Lizard Agama Research Articles

Physiological responses of Lizard, Toad and Pigeon during rainy season in tropical savanna climate

BackgroundThis study investigated the adaptation mechanisms of Pigeons, Toads and Lizards during the rainy season in tropical savanna climates. Male Agama Lizards (Agama agama), Afep Pigeons (Columba unicincta) and Toads (Sclerophrys perreti) were captured at a location in Ibadan, Oyo state. Five (5) Lizards marked: L1 to L5, Afep Pigeons marked: B1 to B5 and Toads marked: T1 to T5. Each of the animals was manually constrained within six to eight hours of capture, and a 1.0-ml syringe was used to obtain blood from the heart or coccygeal vein. Blood samples were collected in an EDTA and plain bottle, respectively. Plasma and sera samples were separated by centrifugation at − 4 °C using a cold centrifuge and then analysed for creatinine, urea, glucose, Mg+, k+, Cl−, Na+, albumin, TP, ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, MDA, SOD, CAT, GSH and haematological parameters. Cervical dislocation was performed on the animals before organs such as kidneys and liver were collected from each of the animals. Each organ collected from each animal was placed in separate plain tubes (filled with phosphate buffer).ResultThe Pigeon had higher body temperature, urea, glucose, ALP, PCV, haemoglobin concentration, neutrophil and triglyceride compared to the Lizard and Toad, while the Toad had higher Na+, Mg+ and Cl−, basophil and monocytes compared to Pigeon and Lizard and the Lizard has higher creatinine, lymphocyte and cholesterol compared to the Pigeon and Toad. On the liver oxidative stress markers, the Pigeon has higher superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione compared to the Lizard and Toad, while the Toad has higher MDA and catalase compared to the Pigeon and Lizard. On the kidney oxidative stress markers, the Pigeon has higher MDA compared to the Lizard and Toad, while the Toad has higher catalase than the Pigeon and Lizard.ConclusionsFrom this study, the elevated level of lymphocytes in Lizard and eosinophil, basophil and monocytes in Toad suggests that Lizards and Toad are more vulnerable to inflammation. The high value of cholesterol in Lizard and triglyceride in Pigeon as observed in this study may relate to the degree of stress. Also, the activation of antioxidant systems under comparative study is a part of the survival strategy of animals like amphibians, reptiles and aves when facing environmental problems.

Species divergence in valleys: the phylogeny of Phrynocephalus forsythii complex and description of a new species.

Geographic isolation caused by high-altitude valleys promotes the formation of geographic segregation of species, leading to species differentiation. The subgenus Oreosaura contains viviparous species from the Tibetan Plateau and the vicinity of the Tarim Basin, which can be divided into three species complexes according to their geographical distribution: Phrynocephalus vlangalii, Phrynocephalus theobaldi, and Phrynocephalus forsythii. However, molecular data for the P. forsythii complex are limited and the diversity of this species complex has been greatly underestimated. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the species diversity of Oreosaura and species differentiation within the P. forsythii complex. We analysed the species diversity of Oreosaura by combining previous data, constructed a phylogenetic tree of the subgenus based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S sequences, and estimated the divergence time. The results suggest significant genetic differences between the Tarim Basin populations and adjacent mountain valley populations of the P. forsythii complex and that the combination of deep valley landscapes in the high mountains and ice-age events have contributed to the differentiation of the viviparous toad-headed agama lizard, which is a key factor in the phylogenetics of the P. forsythii complex. Furthermore, we identified a population collected from Wuqia County, Xinjiang, as a new species, Phrynocephalus kangsuensis sp. nov. The results will provide data for phylogenetic studies following the P. forsythii complex and help demonstrate that valleys promote the formation of Phrynocephalus species.

The costs of living in the city: influence of urbanization on the trophic niche and body condition of the African rainbow lizard Agama picticauda

The costs of living in the city: influence of urbanization on the trophic niche and body condition of the African rainbow lizard Agama picticauda

Mismatches between phenotype and environment shape fitness at hyperlocal scales.

In the era of human-driven climate change, understanding whether behavioural buffering of temperature change is linked with organismal fitness is essential. According to the 'cost-benefit' model of thermoregulation, animals that live in environments with high frequencies of favourable thermal microclimates should incur lower thermoregulatory costs, thermoregulate more efficiently and shunt the associated savings in time and energy towards other vital tasks such as feeding, territory defence and mate acquisition, increasing fitness. Here, we explore how thermal landscapes at the scale of individual territories, physiological performance and behaviour interact and shape fitness in the southern rock agama lizard (Agama atra). We integrated laboratory assays of whole organism performance with behavioural observations in the field, fine-scale estimates of environmental temperature, and paternity assignment of offspring to test whether fitness is predicted by territory thermal quality (i.e. the number of hours that operative temperatures in a territory fall within an individual's performance breadth). Male lizards that occupied territories of low thermal quality spent more time behaviourally compensating for sub-optimal temperatures and displayed less. Further, display rate was positively associated with lizard fitness, suggesting that there is an opportunity cost to engaging in thermoregulatory behaviour that will change as climate change progresses.

Haematological indices of rainbow agama lizards in Zaria, Nigeria

Haematological indices of rainbow agama lizards in Zaria, Nigeria

A Multilevel Assessment of Plasticity in Response to High-Altitude Environment for Agama Lizards

Upslope range shifting has been documented in diverse species in response to global warming. Plasticity, which refers to the ability of organisms to alter their phenotypes in changing environments, is crucial for the survival of those that newly migrated to a high-altitude environment. The scope and mechanisms of plasticity across biological levels, however, have rarely been examined. We used two agama lizards (genus Phrynocephalus) as model systems and a transplant experiment to comprehensively assess their plasticity on multiple organization levels. Two low-altitude (934 m) agama species, Phrynocephalus axillaris (oviparous) and P. forsythii (viviparous), were transplanted to a high-altitude site (3,400 m). After acclimation for 6 weeks in seminatural enclosures, plasticity was measured from bite force, tail display behavior, gene expression, and metabolome. Both lizards were capable of acclimating to the high-altitude environment without sacrificing their performance in bite force, but they also showed high plasticity in tail display behavior by either decreasing the intensity of a specific display component (P. forsythii) or by the trade-off between display components (P. axillaris). Genes and metabolites associated with lipids, especially fatty acid metabolism, exhibited significant differentiation in expression, compared to individuals from their native habitats. Improved fatty acid storage and metabolism appeared to be a common response among animals at high altitudes. Despite distinct reproductive modes that may differ in response to physiological pressure, the two lizards demonstrated high concordance in plasticity when they faced a novel environment at high altitudes. Taken together, lizards likely acclimate to high-altitude environments by reducing behavioral activity and increasing energy efficiency after range shifting. Our results provide new insights into our understanding of phenotypic plasticity and its importance in today’s changing climate.

Gastrointestinal parasites of three peri-domestic animals in selected areas in Accra, Ghana

BackgroundThe rapidly increasing rodent and lizard populations in human dwellings and markets could be attributed to the destruction of their natural habitats due to rapid urbanization and poor management of urban wastes that attracts these animals. The public health concern is the potential for these animals to influence the transmission of zoonotic diseases, including helminths. In this study, the occurrence of helminth parasites in the gastrointestinal tract of rodents and lizards was determined.ResultsOf the 34 rodents, 61.8% (21/34) were observed to be infected with one (1) or more of Toxascaris sp., Isospora sp., Hymenolepis sp., Trichuris sp., Ascaris sp., or Taenia sp. Out of these, 17.6% (6/34) had single parasite infections, while 44.1% (15/34) had multiple infections of Enterobius sp., Ascaris sp., and hookworm in various combinations. Of all the Agama lizards, 54.2% (26/48) had single parasite infections compared to 18.8%, which had multiple infections. The most common parasite infection in the Agama lizards was Enterobius sp. with a mean of 7.0 ova per lizard, followed by Ascaris sp., (mean ova = 2.7) and hookworm (mean ova = 0.3) at the Legon Campus. Similarly, for Adumanya, mean ova counts were 3.9, 0.4, and 0.8, respectively, for the three helminths detected. The common parasite found in both rodents and the Agama lizards was Ascaris sp. with adults having higher burdens compared to the juveniles.ConclusionsThis study identified helminth parasites, which share the same genus as those observed to infect humans. Since these animals are ubiquitous in human dwellings and markets in Ghana, there could be a potential risk of transmission of these helminths and other disease-causing agents. We are, however, uncertain whether these agents can survive in the human digestive system to cause disease.

Dumpsters and other anthropogenic structures as habitat for invasive African rock agama lizards in Florida

Invasive species often use habitat differently than native species and can benefit by occupying underutilized habitats during the invasion process. The Peter’s Rock Agama (Agama picticauda)—native to savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa—is successfully invading urban habitats in Florida, USA. During a field trip in urban southern Florida, we observed apparently high A. picticauda abundance around dumpsters used for human refuse, potentially because dumpsters provide refuge, thermoregulatory opportunities, abundant arthropod prey, and harbor few competitors. In this study, we surveyed abundance and built resource selection functions to better understand habitat use of A. picticauda in urban southern Florida. We tested whether hypothesized habitat features predictably influenced the abundance and occupancy of A. picticauda among sites and whether individuals used specific habitat features within sites. Across sites, we found A. picticauda abundance was positively correlated with the number of dumpsters, and, within sites, dumpsters were preferentially selected as habitat. Similarly, we also found two other anthropogenic structures, building crevices and electrical units, were positively selected habitats at population and individual scales. We hypothesize that dumpsters, crevices, and electrical units are selected resources because they are underutilized habitats by other species and they provide refuge, beneficial thermoregulatory opportunities, and in the case of dumpsters, foraging opportunities. Our study provides the first quantitative assessment of urban habitat use by non-native A. picticauda, and supports the importance of human structures as habitat. Our results suggest the intriguing possibility that the A. picticauda invasion in Florida may be exploiting a vacant niche in urban habitats during the invasion process.

From diurnal to nocturnal activity: a case study of night-light niche expansion in Agama agama lizards

Most species of lizard are either diurnal or nocturnal, and it is extremely rare to find species that operate both diurnally and nocturnally, or that may shift from diurnality to partial nocturnality when conditions allow. However, niche expansion from diurnal to nocturnal habits (often referred to as the night-light niche) has rarely been reported in lizards (mainly in Anoles), and mostly through anecdotal reports. In West Africa, the rainbow lizard Agama agama is a conspicuous species across the region but also lives in suburban areas of towns and villages. It is a diurnal sun-basker operating at relatively high body temperatures of 36 °C and higher. In this paper, we describe a night-light niche expansion, i.e. nocturnal foraging and thermoregulation, in a small number of A. agama populations living in suburban areas. These lizards utilised radiant heat from incandescent light bulbs situated on the walls of buildings to mostly achieve target body temperatures and forage for and fed on five different groups of invertebrates. Foraging lizards had significantly higher body temperatures than inactive lizards. However, variance in body temperature was significantly greater in foraging lizards than in inactive lizards probably due to the necessity to shuttle between the incandescent night lights and cooler foraging areas during activity, a known cost of thermoregulation. Regression analysis of body temperatures against time of night in foraging lizards supported the notion that the lizards were maintaining body temperatures by actively thermoregulating whilst in inactive non-basking resting lizards during the same time period body temperatures declined. Although our results indicate a potential thermoregulatory benefit from using the night-light shift, we cannot be certain that this benefit is the direct cause of the shift, rather than an additional advantage when foraging.

Life in the suburbs: artificial heat source selection for nocturnal thermoregulation in a diurnally active tropical lizard

Abstract. The rapid expansion of urban environments invariably presents a novel series of pressures on wildlife due to changes in external environmental factors. In reptiles, any such changes in temperature are critical since thermoregulation is the key driver in the function of many physiological processes. How reptiles adapt to such changes may vary from those species that are impacted negatively to others that have the behavioural flexibility to exploit new conditions. In this paper we describe retreat site selection, movements and aspects of the thermal ecology of the African lizard Agama agama in urban environments of West Africa. In early evening lizards began movement from late-afternoon core activity areas and ascended the walls of houses for overnight retreats. A high proportion retreated to locations in groups under or on top of warm electrical panels. The thermal potential these panels offered was the attainment of body temperatures equal to or higher than the minimum preferred body temperature (PBT ≈ 36 ∘C in A. agama) and hence increased physiological performance. The lizards that took advantage of the heat sources travelled further each day to and from diurnal activity areas than individuals that spent the night high on walls but not next to heat panels. There were both potential costs (enhanced predation pressures) and benefits (impacts on thermal ecology, retreat site selection) of this behaviour for lizards living in urban environments.

Comparative Histomorphological and Morphometric Analysis of the Testes in Agama Lizard and Albino Wistar Rat

Comparative Histomorphological and Morphometric Analysis of the Testes in Agama Lizard and Albino Wistar Rat

No rapid and demarcating astroglial reaction to stab wounds in Agama and Gecko lizards and the caiman Paleosuchus - it is confined to birds and mammals.

The present study proves that rapid and demarcating astroglial reactions are confined to birds and mammals. To understand the function of post-lesion astroglial reaction, the phylogenetical aspects are also to be investigated. Considering the regenerative capabilities, reptiles represent an intermediate position between the brain regeneration-permissive fishes and amphibians and the almost non-permissive birds and mammals. Damage is followed by a rapid astroglial reaction in the mammalian and avian brain, which is held as an impediment of regeneration. In other vertebrates the reactions were usually observed following long survival periods together with signs of regeneration, therefore they can be regarded as concomitant phenomena of regeneration. The present study applies short post-lesion periods comparable to those seen in mammals and birds for astroglial reactions. Two species of lizards were used: gecko (leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, Blyth, 1854) and agama (bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps, Ahl, 1926). The gecko brain is rich in GFAP whereas the agama brain is quite poor in this. Crocodilia, the closest extant relatives of birds were represented in this study by Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus, Cuvier, 1807). The post-lesion astroglial reactions of crocodilians have never been investigated. The injuries were stab wounds in the telencephalon. The survival periods lasted 3, 7, 10 or 14 days. Immunoperoxidase reactions were performed applying anti-GFAP, anti-vimentin and anti-nestin reagents. No rapid and demarcating astroglial reaction resembling that of mammalian or avian brains was found. Alterations of the perivascular immunoreactivities of laminin and β-dystroglycan as indicators of glio-vascular decoupling proved that the lesions were effective on astroglia. The capability of rapid and demarcating astroglial reaction seems to be confined to mammals and birds and to appear by separate, parallel evolution in them.

Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Agama agama lizards are the most populous species of lizard in developing countries of African including Nigeria. These lizards are insectivores; they feed on insects and other arthropods, which may predispose them to different gastrointestinal parasitic infections, some of which are of zoonotic importance. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards trapped in and around commercial poultry houses in Gombe State, Nigeria. METHODS: The study was carried out between the months of February and December, 2017. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 200 humanly euthanized Agama agama lizards from six Local Government Areas of Gombe State. Samples were examined microscopically for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites eggs or adult worms. RESULTS: Gastrointestinal parasites were detected in 154 (77.0%) Agama agama lizards examined, comprising of 58% gastrointestinal helminthes ova and 19% coccidian oocytes. Six species of helminthes were encountered viz: Strongyluris species (25.5%), Trichuris species (13.5%), Oxyuris species (8.0%), Ascaris species (5.5%), Heterakis species (4.0%) and Capillaria species (1.5%) all belonging to the class Nematoda. Two coccidian species comprised of Eimeria (1.5%) and Isospora species (1.5%) were also encountered. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes was found to be significantly (p 0.05) in the male (19.4%) compared to the female (18.5%) infected lizards. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was found to be significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in the rainy season compared to the dry season of the study period. CONCLUSIONS: This study discovered helminthosis and coccidiosis in Agama agama lizards roaming in and around poultry pens in Gombe State. The occurrence of six helminthes and two coccidian species were recovered from infected Agama agama lizards, and prevalence rates of both parasites were significantly higher during the rainy season. Similar genus of gastrointestinal parasites detected in this study have been previously documented in man and domesticated birds. This suggests the association of Agama agama lizards in gastrointestinal parasites transmissions between susceptible hosts. Therefore, it is recommended that further studies involving molecular characterization and comparative studies of these gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards and domesticated birds should be carried out. It is also recommended that strict biosecurity should be maintained in and around commercial poultry houses to curb disease transmission by lizards or wild reptiles to birds.

Abundance and Morphometric Study of Some Lizards (Agama Lizard, Skinks and Wall Gecko) in the University Community in Nigeria: Obafemi Awolowo University as a Case Study

This study investigated the abundance and some morphometric parameters of lizards (Agama. agama, Hemadactylus. brookii, Trachylepis. affinis and Trachylepis. quinquetaeniata) in the University campus, Ile-Ife. The specimens were collected in five different locations in the University campus. The samples were collected with sweep nets in all the locations. A total of 624 specimen of lizards (324 of A. agama, 185 of H. brookii, 60 of T. affinis and 55 of T. quinquetaeniata) were caught in all the locations and external body measurement was carried out with the help of calliper. A. agama was found to be abundant in all the locations followed by H. brookii. The number of Skinks (T. affinis and T. quinquetaeniata) in the residential area was low but high in University parks and garden and markets. The morphometric parameters showed that A. agama was different in all the parameters measured compared to the rest specimens and it was expected since the specimens were not of the same family except the Skinks (T. affinis and T. quinquetaeniata). There were similarity in values of some of the measured body parts of H. brookii, T. affinis and T. quinquetaeniata. The Principal Components Analysis (PCA) showed that all the specimens differ in Tail length, Tail width, and Trunk length. In conclusion, the abundance of the Lizards in the University call for concern because their waste can contaminate food and cause infection since they are hosts to a number of parasites.

New record of Thubunaea pudica Seurat, 1914 (Spirurida: Physalopteridae) in lizard Trapelus mutabilis from Egypt

Background: Studies on nematode taxa remain poorly described in cold blooded animals, with rareness of data on the helminth community of Egyptian ones, especially lizards. The available literatures are mostly restricted to ecological studies rather than descriptive ones. Objective: To identify and give full description for nematodes that inhabit the Desert Agama, Trapelus mutabilis (T. mutabilis) caught from El-Dabaa desert, Egypt. Material and Methods: Nineteen Agama lizards having the characteristic morphological criteria of T. mutabilis were dissected and examined for parasitic infection. Gastrointestinal nematodes were collected, fixed and identified using light microscopy. Those subjected for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were dried, coated and examined. Results: Seven out of nineteen dissected lizards were found to be infected with the nematode Thubunaea pudica (T. pudica) (Family: Physalopteridae). They were collected from the stomach and small intestine of T. mutabilis. The main characteristics of adult T. pudica are: symmetrical anterior cephalic structure similar in both sexes, vulva is situated in the first tenth of the body, the tip of male tail ends beyond well-developed caudal alae with 32 true caudal papillae and two subequal stout spicules. Conclusion: The study added the first fully described details for T. pudica using both light and SEM. Moreover, T. mutabilis lizard represents a new host record for T. pudica in a new geographic locality El-Dabaa desert as there are no reports of this species recorded from Egypt.

Environmental temperature alters the overall digestive energetics and differentially affects dietary protein and lipid use in a lizard.

Processing food (e.g. ingestion, digestion, assimilation) requires energy referred to as specific dynamic action (SDA) and is at least partially fuelled by oxidation of the nutrients (e.g. proteins and lipids) within the recently ingested meal. In ectotherms, environmental temperature can affect the magnitude and/or duration of the SDA, but is likely to also alter the mixture of nutrients that are oxidized to cover these costs. Here, we examined metabolic rate, gut passage time, assimilation efficiency and fuel use in the lizard Agama atra digesting cricket meals at three ecologically relevant temperatures (20, 25 and 32°C). Crickets were isotopically enriched with 13C-leucine or 13C-palmitic-acid tracers to distinguish between protein and lipid oxidation, respectively. Our results show that higher temperatures increased the magnitude of the SDA peak (by 318% between 32 and 20°C) and gut passage rate (63%), and decreased the duration of the SDA response (by 20% for males and 48% for females). Peak rate of dietary protein oxidation occurred sooner than peak lipid oxidation at all temperatures (70, 60 and 31 h earlier for 20, 25 and 32°C, respectively). Assimilation efficiency of proteins, but not lipids, was positively related to temperature. Interestingly, the SDA response exhibited a notable circadian rhythm. These results show that temperature has a pronounced effect on digestive energetics in A.atra, and that this effect differs between nutrient classes. Variation in environmental temperatures may thus alter the energy budget and nutrient reserves of these animals.

Geographic variation in West African Agama picticauda: insights from genetics, morphology and ecology

ABSTRACTWest Africa is a region characterised by high species diversity and endemism, making it an ideal region to study the evolution of genetic and phenotypic differentiation. Species in this region often vary in morphology and genetics; however, the specific drivers of these differences have not been clearly identified. Focusing on populations in Ghana, we tested for correlations between geography, genetic diversity, morphology and ecology in the West African rainbow lizard (Agama picticauda). Genetic data were collected from 102 specimens using double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) and the final data matrix included 5 976 loci and 20 624 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Morphological data were collected from 42 specimens and included 6 meristic and 4 mensural characters. Ecological data were obtained from the WorldClim database to a resolution of 30 arcseconds. Population structure analyses supported up to five distinct populations of A. picticauda in Ghana. Discriminant function analyses were used to classify samples using the morphological data and ecological data. Ecology showed the strongest correlation with population genetic structure, whereas morphological data were only able to weakly differentiate three populations. We discuss the factors that might be responsible for correlations between phenotypes and genotypes in the context of A. picticauda natural history.

First-time isolation and quantification of Basidiobolus spp. from reptile faeces in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) using selective media.

Members of the genus Basidiobolus are potentially pathogenic fungi, known to cause mycoses in tropical and subtropical countries. Basidiobolus spp. can be associated with animals, and reptiles and amphibians are candidate vectors for the distribution of this fungus. The presence of Basidiobolus spp. was described for different reptiles in several African countries, although not for South Africa. In addition, quantitative data are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse faeces of selected South African reptiles for the presence and quantity of "viable Basidiobolus units." Faecal samples of gecko and agama lizards were collected and analysed using spread plating, with confirmation by PCR. The addition of dichloran and benomyl to standard fungal media improved the selectivity and allowed quantification of Basidiobolus spp. in reptile faeces. The amount of Basidiobolus spp. varied between 300 and 1.4×106 CFU per gram of pooled gecko faeces, which mostly corresponds to >1000CFU per outside dropping and <100CFU per inside dropping. About 60% of analysed agama faeces carried Basidiobolus spp., ranging from 150 to 1.2×105 CFU per dropping. Our results show for the first time that faeces of South African reptiles frequently carry Basidiobolus spp., confirming that they can contribute to the distribution of this fungus.

Comparative Histologic Evaluation of Vertebrate Ovaries

Comparative Anatomy is a subspecialty of Anatomical Sciences that deals with/involves the possible existing structural relatedness in organisms. By careful description of specific structures, organs or systems, comparisons are made that draw similarities or differences between organs. The aim of this area in Anatomy was to provide evolutionary or adaptive explanations for detected characteristics – including maintaining the ancestral line.Materials and MethodsPermission for this descriptive and observational study was obtained from the research and ethics committee of the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, Delta State University, Abraka (Number DELSU/CHS/ANA/118). Five female animals of the vertebrate class were used for the study (one from each vertebrate class). The animals included: cat fish (Clariasgariepinus); toad (Bufobufo); agama lizard (Agama agama); domestic chicken (Gallus gallusdomesticus) and the Wistar rat (Rattusnorvegicus).ResultsAll the studied vertebrates except mammals showed growth and maturation of several follicles confirming the characteristic of multiple gestation characteristic of these animals. The phases of growth were very similar in all of the studied organisms. These follicles were disposed in a fibrous stroma capable of influencing the activity of the ovary, Lacunae were only found in birds and mammals.ConclusionThe index study revealed several significant findings especially the occurrence of multiple stages of germ cell development in the female vertebrate gonads. These observations provided a vivid histologic basis for the argument of a common ancestral origin of the animal phylum albeit against the background of extensive impact of adaptational factors.

Assessing the role of aridity-induced vicariance and ecological divergence in species diversification in North-West Africa using Agama lizards

Assessing the role of aridity-induced vicariance and ecological divergence in species diversification in North-West Africa using Agama lizards