Iguanid Research Articles

First record of Ozolaimus cirratus (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) infecting the casque-headed tree frog Corythomantis greeningi (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeast Brazil

ABSTRACT The genus Ozolaimus is characterised by presenting a dorsoventrally elongated mouth with two lateral lips, a very long oesophagus consisting of anterior portion strong and short, with a fusiform fold, and a thin posterior portion ending in a distinct bulb, an anteriorly dilated intestine, and absent lateral wings. Between February 2014 and September 2016, 11 specimens of the anuran Corythomantis greeningi were collected manually at the Ecological Station of Aiuaba, Ceará State, Brazil. After analysis, nine specimens of Ozolaimus cirratus infecting the large intestine of the referred specimen were recorded. Knowledge is still scarce about the ecological dynamics of pharyngodonid parasites and their parasitehost relationships; thus, this work is the first to record members of the genus Ozolaimus infecting the casqueheaded tree frog Corythomantis greeningi from the Caatinga biome. Previously, the only registered hosts of Ozalaimus parasites were iguanid lizards.

Reexamining the storage effect: Why temporal variation in abiotic factors seems unlikely to cause coexistence

AbstractThe temporal storage effect—that species coexist by partitioning abiotic niches that vary in time—is thought to be an important explanation for how species coexist. However, empirical studies that measure multiple mechanisms often find the storage effect is weak. We believe this mismatch is because of a shortcoming of theoretical models used to study the storage effect: that while the storage effect is described as having just three requirements (partitioning of temporal variation, buffered population growth, and a covariance between environment and density‐dependence), models used to study the storage effect make four assumptions, which are mathematically subtle but biologically important. In this paper, we examine those assumptions. First, models assume that environmental variation leads to a rapid impact on density‐dependence. We find that delays in density‐dependence (including delays caused by competition between cohorts) weaken the storage effect. Second, models assume that intraspecific competition is almost identical to interspecific competition. We find that unless resource or predator partitioning are virtually absent, then variation‐independent mechanisms will overshadow the benefits of the storage effect. Third, models assume even though there is vast variation in the environment, species are equally adapted on average (i.e., zero fitness‐differences). We show that fitness differences are particularly problematic in the storage effect because specializing on temporally rare niches is far less effective than specializing on other types of rare niches. Finally, models assume that stochastic extinctions can be ignored, and invader growth can determine coexistence. We show that storage effects tend to reduce mean persistence times, even if invader growth rates are positive. These results suggest that the assumptions needed for the storage effect are strict: if the first or second assumption is relaxed, it will greatly weaken the stabilizing mechanism; if the third or fourth assumption is relaxed, it will create a diversity‐destroying effect that may undermine coexistence. We examine three real‐world communities—annual plants, tropical forests, and iguanid lizards—and find that empirical studies suggest that all three communities violate multiple assumptions. This suggests that the temporal storage effect is probably not an important explanation for species diversity in most systems.

A chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the desert horned lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos, provides insight into chromosomal rearrangements among reptiles.

BackgroundThe increasing number of chromosome-level genome assemblies has advanced our knowledge and understanding of macroevolutionary processes. Here, we introduce the genome of the desert horned lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos, an iguanid lizard occupying extreme desert conditions of the American southwest. We conduct analysis of the chromosomal structure and composition of this species and compare these features across genomes of 12 other reptiles (5 species of lizards, 3 snakes, 3 turtles, and 1 bird).FindingsThe desert horned lizard genome was sequenced using Illumina paired-end reads and assembled and scaffolded using Dovetail Genomics Hi-C and Chicago long-range contact data. The resulting genome assembly has a total length of 1,901.85 Mb, scaffold N50 length of 273.213 Mb, and includes 5,294 scaffolds. The chromosome-level assembly is composed of 6 macrochromosomes and 11 microchromosomes. A total of 20,764 genes were annotated in the assembly. GC content and gene density are higher for microchromosomes than macrochromosomes, while repeat element distributions show the opposite trend. Pathway analyses provide preliminary evidence that microchromosome and macrochromosome gene content are functionally distinct. Synteny analysis indicates that large microchromosome blocks are conserved among closely related species, whereas macrochromosomes show evidence of frequent fusion and fission events among reptiles, even between closely related species.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate dynamic karyotypic evolution across Reptilia, with frequent inferred splits, fusions, and rearrangements that have resulted in shuffling of chromosomal blocks between macrochromosomes and microchromosomes. Our analyses also provide new evidence for distinct gene content and chromosomal structure between microchromosomes and macrochromosomes within reptiles.

35 years behind the scenes: range extension of the rare Gro’s manticore, Morunasaurus groi (Squamata, Hoplocercidae), in Colombia

Morunasaurus is a genus of Neotropical iguanid lizards of the family Hoplocercidae, inhabiting Central and northwestern South America. Their phylogenetic relationships are not completely clear but being presumably paraphyletic. Its type species, M. groi, is very rare, known only from two single localities and a handful of specimens. Here I report a new occurrence of this species for Colombia, which constitutes the southeastern record to the date, extending the species range by about 175 km and 510 m altitudinally. Additionally, I discuss about the intraspecific differences in coloration between Panamanian and Colombian specimens.

The Diversity and Adaptive Evolution of Visual Photopigments in Reptiles

Reptiles are a highly diverse class that consists of snakes, geckos, iguanid lizards, and chameleons among others. Given their unique phylogenetic position in relation to both birds and mammals, re ...

A New Species of Lizard Endemic to Sierra de Fiambalá, Northwestern Argentina (Iguania: Liolaemidae: Phymaturus). Integrated Taxonomy Using Morphology and DNA Sequences: Reporting Variation Within the antofagastensis Lineage.

The northernmost distributed group of lizards belonging to Phymaturus occurs in rocky outcrops of the Puna region between 3600-4200 m in Argentina. In a recent phylogenetic study based on morphological and genetic information, the monophyly of this small lineage was corroborated. This group is formed by Phymaturus antofagastensis, P. laurenti, P. denotatus, P. mallimaccii and a population of uncertain taxonomic status until the present study. After obtaining new samples and observations, we described a new species belonging to this lineage that is known only from Sierra de Fiambalá, being the species of Phymaturus living at the highest elevation ever recorded (4500 m). Males have a homogeneous yellow dorsum and lack melanic coloration over their heads, a phenomenon found in males of most species of the palluma group. We provide a detailed diagnosis, including characters from the squamation, coloration and significant differences found among continuous characters (ANOVA). Furthermore, we present genetic distances among members of the mallimaccii subclade based on sequences of the cytb marker. We provide color photos showing pattern variation of males and females. We reanalyze the phylogenetic relationships within the entire palluma group and update info on all members of the antofagastensis lineage based on new samples and make a better supported hypothesis. We also evaluate the phylogenetic position of the new taxon.

The True Identity of the New World Iguanid Lizard Liolaemus chillanensis Müller and Hellmich 1932 (Iguania: Liolaemidae) and Description of a New Species in the Liolaemus elongatus Group.

Jaime Troncoso-Palacios, Damien Esquerré, Félix A. Urra, Hugo A. Díaz, Carlos Castro-Pastene, and María Soledad Ruiz (2018) Liolaemus is a particularly species-rich radiation of New World iguanid lizards from southern South America. Thanks to intense systematic and taxonomic research, the knowledge on its species- level diversity has increased rapidly over the past several years. The L. elongatus species-complex has received considerable attention and a remarkable case is Liolaemus chillanensis, a name that has been used for two different species that are sympatric in Termas de Chillán, central Chile. Since the holotype is lost, we propose that the first step to identify the true L. chillanensis is through the analysis of the original description. Then we provide a morphological and molecular characterization of L. chillanensis based on topotypes and a description of the taxon previously confused with it.

Amphibians and reptiles of the state of Durango, Mexico, with comparisons with adjoining states.

A summary of the species of amphibians and reptiles of Durango, as well as their geographic distributions, habitat, and conservation status have been compiled. The herpetofauna of Durango consists of 36 species of amphibians and 120 species of reptiles. Durango shares the most species with Chihuahua (74.0%), and shares fewer species with Sinaloa (48.0%), Nayarit (48.7%), and Coahuila (48.0%). Arid-semiarid and Sierras habitat types have the most species, with valleys and Quebradas habitat types having fewer species. In Durango, there are several taxa of particular conservation concern including eleutherodactylid frogs, eublepharid, iguanid, phrynosomatid, and xantusid lizards, boid, colubrid, and natricid snakes, and emydid and testudinid turtles.

Caudal autotomy as anti-predatory behaviour in Palaeozoic reptiles

Many lizards can drop a portion of their tail in response to an attack by a predator, a behaviour known as caudal autotomy. The capacity for intravertebral autotomy among modern reptiles suggests that it evolved in the lepidosaur branch of reptilian evolution, because no such vertebral features are known in turtles or crocodilians. Here we present the first detailed evidence of the oldest known case of caudal autotomy, found only among members of the Early Permian captorhinids, a group of ancient reptiles that diversified extensively and gained a near global distribution before the end-Permian mass extinction event of the Palaeozoic. Histological and SEM evidence show that these early reptiles were the first amniotes that could autotomize their tails, likely as an anti-predatory behaviour. As in modern iguanid lizards, smaller captorhinids were able to drop their tails as juveniles, presumably as a mechanism to evade a predator, whereas larger individuals may have gradually lost this ability. Caudal autotomy in captorhinid reptiles highlights the antiquity of this anti-predator behaviour in a small member of a terrestrial community composed predominantly of larger amphibian and synapsid predators.

Contribución al conocimiento de los nemátodos que parasitan a los reptiles de México. II. Sobre una nueva fisalóptera parásita de iguánidos ( Sceloporus torquatus torquatus Wiegmann, 1828)

A new Physalapteran, Skrjabinopfera (Didelphysoma) scelopori , a parasite of the iguanid lizard Scetoporus torquatus torquatus Wieg., 1828 is described. The new species differs from the other known species in the position of the cervical papillae and of the excretory pare; by the number and general arrangement of the caudal papillae and of the cuticular plates on the ventral surface of the caudal pouch; in the shape of the latter; and in the length of the spicules.

Phylogeographic history of Patagonian lizards of theLiolaemus elongatuscomplex (Iguania: Liolaemini) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences

Fil: Medina, Cintia Debora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagonico. Instituto Patagonico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; Argentina

A new species of iguanid lizard, genus Stenocercus (Squamata, Iguania), from the Central Andes in Peru.

We describe a new species of Stenocercus from the montane forest of the right margin of the Marañón river in the northern portion of the Central Andes in northern Peru (Amazonas and La Libertad departments), at elevations ranging from 2300 to 3035 m. Stenocercus omari sp. nov. differs from other Stenocercus species, with the exception of S. amydrorhytus, S. chrysopygus, S. cupreus, S. johaberfellneri, S. latebrosus, S. melanopygus, S. modestus, S. ornatissimus, S. orientalis, and S. stigmosus, by having granular scales on the posterior surfaces of thighs, a conspicuous antehumeral fold and by lacking a vertebral crest. However, Stenocercus omari sp. nov. is easily distinguished from the aforementioned species, except S. orientalis, by the presence of prominently keeled dorsal head scales. The new species differs from S. orientalis by lacking a prominent oblique neck fold and by having a distinct deep postfemoral mite pocket.

Discovery of two new species of Phymaturus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from Patagonia, Argentina, and occurrence of melanism in the patagonicus group

Comprehensive studies recently published on the evolution and systematics of Phymaturus (morphological and molecular ones, respectively) revealed not only a historical pattern and subclades within the traditional palluma and patagonicus groups but also a still not fully understood unsuspected diversity. Several populations in northern and southern Argentina may represent independent lineages that deserve formal description. Two of these populations were studied in the present contribution and are easily distinguished from all the other species in the genus. One of these populations is from Rio Negro province and belongs to the patagonicus group; it exhibits a particular dorsal colouration pattern and several individuals are melanic, a characteristic never reported before for the genus, with the exception of P. tenebrosus . A careful examination of melanic individuals revealed the same dorsal pattern as that of non-melanic ones, although it is hidden. We also report the discovery of melanic individuals of two other species that are probably closely related: P. ceii and P. sitesi . The melanism found in the patagonicus group differs from the head melanism of males in certain species of the palluma group because in the former group melanism is not ruled by sexual dimorphism and involves the whole animal. The other population studied in this contribution belongs to the palluma group and is described as a new species because its colour pattern and scalation differ from those of all the other members of the palluma group. Finally, we discuss the position of these new lizard species in the context of the available phylogenetic hypothesis and the occurrence and evolution of melanism in the patagonicus group.

An Overview of Reptile Fungal Pathogens in the Genera Nannizziopsis, Paranannizziopsis, and Ophidiomyces

Abstract Two recent molecular analyses of morphologically similar fungal isolates formerly grouped under the appellation “Chrysosporium anamorph of Nannizziopsis vriesii (CANV) complex” led to major taxonomic revisions and revealed new insights into the biology of these reptile pathogens. All CANV-complex isolates differed from N. vriesii and were assigned to 16 species, either within Nannizziopsis or within the new genera Paranannizziopsis and Ophidiomyces, and 14 of these species were newly described. From these revisions, a trend in host specificity clearly emerged that was not previously apparent. Nannizziopsis now includes nine species associated with chamaeleonid, gekkonid, cordylid, teiid, agamid, and iguanid lizards; crocodiles; and human hosts. Paranannizziopsis includes four species that infect squamates and tuataras. Ophidiomyces, with the single species Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (formerly Chrysosporium ophiodiicola), is only associated with terrestrial or semiaquatic snakes. Nannizziopsi guarr...

New genus and species names for the Eocene lizard Cadurcogekko rugosus Augé, 2005.

Cadurcogekko rugosus Augé, 2005 was described as a gekkotan lizard from the Eocene of France. A revision of the material has revealed that the holotype, a nearly complete dentary, actually belongs to a scincid lizard, for which we erect the new genus Gekkomimus. The rest of material originally referred to C. rugosus is of undoubted gekkotan nature and is included in the new species Cadurcogekko verus, with the exception of a partial left dentary belonging to the iguanid lizard Cadurciguana hoffstetteri.

Unidirectional flow in lizard lungs: a paradigm shift in our understanding of lung evolution in Diapsida

Conventional wisdom has held that unidirectional pulmonary airflow is unique to birds and is an adaption enabling high rates of gas exchange, essential for sustaining flight as well as an endothermic metabolism. Recent visualizations and measurements of flow in the lungs of monitor and iguanid lizards show a bird-like pattern of unidirectional flow in these lineages. These findings call for a paradigm shift in our understanding of lung evolution in diapsids. This pattern of flow is not unique to birds. It is much older than previously believed, and it may be advantageous to the low-energy lifestyles typical of ectothermic animals.

The missing leopard lizard: Liolaemus ubaghsi sp. nov., a new species of the leopardinus clade (Reptilia: Squamata: Liolaemidae) from the Andes of the O'Higgins Region in Chile.

Liolaemus is an extremely species rich genus of iguanid lizards from southern South America. Most of the diversity though is found in the Andes Cordillera, between Argentina and Chile<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3619.1.3">. Here we describe </a>Liolaemus ubaghsi sp. nov., from El Teniente Mine, in the Andean mountains of the O'Higgins Region in Chile. This species pr<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10635150701701083">esents scalation </a>and pattern traits that belong to the leopardinus clade, a group of viviparous, high altitude lizards that inhabit the mountain ranges surrounding Santiago City. The species of this clade in turn belong to the Andean and Patagonian elongatus-kriegi complex. Liolaemus ubaghsi sp. nov. has been previously recognized as L. leopardinus and L. elongatus, nevertheless we present diagnostic traits that allow us to describe it as a new species. It mainly differs from the rest of the leopardinus clade (L. leopardinus, L. ramonensis, L. valdesianus and L. frassinettii) by having the following unique combination of traits: ochre background coloration, a wide dark occipital stripe, dark flanks, white dots dispersed on the dorsum, absence of leopard-like spots and enlarged infralabial scales.

Cretaceous park of sex determination: sex chromosomes are conserved across iguanas

Many poikilothermic vertebrate lineages, especially among amphibians and fishes, possess a rapid turnover of sex chromosomes, while in endotherms there is a notable stability of sex chromosomes. Reptiles in general exhibit variability in sex-determining systems; as typical poikilotherms, they might be expected to have a rapid turnover of sex chromosomes. However, molecular data which would enable the testing of the stability of sex chromosomes are lacking in most lineages. Here, we provide molecular evidence that sex chromosomes are highly conserved across iguanas, one of the most species-rich clade of reptiles. We demonstrate that members of the New World families Iguanidae, Tropiduridae, Leiocephalidae, Phrynosomatidae, Dactyloidae and Crotaphytidae, as well as of the family Opluridae which is restricted to Madagascar, all share homologous sex chromosomes. As our sampling represents the majority of the phylogenetic diversity of iguanas, the origin of iguana sex chromosomes can be traced back in history to the basal splitting of this group which occurred during the Cretaceous period. Iguanas thus show a stability of sex chromosomes comparable to mammals and birds and represent the group with the oldest sex chromosomes currently known among amniotic poikilothermic vertebrates.

Molecular Characterization of Reptile Pathogens Currently Known as Members of the Chrysosporium Anamorph of Nannizziopsis vriesii Complex and Relationship with Some Human-Associated Isolates

In recent years, the Chrysosporium anamorph of Nannizziopsis vriesii (CANV), Chrysosporium guarroi, Chrysosporium ophiodiicola, and Chrysosporium species have been reported as the causes of dermal or deep lesions in reptiles. These infections are contagious and often fatal and affect both captive and wild animals. Forty-nine CANV isolates from reptiles and six isolates from human sources were compared with N. vriesii based on their cultural characteristics and DNA sequence data. Analyses of the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal gene revealed that the reptile pathogens and human isolates belong in well-supported clades corresponding to three lineages that are distinct from all other taxa within the family Onygenaceae of the order Onygenales. One lineage represents the genus Nannizziopsis and comprises N. vriesii, N. guarroi, and six additional species encompassing isolates from chameleons and geckos, crocodiles, agamid and iguanid lizards, and humans. Two other lineages comprise the genus Ophidiomyces, with the species Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola occurring only in snakes, and Paranannizziopsis gen. nov., with three new species infecting squamates and tuataras. The newly described species are Nannizziopsis dermatitidis, Nannizziopsis crocodili, Nannizziopsis barbata, Nannizziopsis infrequens, Nannizziopsis hominis, Nannizziopsis obscura, Paranannizziopsis australasiensis, Paranannizziopsis californiensis, and Paranannizziopsis crustacea. Chrysosporium longisporum has been reclassified as Paranannizziopsis longispora. N. guarroi causes yellow fungus disease, a common infection in bearded dragons and green iguanas, and O. ophiodiicola is an emerging pathogen of captive and wild snakes. Human-associated species were not recovered from reptiles, and reptile-associated species were recovered only from reptiles, thereby mitigating concerns related to zoonosis.

Fecundity in Captivity of the Green Anoles,Anolis carolinensis, Established on the Ogasawara Islands

The iguanid lizard, green anole Anolis carolinensis, has currently established breeding colonies on several tropical and subtropical Pacific islands. In the Ogasawara Islands, predation by the green anole has collapsed the endemic insect community. Now that the Ogasawara Islands have been inscribed on the World Heritage List as a natural heritage by UNESCO, it is necessary to study the current status and ecological aspects of the green anole there to improve the effectiveness of control efforts. When planning population management for an alien species, information regarding its fecundity (number of eggs laid per female per year) is essential. This species lays only one egg at a time, but lays multiple times during an extensive reproductive season each year. It is therefore difficult to estimate fecundity by ordinary methods, such as gonadal examination by necropsy. In the present study, we maintained 10 female anoles from Chichijima Island in indoor captivity under conditions similar to those of the Ogasawara Islands to record their egg-laying conditions. Egg-laying occurred from April to October with a peak in August, during which each female laid 0.95 eggs/week on an average. The average number of eggs laid by a female in a year was 13.7. Sites selected for laying were spaces between the leaves of ferns and in hollows on the ground. We consider that for efficient control of this species, we should intensively hunt females in April, before their egg-laying frequency begins to increase.