Leiolepis Research Articles

Gut Microbial Communities Are Seasonally Variable in Warm-Climate Lizards Hibernating in the Winter Months.

Hibernation is an energy-saving and adaptive strategy adopted by a diverse array of animals, rarely including warm-climate species, to survive in the harsh winter environment. Here, we collected large-intestinal microbial samples from two species of warm-climate lizards, one (the Reeves' butterfly lizard Leiolepis reevesii) hibernating in the winter months and one (the many-lined sun skink Eutropis multifasciata) not doing so, in summer and winter to analyze and compare their microbiota using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing technology. Gut microbiota were seasonally variable in L. reevesii but not in E. multifasciata. The decreased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increased relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia in hibernating butterfly lizards in a state of long-term fasting should help them live through the winter months, as bacteria of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia can use host-derived mucin glycans in the absence of dietary substrates. Facultative plant feeding by omnivorous butterfly lizards resulted in a significant increase in the relative abundance of bacteria of the phylum Firmicutes (e.g., Lachnospiraceae) with the ability to degrade plant fibers. This study not only validates the role of gut microbiota in dietary adaptation in lizards but also shows that gut microbial communities are seasonally variable in warm-climate lizards hibernating in the winter months.

The description of the first rock-dwelling species of butterfly lizard Leiolepis Cuvier, 1829 (Squamata, Agamidae) from the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand.

A new species of rock-dwelling Leiolepis is described from the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand. Leiolepisglaurung sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other sexual species of Leiolepis by a combination of having a black gular region with a wide medial yellow stripe, a yellow ventrum with black mottling, bright red to orange subcaudal coloration, having reduced to no expandable flanks, and having only one black transverse bar on the flanks. This is the first rocky habitat-adapted Leiolepis. Leiolepisglaurung sp. nov. demonstrates numerous ecological adaptations to survive in these rocky habitats. Leiolepis are known for their expandable flanks with bright display colors, however Leiolepisglaurung sp. nov. has reduced or no ability to expand its flanks. We hypothesize this is an adaptation to reduce their body diameter to better fit into smaller rocky burrows unlike the larger and deeper burrows constructed in looser soils by other Leiolepis species. This discovery increases the number of Leiolepis species in Thailand to six, and worldwide to 11.

Using feces to indicate plastic pollution in terrestrial vertebrate species in western Thailand.

Plastic pollution is a widespread and growing concern due to its transformation into microplastics (MPs), which can harm organisms and ecosystems. This study, aimed to identify plastic pollution in the feces of terrestrial vertebrates using convenience sampling both inside and outside protected areas in Western Thailand. We hypothesized that MPs are likely to be detectable in the feces of all vertebrate species, primarily in the form of small black fragments. We predicted varying quantities of MPs in the feces of the same species across different protected areas. Furthermore, we expected that factors indicating human presence, landscape characteristics, scat weight, and the MP abundance in water, soils, and sediments would influence the presence of plastics in feces. Among 12 terrestrial species studied, potential MPs were found in 41.11% of 90 samples, totaling 83 pieces across eight species including the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii), Dhole (Cuon alpinus), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), Wild boar (Sus scrofa), Northern red muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis), and Butterfly lizard (Leiolepis belliana). Specifically, 3.61% of all potential MPs (three pieces) were macroplastics, and the remaining 96.39% were considered potential MPs with the abundance of 0.92 ± 1.89 items.scat-1 or 8.69 ± 32.56 items.100 g-1 dw. There was an association between the numbers of feces with and without potential plastics and species (χ2 = 20.88, p = 0.012). Most potential plastics were fibers (95.18%), predominantly black (56.63%) or blue (26.51%), with 74.70% smaller than two millimeters. Although there were no significant associations between species and plastic morphologies, colors, and sizes, the abundance classified by these characteristics varied significantly. FTIR identified 52.38% as natural fibers, 38.10% as synthetic fibers (rayon, polyurethane (PUR), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and PUR blended with cotton), and 9.52% as fragments of PET and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Human-related factors were linked to the occurrence of potential plastics found in the feces of land-dwelling wildlife. This study enhances the understanding of plastic pollution in tropical protected areas, revealing the widespread of MPs even in small numbers from the areas distant from human settlements. Monitoring plastics in feces offers a non-invasive method for assessing plastic pollution in threatened species, as it allows for easy collection and taxonomic identification without harming live animals. However, stringent measures to assure the quality are necessitated to prevent exogenous MP contamination. These findings underscore the importance of raising awareness about plastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems, especially regarding plastic products from clothing and plastic materials used in agriculture and irrigation systems.

Male reproductive cycle in a population of the endemic butterfly lizard, Leiolepis ocellata Peters, 1971 (Squamata: Agamidae) from northern Thailand

BackgroundFundamental knowledge on the seasonal reproductive microanatomy and endocrinology of reptiles has been collected from several studies of various species. The present study was to determine annual changes in hormonal profiles, and detailed histomorphometric and histochemical characteristics of the entire male reproductive system of the tropical agamid lizard, Leiolepis ocellata.ResultsMale L. ocellata individuals (n = 75) collected from the territory of two provinces (Lampang and Tak) in northern Thailand exhibited annual variation in sex hormonal, histomorphometric, and histochemical characteristics of the male reproductive system. The reproductive cycle was subdivided into eight reproductive periods (early first active, first active, resting, second recrudescent, second active, regressive, quiescent, and first recrudescent), thus displaying a bimodal pattern with two actively reproductive periods. Circulating sex hormones (testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone) peaked in the first active (February) and the second active (June–July) periods. Likewise, gonadosomatic index (GSI) and histomorphometric variables of the testes and of the genital ducts (rete testis, ductuli efferentes, ductus epididymis, and ductus deferens) revealed their highest values in the first active period. Marked increase in protein and carbohydrate production was detectable in the ductuli efferentes during the active periods.ConclusionsThe male reproductive cycle of L. ocellata showed a biannual pattern of the hormonal profile, and detailed histomorphometric and histochemical characteristics of the entire reproductive system. Hence, the present study provides improved basic knowledge on the reptilian reproductive biology with comparative viewpoints to other reptiles.

Lineage diversification and niche evolution in the Reeves' Butterfly Lizard Leiolepis reevesii (Agamidae).

We used mitochondrial cytochrome b and ND4 genes and 9 microsatellite loci to determine genetic diversity, population structure, evolutionary history, and migration patterns within the Reeves' butterfly lizard Leiolepis reevesii (Agamidae). Considering molecular-based phylogeographical lineages, we then performed niche equivalency and similarity tests between divergent lineages. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data revealed 2 lineages (A and B) diverging ≈0.84 million years ago and, respectively, restricted to the northern and southern portions of the Wuzhishan and Yinggeling mountain ranges. Lineage B contains individuals from southern Hainan; Lineage A includes individuals from all other localities and can be further divided into 3 clusters according to microsatellite data. The null hypothesis that the 2 lineages shared identical niches was rejected in all niche equivalency tests, indicating niche shifts during genetic divergence. Similarity tests provided evidence of niche conservatism, suggesting that the 2 lineages share more characteristics of their niche spaces than randomly expected. The niche similarity and equivalency tests indicated a complex niche pattern in which both lineages share a main portion of their ecological spaces. The climatic niche of Lineage B represented a marginal and specialized fraction of the entire ecological space of the climatic niche of Lineage A, with warmer conditions. Isolation caused by orogenesis and subsequent niche divergence, together with local adaptation, may have led to genetic differentiation and further lineage sorting in L. reevesii.

Estimating detection probability and site occupancy of <i> Leiolepis guentherpetersi </i> in the coastal sandy areas of Phu Loc district, Thua Thien Hue province

The Peter’s Butterfly Lizard (Leiolepis guentherpetersi) is endemic to Vietnam. However, there is no available information related to detection probability and site occupancy of this species so far. Nine surveys were conducted at 50 plots in the coastal areas of Phu Loc district from September to December 2017 in order to detect the presence of Leiolepis guentherpetersi. Our results showed that the detection probability of L. guentherpetersi, when combined with environmental factors, was 0.383, which was higher than the naive detection probability of 0.34. The total AIC weight of the near sea ecosystem was 85.9% while the total AIC weight of the ecosystem far from the sea was only 13.5%. The AIC weight of weather conditions was 99.4% while the total AIC weight of temperature was 62.3% and the total AIC weight of humidity was 27.2%. These results indicated that the probability of detecting L. guentherpetersi influenced by both site covariates (near the sea or far from the sea) and sample covariates (temperature, humidity, and rainfall). In there, the near sea ecosystem is the best habitat for L. guentherpetersi and rainfall is sample covariates that had the greatest influence on detection probability and site occupancy of this species.

XÁC SUẤT PHÁT HIỆN LOÀI NHÔNG CÁT SỌC (Leiolepis guentherpetersi) Ở VÙNG CÁT VEN BIỂN HUYỆN PHÚ LỘC, TỈNH THỪA THIÊN HUẾ

Peter’s Butterfly Lizard (Leiolepis guentherpetersi) is an endemic species of Vietnam with a narrow distribution. However, no information related to detection probability and site occupancy of this species in Vietnam was published. We monitored Leiolepis guentherpetersi in the coastal sandy areas of Phu Loc District, Thua Thien Hue Province through nine surveys at 50 sites from September to December 2017. We used the PRESENCE 12.10 software to analyze the data. The results showed that the detection probability of L. guentherpetersi, when combined with environmental factors, was 0.39, which was higher than the probability of naive detection of 0.34. The total AIC (Akaike’s Information Criteria) weight GB (near sea ecosystem) was 86% while the total AIC weight XB (ecosystem far from the sea) was only 14%; the AIC weight M (rainfall) was 99.41% while the total AIC weight N (temperature) was 62.31% and the total AIC weight DA (humidity) was 27.20%. This shows that the probability of detecting L. Guentherpetersi is influenced by both site covariates (near the sea or far from the sea) and sample covariates (temperature, humidity, and rainfall). It was found that the near sea ecosystem is the best habitat for L. guentherpetersi, and rainfall is the sample covariate that has the greatest influence on the probability of detecting this species in the coastal sandy areas of Phu Loc District.

Microanatomy of the testes and testicular ducts of the butterfly lizard, Leiolepis ocellata Peters, 1971 (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) during the active reproductive period

AbstractThe microanatomy of the testes and testicular ducts (rete testis, ductuli efferentes, ductus epididymis and ductus deferens) of Leiolepis ocellata (Agamidae) was investigated using light microscopy including histochemistry. Each testis contains seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissues. The former house spermatogenic cells (spermatogonia A & B, preleptotene, primary and secondary spermatocytes, spermatids (steps 1–8) and spermatozoa) and Sertoli cells, while the latter comprise peritubular and intersitial tissues. The rete testis is an anastomosing duct, having intratesticular and extratesticular portions. The proximal region of ductuli efferentes has wider outer ductal and luminal diameters than those of the distal region. The convoluted ductus epididymis is subdivided into four regions (initial segment, caput, corpus and cauda), based on the ductal diameter, epithelium characteristics and cell components. The ductus deferens has the greatest diameter and is divided into the ductal and ampulla ductus deferens. The ductal portion is subdivided into the proximal and distal regions, based on the epithelium types and ductal diameters. The ampulla ductus deferens is a fibromuscular tube, having numerous mucosal folds projecting into the lumen. Spermiophagy is detectable in the ductus epididymis and ductus deferens. The present results contribute to improved fundamental knowledge on the microanatomy of the reptilian reproductive system.

Genetic confirmation of two nonnative species of butterfly lizards (Leiolepidae; Leiolepis) with established populations in Florida, USA

We used phylogenetic analysis to confirm the taxonomic identity of two nonnative butterfly lizard species (Agamidae; Leiolepis belliana and L. rubritaeniata) found in three southern Florida counties previously identified using only phenotypic characters. Our findings indicate that the Miami-Dade County population (L. belliana) is most genetically similar to a sample specimen from Chonburi, Thailand, whereas specimens from Charlotte and Lee Counties (L. rubritaeniata) are mostly closely related to sample specimens from Bangkok, Thailand. Our findings also support previous invasion hypotheses that butterfly lizard populations in Miami-Dade County stem from an introduction separate from the populations of Charlotte and Lee counties. More research is needed to determine the level of harm butterfly lizards pose to Florida’s native species, but competition with native lizards for resources is suspected.

Karyotype evolution in monitor lizards: cross-species chromosome mapping of cDNA reveals highly conserved synteny and gene order in the Toxicofera clade

The water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator macromaculatus (VSA), Platynota) has a chromosome number of 2n = 40: its karyotype consists of 16 macrochromosomes and 24 microchromosomes. To delineate the process of karyotype evolution in V. salvator macromaculatus, we constructed a cytogenetic map with 86 functional genes and compared it with those of the butterfly lizard (Leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata (LRE); 2n = 36) and Japanese four-striped rat snake (Elaphe quadrivirgata (EQU); 2n = 36), members of the Toxicofera clade. The syntenies and gene orders of macrochromosomes were highly conserved between these species except for several chromosomal rearrangements: eight pairs of VSA macrochromosomes and/or chromosome arms exhibited homology with six pairs of LRE macrochromosomes and eight pairs of EQU macrochromosomes. Furthermore, the genes mapped to microchromosomes of three species were all located on chicken microchromosomes or chromosome 4p. No reciprocal translocations were found in the species, and their karyotypic differences were caused by: low frequencies of interchromosomal rearrangements, such as tandem fusions, or centric fissions/fusions between macrochromosomes and between macro- and microchromosomes; and intrachromosomal rearrangements, such as paracentric inversions or centromere repositioning. The chromosomal rearrangements that occurred in macrochromosomes of the Varanus lineage were also identified through comparative cytogenetic mapping of V. salvator macromaculatus and V. exanthematicus. Morphologic differences in chromosomes 6-8 between the two species could have resulted from pericentric inversion or centromere repositioning.

THE TAXONOMIC STATUS OF THE RED-BANDED BUTTERFLY LIZARD, Leiolepis rubritaeniata MERTENS, 1961, WITH DISTRIBUTIONAL AND NATURAL HISTORY NOTES

In this paper, we argue for specific rank for Leiolepis rubritaeniata , formerly assigned as a subspecies to either L. belliana or to L. reevesii . In addition, we present a new country record of L. rubritaeniata for Cambodia, give first brief ecological information on this species and dismantle intraspecific trends of geographical variation in male flank coloration patterns.

Ontogenetic Shifts in Sexual Dimorphism and Female Reproduction in the Reeves's Butterfly Lizard Leiolepis reevesii from Hainan, China

We studied ontogenetic shifts in sexual dimorphism and female reproduction in the Reeves's Butterfly Lizard, Leiolepis reevesii (Agamidae), from Hainan, southern China. The smallest reproductive female was 84 mm snout–vent length (SVL). The largest female and male were 136 mm and 166 mm SVL, respectively. Sexual dimorphism in head size and tail size was evident in adults, with adult males having larger heads and longer tails than did adult females of the same SVL. Head size relative to SVL was greatest in hatchlings and smallest in adults, with juveniles in between. Tail length relative to SVL was shorter in hatchlings than in juveniles and adults but did not differ between juveniles and adults. Females produced a single clutch of 2–8 eggs per breeding season stretching from mid-April to mid-July. Clutch size, egg mass, and clutch mass were all positively related to female SVL. Egg mass was negatively correlated with clutch size when holding female SVL constant, and egg length was negatively correlated with egg width when holding egg mass constant. Larger females increased reproductive output primarily through production of more and larger eggs (and hence heavier clutches). Males are the larger sex in L. reevesii presumably because (1) the selective pressure toward increased male size is strong; (2) the selective pressure toward increased female size is comparatively low; and (3) somatic growth is more likely to be constrained by reproduction in smaller females because of a negative correlation between relative clutch mass and SVL.

Phylogeography and population structure of the Reevese’s Butterfly Lizard ( Leiolepis reevesii) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences

Butterfly lizards of the genus Leiolepis (Agamidae) are widely distributed in coastal regions of Southeast Asia and South China, with the Reevese’s Butterfly Lizard Leiolepis reevesii having a most northerly distribution that ranges from Vietnam to South China. To assess the genetic diversity within L. reevesii, and its population structure and evolutionary history, we sequenced 1004 bp of cytochrome b for 448 individuals collected from 28 localities covering almost the whole range of the lizard. One hundred and forty variable sites were observed, and 93 haplotypes were defined. We identified three genetically distinct clades, of which Clade A includes haplotypes mainly from southeastern Hainan, Clade B from Guangdong and northern Hainan, and Clade C from Vietnam and the other localities of China. Clade A was well distinguished and divergent from the other two. The Wuzhishan and Yinggeling mountain ranges were important barriers limiting gene exchange between populations on the both sides of the mountain series, whereas the Gulf of Tonkin and the Qiongzhou Strait were not. One plausible scenario to explain our genetic data is a historical dispersion of L. reevesii as proceeding from Vietnam to Hainan, followed by a second wave of dispersal from Hainan to Guangdong and Guangxi. Another equally plausible scenario is a historically widespread population that has been structured by vicariant factors such as the mountains in Hainan and sea level fluctuations.

Karyotypic evolution in squamate reptiles: comparative gene mapping revealed highly conserved linkage homology between the butterfly lizard (Leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata, Agamidae, Lacertilia) and the Japanese four-striped rat snake (Elaphe quadrivirgata, Colubridae, Serpentes)

The butterfly lizard (Leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata) has the diploid chromosome number of 2n = 36, comprising two distinctive components, macrochromosomes and microchromosomes. To clarify the conserved linkage homology between lizard and snake chromosomes and to delineate the process of karyotypic evolution in Squamata, we constructed a cytogenetic map of L. reevesii rubritaeniata with 54 functional genes and compared it with that of the Japanese four-striped rat snake (E. quadrivirgata, 2n = 36). Six pairs of the lizard macrochromosomes were homologous to eight pairs of the snake macrochromosomes. The lizard chromosomes 1, 2, 4, and 6 corresponded to the snake chromosomes 1, 2, 3, and Z, respectively. LRE3p and LRE3q showed the homology with EQU5 and EQU4, respectively, and LRE5p and LRE5q corresponded to EQU7 and EQU6, respectively. These results suggest that the genetic linkages have been highly conserved between the two species and that their karyotypic difference might be caused by the telomere-to-telomere fusion events followed by inactivation of one of two centromeres on the derived dicentric chromosomes in the lineage of L. reevesii rubritaeniata or the centric fission events of the bi-armed macrochromosomes and subsequent centromere repositioning in the lineage of E. quadrivirgata. The homology with L. reevesii rubritaeniata microchromosomes were also identified in the distal regions of EQU1p and 1q, indicating the occurrence of telomere-to-telomere fusions of microchromosomes to the p and q arms of EQU1.

Karyological Characterization of the Butterfly Lizard (Leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata, Agamidae, Squamata) by Molecular Cytogenetic Approach

Karyological characterization of the butterfly lizard (Leiolepis reevesii rubritaeniata) was performed by conventional Giemsa staining, Ag-NOR banding, FISH with the 18S-28S and 5S rRNA genes and telomeric (TTAGGG)n sequences, and CGH. The karyotype was composed of 2 distinct components, macrochromosomes and microchromosomes, and the chromosomal constitution was 2n = 2x = 36 (L₄^m + L₂^sm + M₂^m + S₄^m + 24 microchromosomes). NORs and the 18S-28S rRNA genes were located at the secondary constriction of the long arm of chromosome 1, and the 5S rRNA genes were localized to the pericentromeric region of chromosome 6. Hybridization signals of (TTAGGG)n sequences were observed at the telomeric ends of all chromosomes and interstitially at the same position as the 18S-28S rRNA genes, suggesting that in the Leiolepinae tandem fusion probably occurred between chromosome 1 and a microchromosome where the 18S-28S rRNA genes were located. CGH analysis, however, failed to identify sex chromosomes, suggesting that this species may have a TSD system or exhibit GSD with morphologically undetectable cryptic sex chromosomes. Homologues of 6 chicken Z-linked genes (ACO1/IREBP, ATP5A1, CHD1, DMRT1, GHR, RPS6) were all mapped to chromosome 2p in the same order as on the snake chromosome 2p.

Correlates of sprinting, jumping and parachuting performance in the butterfly lizard, Leiolepis belliani

Leiolepis belliani, a cursorial, beach‐dwelling lizard, moves by running and jumping. The lizards' ability to flatten dorsoventrally, thereby increasing surface area and decreasing wing loading, may also confer parachuting ability. We measured locomotor performance of three ecologically relevant tasks: running, jumping and parachuting. In addition, we investigated whether, with the effect of size removed, locomotor performance capabilities are correlated, and whether they correlate with morphological features. Larger lizards fell and ran faster and jumped further. Lizards that were experimentally prevented from flattening fell faster than control lizards. When the effects of size were removed, limb length was uncorrelated with jumping and running performance; performance measures also were not correlated amongst themselves. The scant natural historical data available for this species suggests that lizards do not use their parachuting capability, and that dorsoventral flattening may have evolved for some other purpose. Leiolepis might serve as a useful model in understanding the evolution of gliding lizards (e.g. Draco).