Pub Date : 2022-11-18DOI: 10.1163/15685381-43009seh
{"title":"SEH Grant in Herpetology for 2023","authors":"","doi":"10.1163/15685381-43009seh","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-43009seh","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48840560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-17DOI: 10.1163/15685381-43007seh
{"title":"Congress Report – 21st European Congress of Herpetology","authors":"","doi":"10.1163/15685381-43007seh","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-43007seh","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44212141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-14DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10116
J. Vörös, S. Ursenbacher, D. Jelić, L. Tomović, J. Crnobrnja-Isailović, R. Ajtić, Bogoljub Sterijovski, O. Zinenko, I. Ghira, A. Strugariu, Ș. Zamfirescu, Z. Nagy, T. Péchy, V. Krízsik, O. Márton, B. Halpern
The Meadow and Steppe viper, Vipera ursinii-renardi complex is a well-studied group that is divided into several morphological subspecies. In this study, we combine the analyses of two mitochondrial genes with 9 microsatellite markers to compare both phylogenetic signals. Whereas the signal is similar between both genomes within most subspecies, the relative relationships between subspecies are more differentiated. Moreover, the nuclear phylogenetic reconstruction supports genetic homogeneity within V. u. macrops (in contrast to mtDNA). Both genetic portions show an unexpected differentiation between a population from Bistra Mountain and other V. u. macrops populations. Globally, the microsatellite markers suggest high genetic diversity in most subspecies, even in V. u. rakosisensis which is highly threatened; only V. u. macrops showed a limited genetic diversity. Within lowland subspecies, the differentiation between populations is globally limited compared to the distance between them (except in some populations of V. u. moldavica). The limited differentiation might be the consequence of a recent isolation (few decades) of previously large populations. Nevertheless, the only way to maintain this genetic diversity and to avoid an increase in genetic differentiation between populations in the future is to recreate suitable habitats and reconnect the populations.
{"title":"Well-known species, unexpected results: high genetic diversity in declining Vipera ursinii in central, eastern and southeastern Europe","authors":"J. Vörös, S. Ursenbacher, D. Jelić, L. Tomović, J. Crnobrnja-Isailović, R. Ajtić, Bogoljub Sterijovski, O. Zinenko, I. Ghira, A. Strugariu, Ș. Zamfirescu, Z. Nagy, T. Péchy, V. Krízsik, O. Márton, B. Halpern","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10116","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The Meadow and Steppe viper, Vipera ursinii-renardi complex is a well-studied group that is divided into several morphological subspecies. In this study, we combine the analyses of two mitochondrial genes with 9 microsatellite markers to compare both phylogenetic signals. Whereas the signal is similar between both genomes within most subspecies, the relative relationships between subspecies are more differentiated. Moreover, the nuclear phylogenetic reconstruction supports genetic homogeneity within V. u. macrops (in contrast to mtDNA). Both genetic portions show an unexpected differentiation between a population from Bistra Mountain and other V. u. macrops populations. Globally, the microsatellite markers suggest high genetic diversity in most subspecies, even in V. u. rakosisensis which is highly threatened; only V. u. macrops showed a limited genetic diversity. Within lowland subspecies, the differentiation between populations is globally limited compared to the distance between them (except in some populations of V. u. moldavica). The limited differentiation might be the consequence of a recent isolation (few decades) of previously large populations. Nevertheless, the only way to maintain this genetic diversity and to avoid an increase in genetic differentiation between populations in the future is to recreate suitable habitats and reconnect the populations.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44313242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-07DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10113
D. Ong, S. Shahrudin
Most of Malaysian’s anuran species are nocturnally active, including Pulchrana glandulosa. However, all the studies on the description of this species’ call were done during nocturnal surveys in Sarawak, Borneo. Here we report the diurnal call of this frog from Langkawi Island, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. This male frog exhibits two types of calls: repetitive one-note advertisement calls and multiple-note response calls. Anuran bioacoustics can use to monitor the well-being of the environment they occupy. This information is very informative for the conservation management authority and decision-making for conservation purposes. The diurnal call of this frog is a rare discovery and was not yet described in previous records. This research shows us that this frog calls diurnally and nocturnally because its skin secretion has a high toxicity level. Besides that, this frog is well known for its loud “WAHK” call at night. However, the diurnal call is not as rare as one thinks; we need to know the specific spot at a specific time of occurrence. Furthermore, these surveys also need to be done diurnally to minimise the undetected species behaviour as in this study, which is essential for our scientific community.
{"title":"The diurnal advertisement and response call of Pulchrana glandulosa (Anura: Ranidae) (Boulenger, 1882), from Langkawi Island, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia","authors":"D. Ong, S. Shahrudin","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10113","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Most of Malaysian’s anuran species are nocturnally active, including Pulchrana glandulosa. However, all the studies on the description of this species’ call were done during nocturnal surveys in Sarawak, Borneo. Here we report the diurnal call of this frog from Langkawi Island, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. This male frog exhibits two types of calls: repetitive one-note advertisement calls and multiple-note response calls. Anuran bioacoustics can use to monitor the well-being of the environment they occupy. This information is very informative for the conservation management authority and decision-making for conservation purposes. The diurnal call of this frog is a rare discovery and was not yet described in previous records. This research shows us that this frog calls diurnally and nocturnally because its skin secretion has a high toxicity level. Besides that, this frog is well known for its loud “WAHK” call at night. However, the diurnal call is not as rare as one thinks; we need to know the specific spot at a specific time of occurrence. Furthermore, these surveys also need to be done diurnally to minimise the undetected species behaviour as in this study, which is essential for our scientific community.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46971505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-01DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10115
Carlos Caballero-Díaz, G. Sánchez-Montes, Iván Gómez, Ana Díaz-Zúñiga, Í. Martínez‐Solano
Natural breeding sites for amphibians are decreasing in quantity and quality in temperate regions, resulting in local extinctions and increasing population fragmentation. Artificial water bodies (e.g., water tanks or cattle troughs) can represent suitable reproductive habitats for some amphibians, but demographic data are required to assess this assumption. We evaluated the role of artificial water bodies in the persistence of a species of population concern, the common midwife toad, Alytes obstetricans (Laurenti, 1768), at local and regional scales. We surveyed 275 water bodies to characterize the distribution of the species and detected 63 breeding populations of A. obstetricans where we estimated larval abundance. In addition, we monitored two populations for three consecutive breeding seasons using capture-mark-recapture methods based on photo-identification, assessing abundance, breeding success and the use of space of adult individuals captured on multiple occasions. Our results show that artificial sites are preferentially used as breeding sites in the region compared to natural aquatic habitats, providing key habitat for the species and hosting much larger numbers and densities of larvae than natural sites. At local scale, populations of A. obstetricans in artificial sites were abundant and characterized by high male breeding success. However, adults are spatially aggregated around breeding sites, with small home ranges, implying high vulnerability to population fragmentation. Our results suggest artificial breeding sites can sustain viable populations of A. obstetricans, provided measures promoting connectivity among breeding nuclei are considered.
{"title":"Artificialwater bodies as amphibian breeding sites: the case of the common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) in central Spain","authors":"Carlos Caballero-Díaz, G. Sánchez-Montes, Iván Gómez, Ana Díaz-Zúñiga, Í. Martínez‐Solano","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10115","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Natural breeding sites for amphibians are decreasing in quantity and quality in temperate regions, resulting in local extinctions and increasing population fragmentation. Artificial water bodies (e.g., water tanks or cattle troughs) can represent suitable reproductive habitats for some amphibians, but demographic data are required to assess this assumption. We evaluated the role of artificial water bodies in the persistence of a species of population concern, the common midwife toad, Alytes obstetricans (Laurenti, 1768), at local and regional scales. We surveyed 275 water bodies to characterize the distribution of the species and detected 63 breeding populations of A. obstetricans where we estimated larval abundance. In addition, we monitored two populations for three consecutive breeding seasons using capture-mark-recapture methods based on photo-identification, assessing abundance, breeding success and the use of space of adult individuals captured on multiple occasions. Our results show that artificial sites are preferentially used as breeding sites in the region compared to natural aquatic habitats, providing key habitat for the species and hosting much larger numbers and densities of larvae than natural sites. At local scale, populations of A. obstetricans in artificial sites were abundant and characterized by high male breeding success. However, adults are spatially aggregated around breeding sites, with small home ranges, implying high vulnerability to population fragmentation. Our results suggest artificial breeding sites can sustain viable populations of A. obstetricans, provided measures promoting connectivity among breeding nuclei are considered.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42929135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-25DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10111
Viktória Vargová, M. Balogová, M. Figurová, Andrej Bočkay, Natália Pipová, P. Kaňuch, M. Uhrin
Current environment changes and global amphibian decline suggest specific responses assuming urbanisation potential of the species. Amphibians are generally considered to be suitable bio-indicators of environmental health due to their ecological requirements. Therefore, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a measure of small random deviations from bilateral symmetry is used for assessing morphological disruptions and parallelly the environment health. We measured the snout-vent length and lengths of five skeletal traits of limbs (humerus, radioulna, femur, tibiofibula, calcaneus) among the five European green toad populations from two contrasting habitats (urban and rural). We did not confirm our hypothesis that urban populations would exhibit higher level of FA as an indicator of higher environmental stress comparing to rural populations. However, asymmetry measured on forelimb bones was significantly larger than on hindlimbs. In addition, one urban population had significantly longer limbs comparing to the other sites.
{"title":"Skeletal morphology and fluctuating asymmetry of the European green toad, Bufotes viridis, in contrasting habitats","authors":"Viktória Vargová, M. Balogová, M. Figurová, Andrej Bočkay, Natália Pipová, P. Kaňuch, M. Uhrin","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10111","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Current environment changes and global amphibian decline suggest specific responses assuming urbanisation potential of the species. Amphibians are generally considered to be suitable bio-indicators of environmental health due to their ecological requirements. Therefore, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a measure of small random deviations from bilateral symmetry is used for assessing morphological disruptions and parallelly the environment health. We measured the snout-vent length and lengths of five skeletal traits of limbs (humerus, radioulna, femur, tibiofibula, calcaneus) among the five European green toad populations from two contrasting habitats (urban and rural). We did not confirm our hypothesis that urban populations would exhibit higher level of FA as an indicator of higher environmental stress comparing to rural populations. However, asymmetry measured on forelimb bones was significantly larger than on hindlimbs. In addition, one urban population had significantly longer limbs comparing to the other sites.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49652738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-12DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10108
L. Schulte, Julia Jendras, Evan Twomey, A. Ramírez‐Bautista, F. Bossuyt
Many amphibian species possess male-specific secretory breeding glands. In anurans, such specialized glands are often present as nuptial pads at the first digit of the hand, which are pressed against the female during amplexus. However, the role of nuptial pad secretions remains largely unknown. Here, we investigate the inner morphology as well as the RNA expression patterns of the nuptial pads of several Central American Lithobates species (Ranidae). As shown for the breeding glands of other amphibian species, the Lithobates nuptial pads are composed of large specialized mucus glands, excreting proteinaceous content to the surface. Whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed that for one of the species the most highly expressed transcripts encoding secretory proteins in the nuptial pads are sodefrin precursor-like factor (SPF) proteins, known to have a pheromone function in multiple amphibian species. The other two species, however, lack high expression of SPF transcripts but express other secretory proteins, whose roles in amphibian breeding glands remain unknown. Several of these proteins are highly expressed in all samples, suggesting a direct role during courtship or for the maintenance/development of the glands.
{"title":"Gene expression of secretory proteins in the nuptial pads of three Lithobates species (Anura: Ranidae)","authors":"L. Schulte, Julia Jendras, Evan Twomey, A. Ramírez‐Bautista, F. Bossuyt","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10108","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Many amphibian species possess male-specific secretory breeding glands. In anurans, such specialized glands are often present as nuptial pads at the first digit of the hand, which are pressed against the female during amplexus. However, the role of nuptial pad secretions remains largely unknown. Here, we investigate the inner morphology as well as the RNA expression patterns of the nuptial pads of several Central American Lithobates species (Ranidae). As shown for the breeding glands of other amphibian species, the Lithobates nuptial pads are composed of large specialized mucus glands, excreting proteinaceous content to the surface. Whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed that for one of the species the most highly expressed transcripts encoding secretory proteins in the nuptial pads are sodefrin precursor-like factor (SPF) proteins, known to have a pheromone function in multiple amphibian species. The other two species, however, lack high expression of SPF transcripts but express other secretory proteins, whose roles in amphibian breeding glands remain unknown. Several of these proteins are highly expressed in all samples, suggesting a direct role during courtship or for the maintenance/development of the glands.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45814022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-12DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10110
S. A. Balaguera-Reina, F. Mazzotti
The interpretation of morphometric data is relevant to understanding biological phenomena. Currently, little is known about the effect of body position on morphometric measurements in crocodylians as well as the extent to which these data are interchangeable. We investigated the effect of body position on snout-vent-length (SVL) and total-length (TL) measured ventrally (belly up) and dorsally (belly down) on 725 Crocodylus acutus (mean TL ventral and dorsal 68.49 cm and 69.82 cm, range = 33.1-185.4 cm and 33.8-185.4 cm) across South Florida, United States. We found evidence that body posture significantly influences SVL and TL measurements. However, regardless of body position, the variation found in SVL was less than 1 mm, and for TL was on average only 3 mm. We concluded that even though there is a difference when measuring American crocodiles belly up and belly down, there is a minimal effect on the outcome (less than half centimeter), which falls within the normal measurement instrument error (i.e., measurement tape) even more so under field conditions. If researchers concur that this is an acceptable error, then SVL and TL measurements taken belly up or belly down can be used interchangeably.
{"title":"Belly up or belly down: Effect of body position on snout vent length and total length measurements in American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus)","authors":"S. A. Balaguera-Reina, F. Mazzotti","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10110","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The interpretation of morphometric data is relevant to understanding biological phenomena. Currently, little is known about the effect of body position on morphometric measurements in crocodylians as well as the extent to which these data are interchangeable. We investigated the effect of body position on snout-vent-length (SVL) and total-length (TL) measured ventrally (belly up) and dorsally (belly down) on 725 Crocodylus acutus (mean TL ventral and dorsal 68.49 cm and 69.82 cm, range = 33.1-185.4 cm and 33.8-185.4 cm) across South Florida, United States. We found evidence that body posture significantly influences SVL and TL measurements. However, regardless of body position, the variation found in SVL was less than 1 mm, and for TL was on average only 3 mm. We concluded that even though there is a difference when measuring American crocodiles belly up and belly down, there is a minimal effect on the outcome (less than half centimeter), which falls within the normal measurement instrument error (i.e., measurement tape) even more so under field conditions. If researchers concur that this is an acceptable error, then SVL and TL measurements taken belly up or belly down can be used interchangeably.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47572825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-12DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10107
Léa Lorrain‐Soligon, J. Secondi
Aquatic anuran species are difficult to detect and observe and this is a major limit to the study of their behaviour and ecology. This habit limits the direct monitoring of sexual and foraging activity, and the investigation of how environmental factors influence their expression as well as how individuals allocate time between competing activities. We investigated this issue in Xenopus laevis, a mostly aquatic frog that forages and emits calls underwater. This model species in biology has been extensively studied in the lab but its behaviour in nature remains poorly described. We carried out a study in a pond during the breeding season in the French invasive range. We recorded underwater vocal activity as a proxy for sexual activity using a hydrophone, set food-baited traps to quantify foraging activity, and recorded environmental conditions (moonlight intensity, temperature and rainfall) over two lunar cycles. We found that individuals engage in these two activities during the breeding season. At the peak of the breeding period, vocal activity was expressed during the day. The investment in reproduction (calling activity) may reduce the time allocated to foraging on a circadian scale. The two activities seem to be partitioned depending on moonlight intensity, with a stronger effect on males. Foraging activity decreased and vocal activity increased when moonlight intensity increased. We also observed a negative effect of temperature and a positive effect of rainfall on vocal activity only. Our method is promising to monitor the activity of other aquatic anurans.
{"title":"Quantification of underwater calling and foraging activities in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis","authors":"Léa Lorrain‐Soligon, J. Secondi","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10107","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Aquatic anuran species are difficult to detect and observe and this is a major limit to the study of their behaviour and ecology. This habit limits the direct monitoring of sexual and foraging activity, and the investigation of how environmental factors influence their expression as well as how individuals allocate time between competing activities. We investigated this issue in Xenopus laevis, a mostly aquatic frog that forages and emits calls underwater. This model species in biology has been extensively studied in the lab but its behaviour in nature remains poorly described. We carried out a study in a pond during the breeding season in the French invasive range. We recorded underwater vocal activity as a proxy for sexual activity using a hydrophone, set food-baited traps to quantify foraging activity, and recorded environmental conditions (moonlight intensity, temperature and rainfall) over two lunar cycles. We found that individuals engage in these two activities during the breeding season. At the peak of the breeding period, vocal activity was expressed during the day. The investment in reproduction (calling activity) may reduce the time allocated to foraging on a circadian scale. The two activities seem to be partitioned depending on moonlight intensity, with a stronger effect on males. Foraging activity decreased and vocal activity increased when moonlight intensity increased. We also observed a negative effect of temperature and a positive effect of rainfall on vocal activity only. Our method is promising to monitor the activity of other aquatic anurans.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43753149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-12DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10109
Pablo Recio, Gonzalo Rodríguez-Ruiz, P. López, José Martín
Melanin is a fundamental pigment in animal coloration as it is involved in many different adaptive functions such as signaling or thermoregulation. Two forms of melanin are known to produce different colors (eumelanin: black; pheomelanin: yellow or brown). Here, we explored whether there were intersexual differences and/or size-related changes in melanization of the amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni, a fossorial species with a characteristic black and yellow color pattern of scales. We found a clear effect of body length, but not of sex, on the levels of melanization, which was also dependent on the body region; the proportion of melanin-dependent blackish coloration increased with body length in the dorsum, but decreased with body length in the ventral belly area. We also studied the chemical basis of this coloration using Raman spectroscopy and found that eumelanin was present in both black and yellow scales, but pheomelanin was not found in yellow scales, suggesting that this yellow coloration is caused by the reduction of eumelanin or dispersion of melanosomes and/or perhaps by other pigments.
{"title":"Size-related changes and chemical basis of melanin-based body coloration in the amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni","authors":"Pablo Recio, Gonzalo Rodríguez-Ruiz, P. López, José Martín","doi":"10.1163/15685381-bja10109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10109","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Melanin is a fundamental pigment in animal coloration as it is involved in many different adaptive functions such as signaling or thermoregulation. Two forms of melanin are known to produce different colors (eumelanin: black; pheomelanin: yellow or brown). Here, we explored whether there were intersexual differences and/or size-related changes in melanization of the amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni, a fossorial species with a characteristic black and yellow color pattern of scales. We found a clear effect of body length, but not of sex, on the levels of melanization, which was also dependent on the body region; the proportion of melanin-dependent blackish coloration increased with body length in the dorsum, but decreased with body length in the ventral belly area. We also studied the chemical basis of this coloration using Raman spectroscopy and found that eumelanin was present in both black and yellow scales, but pheomelanin was not found in yellow scales, suggesting that this yellow coloration is caused by the reduction of eumelanin or dispersion of melanosomes and/or perhaps by other pigments.","PeriodicalId":50799,"journal":{"name":"Amphibia-Reptilia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43410040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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