Renata K. Farina, C. Moser, S. Scali, Marcelo Martins de Oliveira, P. Witt, Alexandro Marques Tozetti
Despite the current increase in studies on the diet of neotropical anurans, few of them take a comparative approach between syntopic species. The objective of this study was to compare the diet of four syntopic species of the genus Physalaemus. The collections occurred between November 2014 and January 2016 in a preserved area of the subtropical Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil. We compared the gastrointestinal content of 109 individuals distributed in the species Physalaemus biligonigerus, P. cuvieri, P. gracilis and P. henselii. We measured the Index of Relative Importance of each prey category and calculated trophic niche breadth using the Levins’ index (Bsta) and trophic niche overlap using the Pianka’s index (Ojk). We also applied compositional analysis to evaluate feeding specializations. Formicidae was the most important prey category for P. biligonigerus (IRI = 88.5%) and P. gracilis (IRI = 39.1%). For P. henselii and P. cuvieri, the most important category was Isopoda (IRI = 51.7% and 57.9%, respectively), followed by Formicidae (IRI = 34.9% and 24.8%). Isopoda was also important in the diet of P. gracilis (IIR = 28.6%), followed by Araneae (IIR = 22.6%). The trophic niche breadth of the four species was narrow, all smaller than 0.32, and the lowest was recorded for P. biligonigerus (0.04). The trophic niche overlap was higher between P. biligonigerus and P. cuvieri (96%), and between P. gracilis and P. henselii (95%). Only P. gracilis presented a significant level of feeding specialization. The differences in their diets suggest different uses of the resources, which could relate to different ways of exploring the microhabitat.
{"title":"Diet and trophic niche overlap of four syntopic species of Physalaemus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in southern Brazil","authors":"Renata K. Farina, C. Moser, S. Scali, Marcelo Martins de Oliveira, P. Witt, Alexandro Marques Tozetti","doi":"10.36253/a_h-11294","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-11294","url":null,"abstract":"Despite the current increase in studies on the diet of neotropical anurans, few of them take a comparative approach between syntopic species. The objective of this study was to compare the diet of four syntopic species of the genus Physalaemus. The collections occurred between November 2014 and January 2016 in a preserved area of the subtropical Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil. We compared the gastrointestinal content of 109 individuals distributed in the species Physalaemus biligonigerus, P. cuvieri, P. gracilis and P. henselii. We measured the Index of Relative Importance of each prey category and calculated trophic niche breadth using the Levins’ index (Bsta) and trophic niche overlap using the Pianka’s index (Ojk). We also applied compositional analysis to evaluate feeding specializations. Formicidae was the most important prey category for P. biligonigerus (IRI = 88.5%) and P. gracilis (IRI = 39.1%). For P. henselii and P. cuvieri, the most important category was Isopoda (IRI = 51.7% and 57.9%, respectively), followed by Formicidae (IRI = 34.9% and 24.8%). Isopoda was also important in the diet of P. gracilis (IIR = 28.6%), followed by Araneae (IIR = 22.6%). The trophic niche breadth of the four species was narrow, all smaller than 0.32, and the lowest was recorded for P. biligonigerus (0.04). The trophic niche overlap was higher between P. biligonigerus and P. cuvieri (96%), and between P. gracilis and P. henselii (95%). Only P. gracilis presented a significant level of feeding specialization. The differences in their diets suggest different uses of the resources, which could relate to different ways of exploring the microhabitat.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42734546","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}
M. Boullhesen, M. Vaira, R. Barquez, M. S. Akmentins
Breeding seasons in anurans are usually noticed by their advertisement calls, which stand as the main signal emitted by males during their adult life. These calls are species-specific signals with multiple information and can be used to monitor anuran populations over extended time periods. Applying a Passive Acoustic Monitoring method (PAM), we described the acoustic breeding phenology of an anuran assemblage along an altitudinal elevation range in the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina. In addition, we propose a new classification scheme for their acoustic phenological strategies, based on the male’s calling records throughout an entire year. Also, we assessed the temporal and spectral niche overlap by the anuran species recorded. The assemblage was active throughout the entire year, with a higher concentration of calls recorded during the spring-summer season. We describe five distinct Acoustic Breeding Strategies based on the calling patterns of the recorded species. Temporal niche overlap was higher in the spring-summer season and in the lowest study site. The use of a PAM as a tool to monitor the advertisement calls in anurans communities could be a reliable technique to obtain different information about the species’ acoustic phenology and the temporal use of the acoustic communication channel.
{"title":"Patterns of acoustic phenology in an anuran assemblage of the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina","authors":"M. Boullhesen, M. Vaira, R. Barquez, M. S. Akmentins","doi":"10.36253/a_h-14050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-14050","url":null,"abstract":"Breeding seasons in anurans are usually noticed by their advertisement calls, which stand as the main signal emitted by males during their adult life. These calls are species-specific signals with multiple information and can be used to monitor anuran populations over extended time periods. Applying a Passive Acoustic Monitoring method (PAM), we described the acoustic breeding phenology of an anuran assemblage along an altitudinal elevation range in the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina. In addition, we propose a new classification scheme for their acoustic phenological strategies, based on the male’s calling records throughout an entire year. Also, we assessed the temporal and spectral niche overlap by the anuran species recorded. The assemblage was active throughout the entire year, with a higher concentration of calls recorded during the spring-summer season. We describe five distinct Acoustic Breeding Strategies based on the calling patterns of the recorded species. Temporal niche overlap was higher in the spring-summer season and in the lowest study site. The use of a PAM as a tool to monitor the advertisement calls in anurans communities could be a reliable technique to obtain different information about the species’ acoustic phenology and the temporal use of the acoustic communication channel.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42215480","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}
Daniele Marini, E. Filippi, G. Montinaro, F. Origgi
In the Abruzzi village of Cocullo (Italy), each year, on May 1st, local snake hunters (known as Serpari) display colubrids, captured in the wild, to commemorate the ancient ritual of San Domenico. The ascomycete Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo) is the causative agent of ophidiomycosis, an emerging disease with sublethal effects. Skin lesions, such as dysecdysis, edematous, crusty or necrotic scales, swellings, nodules, and ulcers, are the most common clinical manifestation of the disease. The pathogen and its associated disease are well characterized in wild snakes in North America, whereas broad screenings of free ranging wild ophidians in Europe are rare. In 2019, as part of a multi-year snake health monitoring project, all the Cocullo ophidians were carefully examined for integumentary affections and those showing signs consistent with ophidiomycosis were dry swabbed on the skin and on any visible cutaneous lesions with a single applicator. The extracted DNA underwent a broad-range panfungal PCR targeting the D1-D2 region, as well as two conventional PCRs specific to the ITS2 and IGS regions of Oo DNA. Twenty-three out of 129 snakes (13/82 Elaphe quatuorlineata; 7/31 Hierophis viridiflavus; 3/15 Zamenis longissumus; 0/1 Natrix helvetica) resulted clinically affected, but no specific Oo genomic DNA was detected by PCR. The Cocullo ritual celebration provided a unique opportunity for the first systematic testing of a large sample size of a local snake community for the monitoring of this pathogen in Italy.
{"title":"Screening of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola in the free-ranging snake community annually harvested for the popular ritual of San Domenico e dei Serpari (Cocullo, AQ, Italy)","authors":"Daniele Marini, E. Filippi, G. Montinaro, F. Origgi","doi":"10.36253/a_h-14359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-14359","url":null,"abstract":"In the Abruzzi village of Cocullo (Italy), each year, on May 1st, local snake hunters (known as Serpari) display colubrids, captured in the wild, to commemorate the ancient ritual of San Domenico. The ascomycete Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo) is the causative agent of ophidiomycosis, an emerging disease with sublethal effects. Skin lesions, such as dysecdysis, edematous, crusty or necrotic scales, swellings, nodules, and ulcers, are the most common clinical manifestation of the disease. The pathogen and its associated disease are well characterized in wild snakes in North America, whereas broad screenings of free ranging wild ophidians in Europe are rare. In 2019, as part of a multi-year snake health monitoring project, all the Cocullo ophidians were carefully examined for integumentary affections and those showing signs consistent with ophidiomycosis were dry swabbed on the skin and on any visible cutaneous lesions with a single applicator. The extracted DNA underwent a broad-range panfungal PCR targeting the D1-D2 region, as well as two conventional PCRs specific to the ITS2 and IGS regions of Oo DNA. Twenty-three out of 129 snakes (13/82 Elaphe quatuorlineata; 7/31 Hierophis viridiflavus; 3/15 Zamenis longissumus; 0/1 Natrix helvetica) resulted clinically affected, but no specific Oo genomic DNA was detected by PCR. The Cocullo ritual celebration provided a unique opportunity for the first systematic testing of a large sample size of a local snake community for the monitoring of this pathogen in Italy.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45155213","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}
We assessed habitat use and preference with respect to artificial coverboards for the snake community of a restored tallgrass prairie. Coverboards offer herpetofauna protection from predators and space to thermoregulate their body temperature. These covers also create microhabitats that differ from their surrounding habitat. We placed plywood and metal coverboards along a transect that crossed from prairie floodplain into upland prairie. Coverboards were checked over a three-week period during the fall season, during morning, afternoon, and dusk. Snake species were identified and counted, and ambient temperatures and humidity were checked under each coverboard. We found four snake species across the habitat gradient, common gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis), plains gartersnake (T. radix), Dekay’s brownsnake (Storeria dekayi), and Western foxsnake (Pantherophis ramspotti). Species richness was greatest in the floodplain habitat and microhabitat associated with metal coverboards. The floodplain habitat was also the habitat predominantly used by common gartersnake and Dekay’s brownsnake. Dekay’s brownsnakes, furthermore, preferred utilizing metal coverboards over wood. The composition of snake species we observed suggests that the restoration efforts on this tallgrass prairie system have attracted some grassland snake species, but the possibility of a greater snake community remains. Our data suggest that using metal coverboards during the cooler active seasons, such as fall and spring, will increase capture success and more efficiently sample snake communities. Studies such as ours to better understand habitat and coverboard use will result in more efficient sampling of herpetofauna for conservation and monitoring efforts.
{"title":"Assessment of fall season habitat and coverboard use by snakes in a restored tallgrass prairie community","authors":"Carter Dollen, Tracy J. Coleman, T. Robbins","doi":"10.36253/a_h-14358","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-14358","url":null,"abstract":"We assessed habitat use and preference with respect to artificial coverboards for the snake community of a restored tallgrass prairie. Coverboards offer herpetofauna protection from predators and space to thermoregulate their body temperature. These covers also create microhabitats that differ from their surrounding habitat. We placed plywood and metal coverboards along a transect that crossed from prairie floodplain into upland prairie. Coverboards were checked over a three-week period during the fall season, during morning, afternoon, and dusk. Snake species were identified and counted, and ambient temperatures and humidity were checked under each coverboard. We found four snake species across the habitat gradient, common gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis), plains gartersnake (T. radix), Dekay’s brownsnake (Storeria dekayi), and Western foxsnake (Pantherophis ramspotti). Species richness was greatest in the floodplain habitat and microhabitat associated with metal coverboards. The floodplain habitat was also the habitat predominantly used by common gartersnake and Dekay’s brownsnake. Dekay’s brownsnakes, furthermore, preferred utilizing metal coverboards over wood. The composition of snake species we observed suggests that the restoration efforts on this tallgrass prairie system have attracted some grassland snake species, but the possibility of a greater snake community remains. Our data suggest that using metal coverboards during the cooler active seasons, such as fall and spring, will increase capture success and more efficiently sample snake communities. Studies such as ours to better understand habitat and coverboard use will result in more efficient sampling of herpetofauna for conservation and monitoring efforts.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41851625","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}
André Luis De Souza, Mayara Aparecida das Neves Micalichen, Roger Alves Da Rocha, R. B. Noleto
The genus Odontophrynus, composed of ten species, is found in practically the entire south of South America. Odontophrynus americanus was the first vertebrate registered to present natural polyploidy, considering that most individuals have 2N = 4x = 44 chromosomes, although having 2N = 2x = 22 chromosomes is considered the ancestral condition for all genera of the family Odontophrynidae. The present study aimed to analyze the karyotype of O. americanus, providing a detailed and comparative description of conventional chromosomal markers, with focus on a possible diploidization process operating in this polyploid genome. The individuals were collected in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in the south-central region of Paraná State, Brazil. The analyzed individuals presented the tetraploid pattern, with biarmed chromosomes. The C-banding showed heterochromatic regions restricted to centromeres and telomeres. Among homologous chromosomes of the same quartet, small differences were observed in morphology, possibly the result of differentiation after the polyploidization event. Finally, the 45S rDNA (Nucleolar Organizer Regions) was mapped in the short arm of quartet 11, showing the nucleolus organizing regions active in the four homologous chromosomes. This genome, although structurally polyploid, may be undergoing a process of diploidization, by becoming functionally equivalent to a diploid genome, via chromosomal rearrangements, epigenetic mechanisms, and/or repetitive DNA dynamics.
{"title":"Revisiting the polyploidy in the genus Odontophrynus (Anura: Odontophrynidae)","authors":"André Luis De Souza, Mayara Aparecida das Neves Micalichen, Roger Alves Da Rocha, R. B. Noleto","doi":"10.36253/a_h-12539","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-12539","url":null,"abstract":"The genus Odontophrynus, composed of ten species, is found in practically the entire south of South America. Odontophrynus americanus was the first vertebrate registered to present natural polyploidy, considering that most individuals have 2N = 4x = 44 chromosomes, although having 2N = 2x = 22 chromosomes is considered the ancestral condition for all genera of the family Odontophrynidae. The present study aimed to analyze the karyotype of O. americanus, providing a detailed and comparative description of conventional chromosomal markers, with focus on a possible diploidization process operating in this polyploid genome. The individuals were collected in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in the south-central region of Paraná State, Brazil. The analyzed individuals presented the tetraploid pattern, with biarmed chromosomes. The C-banding showed heterochromatic regions restricted to centromeres and telomeres. Among homologous chromosomes of the same quartet, small differences were observed in morphology, possibly the result of differentiation after the polyploidization event. Finally, the 45S rDNA (Nucleolar Organizer Regions) was mapped in the short arm of quartet 11, showing the nucleolus organizing regions active in the four homologous chromosomes. This genome, although structurally polyploid, may be undergoing a process of diploidization, by becoming functionally equivalent to a diploid genome, via chromosomal rearrangements, epigenetic mechanisms, and/or repetitive DNA dynamics.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45143445","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}
In this study, we described age structure, body size, body mass and the relationships among these parameters for a population of P. caucasicus from Lake Borçka Karagöl, Artvin, Turkey. The mean SVL with standard error was 45.87 mm ± 0.55 (range: 39.98-50.28 mm) and the mean weight with standard error 8.81 g ± 0.39 (range: 6.10-11.47 g) in females whereas 48.16 mm ± 0.45 (range: 43.64-54.78 mm) and 11.32 ± 0.25 (range: 9.56-14.80 g) in males, respectively. We found a significant male-biased difference reflecting sexual dimorphism and statistically significant positive relationships between these variables. According to the results, the age ranged between 2-5 years in females and 2-6 years in males. The mean age distributions significantly differed between the sexes (females: 3.28 years ± 0.19; males: 3.94 years ± 0.20). The mean ages and maximal ages were found identical to the previously reported results from Turkey, but the mean ages were higher than in Georgian populations. Von Bertalanffy growth models demonstrated similar curves, and the growth rate was faster up to 3 years in both sexes. To conclude, this study was the first to determine age structure and growth patterns in Borçka Karagöl population and weight data for P. caucasicus was presented for the first time in the literature.
{"title":"Age estimation and body size of the Parsley Frog, Pelodytes caucasicus Boulenger, 1896 from Lake Borçka Karagöl, Turkey","authors":"Cantekin Dursun, Serkan Gül, N. Özdemir","doi":"10.36253/a_h-11995","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-11995","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we described age structure, body size, body mass and the relationships among these parameters for a population of P. caucasicus from Lake Borçka Karagöl, Artvin, Turkey. The mean SVL with standard error was 45.87 mm ± 0.55 (range: 39.98-50.28 mm) and the mean weight with standard error 8.81 g ± 0.39 (range: 6.10-11.47 g) in females whereas 48.16 mm ± 0.45 (range: 43.64-54.78 mm) and 11.32 ± 0.25 (range: 9.56-14.80 g) in males, respectively. We found a significant male-biased difference reflecting sexual dimorphism and statistically significant positive relationships between these variables. According to the results, the age ranged between 2-5 years in females and 2-6 years in males. The mean age distributions significantly differed between the sexes (females: 3.28 years ± 0.19; males: 3.94 years ± 0.20). The mean ages and maximal ages were found identical to the previously reported results from Turkey, but the mean ages were higher than in Georgian populations. Von Bertalanffy growth models demonstrated similar curves, and the growth rate was faster up to 3 years in both sexes. To conclude, this study was the first to determine age structure and growth patterns in Borçka Karagöl population and weight data for P. caucasicus was presented for the first time in the literature.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45497378","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}
L. Dondero, Giorgia Allaria, Giacomo Rosa, G. Ficetola, Roberto Cogoni, E. Grasselli, S. Salvidio
The salamander killing fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), recently introduced from Asia, is threatening salamander populations in different parts of Europe. In fact, this pathogen is rapidly spreading in Central Europe and has been also introduced into NE Spain. Of special concern are those regions with an exceptionally high salamander diversity such as Italy, where 19 salamander species are present most of which are strictly endemic. In this study, we update the information on the presence of Bsal in Italian wild salamanders, by adding samples from two presumptive outbreak sites, one on the island of Sardinia and one on continental Italy (Liguria). In addition, we reviewed the potential susceptibility of all the Italian salamander species on the basis of laboratory experimental infection trials, or from the tested susceptibility of the phylogenetically nearest species, according to the literature. Overall, 15 skin swabs from three species (Speleomantes sarrabusensis, Speleomantes strinatii and Salamandra salamandra) collected in the two presumptive Bsal outbreak sites were analysed by quantitative molecular methods, but none gave positive results. The majority of Italian salamander species and almost all of the endemic ones showed a high susceptibility to Bsal infection. Therefore, even if the presence of Bsal in Italian salamander populations has not been proven yet, the entire salamander fauna is highly threatened and preventive management actions should be taken. The need for strict biosecurity protocols on the international trade of captive or wild amphibians and for the implementation of preventive measures during field activities to limit the introduction and spread of the Bsal pathogen is again stressed.
{"title":"Threats of the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) to Italian wild salamander populations","authors":"L. Dondero, Giorgia Allaria, Giacomo Rosa, G. Ficetola, Roberto Cogoni, E. Grasselli, S. Salvidio","doi":"10.36253/a_h-13279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-13279","url":null,"abstract":"The salamander killing fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), recently introduced from Asia, is threatening salamander populations in different parts of Europe. In fact, this pathogen is rapidly spreading in Central Europe and has been also introduced into NE Spain. Of special concern are those regions with an exceptionally high salamander diversity such as Italy, where 19 salamander species are present most of which are strictly endemic. In this study, we update the information on the presence of Bsal in Italian wild salamanders, by adding samples from two presumptive outbreak sites, one on the island of Sardinia and one on continental Italy (Liguria). In addition, we reviewed the potential susceptibility of all the Italian salamander species on the basis of laboratory experimental infection trials, or from the tested susceptibility of the phylogenetically nearest species, according to the literature. Overall, 15 skin swabs from three species (Speleomantes sarrabusensis, Speleomantes strinatii and Salamandra salamandra) collected in the two presumptive Bsal outbreak sites were analysed by quantitative molecular methods, but none gave positive results. The majority of Italian salamander species and almost all of the endemic ones showed a high susceptibility to Bsal infection. Therefore, even if the presence of Bsal in Italian salamander populations has not been proven yet, the entire salamander fauna is highly threatened and preventive management actions should be taken. The need for strict biosecurity protocols on the international trade of captive or wild amphibians and for the implementation of preventive measures during field activities to limit the introduction and spread of the Bsal pathogen is again stressed.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46787203","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}
M. Mezzasalma, E. Brunelli, G. Odierna, F. Guarino
Because of their peculiar genomic and chromosomal characteristics, reptiles are extraordinary model organisms to study karyotype and sex chromosome evolution, but despite the growing interest in their evolutionary cytogenetics, only a small fraction of species have a known karyotype. We performed a comparative cytogenetic analysis on Elaphe quatuorlineata and Zamenis lineatus, using classic and molecular techniques. We provide the karyotype of these two species and an assessment of their chromosomal features. Chromosome analysis was performed with standard karyotyping, C-banding, sequential C-banding + CMA3 + DAPI and Ag-NOR staining. On E. quatuorlineata, we also performed CMA3-methyl green staining and Fluorescence in situ Hybridization mapping NOR loci (NOR-FISH). Elaphe quatuorlineata and Z. lineatus show a very similar karyotype of 2n = 36, with 8 macro- and 10 microchromosome pairs, but differ in the morphology of the pair 8, which resulted submetacentric in the former and metacentric in the latter species. By comparing our data to those available from the literature on congeneric species, we analysed the occurrence of primitive and derivate chromosomal characters and provide cytotaxonomic insights, which further support the species status of Z. lineatus. In both species, the 4th pair was identified as the sex chromosome pair (ZZ/ZW) and NORs were localized on a microchromosome pair. We finally highlight in both genera Elaphe and Zamenis different stages of heterochromatinization of the W chromosome, in agreement with the progressive diversification model of sex chromosome as already shown in different reptile taxa.
{"title":"Comparative cytogenetics on Zamenis lineatus and Elaphe quatuorlineata (Serpentes: Colubridae)","authors":"M. Mezzasalma, E. Brunelli, G. Odierna, F. Guarino","doi":"10.36253/a_h-13467","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-13467","url":null,"abstract":"Because of their peculiar genomic and chromosomal characteristics, reptiles are extraordinary model organisms to study karyotype and sex chromosome evolution, but despite the growing interest in their evolutionary cytogenetics, only a small fraction of species have a known karyotype. We performed a comparative cytogenetic analysis on Elaphe quatuorlineata and Zamenis lineatus, using classic and molecular techniques. We provide the karyotype of these two species and an assessment of their chromosomal features. Chromosome analysis was performed with standard karyotyping, C-banding, sequential C-banding + CMA3 + DAPI and Ag-NOR staining. On E. quatuorlineata, we also performed CMA3-methyl green staining and Fluorescence in situ Hybridization mapping NOR loci (NOR-FISH). Elaphe quatuorlineata and Z. lineatus show a very similar karyotype of 2n = 36, with 8 macro- and 10 microchromosome pairs, but differ in the morphology of the pair 8, which resulted submetacentric in the former and metacentric in the latter species. By comparing our data to those available from the literature on congeneric species, we analysed the occurrence of primitive and derivate chromosomal characters and provide cytotaxonomic insights, which further support the species status of Z. lineatus. In both species, the 4th pair was identified as the sex chromosome pair (ZZ/ZW) and NORs were localized on a microchromosome pair. We finally highlight in both genera Elaphe and Zamenis different stages of heterochromatinization of the W chromosome, in agreement with the progressive diversification model of sex chromosome as already shown in different reptile taxa.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49330541","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}
Previous molecular phylogenetic studies of pygmy chameleons have identified several cases of undescribed cryptic diversity of species, some of which have remained undescribed due to a lack of morphological information. Here, we combine descriptive morphology with principal component analysis, to quantify the overall morphological variation, and phylogenetic analysis to describe six new species of Rhampholeon from the Eastern Arc Mountains, including populations found in the Udzungwa, Rubeho, Nguru, Ukaguru, and Nguu Mountains. From our study we detected only limited morphometric variation between species. We distinguish the new species using genetics, combined with assessment of morphological features, and their geographical distribution. We highlight the threats to pygmy chameleons in East Africa from habitat change and exporting live specimens for the wildlife trade. Based on our understanding, we note a few species that we consider at risk of decline – mainly based on their narrow distribution and their apparent popularity in the export market. This study also further underlines the extraordinary biological value of the relatively small forest patches (less than 3000 km2) of the Eastern Arc, which contain more species of chameleons than any other area in mainland Africa.
{"title":"Cryptic diversity in pygmy chameleons (Chamaeleonidae: Rhampholeon) of the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, with description of six new species","authors":"M. Menegon, John V Lyakurwa, S. Loader, K. Tolley","doi":"10.36253/a_h-12978","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-12978","url":null,"abstract":"Previous molecular phylogenetic studies of pygmy chameleons have identified several cases of undescribed cryptic diversity of species, some of which have remained undescribed due to a lack of morphological information. Here, we combine descriptive morphology with principal component analysis, to quantify the overall morphological variation, and phylogenetic analysis to describe six new species of Rhampholeon from the Eastern Arc Mountains, including populations found in the Udzungwa, Rubeho, Nguru, Ukaguru, and Nguu Mountains. From our study we detected only limited morphometric variation between species. We distinguish the new species using genetics, combined with assessment of morphological features, and their geographical distribution. We highlight the threats to pygmy chameleons in East Africa from habitat change and exporting live specimens for the wildlife trade. Based on our understanding, we note a few species that we consider at risk of decline – mainly based on their narrow distribution and their apparent popularity in the export market. This study also further underlines the extraordinary biological value of the relatively small forest patches (less than 3000 km2) of the Eastern Arc, which contain more species of chameleons than any other area in mainland Africa.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49177707","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}
C. Corti, M. Biaggini, Valeria Nulchis, Roberto Cogoni, I. Cossu, Salvatore Frau, Manuela Mulargia, E. Lunghi, L. Bassu
Although distribution databases are a dynamic tool, continuously updated, it is important to take “snapshots” of the species distribution over time to promptly identify potential conservation issues. With this work, we provide an update of the distribution of amphibians and reptiles in Sardinia and satellite islands. Data derive from both direct field observations (carried out since 2005 until July 2022) and literature, accounting for over 7000 records: 1416 records of 11 species of amphibians and 5600 records of 18 species of reptiles. Distribution maps (on 10 × 10 km UTM grid) of 29 species are provided in supplementary materials as well as the updated list of the amphibians and reptiles occurring in the circum-Sardinian islands. Most of the meshes were characterized by the presence of 1-3 amphibian species (73%) and 6-8 or 9-11 reptile species (32% with 6-8 species, 30% with 9-11 species). Species abundance was favoured by environmental heterogeneity, and mostly varied in relation to elevation range and edge density.
{"title":"Species diversity and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in Sardinia, Italy","authors":"C. Corti, M. Biaggini, Valeria Nulchis, Roberto Cogoni, I. Cossu, Salvatore Frau, Manuela Mulargia, E. Lunghi, L. Bassu","doi":"10.36253/a_h-13627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-13627","url":null,"abstract":"Although distribution databases are a dynamic tool, continuously updated, it is important to take “snapshots” of the species distribution over time to promptly identify potential conservation issues. With this work, we provide an update of the distribution of amphibians and reptiles in Sardinia and satellite islands. Data derive from both direct field observations (carried out since 2005 until July 2022) and literature, accounting for over 7000 records: 1416 records of 11 species of amphibians and 5600 records of 18 species of reptiles. Distribution maps (on 10 × 10 km UTM grid) of 29 species are provided in supplementary materials as well as the updated list of the amphibians and reptiles occurring in the circum-Sardinian islands. Most of the meshes were characterized by the presence of 1-3 amphibian species (73%) and 6-8 or 9-11 reptile species (32% with 6-8 species, 30% with 9-11 species). Species abundance was favoured by environmental heterogeneity, and mostly varied in relation to elevation range and edge density.","PeriodicalId":50896,"journal":{"name":"Acta Herpetologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48375496","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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