Monitor Lizards Research Articles

Fireflies May Transform Damodar Based Banka-Siphon As Eco-Tourism Spot: Focused Ecological Foot Print Biodiversity Conservation Natural Resources Socio-Economic Management Ecosystems Improving Environmental Policy

The Damodar River (DR) based in Kanchannagar, Burdwan Town, West Bengal, India attached to Eden Canal (EC) and Banka-SiphonDam (BSD) of Banka River (BR) covering we surveyed first time covering 10-12 km sq km area, is the oldest enriched habitat of different flora- and faunal- diversity with large population densities of biological light producing insect, fireflies that attract nature lovers and tourists for their ability to make rhythmic synchronous flashing light in 45 years ago. But fireflies were decreasing gradually due to the oldest diurnal tourist spots and modern artificial lighting; coming massive tourists, picnic parties with large sound systems, killing of wild animals, cutting the trees, disturbing, catching, unethical human behaviours, and urbanization nearby badly affected ‘Nocturnal Biodiversity specially Fireflies’, and it adversely affects the environment (Water, Sanitation and Ecology) and societal problems. On the other hand, it is well known that fireflies are the most charismatic beetles with attractive bioluminescent courtship displays that have recently been swept onto the global stage of nature tourism, especially the ‘Nocturnal Natural Fireflies Eco-Tourism’. To overcome it, the main aims and objectives are to survey the densest firefly population zone with nocturnal biodiversity for the focus and establishment of the ‘Nocturnal Firefly Eco-Tourism Spot’, and provide suggestions for future tourist behaviour to minimize the impact on firefly populations with nocturnal biodiversity. All the child scientists of Kanchannagar D. N. Das High School will engage and get scope to identify the prospects and study of management of land, water and living resources promoting wildlife conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way, and can also study the ecosystem management. They observed that the highest firefly populations with nocturnal biodiversity in the ‘Banka Siphon Dam’. The main animals in the night were the foxes, grey-coloured water monitor lizards, turtles, fishing cats, civet cats, barn owls, and even migratory birds. One white-coloured fox was seen in the BS. It may be enriched by planting plans and management of water bodies and land that focus recommendations of firefly tourist sites that can enhance the visitor experience, protect natural resources, and socio-economic benefit of local communities, and help promote the conservation of wildlife biodiversity and research also improving ‘World Policy’. The perfect ecological balance of fireflies with water, land and vegetation may develop any ‘Future-SocioEconomic-Nocturnal Eco-Tourist-Spot’. So, it may tell, “Fireflies May Transform Damodar-Based Banka-Siphon As Eco-Tourism Spot Focusing Ecological Foot Print Biodiversity Conservation Natural Resources Socio-Economic Management Ecosystems Improving World Environmental Policy! And Emerging Fireflies Eco-Tourism Economies Need Much More Private Financing for Climate Transition.

Animal robots in the African wilderness: Lessons learned and outlook for field robotics.

In early 2016, we had the opportunity to test a pair of sprawling posture robots, one designed to mimic a crocodile and another designed to mimic a monitor lizard, along the banks of the Nile River in Uganda, Africa. These robots were developed uniquely for a documentary by the BBC called Spy in the Wild and fell at the intersection of our interests in developing robots to study animals and robots for disaster response and other missions in challenging environments. The documentary required that these robots not only walk and swim in the same harsh, natural environments as the animals that they were modeled on and film up close but also move and even look exactly like the real animals from an aesthetic perspective. This pushed us to take a fundamentally different approach to the design and building of biorobots compared with our typical laboratory-residing robots, in addition to collaborating with sculpting artists to enhance our robots' aesthetics. The robots needed to be designed on the basis of a systematic study of data on the model specimens, be fabricated rapidly, and be reliable and robust enough to handle what the wild would throw at them. Here, we share the research efforts of this collaboration, the design specifications of the robots' hardware and software, the lessons learned from testing these robots in the field first hand, and how the eye-opening experience shaped our subsequent work on disaster response robotics and biorobotics for challenging amphibious scenarios.

It's a trap?! Escape from an ancient, ancestral sex chromosome system and implication of Foxl2 as the putative primary sex-determining gene in a lizard (Anguimorpha; Shinisauridae).

Although sex determination is ubiquitous in vertebrates, mechanisms of sex determination vary from environmentally to genetically influenced. In vertebrates, genetic sex determination is typically accomplished with sex chromosomes. Groups like mammals maintain conserved sex chromosome systems, while sex chromosomes in most vertebrate clades are not conserved across similar evolutionary timescales. One group inferred to have an evolutionarily stable mode of sex determination is Anguimorpha, a clade of charismatic taxa including monitor lizards, Gila monsters, and crocodile lizards. The common ancestor of extant anguimorphs possessed a ZW system that has been retained across the clade. However, the sex chromosome system in the endangered, monotypic family of crocodile lizards (Shinisauridae) has remained elusive. Here, we analyze genomic data to demonstrate that Shinisaurus has replaced the ancestral anguimorph ZW system on LG7 with a novel ZW system on LG3. The linkage group, LG3, corresponds to chromosome 9 in chicken, and this is the first documented use of this syntenic block as a sex chromosome in amniotes. Additionally, this ~1 Mb region harbors approximately 10 genes, including a duplication of the sex-determining transcription factor, Foxl2, critical for the determination and maintenance of sexual differentiation in vertebrates, and thus a putative primary sex-determining gene for Shinisaurus.

First seizure of trafficked Earless Monitor Lizards (Lanthanotus borneensis) in Vietnam with additional notes on illegal trade

First seizure of trafficked Earless Monitor Lizards (Lanthanotus borneensis) in Vietnam with additional notes on illegal trade

Characterisation and comparative genomics of three new Varanus-associated Borrelia spp. from Indonesia and Australia

BackgroundBorrelia are important disease-causing tick- and louse-borne spirochaetes than can infect a wide variety of vertebrates, including humans and reptiles. Reptile-associated (REP) Borrelia, once considered a peculiarity, are now recognised as a distinct and important evolutionary lineage, and are increasingly being discovered worldwide in association with novel hosts. Numerous novel Borrelia spp. associated with monitor lizards (Varanus spp.) have been recently identified throughout the Indo-Pacific region; however, there is a lack of genomic data on these Borrelia.MethodsWe used metagenomic techniques to sequence almost complete genomes of novel Borrelia spp. from Varanus varius and Varanus giganteus from Australia, and used long- and short-read technologies to sequence the complete genomes of two strains of a novel Borrelia sp. previously isolated from ticks infesting Varanus salvator from Indonesia. We investigated intra- and interspecies genomic diversity, including plasmid diversity and relatedness, among Varanus-associated Borrelia and other available REP Borrelia and, based on 712 whole genome orthologues, produced the most complete phylogenetic analysis, to the best of our knowledge, of REP Borrelia to date.ResultsThe genomic architecture of Varanus-associated Borrelia spp. is similar to that of Borrelia spp. that cause relapsing fever (RF), and includes a highly conserved megaplasmid and numerous smaller linear and circular plasmids that lack structural consistency between species. Analysis of PF32 and PF57/62 plasmid partitioning genes indicated that REP Borrelia plasmids fall into at least six distinct plasmid families, some of which are related to previously defined Borrelia plasmid families, whereas the others appear to be unique. REP Borrelia contain immunogenic variable major proteins that are homologous to those found in Borrelia spp. that cause RF, although they are limited in copy number and variability and have low sequence identities to RF variable major proteins. Phylogenetic analyses based on single marker genes and 712 single copy orthologs also definitively demonstrated the monophyly of REP Borrelia as a unique lineage.ConclusionsIn this work we present four new genomes from three novel Borrelia, and thus double the number of REP Borrelia genomes publicly available. The genomic characterisation of these Borrelia clearly demonstrates their distinctiveness as species, and we propose the names Borrelia salvatorii, ‘Candidatus Borrelia undatumii’, and ‘Candidatus Borrelia rubricentralis’ for them.Graphical

Banka-Siphon Attached Eden-Canal of Damodar May be Develop as ‘Biodiversity-Biomedicines-Hub’ Improving World Policy

The oldest habitat of the ‘Damodar-River-Based-Kanchannagar’; the Banka-Siphon-Dam (BSD) of Banka River (BR) attached Eden Canal (EC) of Damodar River (DR), covering a 3-5 sq km area, enriched different flora- and faunal diversity with agricultural fields and dense vegetation forty-five years ago. But it was decreasing gradually up to December 2019 due to massive visitors or tourists, picnic parties with large sound systems, irregular fishing, killing wild animals, cutting the trees, disturbing and catching different animals including migratory birds, unethical human behaviors, and urbanization nearby. The Covid-lockdowns also impacted the ecosystem during the pandemic coronavirus-disease (COVID-19), it has faced social and economic challenges among the communities, and health systems-“the invisible patients”, due to hampering truism and education, and suspicious killing or catch or death of grey-colored water monitor lizards, fishing cats, civet cats, and barn owls, and even migratory birds also. And it has lost the ecological balance of water, land and vegetation (micro bio-climate) with an increased viper snake, rodent population, etc. And adversely affect the environment (Water, Sanitation and Ecology) and societal problems. To overcome, it is therefore, augments that propagation of the artificial nests, awareness, plantation of different fruits plants, and cultivations would be beneficial to do away with the rodent menace largely, and inhibit the damage and economic losses, without putting any severe implications on the sustainability of pisciculture-fishery agro-ecosystems of the “Banka-Siphon Eden-Canal of Damodar May be Develop as ‘Biodiversity-Biomedicines-Hub’ Improving World Policy”. And the perfect ecological balance of water, land and vegetation may develop any ‘Future-Socioeconomically-Ecological-Tourist-Hub’.

Daily activities of water monitors (Varanus salvator macromaculatus Deraniyagala, 1944) in urban wetland, Bangkok, Thailand

From July to October 2015, a study was conducted on the water monitors (Varanus salvator macromaculatus) at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 90 monitors were captured, measured for SVL, sexed, and marked on the right axilla. The captured monitors included 70 females and 20 males, resulting in a sex ratio of 3.5:1. Body size did not differ significantly between genders. The monitors exhibited bimodal diurnal activity, with a focus on fish hunting in the morning (06:00–08:00 h) and scavenging for fish leftovers in the afternoon (15:00–17:00 h). After the monitor lizards hunted for prey in the morning, they spent 5–7 hours basking and floating in the lake during the afternoon. Sexual behaviors were also occasionally observed. The monitors displayed frequent predatory behavior towards natural prey, especially fish, in the morning, as opposed to opportunistically scavenging on tourist food and fish leftovers observed throughout the day.

Host associations of the Asian monitor lizard tick Amblyomma varanense (Supino, 1897) (Ixodida: Ixodidae), with a new host record from the Philippines

Amblyomma varanense (Supino) (Ixodida: Ixodidae) is a reptile-associated bont tick native to the Oriental and Australasian zoogeographic regions. This species is primarily ectoparasitic on monitor lizards (Varanidae) and snakes but has been reported to occasionally occur on turtles and mammals. Prior to the research described here, only one collection of A. varanense had been reported from the Philippines. Herein, we present a second Philippines collection of A. varanense as well as updated host records across this tick’s geographic range and an overview of associated microbes with zoonotic potential.

Soft tissues influence nasal airflow in diapsids: Implications for dinosaurs.

The nasal passage performs multiple functions in amniotes, including olfaction and thermoregulation. These functions would have been present in extinct animals as well. However, fossils preserve only low-resolution versions of the nasal passage due to loss of soft-tissue structures after death. To test the effects of these lower resolution models on interpretations of nasal physiology, we performed a broadly comparative analysis of the nasal passages in extant diapsid representatives, e.g., alligator, turkey, ostrich, iguana, and a monitor lizard. Using computational fluid dynamics, we simulated airflow through 3D reconstructed models of the different nasal passages and compared these soft-tissue-bounded results to similar analyses of the same airways under the lower-resolution limits imposed by fossilization. Airflow patterns in these bony-bounded airways were more homogeneous and slower flowing than those of their soft-tissue counterparts. These data indicate that bony-bounded airway reconstructions of extinct animal nasal passages are far too conservative and place overly restrictive physiological limitations on extinct species. In spite of the diverse array of nasal passage shapes, distinct similarities in airflow were observed, including consistent areas of nasal passage constriction such as the junction of the olfactory region and main airway. These nasal constrictions can reasonably be inferred to have been present in extinct taxa such as dinosaurs.

The Maastrichtian type area (Netherlands–Belgium): a synthesis of 250+ years of collecting and ongoing progress in Upper Cretaceous stratigraphy and palaeontology

Abstract Cretaceous limestones near Maastricht (SE Netherlands) have been quarried at least since Roman times. In the late eighteenth century, scientific interest developed in their macrofossil content and specimens were illustrated for the first time. Amongst the early discoveries was a partial skull of a large predatory vertebrate that would play an important role in the emergence of modern palaeontology and our understanding of the concept of extinction. After decades of scientific debate, this animal was recognized as a large extinct marine relative of monitor lizards (varanoids) and named Mosasaurus. A detailed lithostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous (Santonian–Maastrichtian) rocks was established in the Maastrichtian type area during the mid-1970s, which resulted in a renewed interest in fossil hunting by professional and amateur palaeontologists alike. During recent decades, both micro- and macrofossils have enabled a refinement of biozonations, correlations within the basin and with sections elsewhere, a greater insight into taphonomic processes and updated taxonomic interpretations. A new age model and chemostratigraphical framework is the most recent addition, permitting the placement of geoheritage in a larger frame and intensifying outreach to the public, including also virtual and augmented reality and hands-on experience to visitors of museum and (disused) quarries alike.

An Overview of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae), an Emerging Cause of Human Angiostrongylosis on the Indian Subcontinent.

Human angiostrongylosis is an emerging zoonosis caused by the larvae of three species of metastrongyloid nematodes of the genus Angiostrongylus, with Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Chen, 1935) being dominant across the world. Its obligatory heteroxenous life cycle includes rats as definitive hosts, mollusks as intermediate hosts, and amphibians and reptiles as paratenic hosts. In humans, the infection manifests as Angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis (AEM) or ocular form. Since there is no comprehensive study on the disease in the Indian subcontinent, our study aims at the growing incidence of angiostrongylosis in humans, alongside its clinical course and possible causes. A systematic literature search revealed 28 reports of 45 human cases from 1966 to 2022; eosinophilic meningitis accounted for 33 cases (75.5%), 12 cases were reported as ocular, 1 case was combined, and 1 case was unspecified. The presumed source of infection was reported in 5 cases only. Importantly, 22 AEM patients reported a history of eating raw monitor lizard (Varanus spp.) tissues in the past. As apex predators, monitor lizards accumulate high numbers of L3 responsible for acute illness in humans. For ocular cases, the source was not identified. Most cases were diagnosed based on nematode findings and clinical pathology (primarily eosinophilia in the cerebrospinal fluid). Only two cases were confirmed to be A. cantonensis, one by immunoblot and the other by q-PCR. Cases of angiostrongylosis have been reported in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Telangana, and West Bengal. With a population of more than 1.4 billion, India is one of the least studied areas for A. cantonensis. It is likely that many cases remain undetected/unreported. Since most cases have been reported from the state of Kerala, further research may focus on this region. Gastropods, amphibians, and reptiles are commonly consumed in India; however, typical preparation methods involve cooking, which kills the nematode larvae. In addition to studying rodent and mollusk hosts, monitor lizards can be used as effective sentinels. Sequence data are urgently needed to answer the question of the identity of Angiostrongylus-like metastrongylid nematodes isolated from all types of hosts. DNA-based diagnostic methods such as q-PCR and LAMP should be included in clinical diagnosis of suspected cases and in studies of genetic diversity and species identity of nematodes tentatively identified as A. cantonensis.

Fixed Allele Differences Associated With the Centromere Reveal Chromosome Morphology and Rearrangements in a Reptile (Varanus acanthurus BOULENGER).

Chromosome rearrangements are often implicated with genomic divergence and are proposed to be associated with species evolution. Rearrangements alter the genomic structure and interfere with homologous recombination by isolating a portion of the genome. Integration of multiplatform next-generation DNA sequencing technologies has enabled putative identification of chromosome rearrangements in many taxa; however, integrating these data sets with cytogenetics is still uncommon beyond model genetic organisms. Therefore, to achieve the ultimate goal for the genomic classification of eukaryotic organisms, physical chromosome mapping remains critical. The ridge-tailed goannas (Varanus acanthurus BOULENGER) are a group of dwarf monitor lizards comprised of several species found throughout northern Australia. These lizards exhibit extreme divergence at both the genic and chromosomal levels. The chromosome polymorphisms are widespread extending across much of their distribution, raising the question if these polymorphisms are homologous within the V. acanthurus complex. We used a combined genomic and cytogenetic approach to test for homology across divergent populations with morphologically similar chromosome rearrangements. We showed that more than one chromosome pair was involved with the widespread rearrangements. This finding provides evidence to support de novo chromosome rearrangements have occurred within populations. These chromosome rearrangements are characterized by fixed allele differences originating in the vicinity of the centromeric region. We then compared this region with several other assembled genomes of reptiles, chicken, and the platypus. We demonstrated that the synteny of genes in Reptilia remains conserved despite centromere repositioning across these taxa.

Tall ghosts, Chopsticks and Monitor Lizards: Name-calling and its Perpetrators in the Cultural Context of Thailand

Abstract While name-calling has been associated with several adverse effects on students’ well-being, it is often overlooked, particularly if understood as harmless teasing. Scholars have stressed that not only the intention of the name-caller but also the perception of the receiver should be considered. Such perceptions can be influenced by cultural value orientations, which remain understudied but gain importance with the increasing internationalisation of education. This study explores name-calling in the context of Thailand, a prototypical collectivist, high power distance society, which has shown a high prevalence of verbal bullying. This study conducted 95 autobiographical written narratives and 20 in-depth interviews of past and current name-calling experiences with Thai university students. Findings revealed that friends, teachers, and parents frequently called students names, which were primarily related to students’ skin colour and weight. Despite its adverse effects, name-calling was often normalised and accepted as part of Thai culture. Values including collectivism, conflict avoidance, social harmony, being considerate and shared enjoyment appeared to discourage students from defending themselves against friends, who were frequently identified as name-callers. Teachers regularly called students hurtful names, particularly when taking attendance, entertaining the class, asking questions, and addressing performance, which seemed to be reinforced by the societal norm of showing respect to people of high status.

Cannibalism in <i>Varanus timorensis</i> (Squamata: Varanidae) Reveals Some Reproductive Traits of Wild Population on Sabu Island, Indonesia

The Timor monitor lizard, Varanus timorensis, is unknown for its reproductive attributes in the natural habitats in the Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia. Timor monitors inhabit tropical forests and modified lands for agriculture with estimated breeding season between May and July. Reproductive characteristics and overall natural history of this species were observed more in captive populations than resulted from field observations. We report a part of the natural history of V. timorensis, which includes cannibalism of juveniles in wild populations on Sabu Island, Indonesia. Our current records of adult body sizes denote a range of mature females, some of which are likely to have reproduced. Body sizes of Timor monitors on Timor and Sabu suggest a seasonal mating of wild lizards that coincides with dry season and hatching of eggs during the wet season. Breeding for this species is likely to occur once every year. Nevertheless, currently there is no data available on female fecundity that may shed light into reproductive capacity and breeding strategy of Timor monitor across the distribution range in the Lesser Sunda Islands.

Selected Gut Bacteria from Water Monitor Lizard Exhibit Effects against Pathogenic Acanthamoeba castellanii Belonging to the T4 Genotype.

Water monitor lizards (WMLs) reside in unhygienic and challenging ecological surroundings and are routinely exposed to various pathogenic microorganisms. It is possible that their gut microbiota produces substances to counter microbial infections. Here we determine whether selected gut bacteria of water monitor lizards (WMLs) possess anti-amoebic properties using Acanthamoeba castellanii of the T4 genotype. Conditioned media (CM) were prepared from bacteria isolated from WML. The CM were tested using amoebicidal, adhesion, encystation, excystation, cell cytotoxicity and amoeba-mediated host cell cytotoxicity assays in vitro. Amoebicidal assays revealed that CM exhibited anti-amoebic effects. CM inhibited both excystation and encystation in A. castellanii. CM inhibited amoebae binding to and cytotoxicity of host cells. In contrast, CM alone showed limited toxic effects against human cells in vitro. Mass spectrometry revealed several antimicrobials, anticancer, neurotransmitters, anti-depressant and other metabolites with biological functions. Overall, these findings imply that bacteria from unusual places, such as WML gut, produce molecules with anti-acanthamoebic capabilities.

Two new species of monitor lizards (Squamata: Varanus) endemic to the Louisiade and Tanimbar Archipelagos with a key to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus

ABSTRACT We describe two new species of Varanus, one each endemic to the Louisiade and Tanimbar Archipelagos in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, respectively. The new species belong to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus and, therein, to the widely distributed and relatively species-rich Varanus indicus group. They can be distinguished from all other recognised species by scalation, colour-pattern and genetic differences. The new species from Tanimbar is most closely related to V. indicus and V. melinus, from which it can be distinguished by its dark blue/grey tongue and higher middorsal and midventral scale counts. The new species from the Louisiades can be distinguished from its phylogenetically and geographically nearest relative, V. chlorostigma, by the presence of dorsal crossbands, the mostly pink tongue mottled with grey, and higher midbody scale count. The Louisiades constitute the easternmost archipelago of Milne Bay Province in eastern Papua New Guinea, and they host a diverse herpetofauna with a high degree of endemism; Varanus louisiadensis sp. nov. increases the known number of herpetofaunal endemics in that archipelago to 60. The Tanimbar Islands are situated in the southern part of Maluku Province (Moluccas), Indonesia, and are a minor centre of vertebrate endemism; Varanus tanimbar sp. nov. increases the number of known herpetofaunal endemics there to six. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E06BDE2A-0B24-4CB5-B46E-6B93476CC3EB

Wildlife Mortality on Single Track Bhalwal Road, Sargodha, Pakistan

Wild animals are very important for our ecosystem maintenance. In the last few decades, the rate of animal’s accident on roads has increased due to heavy traffic. This research was carried out to find the reasons for road mortality of animals on Bhalwal Road, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. It was noticed various animals like rats, porcupines, lizards, snakes, turtles and jackals lived in crops and trees that were found around the road and they were killed by road traffic while crossing the roads. It was seen that almost 80 to 90 % of road mortality was due to over speed driving. Moreover, the travellers were not aware of the importance of these common wildlife, so they did not bother the animals moving on the road. It was observed that most of the animals that killed on roads belonged to reptiles (Monitor Lizards’), amphibians (Frogs and Tortoise) birds (crow) and mammals (Jackals, mouse, dogs, cats and porcupines). It was concluded in the study that there is a need to highlight the importance of wild animals for the locals, travellers and also for the stakeholders that start work on mitigation strategies that help to conserve these wild animals.

Observation records of the Bangon Monitor Lizard, Varanus bangonorum (Squamata, Varanidae), with emphasis on behaviour and local threats, from the Municipality of Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines

Varanus bangonorum, the Bangon Monitor Lizard, is one of eleven Varanidae species endemic to the Philippines; its occurrence is restricted to dwindling habitats on the islands of Mindoro and Semirara. This lizard is still poorly known and is presently classified as “Least Concern” under the IUCN Red List in 2022. Observations recorded during eleven years (2011 to 2022) originate from the north-central Municipality of Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro where this species was never before documented. We emphasise the primary factors that pose threats to the monitor lizard population, including insights gained from the knowledge of local community members. We present information about the lizards’ diet, for example, they can consume invasive toxic cane toads without harm. The result of our collective long-term observation records may serve as a baseline for further studies and contribute to evaluating the conservation status of this species.

The fast-food effect: costs of being a generalist in a human-dominated landscape.

Agricultural expansion in Southeast Asia has converted most natural landscapes into mosaics of forest interspersed with plantations, dominated by the presence of generalist species that benefit from resource predictability. Dietary shifts, however, can result in metabolic alterations and the exposure of new parasites that can impact animal fitness and population survival. Our study focuses on the Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator), one of the largest predators in the Asian wetlands, as a model species to understand the health consequences of living in a human-dominated landscape in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We evaluated the effects of dietary diversity on the metabolism of monitor lizards and the impact on the composition of their parasite communities in an oil palm-dominated landscape. Our results showed that (1) rodent-dominated diets were associated with high levels of lipids, proteins and electrolytes, akin to a fast-food-based diet of little representativeness of the full nutritional requirements, but highly available, and (2) lizards feeding on diverse diets hosted more diverse parasite communities, however, at overall lower parasite prevalence. Furthermore, we observed that the effect of diet on lipid concentration differed depending on the size of individual home ranges, suggesting that sedentarism plays an important role in the accumulation of cholesterol and triglycerides. Parasite communities were also affected by a homogeneous dietary behaviour, as well as by habitat type. Dietary diversity had a negative effect on both parasite richness and prevalence in plantations, but not in forested areas. Our study indicates that human-dominated landscapes can pose a negative effect on generalist species and hints to the unforeseen health consequences for more vulnerable taxa using the same landscapes. Thus, it highlights the potential role of such a widely distributed generalist as model species to monitor physiological effects in the ecosystem in an oil palm-dominated landscape.

The Reptile-Twin in Insular Southeast Asian Folklore

Narratives and beliefs from insular Southeast Asia depict the double birth of a child and a reptile: snake, monitor lizard, or crocodile. This article is the first systematic attempt to look at the reptile-twin phenomenon across the whole region. The author examines the generally positive connotations of the reptile-twin through snake-, crocodile-, and monitor lizard-twin cases: these are recorded from the 17th century onwards in Indonesia, the Philippines and neighbouring countries. Sources are presented and discussed comparatively, and the putative origins, functions and meanings of the reptile-twin story-complex are examined in cross-disciplinary terms.