat structure and species interactions.
31
Henle, Klaus. "Ecological segregation in a subterranean reptile assemblage in arid Australia." Amphibia-Reptilia 10, no. 3 (1989): 277–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853889x00430.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractThe organisation of the subterranean component of an arid zone reptile community was studies in Kinchega National Park (Eastern Australia) from September 1985 to May 1987. Three species of fossorial or semifossorial lizards and two species of snakes were found in Kinchega. All species were habitat generalists, but microhabitat, food size and food taxon clearly separated them. All species were primarily nocturnal although Lerista xanthura was occasionally active during the day. All three lizard species were active from September to May. Activity of Eremiascincus richardsonii and L. xanthura were significantly correlated with monthly mean daily maximum and minimum temperatures. The optimum temperature of L. punctatovittata was 28.8 °C in daytime retreats. Biomass ranged from 505-900 g/ha in E. richardsonii and from 968-1152 g/ha in L. punctatovittata. All three lizard species produced only one clutch per year. L. punctatovittata and E. richardsonii reached sexual maturity at the end of their second year, L. xanthura matured in its first year. The data show that subterranean lizard guilds have a different structure than diurnal and non-fossorial noctunal lizard assemblies. The data also indicate a correlation of late maturity and low reproductive effort in fossorial lizards.
32
Damas-Moreira, Isabel. "Playing dead: lizards show tonic immobility without human handling." Behaviour 158, no. 8-9 (April 20, 2021): 809–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10089.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Tonic immobility, or the ability to play dead, is widespread among vertebrates. It is a last line of defence against a threat, and usually follows physical restraint. Here, I report two lizards exhibiting tonic immobility in the presence of humans, but remarkably, without any handling or physical contact. These two lizards belonged to an invasive population of the Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis siculus), and both events took place in different years and situations, suggesting this behaviour may be more common than previously thought. There are rare documented cases of animals exhibiting this behaviour without handling; however, to my knowledge, this is the first description of a lizard displaying tonic immobility to humans, in the absence of handling. This is also the first incident of tonic immobility in the Italian Wall Lizard. I discuss these anecdotal events in the light of this invasive population inhabiting a highly urbanized location.
33
Sun, Aaron X., Ricardo Londono, Megan L. Hudnall, Rocky S. Tuan, and Thomas P. Lozito. "Differences in neural stem cell identity and differentiation capacity drive divergent regenerative outcomes in lizards and salamanders." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, no. 35 (August 13, 2018): E8256—E8265. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1803780115.
Full textAbstract:
While lizards and salamanders both exhibit the ability to regenerate amputated tails, the outcomes achieved by each are markedly different. Salamanders, such as Ambystoma mexicanum, regenerate nearly identical copies of original tails. Regenerated lizard tails, however, exhibit important morphological differences compared with originals. Some of these differences concern dorsoventral patterning of regenerated skeletal and spinal cord tissues; regenerated salamander tail tissues exhibit dorsoventral patterning, while regrown lizard tissues do not. Additionally, regenerated lizard tails lack characteristically roof plate-associated structures, such as dorsal root ganglia. We hypothesized that differences in neural stem cells (NSCs) found in the ependyma of regenerated spinal cords account for these divergent regenerative outcomes. Through a combination of immunofluorescent staining, RT-PCR, hedgehog regulation, and transcriptome analysis, we analyzed NSC-dependent tail regeneration. Both salamander and lizard Sox2+ NSCs form neurospheres in culture. While salamander neurospheres exhibit default roof plate identity, lizard neurospheres exhibit default floor plate. Hedgehog signaling regulates dorsalization/ventralization of salamander, but not lizard, NSCs. Examination of NSC differentiation potential in vitro showed that salamander NSCs are capable of neural differentiation into multiple lineages, whereas lizard NSCs are not, which was confirmed by in vivo spinal cord transplantations. Finally, salamander NSCs xenogeneically transplanted into regenerating lizard tail spinal cords were influenced by native lizard NSC hedgehog signals, which favored salamander NSC floor plate differentiation. These findings suggest that NSCs in regenerated lizard and salamander spinal cords are distinct cell populations, and these differences contribute to the vastly different outcomes observed in tail regeneration.
34
Malcom, Jacob, and Matthew Moskwik. "The Texas Conservation Plan has not slowed oil and gas well development in dunes sagebrush lizard habitat." F1000Research 7 (June 21, 2018): 824. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.15346.1.
Full textAbstract:
Background: The dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) is an imperiled species that is restricted to shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) sand dune habitats in southeastern New Mexico and West Texas, USA. This region is also a hotspot of oil and gas development that is a major threat to the species. Methods: Here we use well data and a natural experiment to test the effectiveness of voluntary conservation agreements for slowing or stopping oil and gas well approval in the lizard’s habitat in New Mexico and Texas. Results: We show that the Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) and CCA with Assurances in New Mexico, both of which contain strong avoidance mechanisms, are associated with a steep decline in oil and gas well approval in the New Mexico portion of the lizard’s range, but not outside the lizard’s range. By contrast, the Texas Conservation Plan (TCP), which does not include mandatory avoidance, is not associated with any decline of oil and gas well approval in the lizard's Texas range relative to the broader landscape. Conclusions: These results indicate that the TCP is insufficient to conserve the lizard in Texas, thereby jeopardizing genetic and geographic representation across the range of the species.
35
Álvarez-Ruiz, Lola, Josabel Belliure, and Juli G. Pausas. "Fire-driven behavioral response to smoke in a Mediterranean lizard." Behavioral Ecology 32, no. 4 (April 3, 2021): 662–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arab010.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The evolutionary role of fire in animals has been poorly explored. Reptiles use sensory cues, such as smell (chemoreception), to detect threats and flee. In Mediterranean ecosystems, fire is a threat faced by reptiles. We hypothesized that the Mediterranean lizard Psammodromus algirus recognizes the threat of fire by detecting the smoke, which triggers a behavioral response that enhances survival in fire-prone ecosystems. We predicted that lizards from fire-prone ecosystems will be more sensitive to fire stimulus than those from ecosystems that rarely burn. We conducted a terrarium experiment in which lizards from habitats with contrasted fire regimes (fire-prone vs. non-fire-prone) were exposed to smoke versus control (false smoke) treatment. We found that, in populations from fire-prone habitats, more lizards reacted to smoke, and their behavioral response was more intense than in lizard populations from non-fire-prone habitats. Our results suggest that an enhanced response to smoke may be adaptive in lizards from fire-prone ecosystems as it increases the chance for survival. We provide evidence that fire is likely an evolutionary driver shaping behavioral traits in lizard populations exposed to frequent wildfires. Understanding ecological and evolutionary processes shaping animal populations is relevant for species conservation in a changing fire regime world.
36
Weitzman, Chava L., Karen Gibb, and Keith Christian. "Skin bacterial diversity is higher on lizards than sympatric frogs in tropical Australia." PeerJ 6 (November 14, 2018): e5960. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5960.
Full textAbstract:
Animal skin acts as a barrier between the organism and its environment and provides the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Thus, skin surfaces harbor communities of microbes that are interacting with both the host and its environment. Amphibian skin bacteria form distinct communities closely tied to their host species, but few studies have compared bacterial communities between amphibians and other, non-amphibian sympatric animals. Notably, skin microbes on reptiles have gained little attention. We used next-generation sequencing technology to describe bacterial communities on the skin of three lizard species and compared them to bacteria on six cohabiting frog species in the Northern Territory of Australia. We found bacterial communities had higher richness and diversity on lizards than frogs, with different community composition between reptiles and amphibians and among species. Core bacteria on the three lizard species overlapped by over 100 operational taxonomic units. The bacterial communities were similar within species of frogs and lizards, but the communities tended to be more similar between lizard species than between frog species and when comparing lizards with frogs. The diverse bacteria found on lizards invites further questions on how and how well reptiles interact with microorganisms through their scaly skin.
37
Ruiz-Monachesi, M. R., A. Paz, and M. Quipildor. "Hemipenes eversion behavior: a new form of communication in two Liolaemus lizards (Iguania: Liolaemidae)." Canadian Journal of Zoology 97, no. 3 (March 2019): 187–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2018-0195.
Full textAbstract:
Males of several animals have intromittent organs and may use these in a communicative context during sexual or intrasexual interactions. In some lizards, hemipenes eversion behavior have been observed, and the aim of this study is to find out whether this behavior is functionally significant under a communicative approach. Here, we investigated the eversion of hemipenes in the Light Blue Lizard (Liolaemus coeruleus Cei and Ortiz-Zapata, 1983) and in the Valley Lizard (Liolaemus quilmes Etheridge, 1993) by filming the response of male focal lizards in different experimental settings: (i) an agonistic context, i.e., with a conspecific male, (ii) a sexual context, i.e., with a conspecific female, and (iii) a control treatment, i.e., without a treatment lizard. In both species, focal lizards showed this behavior only in an agonistic context, with interspecific differences as follows. Liolaemus coeruleus has longer times until eversion and dragging of hemipenes; however, it has shorter time of eversion and exposition of the hemipenes. Liolaemus quilmes has the opposite pattern compared with L. coeruleus. These indicate that eversion of the hemipenes can act as a visual display and as a signal of aggressive behavior towards conspecific rival males. The present study offers a new behavioral perspective on the use of masculine genitalia in lizards.
38
Pérez-Mellado, Valentín, Mario Garrido, Zaida Ortega, Ana Pérez-Cembranos, and Abraham Mencía. "The yellow-legged gull as a predator of lizards in Balearic Islands." Amphibia-Reptilia 35, no. 2 (2014): 207–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00002945.
Full textAbstract:
Lizards and gulls cohabit in several Mediterranean islands. The yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis, was found to prey several vertebrate species. However, precise information about the interaction between gulls and other vertebrates, particularly with lizards is still scarce. The Balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi, shares several coastal islets with the yellow-legged gull. Using two different sources of information, we studied the interaction of both species in Colom Island (Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain). We studied the diet of the yellow-legged gull and learnt that the Balearic lizard is not a common prey of the yellow-legged gull. On the other hand, we studied the potential predation pressure of gulls on lizards, using plasticine models of lizards. We did two different experiments from which we can conclude that yellow-legged gulls rarely attack lizards and, consequently, cannot be considered a major threat for this endemic lizard species, at least in the population under study. Finally, we obtained evidence that plasticine models can only be employed with caution to assess predation pressure of opportunistic scavengers, much as gulls are. The majority of marks on models were not the consequence of true attacks by gulls, but the result of ground exploratory behaviour of gulls in search of any edible matter. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, in the case of the yellow-legged gull, the proportion of marked models would be an indication of ground-based wandering activity, rather than a result of its predation pressure on lizards.
39
Pettigrew, Melissa, and C. Michael Bull. "The impact of heavy grazing on burrow choice in the pygmy bluetongue lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis." Wildlife Research 38, no. 4 (2011): 299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr11052.
Full textAbstract:
Context Grazing pressure has directly altered and indirectly influenced natural ecosystems worldwide, and has affected and displaced many native species. The endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard Tiliqua adelaidensis is endemic to the mid-north of South Australia. It inhabits remnant native grasslands where it is reliant on the presence of natural spider burrows constructed by lycosid and mygalomorph spiders as refuge sites. These lizards spend the majority of the day associated with their burrow either in the burrow itself or basking at its entrance. The remnant native grasslands of South Australia have endured 200 years of agricultural changes and the introduction of domestic stock has meant that grazing pressure has substantially increased. The vegetation around a burrow is considered to be important in providing shelter for the lizard. However, too much vegetation may reduce basking opportunities and visibility of prey. Stock grazing has been maintained on the majority of sites that contain pygmy bluetongue populations and it is presumed that the lizards can tolerate some form of grazing. However, the level of grazing intensity directly influences the vegetation structure that surrounds the lizard burrows. Aims We aimed to investigate the consequences of severe grazing pressure on the choice of burrows by lizards, and on their burrow related behaviour. Methods We simulated heavy grazing pressure by manually removing aboveground vegetation in the field in replicated quadrats that contained artificial burrows, and by providing bare substrate in half of experimental enclosures in the laboratory. Key results In the field, lizards only occupied the artificial burrows in control quadrats, where vegetation had been left intact. In the laboratory, lizards that occupied both burrows basked for longer at the burrow entrance where vegetation was present. Conclusions Heavy grazing management that results in the majority of vegetation being removed could have a negative impact on pygmy bluetongue lizard recruitment and sustainability. Implications Grazing regimes should be carefully monitored to consider the needs of species that rely heavily on microhabitat structure for their persistence. For the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard, heavy grazing should be avoided to promote amounts of vegetation suitable to sustain viable populations.
40
Garrido, M., and V. Pérez-Mellado. "Sprint speed is related to blood parasites, but not to ectoparasites, in an insular population of lacertid lizards." Canadian Journal of Zoology 92, no. 1 (January 2014): 67–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2013-0092.
Full textAbstract:
Parasites are able to negatively affect the locomotor performance of their hosts, and consequently, their biological fitness. In this study, we examine the relationship between parasitism and burst speed in an insular population of Lilford’s Wall Lizard (Podarcis lilfordi (Günther, 1874)). Podarcis lilfordi is normally infected with haemogregarine blood parasites and mites in our study location, Aire Island (Balearic Islands, Spain). Unlike the results from other studies on lizards, we found a significant negative correlation between intensity of infection by haemogregarines and burst speed. Body condition is also significantly related to burst speed. Thus, lizards with a lower blood parasite load and better body condition show a faster sprint speed. Intensity of infection by haemoparasites shows a lack of correlation with both body condition and mite load. Our results are compared with those from other lizard species living in different habitats. We discuss the influence of insular environmental conditions on locomotor performances, such as low predation pressure, lack of competitors, and high lizard densities.
41
Gwiazdowicz, Dariusz J., Anna K. Gdula, Rafał Kurczewski, and Bogna Zawieja. "Factors influencing the level of infestation of Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) on Lacerta agilis and Zootoca vivipara (Squamata: Lacertidae)." Acarologia 60, no. 2 (April 30, 2020): 390–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.24349/acarologia/20204372.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to analyse selected factors determining the level of infestation of Ixodes ricinus ticks on Lacerta agilis and Zootoca vivipara lizards found in Central Europe. Both environmental factors (habitats within protected areas and areas transformed as a result of human activity) as well as morphological factors (age, sex and size of lizards, location of ticks on the lizard’s body) were assessed. We found that the age and size of a lizard played a significant role in the level of infestation, but this depended on the species and habitat. Females of both species differed significantly in their level of tick infestation; females of L. agilis had lower infection than Z. vivipara. In contrast, there was no difference in levels of infection between juveniles and males of the different species. We also found that the impact of body size changed in the different habitats: the number of ticks increased with body size in natural areas only. In addition, more frequently ticks were found in the front groin area (336 individuals) and forelimbs (202), less often on the neck (12) and never in the hind groin area. These differences might be because it is easier to infest a larger individual than a smaller one, and areas of the front of the lizard might be more accessible whilst foraging. This study provides additional information about tick infestation that may be relevant to the conservation of the species of lizards.
42
Smirina, Ella, and Natalia Ananjeva. "On the longevity, growth and reproductive characteristics of Lichtenstein’s Toadhead Agama, Phrynocephalus interscapularis Lichtenstein, 1856 (Agamidae, Sauria)." Amphibia-Reptilia 38, no. 1 (2017): 31–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00003080.
Full textAbstract:
We aimed to analyze growth and longevity in relation to reproductive characteristics in a population of smallest species of agamid lizard, Phrynocephalus interscapularis using skeletochronology. Growth layers in the humerus were examined to estimate lizard age and growth, and to check the hypothesis of an annual turnover of short-term life of arid small lizards. Individual age of lizards in a sample of 50 individuals was determined. Ageing by skeletochronology showed the maximum age of lizards in the population as about three years and determined the following age structure of the sample: 18 one-year-old individuals (after the first hibernation), 19 two-year old individuals and 11 three-year old ones. It was shown that in studied population the largest specimen (a male of 37 mm) is not the oldest. The problem of ephemeral annual lizards is discussed.
43
Teixeira, A. A. M., S. V. Brito, D. A. Teles, S. C. Ribeiro, J. A. Araujo-Filho, V. F. Lima, A. M. A. Pereira, and W. O. Almeida. "Helminths of the Lizard Salvator merianae (Squamata, Teiidae) in the Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil." Brazilian Journal of Biology 77, no. 2 (August 29, 2016): 312–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.13515.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The lizard Salvator merianae is a widely distributed species in South America, occurring from southern Amazonia to the eastern Andes and northern Patagonia. Studies on the parasitic fauna of this lizard have revealed that it is a host for helminths in various Brazilian biomes. The present work provides new parasitological data on the gastrointestinal nematodes associated with the lizard S. merianae. Sixteen specimens were analyzed from nine different locations in a semi-arid region in northeastern Brazil. Five species of nematodes were identified. Oswaldofilaria petersi was first recorded as a parasite of the S. merianae, thus increasing the knowledge of the fauna of parasites that infect large Neotropical lizards.
44
Vitt, Laurie J., Shawn S. Sartorius, Teresa Cristina S. Avila-Pires, and Maria Cristina Espósito. "Life at the river's edge: ecology of Kentropyx altamazonica in Brazilian Amazonia." Canadian Journal of Zoology 79, no. 10 (October 1, 2001): 1855–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z01-144.
Full textAbstract:
The teiid lizard Kentropyx altamazonica was studied at two localities in the Brazilian Amazon region, one in Amazonas (Rio Ituxi) and the other in Rondônia (Rio Formoso). This lizard is linearly distributed along water courses, where it carries on most activities in well-lit, warm microhabitats. Activity does not occur on days with cloud cover. Late morning and midday activity predominates on sunny days. Body temperatures of active lizards were 35.9 ± 0.37°C (mean ± SE) and were higher than substrate or air temperatures at the point of capture and higher than overall temperatures in the habitat. Although a variety of prey types are eaten, spiders, grasshoppers and crickets, roaches, and insect larvae dominate the diet. Larger lizards eat larger prey but also include small prey in their diets. Absolute and relative prey sizes were greater for lizards at the Rio Ituxi than for those in Rondônia, but lizard stomachs were equally full, suggesting that prey types available varied between sites. Males reach larger body sizes than females and have relatively larger heads. Although K. altamazonica is similar in ecology to other Amazonian Kentropyx species, it is more closely associated with water than the others.
45
Newbold, T. A. Scott, and James A. MacMahon. "Spatial and seasonal dietary patterns of the desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos): harvester ant specialist or generalist ant feeder?" Canadian Journal of Zoology 87, no. 2 (February 2009): 112–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z08-143.
Full textAbstract:
A suite of factors including prey availability and prey defenses influence prey selection by consumers and ultimately define an animal’s feeding strategy (e.g., generalist or specialist). Here we examined the relationship between availability and selection of ants by the desert horned lizard ( Phrynosoma platyrhinos Girard, 1852) to test the hypothesis that P. platyrhinos are specialist predators on harvester ants, and to investigate which factors influence the prey preference of lizards. Variation in ant availability and lizard diets was assessed using 83 plots established along a Great Basin shrub–steppe bajada in northwestern Utah, USA. Across the study site, 14 of 20 ant species were represented in the lizard diet. However, 70% of that diet consisted of just two species. In contrast to previous studies, P. platyrhinos did not show a disproportionate preference for harvester ants. Instead, larger ants of any species (including harvester ants) were preferentially selected over medium-sized and smaller ants. These findings suggest that desert horned lizards demonstrate an opportunistic feeding strategy in which lizards select ants based on their body size and abundance. More generally, these results emphasize the importance of assessing predator response across naturally varying gradients in prey availability to evaluate feeding specialization.
46
Stark, Gavin, Rachel Schwarz, and Shai Meiri. "Does nocturnal activity prolong gecko longevity?" Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution 66, no. 3-4 (November 6, 2020): 231–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/22244662-20191074.
Full textAbstract:
The majority of lizard clades are ancestrally and predominantly diurnal. The only major taxon in which most species are nocturnal is the Gekkota (geckos and pygopodids). As ectothermic thermoregulators, lizard metabolic rates are highly temperature dependent, and diurnal lizards therefore demonstrate higher metabolic rates than nocturnal ones. Furthermore, exposure to solar radiation is thought to reduce ectothermic longevity by increasing both metabolic costs and the rate of accumulating harmful mutations through UV radiation (UVC specifically). In being nocturnal, ectothermic species may reduce their intrinsic mortality rates and thus live longer. To test this hypothesis, we collected literature data on the maximum longevities of 740 lizard species, of which 185 are geckos. We examined whether geckos live longer than other lizards, and whether activity time affects gecko longevity. While geckos live relatively long for lizards of their size, their activity time was found to be unrelated to longevity, contradicting our predictions. We suggest that diurnal species may have evolved higher resistance to UV radiation via thicker, more keratinized skin. Elevated metabolic rates do not automatically equate with faster aging. Mortality through extrinsic causes (e.g., predation) may impose much stronger selective pressures than intrinsic causes.
47
Kim, Jeongryul, Hongmin Kim, Jaeheung Park, Hwa Soo Kim, and TaeWon Seo. "Effects of body movement on yaw motion in bipedal running lizard by dynamic simulation." PLOS ONE 15, no. 12 (December 31, 2020): e0243798. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243798.
Full textAbstract:
Lizards run quickly and stably in a bipedal gait, with their bodies exhibiting a lateral S-shaped undulation. We investigate the relationship between a lizard’s bipedal running and its body movement with the help of a dynamic simulation. In this study, a dynamic theoretical model of lizard is assumed as a three-link consisting of an anterior and posterior bodies, and a tail, with morphometrics based on Callisaurus draconoides. When a lizard runs straight in a stable bipedal gait, its pelvic rotation is periodically synchronized with its gait. This study shows that the S-shaped body undulation with the yaw motion is generated by minimizing the square of joint torque. Furthermore, we performed the biomechanical simulation to figure out the relationship between the lizard’s lateral body undulation and the bipedal running locomotion. In the biomechanical simulation, all joint torques significantly vary by the waist and tail’ motions at the same locomotion. Besides, when the waist and tail joint angles increase, the stride length and duration of the model also increase, and the stride frequency decreases at the same running speed. It means that the lizard’s undulatory body movements increase its stride and help it run faster. In this study, we found the benefits of the lizard’s undulatory body movement and figured out the relationship between the body movement and the locomotion by analyzing the dynamics. In the future works, we will analyze body movements under different environments with various simulators.
48
Oliveira, Deyla Paula de, Sergio Marques Souza, Luciana Frazão, Alexandre Pinheiro de Almeida, and Tomas Hrbek. "Lizards from central Jatapú River, Amazonas, Brazil." Check List 10, no. 1 (December 9, 2014): 46. http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/10.1.46.
Full textAbstract:
The present study reports an inventory of lizard species from a region at the central Jatapú River located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. The lizard fauna was surveyed using three sampling methods: diurnal and nocturnal visual search, pitfall traps with drift fences, and incidental collections. We recorded 24 lizard species belonging to 18 genera and eight families. Non-parametric estimators of richness (Bootstrap, Chao 2, Jackknife 1, Ace) were used to estimate the percentage of total richness sampled. Expected species richness varied from 27 species estimated via Bootstrap to 30 species with Jackknife 1. The composition of the lizard fauna encountered in the rio Jatapú plot was compared with seven other published surveys carried out in the region of the Brazilian Guiana Shield. The composition of the Jatapú lizard fauna was most similar to FLOTA Faro (84%) and least similar to ESEC Grão-Pará Center (66%). There was no association between faunal similarity and geographic distance. The present species list contributes to our knowledge of lizards of the southern portion of the Guiana Shield in Brazil.
49
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.
Full textAbstract:
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.
50
Nielsen, Torben P., and C. Michael Bull. "The impact of sheep grazing on the fecundity and timing of reproduction in the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis." Amphibia-Reptilia 38, no. 4 (2017): 401–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00003119.
Full textAbstract:
The endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard (Tiliqua adelaidensis) is found only in a few remaining patches of South Australian native grassland, most of which are used for live stock grazing. The lizards occupy spider burrows, they mate in October-November and females produce litters of one to four live born neonates in mid-January-mid-March. In this study we use ultrasound scans of females and observations of neonates in their maternal burrows to investigate how grazing affects the fecundity of the pygmy bluetongue lizard. We predicted that lizards in moderately grazed paddocks would have a higher reproductive output than lizards in hard grazed paddocks. Ultrasound scans indicated that this hypothesis was correct by showing a higher mean number of yolk sacs in females from moderately than from hard grazed paddocks. Females from moderately grazed paddocks also gave birth significantly earlier than females in hard grazed paddocks. The higher number of yolk sacs did not result in a significantly higher number of neonates observed in the burrows, which indicates that the weekly burrow observations used in this study may underestimate true fecundity. Understanding how grazing affects the fecundity of the pygmy bluetongue lizard is essential to the future management of this endangered species. This is not only because grazing is used to manage the habitat of all currently known lizard populations, but also because successful reproduction will be needed in those populations to supply the “surplus” individuals predicted to be essential for relocation programs to ensure the survival of the species.