Liophis Miliaris Research Articles

Oxygen dissociation constants in haemoglobins of Helicops modestus and Liophis miliaris, two water-snakes with different morphological adaptations to their aquatic environment

1. 1.Both Helicops modestus and Liophis miliaris. Brasilian water snakes with different degrees of aquatic adaptations, present 3 haemoglobin components identified by starch-gel electrophoresis and separated by DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and CM-cellulose chromatography respectively. 2. 2.Some functional properties of their haemoglobins were determined. Both the oxygen affinity 1.0mmHg at pH 7) and the alcaline Bohr effect value (−0.07) of the stripped haemoglobins of the more aquatic species H. modestus were higher than those of L. miliaris (1.4mmHg and −0.30 respectively). 3. 3.The ATP effect on both haemoglobin-oxygen affinity and Bohr effect was more pronounced in L. miliaris haemoglobins. The values found were 17.8mmHg at pH 7 and −0.9; in H. modestus. they were 8.93 mmHg and −0.55. 4. 4.Nucleotide triphosphate concentrations were determined as 2.84 mmHg in H. modrstus and 2.65 mM in L. miliaris (whole blood); haemoglobin concentrations were 6.14mM and 4.21 mM (as haem), respectively. The physiological implications of these results are discussed.

Heavy shoulder DNA in snakes.

Previous studies have suggested that the microchromosomes of birds may contain a distinct type of DNA termed heavy shoulder DNA. To examine whether a similar relationship might hold for the microchromosomes in snakes, <i>Boa constrictor, Cieiia occipitolutea, </i>and <i>Liophis miliaris </i>were examined. Although these possess 20, 36, and 0 microchromosomes respectively, only <i>Boa constrictor </i>had significant amounts of heavy shoulder DNA.

Body Size and Metabolic Rate in Salamanders

Body Size and Metabolic Rate in Salamanders

Comparative Effects of Hypoxia on Respiratory and Cardiac Function in Reptiles

reptiles show similar organ system responses to hypoxia and, by doing so, determine the relative importance of organ system responses compared to anaerobiosis in making the turtles so resistant. Accordingly, studies were made in snakes, lizards, and an alligator, of the effects of decreasing levels of ambient oxygen upon oxygen uptake, breathing rate, and heart rate. Certain analyses were also made of changes in duration of parts of the cardiac cycle.

A First Record for an Amazonian Snake Similar to the Eastern Brazilian Liophis miliaris (Linne)

A First Record for an Amazonian Snake Similar to the Eastern Brazilian Liophis miliaris (Linne)