Evolution Of Viviparity Research Articles

Growth and Survivorship in a California Population of Gerrhonotus coeruleus, with Comments on Intraspecific Variation in Adult Female Size

Gerrhonotus coeruleus is a viviparous lizard that ranges into high latitudes and altitudes in western North America. Females in a population on the N coast of California (Mendocino Co.) reach sexual maturity in 32 months and produce a single litter each season. Relatively low clutch sizes (X = 3.8 i 0.2) contribute to low fecundity. Annual survivorship was approximately 73 % for adults and 54 % for juvenile lizards. Female survivorship exceeded male survivorship during 1974 and mean female size (87.7 i 1.0 mm) was significantly larger than mean male size (83.6 i 1.2 mm) the following year. Growth of females in a second coastal population (Monterey Co.) was more rapid and these lizards were larger at sexual maturity than Mendocino County females. Females in a montane population (El Dorado Co., Calif.) reached reproductive maturity when larger and older (44 months) than females in either coastal population although they attain a size in 32 months equal to Mendocino County females at the same age. Litter size, newborn size and relative clutch mass were significantly higher in the El Dorado County population. The evolution of delayed maturity and larger adult size in this species may result from selection for both larger litters and larger young. INTRODUCTION Viviparous reproductive habits superficially suggest such a fundamentally different pattern from egg-laying modes of reproduction that dramatic differences in life history components might be expected. The existence of a pattern of life history traits associated with reproductive mode and the relative position of viviparous species within this general pattern were first proposed for lizards by Tinkle (1969) and Tinkle et al. (1970). Life history traits predicted to be associated with viviparity include later maturity, a single litter per reproductive season, larger eggs, greater life expectancy and reduced reproductive risk. Studies of viviparous lizards (Alcala, 1966; Zweifel and Lowe, 1966; Bustard, 1970; Ballinger, 1973, 1979; Lee, 1975; Pilorge and Barbault, 1981) reveal that these species do not all share a unique complex of life history characteristics. Viviparity occurs commonly within squamate reptiles and the diversity of lineages with viviparous species is evidence for the polyphyletic evolution of this reproductive mode from oviparous species (Packard et al., 1977; Tinkle and Gibbons, 1977; Shine and Bull, 1979; Blackburn, 1982, in press). A variety of selective advantages of viviparity have been suggested (Fitch, 1935; Weekes, 1935; Neill, 1964; Packard, 1966; Goin and Goin, 1971; Packard et al., 1977; Tinkle and Gibbons, 1977; Shine and Bull, 1979). Comparisons among viviparous species representing diverse genera should be useful for the identification of general features associated with viviparity, but an intrinsic risk to this method of analysis is that it may be insensitive to the life history attributes that favor the evolution of viviparity in a particular lineage. If the selective advantages that culminate in the acquisition of viviparity are as diverse as the number of ecological benefits predicted for viviparous reptiles, comparisons with oviparous congeners will be most useful in characterizing the distinctive attributes and evolutionary trends within each lineage (Ballinger, 1973; Guillette et al., 1980; Guillette, 1981). Twenty-four genera of lizards are known that contain both oviparous and viviparous species (Blackburn, 1982, in press). Unfortunately, life history studies of

Male Reproductive Cycle of the Lizard Sceloporus virgatus

of egg-retention, egg-guarding and viviparity in single-brooded species. The discovery of varying degrees of egg-retention in a number of typhlopids bears on this problem. Both temperate (T. bibronii) and tropical (T. diardi) species display prolonged egg-retention, indicating that in typhlopids temperature may not be the main selective pressure in the evolution of viviparity. However, nothing is known concerning thermal requirements of these species. In addition other climatic factors, such as seasonal drought, may be involved. Acknowledgments.-We thank Wulf Haacke (Transvaal Museum) for permitting us to study specimens in his care.

Reproduction and Development in Chondrichthyan Fishes

Patterns of chondrichthyan reproduction and development are diverse. Species either are reproductively active throughout the year, or have a poorly defined annual cycle with one or two peaks of activity, or have a well defined annual or biennial cycle. Based on embryological origin and adult morphology, their reproductive system is more similar to tetrapods than to teleosts. Primordial germ cells are of endodermal origin. The Wolffian ducts in males and Mullerian ducts in females become the functional urogenital ducts. Differentiation is under hormonal control. Unusual features of the reproductive system include an epigonal organ in males and females. It contains lymphoid and hemopoietic tissue. Leydig's gland, a modified region of the kidney, produces seminal fluid. In some species, sperm passing through the vas deferens, is enclosed in spermatophores. Rotating about their long axis, helical spermatozoa can move forward or reverse direction. Spermatogenesis often occurs in bicellular units, spermatocysts. These consist of a spermatogonium enclosed in a Sertoh cell. Fertilization is internal. Claspers, modified portions of the pelvic fins act as intromittent organs. In many viviparous sharks and rays, the female reproductive system is asymmetrical. Eggs of some sharks are the largest known cells. Yolk platelets contain lipovitellin. Oocytes have lampbrush chromosomes. Eggs released from the ovary into the body cavity are transported by ciliary action to the ostium of the oviduct. There they are fertilized. Physiological polyspermy is normal. The shell gland, a specialized region of the anterior oviduct, functions both in long term sperm storage and in egg case production. Egg cases of sharks and skates consist of unique collagenous protein with a 400 A period, organized as a cholesteric liquid crystal. Chimaeroid egg cases contain 550 A pseudotubules in orthogonal lattices. In small sharks, males copulate by coiling around the female. A parallel position is assumed by large sharks. Skates and rays copulate with ventral surfaces apposed or by a dorsal approach. Biting is a pre-copulatory release mechanism. Parental care, except for selective oviposition, is lacking. Heavily yolked eggs undergo meroblastic, discoidal cleavage. Development is lengthy, shortest (2–4 months) in rays, longer in skates (3–8 months) and longest (9–22 months) in sharks and chimaeras. Most sharks and all rays are viviparous. Chimaeras, skates, and some sharks are oviparous. Viviparity either involves a yolk sac placenta or is aplacental. If aplacental, the embryo derives nutrients either from yolk reserves, or by intra-uterine embryonic cannibalism, or from placental analogues which secrete “uterine milk.” Phylogenetic position, geographical distribution, benthic vs. pelagic habitat, adult size, egg-embryo size, feeding ecology, and embryonic osmoregulation are factors in the retention of oviparity or the evolution of viviparity.

BIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE MARSUPIAL-PLACENTAL DICHOTOMY.

My recent review (1974) was restricted to biogeographical considerations of the marsupial-placental dichotomy in mamma lian evolution. The present work is a continuation with emphasis upon reproductive aspects of the problem. The major question to be asked here revolves around the condition of the newborn in the immediate common ancestor to marsupials and placentals. Was the neonate a hatchling from an egg laid externally as suggested by Sharman (1970) and Tyndale-Biscoe (1973) or were the young born free of egg membranes in an immature marsupial-like state as suggested by me (1969)? In the former case, the evolution of viviparity among therian mammals would had to have occurred independently in marsupials and placentals. A series of excellent papers by Dr. Fabiola Muller (1967-1973), concerned with the comparative ontogenesis of living marsupials and placentals, is pertinent to this question. Her lengthy studies include a wealth of summarized comparative data and literature citations. Her articles, written in German, are not well known by many English-speaking authors. Thus I believe it worthwhile to summarize some of the points, essential to the question that I am asking, contained within the more than 500 pages of her text. Many of Dr. Muller's conclusions are reviewed from one paper to the next, so I will refrain from giving the specific citation for each point. Any misinterpretations are quite unintentional and result from faulty translation.

Further Studies on Incubation of Turtle (Malaclemys centrata Lat.) Eggs

Previous article No AccessShorter Articles and DiscussionFurther Studies on Incubation of Turtle (Malaclemys centrata Lat.) EggsBert Cunningham, M. W. Woodward, and Janis PridgenBert Cunningham Search for more articles by this author , M. W. Woodward Search for more articles by this author , and Janis Pridgen Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 73, Number 746May - Jun., 1939 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/280839 Views: 3Total views on this site Citations: 6Citations are reported from Crossref PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Andrew M. Grosse, Brian A. Crawford, John C. Maerz, Kurt A. Buhlmann, Terry Norton, Michelle Kaylor, Tracey D. Tuberville Effects of Vegetation Structure and Artificial Nesting Habitats on Hatchling Sex Determination and Nest Survival of Diamondback Terrapins, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 6, no.11 (Oct 2014): 19–28.https://doi.org/10.3996/082014-JFWM-063GARY C. PACKARD, MARY J. PACKARD, THOMAS J. BOARDMAN An experimental analysis of the water relations of eggs of Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 75, no.11 (May 2008): 23–34.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1982.tb01940.xJane Thompson Uptake of inorganic ions from the maternal circulation during development of the embryo of a viviparous lizard, Sphenomorphus quoyii, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology 71, no.11 (Jan 1982): 107–112.https://doi.org/10.1016/0300-9629(82)90374-7G. C. PACKARD, M. J. PACKARD, T. J. BOARDMAN, M. D. ASHEN Possible Adaptive Value of Water Exchanges in Flexible-Shelled Eggs of Turtles, Science 213, no.45064506 (Jul 1981): 471–473.https://doi.org/10.1126/science.213.4506.471GARY C. PACKARD, C. RICHARD TRACY, JAN J. ROTH THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF REPTILIAN EGGS AND EMBRYOS. AND THE EVOLUTION OF VIVIPARITY WITHIN THE CLASS REPTILIA, Biological Reviews 52, no.11 (Feb 1977): 71–105.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.1977.tb01346.x Bert Cunningham Effect of Temperature Upon the Developmental Rate of the Embryo of the Diamond Back Terrapin (Malaclemys centrata Lat.), The American Naturalist 73, no.747747 (Sep 2015): 381–384.https://doi.org/10.1086/280848

Water Absorption by Reptile Eggs during Incubation

Previous articleNext article No AccessShorter Articles and DiscussionWater Absorption by Reptile Eggs during IncubationBert Cunningham, and Arnold P. HurwitzBert Cunningham Search for more articles by this author , and Arnold P. Hurwitz Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 70, Number 731Nov. - Dec., 1936 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/280700 Views: 6Total views on this site Citations: 22Citations are reported from Crossref PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Joshua M. HALL, Jocelyn MIRACLE, Cindy D. SCRUGGS, Daniel A. WARNER Natural nest substrates influence squamate embryo physiology but have little effect on hatchling phenotypes, Integrative Zoology 17, no.44 (Jun 2021): 550–566.https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12553Amanda K Pettersen, Lukas Schuster, Neil B Metcalfe The Evolution of Offspring Size: A Metabolic Scaling Perspective, Integrative and Comparative Biology 191 (Jun 2022).https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac076Shawn Dsouza, Chetan Rao Demographics and reproductive biology of Hydrophis schistosus may make it more resilient to bycatch effects than other sea snakes, Regional Studies in Marine Science 47 (Sep 2021): 101948.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101948Jérémie SOUCHET, Eric J. GANGLOFF, Gaëlle MICHELI, Coralie BOSSU, Audrey TROCHET, Romain BERTRAND, Jean CLOBERT, Olivier CALVEZ, Albert MARTINEZ‐SILVESTRE, Elodie DARNET, Hugo LE CHEVALIER, Olivier GUILLAUME, Marc MOSSOLL‐TORRES, Laurent BARTHE, Gilles POTTIER, Hervé PHILIPPE, Fabien AUBRET High‐elevation hypoxia impacts perinatal physiology and performance in a potential montane colonizer, Integrative Zoology 15, no.66 (Jul 2020): 544–557.https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12468Kirsty J. MacLeod, Nicole A. Freidenfelds, Gavin M. Leighton, Tracy Langkilde Tree selection is linked to locomotor performance and associated noise production in a lizard, Journal of Zoology 307, no.33 (Nov 2018): 195–202.https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12632Taylor A. Stewart, David T. Booth, Mohd Uzair Rusli Influence of sand grain size and nest microenvironment on incubation success, hatchling morphology and locomotion performance of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at the Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary, Redang Island, Malaysia, Australian Journal of Zoology 66, no.66 (Jan 2018): 356.https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19025M.R. Sartori, E.W. Taylor, A.S. Abe Nitrogen excretion during embryonic development of the green iguana, Iguana iguana (Reptilia; Squamata), Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 163, no.22 (Oct 2012): 210–214.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.06.004Mary J. Packard, Gary C. Packard, Jeffrey D. Miller, Menna E. Jones, William H. N. Gutzke Calcium mobilization, water balance, and growth in embryos of the agamid lizardAmphibolurus barbatus, Journal of Experimental Zoology 235, no.33 (Sep 1985): 349–357.https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.1402350306Gary C. Packard, Mary J. Packard Coupling of physiology of embryonic turtles to the hydric environment, (Jan 1984): 99–119.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6536-2_7GARY C. PACKARD, MARY J. PACKARD, THOMAS J. BOARDMAN An experimental analysis of the water relations of eggs of Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 75, no.11 (May 2008): 23–34.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1982.tb01940.xDavid L. Cox, Robert P. Mecham, Owen J. Sexton Lysine derived cross-links are present in a non-elastin, proline-rich protein fraction of Iguana iguana eggshell, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Comparative Biochemistry 72, no.44 (Jan 1982): 619–623.https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-0491(82)90515-6G. C. PACKARD, M. J. PACKARD, T. J. BOARDMAN, M. D. ASHEN Possible Adaptive Value of Water Exchanges in Flexible-Shelled Eggs of Turtles, Science 213, no.45064506 (Jul 1981): 471–473.https://doi.org/10.1126/science.213.4506.471 Gary C. Packard , Mary J. Packard , and Thomas J. Boardman Patterns and Possible Significance of Water Exchange by Flexible-Shelled Eggs of Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta), Physiological Zoology 54, no.11 (Sep 2015): 165–178.https://doi.org/10.1086/physzool.54.1.30155815Jane Thompson A study of the sources of nutrients for embryonic development in a viviparous lizard, Sphenomorphus quoyii, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology 70, no.44 (Jan 1981): 509–518.https://doi.org/10.1016/0300-9629(81)92562-7 C. Richard Tracy , Gary C. Packard , and Mary J. Packard Water Relations of Chelonian Eggs, Physiological Zoology 51, no.44 (Sep 2015): 378–387.https://doi.org/10.1086/physzool.51.4.30160963Owen J. Sexton, Kathren M. Brown The reproductive cycle of an Iguanid lizard Anolis sagrei , from Belize, Journal of Natural History 11, no.33 (Jun 1977): 241–250.https://doi.org/10.1080/00222937700770171GARY C. PACKARD, C. RICHARD TRACY, JAN J. ROTH THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF REPTILIAN EGGS AND EMBRYOS. AND THE EVOLUTION OF VIVIPARITY WITHIN THE CLASS REPTILIA, Biological Reviews 52, no.11 (Feb 1977): 71–105.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.1977.tb01346.xN.K. Jenkins, K. Simkiss The calcium and phosphate metabolism of reproducing reptiles with particular reference to the adder (vipera berus), Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 26, no.33 (Sep 1968): 865–876.https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-406X(68)90006-6Wilbur W. Mayhew BIOLOGY OF DESERT AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES, (Jan 1968): 195–356.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-4831-9868-2.50014-1 Bert Cunningham , M. W. Woodward , and Janis Pridgen Further Studies on Incubation of Turtle (Malaclemys centrata Lat.) Eggs, The American Naturalist 73, no.746746 (Sep 2015): 285–288.https://doi.org/10.1086/280839 Bert Cunningham , and Elizabeth Huene Further Studies on Water Absorption by Reptile Eggs, The American Naturalist 72, no.741741 (Sep 2015): 380–385.https://doi.org/10.1086/280791 Richard Goldschmidt A Note Concerning the Adaptation of Geographic Races of Lymantria dispar L. to the Seasonal Cycle in Japan, The American Naturalist 72, no.741741 (Sep 2015): 385–386.https://doi.org/10.1086/280792

Notes on the Reproduction of Certain Reptiles

Previous articleNext article FreeNotes on the Reproduction of Certain ReptilesC. S. BrimleyC. S. Brimley Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 37, Number 436Apr., 1903 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/278285 Views: 45Total views on this site Citations: 3Citations are reported from Crossref PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Joshua M. HALL, Jocelyn MIRACLE, Cindy D. SCRUGGS, Daniel A. WARNER Natural nest substrates influence squamate embryo physiology but have little effect on hatchling phenotypes, Integrative Zoology 17, no.44 (Jun 2021): 550–566.https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12553GARY C. PACKARD, C. RICHARD TRACY, JAN J. ROTH THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF REPTILIAN EGGS AND EMBRYOS. AND THE EVOLUTION OF VIVIPARITY WITHIN THE CLASS REPTILIA, Biological Reviews 52, no.11 (Feb 1977): 71–105.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.1977.tb01346.x Bert Cunningham , and Arnold P. Hurwitz Water Absorption by Reptile Eggs during Incubation, The American Naturalist 70, no.731731 (Oct 2015): 590–595.https://doi.org/10.1086/280700