Academic literature on the topic 'Multiscutata'

Allozyme electrophoresis was used to assess the taxonomic significance of colour pattern variation within and between populations of the Egernia whitii species group from 41 locations in south-eastern Australia. Analysis of the products of 39 presumed loci revealed that a minimum of three species are present in southern New South Wales among populations previously referred to Egernia whitii. Fixed allelic differences were maintained where pairs of species were sympatric. One of these three species is wide-ranging and is the one to which the name E. whitii is properly applied. The other two are more restricted ecologically and geographically and are described here as new. The three species are genetically and morphologically distinct from the other three eastern Australian members of the species group, E.�margaretae, E. modesta, and E. multiscutata. Genetic data and a review of the morphological evidence provide no support for the recognition of subspecies within either E. whitii (sensu stricto) or E. multiscutata.

We examined the evolution and maintenance of colour pattern polymorphism in an Australian lineage of scincid lizards, the genus Liopholis. Liopholis comprises 11 species, with representatives in both the temperate zone and arid zone. Specimens from all major Australian museums were examined to characterise colour pattern polymorphism within Liopholis, and investigate geographic variation in the relative abundance of morphs within polymorphic species. We used a previously published phylogeny for Liopholis to investigate the evolution and maintenance of colour pattern polymorphism within the group. Five species were found to exhibit colour pattern polymorphism (L. margaretae margaretae Storr, L. m. personata Storr, L. montana Donnellan et al., L. multiscutata Mitchell & Behrndt, L. pulchra Werner, L. whitii Lacépède), with six species being monomorphic (L. guthega Donnellan et al., L. inornata Rosén, L. kintorei Stirling & Zietz, L. modesta Storr, L. slateri Storr, L. striata Sternfeld). Three colour morphs occur in L. whitii, with the relative abundance of each varying significantly among latitudes. The patterned morph is most common, while the incidence of the plain-back morph decreases at latitudes higher than 35°S. The L. whitii patternless morph occurs only within a narrow latitudinal band (34–38°S). In L. multiscutata, the relative abundance of the patterned (~89–93%) and patternless morph (~7–11%) is consistent across regions, except for the Nullarbor Plain region where the patternless morph is more common (~39%). Our analyses suggest a single origin of colour pattern polymorphism in Liopholis, followed by the subsequent loss of polymorphism on four occasions. The secondary loss of polymorphism might be associated with climate or habitat, possibly as the result of shifts into the arid zone or alpine regions of Australia. This study provides the necessary framework for future studies of colour pattern polymorphism in Liopholis.

The central issue for species that are highly localised habitat specialists and occur in relatively small numbers is vulnerability to extinction processes. The heath skink, Liopholis multiscutata, is considered Critically Endangered in Victoria, in part because it is restricted to essentially four small and highly disjunct populations in semiarid mallee dunefields. It provides an example of a rare and cryptic species that is especially vulnerable to decline and consequently provides management challenges. Here, we crystallise available information on the ecology and life history of this threatened lizard, and review monitoring data to evaluate population status, primary threats and management imperatives. There has been a substantial decrease across the known range of the lizard in Victoria, most likely due to predation and fire. Recent monitoring of the four potentially viable populations revealed a general trend of decline. Recommendations for research and management priorities for the lizard in Victoria are provided; generally, these include further exploration of the lizard’s phylogeny and ecology, and ongoing monitoring of the trajectory of the lizard’s population status, threats to the lizard’s persistence and the effectiveness of management actions employed to ameliorate extinction threats.

Burrows can provide refuge for both burrowing and non-burrowing species within harsh environments through protection from climatic extremes, water loss and predation. In Australia, however, despite having a rich diversity of burrowing mammals, little is known about the use of burrows by non-burrowing species. This study aimed to identify the extent of co-use of southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) burrows on Wedge Island off the coast of South Australia. Burrow use was monitored using 34 motion-activated cameras placed outside wombat burrows between March and September 2015. Eleven species were found to use burrows, with six commensal species observed using burrows on numerous occasions. These included two mammal species (black-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale lateralis pearsoni; brush-tailed bettong, Bettongia penicillata), three reptile species (peninsula dragon, Ctenophorus fionni; southern sand-skink, Liopholis multiscutata; White’s skink, Liopholis whitii), and one avian species (little penguin, Eudyptula minor). The most common species observed using burrows was the black-footed rock-wallaby, which was recorded using burrows 1795 times. Observations of wombats using burrows were made 1674 times. The prevalent use of burrows on Wedge Island by species other than wombats is an observation with potentially important and broad ecological, conservation, and management implications across Australia’s arid and semiarid zones.

The genus Australorivacarus K. O. Viets is reviewed and three species are recognized: A. multiscutatus K. O. Viets, A. nudipes, sp. nov. and A. secipes, sp. nov. All are known from eastern Victoria; A. multiscutatus has also been collected in Tasmania.

AbstractSix new species of Corticacarus (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Hygrobatidae) are described from Papua New Guinea. They differ from all but one of the twelve Australian species by having 4 not 3 pairs of genital acetabula. New species described are C. aureatus sp.n., C. kingi sp.n., C. mendi sp.n., C. multiscutatus sp.n., C. pinguipalpis sp.n. and C. yunae sp.n.

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A colora??o pode exercer as mais variadas fun??es dentre os diversos grupos de animais, e, especialmente em lagartos, essa variabilidade funcional ? relativamente alta, podendo atuar, por exemplo, como sinaliza??o reprodutiva, sinaliza??o social e estrat?gia anti-preda??o. Sendo que, a colora??o adotada pelas esp?cies pode variar dependendo das caracter?sticas f?sicas do meio (e.g. iluminante e background) e de fatores bi?ticos (e.g. sistema visual do observador), fazendo com que diferentes colora??es sejam selecionadas de acordo com o ambiente sensorial em quest?o. O objetivo desse trabalho foi testar a hip?tese do direcionamento sensorial na colora??o da cauda de duas esp?cies de lagartos gymnophitalmideos (Vanzosaura multiscutata e Micrablepharus maximiliani). Para isso foram realizadas coletas pontuais em tr?s diferentes ecossistemas (caatinga, restinga e mata atl?ntica) e em duas diferentes esta??es do ano (esta??o chuvosa e seca). A colora??o dos animais, assim como do substrato circundante e do espectro de ilumina??o solar, foi mensurada atrav?s de um espectrofot?metro e essas informa??es foram inseridas em uma modelagem visual para lagartos e poss?veis predadores. Os resultados mostraram picos de reflet?ncia de luz UV nas superf?cies mensuradas das duas esp?cies, o que pode ser o respons?vel por aumentar o contraste para animais com vis?o UV. Lagartos foi o fen?tipo que apresentou melhores resultados na detec??o da cauda das duas esp?cies. Por outro lado, as demais partes do corpo, supostamente teriam fun??o de camuflagem, devido ao seu baixo contraste com o substrato. Tamb?m encontramos uma varia??o do contraste de cor entre animal e substrato para diferentes fen?tipos visuais, encontrados em diferentes observadores. Sendo assim, conclui-se que a comunica??o intra-especifica pode ser o principal fator a influenciar a colora??o consp?cua da cauda das duas esp?cies. Al?m disso, a colora??o azul e vermelha pode cumprir em determinados momentos fun??es diferentes. Com a cauda vermelha, cumprindo fun??o de camuflagem para lagartos, por exemplo.
The coloration can peform a variety of functions among the various groups of animals, and, especially in lizards, this functional variability is relatively high, may act for exemplo as reproduction signaling, social signal and anti-predations strategy. Thus, the color adopted by the species may vary depending on the characteristics of the environment (e.g. Illuminant and background) and biotic factors (e.g. visual system of the observer), so that different colors are selected in according to the sensory environment in question. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of sensory drive in the tail coloration of two species of lizards gymnophitalmideos (Vanzosaura multiscutata and Micrablepharus maximiliani). For this were conducted collects samples in three different ecosystems (Caatinga, Sandbank and Atlantic Rain Forest) and in two different seasons (rainy and dry season). The color of the animals, as well as the surrounding substrate and the solar light spectrum was measured by a spectrophotometer and these information were inserted in a visual modeling for lizards and potential predators. The results showed peaks of the UV light in the surfaces of the two species measured, which may be responsible to increase contrast to animals with UV vision. The phenotype of lizard was the one that showed best results in detection of the tail of these two species. On the other hand, the other parts of the body, would supposedly have camouflage function, because of their low contrast with the substrate. We also found a variation of the color contrast between the animal and substrate for different visual phenotypes found in different observers. Therefore, it is concluded that the intraspecific communication may be the main factor affecting the conspicuous coloration of the tail of the two species. Moreover, the blue and red color may exert different functions at certain times. With the red tail fulfilling camouflage function to lizards, for example.

When species compete for resources, in a stable homogeneous environment, there are two possible outcomes. The first is that one species will out-compete the other and exclude it from the environment. This is known as the competitive exclusion principle. The second is that both species will manage to coexist. Coexistence can only occur if the species’ niches are differentiated such that interspecific competition is minimised, or eliminated. This outcome is known as resource partitioning. Two closely related Australian skink species of the Egernia genus, Egernia multiscutata and Egernia whitii, are abundant and sympatric on Wedge Island in South Australia’s Spencer Gulf. The species are morphologically very similar and appear to have very similar life histories and habitat requirements. Ostensibly, they would compete for limiting resources in this environment. This thesis is the first investigation into resource partitioning in this previously unstudied model organism. I report the results of multi-faceted investigations into the coexistence of the skinks, E. multiscutata and E. whitii on Wedge Island and the evidence for, and mechanisms of, any facultative resource partitioning between them. Study methods involved a transect survey of most of Wedge Island to determine the species’ distributions and any evidence for resource partitioning; a morphological comparison to investigate any potential competitive advantages of either species; a habitat choice experiment to establish retreat-site preferences in the absence of interspecific interference; and, a series of staged dyadic encounter experiments to investigate interspecific competitive interactions. Resource partitioning was evidenced by differential distributions of the species among substrates containing the elements required for permanent refuge shelters. This partitioning was not mediated by avoidance of particular substrates but by the presence of the opponent species, combined with attraction to suitable substrates. Asymmetries in some morphological characters were found to confer a potential competitive advantage to E. multiscutata in agonistic encounters with E. whitii. Both species were found to have the same refuge site preferences when interference competition was experimentally removed. This result was not concordant with observed resource partitioning in the field and suggests that the habitat choices of both species are modified by the presence of the opponent species. Analyses of staged dyadic encounter experiments showed that E. multiscutata was more likely to gain greater access to a contested habitat resource and more likely to exclude E. whitii from the resource than vice-versa. Nevertheless, the outcome of competitive interactions was not completely deterministic and there was some tolerance of co-habitation. E. multiscutata’s competitive advantage was attributable largely to its greater mass and head dimensions relative to snout to vent length. However, differential behavioural responses to the threat of larger opponent size also played an important part in resource partitioning between the species.