Search

In this paper, a new metaheuristic algorithm called the Coati Optimization Algorithm (COA) is introduced, which mimics coati behavior in nature. The fundamental idea of COA is the simulation of the two natural behaviors of coatis: (i) their behavior when attacking and hunting iguanas and (ii) their escape from predators. The implementation steps of COA are described and mathematically modeled in two phases of exploration and exploitation. COA performance is evaluated on fifty-one objective functions, including twenty-nine functions from the IEEE CEC-2017 test suite and twenty-two real-world applications from the IEEE CEC-2011 test suite. COA's results are compared to those of eleven well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The simulation results indicate that COA has an evident superiority over the compared algorithms by balancing exploration in global search and exploitation in local search, and is far more competitive. To assess the COA's effectiveness in real-world applications, the proposed approach is implemented on the IEEE CEC-2011 test functions and four practical optimization problems, which the simulation results indicate the high capability of COA in dealing with these types of optimization problems. • A new optimization algorithm called Coati Optimization Algorithm (COA) is designed to model the natural behaviors of coatis. • COA's fundamental inspirations include attacking and hunting coatis and the escape behavior of coatis when confronted by predators. • The various stages of COA are described, then mathematically modeled in two phases of exploration and exploitation. • Sixty-eight standard benchmark functions have been employed to evaluate COA performance in solving optimization problems. • The performance of the COA in presenting the optimization results is compared with eight well-known metaheuristic algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across vertebrate diversity, limb bone morphology is typically expected to reflect differences in the habitats and functional tasks that species utilize. Arboreal vertebrates are often recognized to have longer limbs than terrestrial relatives, a feature thought to help extend the reach of limbs across gaps between branches. Among terrestrial vertebrates, longer limbs can experience greater bending moments that might expose bones to a greater risk of failure. However, changes in habitat or behavior can impose changes in the forces that bones experience. If locomotion imposed lower loads in trees than on the ground, such a release from loading demands might have produced conditions under which potential constraints on the evolution of long limbs were removed, making it easier for them to evolve in arboreal species. We tested for such environmental differences in limb bone loading using the green iguana (Iguana iguana), a species that readily walks over ground and climbs trees. We implanted strain gauges on the humerus and femur, and then compared loads between treatments modeling substrate conditions of arboreal habitats. For hindlimbs, inclined substrate angles were most correlated with strain increases, whereas the forelimbs had a similar pattern but of lesser magnitude. Unlike some other habitat transitions, these results do not support biomechanical release as a mechanism likely to have facilitated limb elongation. Instead, limb bone adaptations in arboreal habitats were likely driven by selective pressures other than responses to skeletal loading., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2023. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Male infertility is often associated with the occurrence of microorganisms found in semen. This is particular in reptiles, where the genitourinary as well as the digestive tract meet in the cloaca. Interactions between spermatozoa and bacteria are partially known in mammals and birds, however no information exists with respect to the presence of bacteria in reptilian semen. Within this study, we focused on the evaluation of the bacterial composition of the seminal fluid collected from Iguana iguana using an electrostimulation method. Semen samples were collected from clinically healthy adult green iguanas, and the MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight) Mass Spectrometry (MS) was used to identify any bacterial strain in the collected fluid. Determination of the susceptibility of bacteria to various antibiotics was performed using the disk diffusion method. MALDI-TOF MS detected 14 bacterial strains in 8 samples, among which Pseudomonas , Alcaligenes , and Enterococcus were the prevalent genera. The most frequently isolated bacteria comprised Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 8), Alcaligenes faecalis (n = 5) and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 4). Tobramycin was the most effective treatment option to reduce the bacterial contamination by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the ejaculates. The growth of Enterococcus faecalis was decreased by norfloxacin. In conclusion, our results indicated that the excretory system of reptiles may be a source of microbial contamination by several bacteria that will pass into the seminal fluid. These results are however preliminary and emphasize the importance of obtaining more information about seminal properties in reptiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the lizards in the Lesser Antillean Islands, iguanas are undoubtedly the most emblematic, especially the endemic species, Iguana delicatissima . However, although much effort is currently made for the conservation of this species as a result of the present biodiversity crisis, nearly nothing is known of the history of this animal on these islands during the last millennia. Here we present the first data relating to the distribution, morphology, and interaction of past iguanas with human populations in the Lesser Antilles. To do so, we review the archaeological Iguana remains collected over the past 15 years on the Guadeloupe Islands. Our results show that the only Iguana species occurring in pre-Columbian archaeological deposits is Iguana delicatissima . Moreover, we demonstrate that this species occurred on all the islands of Guadeloupe during pre-Columbian times and then suddenly became extinct between 1960 and 1990 on most of these islands. We also confirm the modern introduction of I. iguana to the Guadeloupe Islands. In addition, zooarchaeological research demonstrates that pre-Columbian human populations occasionally used iguanas as a source of food, but with no apparent impact on the native population. However, the first data relating to past size variations of I. delicatissima on the Guadeloupe Islands indicate that archaeological iguanas were much larger than the largest remnant modern specimens and that a marked decrease in body length (more than 20%) occurred in these lizards after contact with European populations. This evidence of widespread extinction and morphological change during modern times is another demonstration of the extensive effects of disturbance and selection induced by modern human societies on endemic insular faunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, based on a morphological analysis, the resurrection of the name Anolis ustus Cope 1864, is proposed for populations from the Yucatan Peninsula (Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo, Mexico, and Belize), formerly referred as A. sericeus Hallowell, 1856. Anolis ustus differs from A. sericeus by its mean snout-vent length and number of gorgetal scales in males, in tibia length and head width in females, and dorsal and ventral scales for both sexes. In addition, A. ustus has a small dewlap of similar size between males and females, whereas in A. sericeus males have a dewlap much larger than that of the females. These characteristics allow A. ustus to be identified within the A. sericeus complex. In this study, a description of the characteristics of the hemipenis is also provided, and its importance in the taxonomy of Anolis is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical cues play an important role in sexual recognition in several lizard species. Here, we investigated whether the neotropical lizard, Liolaemus pacha (Iguania: Liolaemidae) can discriminate between chemical information obtained from males or females. In addition, we also considered the effect of season (reproductive vs. post-reproductive) and the sex of the tested individual. We experimentally tested scent discrimination, using a terrarium previously occupied by a male, a female, and an untreated terrarium as control as sources of different chemical scents. We counted the number of tongue flicks, a measure of chemical exploratory behavior, and the visual displays triggered by these scents for 10 min. Males performed significantly more tongue flicks when female scent was present than when male and control scents were present, indicating sexual recognition. However, females did not show a significant difference in those same conditions, indicating a lack of sexual recognition. For visual displays, males showed significantly higher rates to female and male scents than to control, whereas females did not show any difference. During the reproductive season, the number of tongue flicks and visual displays were higher than during the post-reproductive season. Our results suggest that for male L. pacha, chemical cues play an important role in mate recognition. We discuss the apparent lack of recognition in females. We suggest that the observed seasonal behavioral differences might be associated with physiological changes related mainly to reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and rising global temperatures pose a serious threat to biodiversity. We assessed the vulnerability to global warming of four genera of iguanian lizards whose distributions include a broad range of environments from the Peninsula of Yucatán to southern Patagonia. Original data on body temperatures ( Tb), operative temperatures ( Te, 'null temperatures' for non-regulating animals), thermoregulatory set-point range (preferred body temperatures, Tset) and quantitative indices of temperature regulation and quality of the thermal environment ( db, de and E) for Tropidurus species were compared to published data for Anolis, Liolaemus and Sceloporus. Our results suggest that thermoregulatory behavior typically increases with latitude and altitude (except for two southernmost liolaemids), and that tropical and lowland lizards generally behave as thermoconformers. In a warming scenario, thermoconformity or poor thermoregulation in environments where large proportions of Tb and Te exceed the population's Tset will cause a reduction in the hours of activity and a higher risk of overheating. These results identify tropical populations as the most vulnerable to rising temperatures, especially the ones inhabiting open and low elevation sites. This indicates that protection of these environments should be a conservation priority. In contrast, Patagonia and montane environments represent potential future thermal refuges for many equator-ward or lowland lizards that, if capable of dispersion, would eventually be forced to retreat to these environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While herbivory is a common feeding strategy in a number of vertebrate classes, less than 4% of squamate reptiles feed primarily on plant material. It has been hypothesized that physiological or microbial limitations may constrain the evolution of herbivory in lizards. Herbivorous lizards exhibit adaptations in digestive morphology and function that allow them to better assimilate plant material. However, it is unknown whether these traits are fixed or perhaps phenotypically flexible as a result of diet. Here, we maintained a naturally omnivorous lizard, Liolaemus ruibali,ona mixed diet of 50% insects and 50% plant material, or a plant-rich diet of 90% plant material. We compared parameters of digestive performance, gut morphology and function, and gut microbial community structure between the two groups. We found that lizards fed the plant-rich diet maintained nitrogen balance and exhibited low minimum nitrogen requirements. Additionally, lizards fed the plant-rich diet exhibited significantly longer small intestines and larger hindguts, demonstrating that gut morphology is phenotypically flexible. Lizards fed the plant-rich diet harbored small intestinal communities that were more diverse and enriched in Melainabacteria and Oscillospira compared with mixed diet-fed lizards. Additionally, the relative abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the small intestine significantly correlated with whole-animal fiber digestibility. Thus, we suggest that physiological and microbial limitations do not sensu stricto constrain the evolution of herbivory in lizards. Rather, ecological context and fitness consequences may be more important in driving the evolution of this feeding strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal colouration has been reported in both wild and captive reptile populations. In wild populations, piebaldism is a type of leucism where individuals have normal-coloured eyes, but exhibit white patches, giving them a blotched or mottled appearance. It is a common form of abnormal colouration. Some species show an ontogenetic shift in this patchy colouration, while others start life with a piebald appearance. We studied colouration across populations of Roatan Spiny-tailed Iguanas (Ctenosaura oedirhina), a species endemic to the island of Roatan, Honduras. In general this lizard exhibits an ontogenetic shift in colouration from grey with green mottling in hatchlings to dark grey/black with white or cream patches in adults; however, there is substantial colour variation among both adults and populations. Based on an ordinal regression analysis there is a significant positive trend between size (snout-vent length) and percentage of white colouration, suggesting an ontogenetic shift toward increasing piebaldism. Additional data, specifically recapture and genetic information, are needed to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origins of the two iguana species ( Iguana delicatissima [Lesser Antillean Iguana] and Iguana iguana [Green Iguana]) occurring today in the Lesser Antilles are frequently questioned using mostly historical and genetic data. Osteological remains of iguanas are common in archaeological and paleontological deposits in the Lesser Antilles, however, and they could be important for understanding the past colonization processes of these two iguana species and subsequent sympatry. Unfortunately, although numerous questions exist about the past occurrence of those two species and their respective arrival dates, no osteological study has led to proper identification of subfossil iguana skeletal elements. Here we present a series of characters that allow for distinguishing the two species using isolated bones and emphasize the reliability of each recognized specific character. We also provide some comments about skeletal morphology of hybrids between both species and their identification based on osteology. L'origine des deux espèces d'iguanes peuplant actuellement les Petites Antilles ( Iguana delicatissima et Iguana iguana) est souvent sujette à question notamment via l'utilisation des sources historiques et génétiques. Cependant, les restes ostéologiques d'iguanes sont fréquemment retrouvés dans les sites archéologiques et paléontologiques des Petites Antilles et pourraient être de première importance pour comprendre les processus de colonisation de la zone par ces deux espèces. Malheureusement, bien que de nombreuses questions persistent quant à la présence passée et aux périodes d'arrivées de ces deux taxons, aucune étude ostéologique ne permet d'aboutir à une identification satisfaisante de leurs restes sub-fossiles. Nous présentons ici une série de caractères permettant d'identifier ces deux espèces via des fragments osseux isolés tout en discutant la fiabilité de chacun des caractères. Nous émettons également quelques commentaires relatifs à la morphologie squelettique des hybrides de ces deux espèces et à leur identification via des restes osseux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the most common land iguana ( Conolophus subcristatus) in the Galápagos Islands as an effective seed disperser is explored in this study. A total of 5705 seeds of 32 plant species were identified from 160 scats, 4545 of which (80%) appeared visually undamaged. Germination trials of 849 seeds from 29 species revealed that at least 10 species remained viable after passing through the iguana's gut, although only a small proportion of those seeds (4%) germinated. In any case, we argue that C. subcristatus exerts an important role on the 7 Galapagos islands where it occurs because of its abundance and capacity to ingest and disperse seeds at long distances. Our results strongly suggest that the Galápagos C. subcristatus plays an important role as a seed disperser of not only of native species but also some introduced plants in the Galápagos Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclura nubila nubila is an endemic subspecies of Cuba and it has been listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. The present investigation was developed in November 2013 and February 2014 in Caguamas and Palomo cays, respectively. Thirty-seven fecal pellets were collected through fixed transects on sandy coast vegetation and subsequently moistened with water and alcohol to separate and identify diet's components. Nine species of plants in Caguamas and four in Palomo were identified as part of iguana's diet. The most frecuent plant species were Conocarpus erectus, Setaria parviflora and Thalassia testudinum in Palomo and Cochorus hirsutus in Caguamas. In Palomo 45% of fecal pellets contained corporal parts of dragonflies and 5% parts of crabs. The consumption of animal matter is due to the low floristic diversity of Palomo cay. The iguana's diet in Caguamas included more plant components mainly fruits. This study contributes to increase knowledge of trophic ecology and management of the species in the archipelago of Jardines de la Reina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the main details of the Swedish economic model, which began to be structured on the 1930s and achieved its consolidation on the 1950s. The Swedish model is characterized by a macroeconomic policy which provides price stability, fiscal results for selective industrial policies and social active policies, the latter being recognized as a wide universal welfare state. This combination, which contradicts the traditional economic prescriptions, has been successful given the country was agrarian and underdeveloped until the beginning of 20th century and achieved a high social-economic development level on the 1970s. Afterwards, we present the Swedish experiment as an alternative to macroeconomic management, especially due to its uniqueness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, conservation management focuses efforts on taxonomic units. However, when the taxa used do not reflect biologically meaningful units, such methods should be reconsidered to avoid the loss of irreplaceable biodiversity. The Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is facing growing anthropogenic threats. Currently, management is based on a taxonomy which is questionable in the light of recent molecular data. As such, there is a danger that evolutionarily significant populations may be left vulnerable to extirpation. Herein, we apply molecular data to elucidate the population structure of this species across the Galápagos archipelago, and thus advise conservation management in the absence of a revised taxonomy. Applying a wealth of molecular data including 12 microsatellite loci and 1181 bp of the mitochondrial control region in over 1200 individuals, we delineate distinct populations and prioritize their management. Bayesian population structure analysis revealed 10 distinct population clusters, which we propose as management units (MUs). All MUs are significantly differentiated, with one unit on San Cristóbal Island being particularly distinct in terms of both microsatellite loci and mitochondrial data. Based on estimates of the genetic effective population size (Ne), we find the MUs comprised of populations occurring on Floreana, Española, Marchena, and San Cristóbal to be alarmingly small. In consideration of both Ne and anthropogenic threats, we recommend that conservation practitioners focus efforts on Floreana and San Cristóbal islands, and argue that better census size estimates of populations are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four long-term captive adult rhinoceros iguanas ( Cyclura cornuta) on display at the Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX) were maintained for several years in an outdoor enclosure in the summer and in a smaller indoor enclosure in the winter. While fully exposed to sunlight and given the opportunity to supplement their diet with live vegetation each summer, they were deprived of the benefits of full sun exposure, including ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure, and they received no dietary vitamin D for several months each winter. Maintained with this protocol, the animals seemed healthy and they reproduced. However, increasing awareness of the important role of UVB in vitamin D-mediated calcium metabolism and the potential health risk of UVB and vitamin D deprivation stimulated us to focus more on seasonal changes in vitamin D status and possible subtle changes in health status throughout winter. From September 2008 to October 2010, an 85% decline in the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (calcidiol) concentrations was measured over each of two winters, and a half-life of 69 days was estimated for the second winter. A higher vitamin D status (calcidiol) was restored and maintained when the iguanas were outdoors and exposed themselves to 1-2 J of UVB per day, although they may have enhanced their dietary calcium and vitamin D activity by eating cactus fruit, too. Serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations remained higher than published reference values for Cyclura spp. A negative relationship between vitamin D status and voluntary UVB exposure during the summers was discovered, suggesting that the iguanas were regulating, rather than continually maximizing, their vitamin D status at levels lower than those recorded for Cyclura in the tropics. Although the iguanas seemed robust physically, had acceptable calcium and phosphorus blood concentrations, and successfully reproduced throughout the 2 yr monitoring period, we do not recommend extended periods of deprivation of UVB and vitamin D supplementation in winter for rock iguanas until minimally sufficient vitamin D status is more rigorously established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighteen green iguanas ( Iguana iguana) were randomly assigned to three groups: control group (sham orchidectomy); group I (orchidectomy before the breeding season); and group II (orchidectomy during the breeding season). Circulating testosterone concentrations were determined using a radioimmunoassay and correlated with aggressive behavior scores. Monthly mean (± SD) testosterone concentrations and aggression scores varied with group and season. The highest testosterone concentrations were present in the control group (mean ± SD: 11.6 ± 2.8) during the breeding season (November through January). Likewise, the highest aggression scores were present in the control group (11.6 ± 9.6) and group II animals (4.7 ± 2.2) during the breeding season (November through January). Elevations in testosterone concentration preceded initial increases in aggressive behavior by approximately 1 month. Orchidectomy significantly decreased plasma testosterone concentrations between groups, with significant differences seen between the control group and group I animals and between the control group and group II animals. During the breeding season, significant differences in aggressive behavior were found between all three groups. The control group was the most aggressive, and group II animals were more aggressive than group I animals. Linear regression analysis showed a significant positive relationship between plasma testosterone concentrations and aggressive behavior in the control group ( P = 0.008). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Targeted sequence capture to yield partial annotated mitogenomes and thousands of nuclear loci for West Indian Cyclura iguanas. • All taxa (species and subspecies) of the entire genus are represented, as well as outgroups. • Gene tree/species tree analyses and divergence time analyses with biogeographic discussion. • Well resolved phylogenomic hypothesis with important conservation implications. The genus Cyclura includes nine extant species and six subspecies of West Indian Rock Iguanas and is one of the most imperiled genera of squamate reptiles globally. An understanding of species diversity, evolutionary relationships, diversification, and historical biogeography in this group is crucial for implementing sound long-term conservation strategies. We collected DNA samples from 1 to 10 individuals per taxon from all Cyclura taxa (n = 70 ingroup individuals), focusing where possible on incorporating individuals from different populations of each species. We also collected 1–2 individuals from each of seven outgroup species of iguanas (Iguana delicatissima ; five Ctenosaura species) and Anolis sagrei (n = 12 total outgroup individuals). We used targeted genomic sequence capture to isolate and to sequence 1,872 loci comprising of 687,308 base pairs (bp) from each of the 82 individuals from across the nuclear genome. We extracted mitochondrial reads and assembled and annotated mitogenomes for all Cyclura taxa plus outgroup species. We present well-supported phylogenomic gene tree/species tree analyses for all extant species of Cyclura using ASTRAL-III, SVDQuartets, and StarBEAST2 methods, and discuss the taxonomic, biogeographic, and conservation implications of these data. We find a most recent common ancestor of the genus 9.91 million years ago. The earliest divergence within Cyclura separates C. pinguis from a clade comprising all other Cyclura. Within the latter group, a clade comprising C. carinata from the southern Lucayan Islands and C. ricordii from Hispaniola is the sister taxon to a clade comprising the other Cyclura. Among the other Cyclura , the species C. cornuta and C. stejnegeri (from Hispaniola and Isla Mona) form the sister taxon to a clade of species from Jamaica (C. collei), Cuba and Cayman Islands (C. nubila and C. lewisi), and the eastern (C. rileyi) and western (C. cychlura) Lucayan Islands. Cyclura cychlura and C. rileyi form a clade whose sister taxa are C. nubila and C. lewisi. Cyclura collei is the sister taxon to these four species combined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomopathogenic fungi, widely available biological agents used to control agricultural pests, are sporadically reported to cause focal or disseminated infection in reptiles and mammals, including humans. This study summarizes the clinical presentation, histopathological and molecular findings by panfungal polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of four cases of hypocrealean fungal infections in captive common green iguanas (Iguana, iguana). One case of granulomatous pneumonia, hepatitis and serositis was related to Metarhizium flavoviride complex infection. Two disseminated fungal infection cases, with scarce inflammatory cell infiltration, were caused by Beauveria bassiana while there was one case of multifocal granulomatous and necrotizing pneumonia by Purpureocillium spp. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of fatal mycosis infection due to entomopathogenic fungi in captive common green iguanas., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This case series is the first description of mast cell neoplasia in green iguanas, Iguana iguana . All iguanas were adults. Six were females, and four were males. Lesions were associated with the oral cavity in 3 of 10 cases, and on the head in 3 of 10 cases. Three of the cases had masses over the trunk; a single case had a lesion on a limb. Single masses were most common involving the face or oral cavity (6 of 10), whereas four cases with neoplasia distributed along the trunk had multiple masses. One case developed peripheral blood mastocytosis. In most neoplasms, cells contained metachromatic granules in toluidine blue-stained sections. Polymerase chain reaction identified no internal tandem duplication mutation in exon 11 of c-kit , but a mutation in exon 8 in a single case. Compared with other reptiles, green iguanas may be predisposed to development of mast cell neoplasia.

Squamates use the circulatory system to regulate body and head temperatures during both heating and cooling. The flexibility of this system, which possibly exceeds that of endotherms, offers a number of physiological mechanisms to gain or retain heat (e.g., increase peripheral blood flow and heart rate, cooling the head to prolong basking time for the body) as well as to shed heat (modulate peripheral blood flow, expose sites of thermal exchange). Squamates also have the ability to establish and maintain the same head-to-body temperature differential that birds, crocodilians, and mammals demonstrate, but without a discrete rete or other vascular physiological device. Squamates offer important anatomical and phylogenetic evidence for the inference of the blood vessels of dinosaurs and other extinct archosaurs in that they shed light on the basal diapsid condition. Given this basal positioning, squamates likewise inform and constrain the range of physiological thermoregulatory mechanisms that may have been found in Dinosauria. Unfortunately, the literature on squamate vascular anatomy is limited. Cephalic vascular anatomy of green iguanas (Iguana iguana) was investigated using a differential-contrast, dual-vascular injection (DCDVI) technique and high-resolution X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT). Blood vessels were digitally segmented to create a surface representation of vascular pathways. Known sites of thermal exchange, consisting of the oral, nasal, and orbital regions, were given special attention due to their role in brain and cephalic thermoregulation. Blood vessels to and from sites of thermal exchange were investigated to detect conserved vascular patterns and to assess their ability to deliver cooled blood to the dural venous sinuses. Arteries within sites of thermal exchange were found to deliver blood directly and through collateral pathways. The venous drainage was found to have multiple pathways that could influence neurosensory tissue temperature, as well as pathways that would bypass neurosensory tissues. The orbital region houses a large venous sinus that receives cooled blood from the nasal region. Blood vessels from the nasal region and orbital sinus show anastomotic connections to the dural sinus system, allowing for the direct modulation of brain temperatures. The generality of the vascular patterns discovered in iguanas were assessed by firsthand comparison with other squamates taxa (e.g., via dissection and osteological study) as well as the literature. Similar to extant archosaurs, iguanas and other squamates have highly vascularized sites of thermal exchange that likely support physiological thermoregulation that “fine tunes” temperatures attained through behavioral thermoregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes Joan Robinson's growth model, and then adapted in order to provide an exploratory taxonomy of Growth Eras. The Growth Eras or Ages were for Robinson a way to provide logical connections among output growth, capital accumulation, the degree of thriftiness, the real wage and illustrate a catalogue of growth possibilities. This modified taxonomy follows the spirit of Robinson's work, but it takes different theoretical approaches, which imply that some of her classifications do not fit perfectly the ones here suggested. Latin America has moved from a Golden Age in the 1950s and 1960s, to a Leaden Age in the 1980s, having two traverse periods, one in which the process of growth and industrialization accelerated in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which is here referred to as a Galloping Platinum Age, and one in which a process of deindustrialization, and reprimarization and maquilization of the productive structure took place, starting in the 1990s, which could be referred to as a Creeping Platinum Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual dimorphism may be indicative of differential natural and/or sexual selection pressures acting on males and females. Although similar degrees of adult sexual dimorphism may be observed among populations and species, underlying physiological, developmental and ecological processes driving growth during the juvenile stages may vary. Unraveling how and when differences arise during ontogeny is important to our understanding of the evolutionary patterns observed among adults. In addition, growth patterns may differ among traits within a single individual. A nolis lizards vary greatly in the degree of adult sexual size and shape dimorphism. Ultimate hypotheses (e.g. sexual selection, habitat partitioning) have been put forward to explain this variation, but proximate mechanisms operating during the juvenile stages remain largely unknown. Herein, we aim at elucidating the proximate mechanisms of sexual dimorphism in head and limb shape, performance and dewlap size in A nolis baracoae, a crown-giant anole. We used a longitudinal approach and raised 23 captive-bred juvenile A . baracoae lizards through adulthood. By quantifying body size, head and limb dimensions, dewlap size and bite performance, we obtained growth trajectories that were compared between the sexes and among traits. Our results show that the growth of head and limb shape is similar in males and females, whereas dewlap size and bite performance diverge at a specific age. Based on these results, we hypothesize that, whereas selection favors a similar head and limb shape in males and females, selection pressures on dewlap size and bite performance likely differ between the sexes. In addition, dewlap size starts diverging around the time the animals reach sexual maturity, whereas bite performance diverges much earlier in (sexually) immature males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses evaluation of skin temperature measurements in lizards of different body sizes under field conditions. Topics discussed include role of temperature in ectotherm biology, examination of iguanid lizards Oplurus saxicola and O. quadrimaculatus and plated lizard Zonosaurus laticaudatus, and suitability of infrared thermometers and external temperature loggers.

Background Serum or plasma protein electrophoresis is used as a routine test for health assessment in veterinary medicine, but there are only a limited number of studies regarding clinical use of electrophoresis in reptile species. Objective The goals of this study were to establish reference intervals for plasma protein electrophoresis in the Green Iguana ( Iguana iguana), compare values between males and females, and to identify season-related changes. Methods Plasma samples were obtained from 21 healthy captive male and female Green Iguanas. Agarose gel electrophoresis was performed using an automated Hydrasys system. Results Four main protein fractions were observed: albumin, α globulins, β globulins, and γ globulins. Bisalbuminemia was observed in 4 of 21 healthy iguanas. Minimum and maximum values were reported for healthy Green Iguanas in March, June, September, and December. Seasonal changes in albumin were determined between March and December, and in γ globulins between June and September. Differences between males and females were seen in albumin concentration in September. Conclusions Reference intervals of the plasma protein fractions according to electrophoresis in the Green Iguana can be affected by seasonal changes and sex of animals. It should be taken into account when clinical evaluation is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elongatus-kriegi complex is one of the most diverse clades of the Liolaemus (sensu stricto) subgenus of lizards. There are currently 29 species recognized in this group distributed between Chile and Argentina. Based on molecular evidence, there seem to be five main clades nested within this complex: the elongatus, leopardinus, kriegi, petrophilus and punmahuida clades. Liolaemus buergeri and L. kriegi, both of the kriegi clade, were believed to inhabit the surroundings of the Laja Lagoon, in the Biobío Region of Chile. Moreover, this Chilean population of L. kriegi was recently recognized as an undescribed taxon called "Liolaemus sp. A" based on molecular phylogenetics. In this work, we studied these two populations of the Laja Lagoon and provided the morphological diagnosis to describe them as two new species: L. scorialis sp. n. and L. zabalai sp. n., previously considered L. buergeri and "L. kriegi/Liolaemus sp. A" respectively. Additionally, we identified another population of L. scorialis in the vicinity of La Mula Lagoon in the Araucanía Region of Chile. Liolaemus scorialis differs from almost all of the species of the elongatus-kriegi complex by its considerably smaller size. Nevertheless, without molecular data we cannot assign it to any particular subclade. Liolaemus zabalai belongs to the kriegi clade based on published molecular phylogenies. Finally, we provide some natural history data on both species and we document for the first time the presence of L. neuquensis in Chile from a museum specimen from La Mula Lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iguana delicatissima is an endangered endemic of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. Phylogeographic analyses for many terrestrial vertebrate species in the Caribbean, particularly lizards, suggest ancient divergence times. Often, the closest relatives of species are found on the same island, indicating that colonization rates are so low that speciation on islands is often more likely to generate biodiversity than subsequent colonization events. Mitochondrial sequence analysis of the region spanning ND4 was performed on I. delicatissima individuals from islands across the species' range to estimate genetic divergence among geographically isolated populations. Five unique haplotypes were recovered from 46 individuals. The majority of animals carry a single common haplotype. Two of the haplotypes were only present in individuals classified as hybrids from Îles des Saintes. The final 2 haplotypes, single nucleotide substitutions, were present in animals from Îlet Chancel of Martinique and Saint Barthélemy, respectively. Despite the great distances between islands and habitat heterogeneity within islands, this species is characterized by low haplotype diversity. The low mtDNA variation of I. delicatissima suggests a single colonization coupled with rapid range expansion, potentially hastened by human-mediated dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Neotropical Biology & Conservation is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lizards that live in the harsh climate of the Argentinean Patagonia (40°-53° S) are active for a period restricted to spring and summer when vitellogenesis, pregnancy and birth take place. Herein, we present data on the female reproductive cycle, body size at sexual maturity, litter size and fat-body cycle of one of the world's southernmost reptiles, Liolaemus sarmientoi. We also provide preliminary data on the reproductive cycle of a sympatric species, L. magellanicus. Females of both species start vitellogenesis in late spring, probably arrested or continued at very low rates during brumation resumed in the spring of the next year. Pregnancy starts in spring and births of L. sarmientoi (2 to 7 offspring) and L. magellanicus (3 to 4 offspring) occur over a month in midsummer. Females that give birth earlier can start a new vitellogenic cycle before autumn and perform an annual reproductive cycle. However, females which give birth later delay the start of a new vitellogenic cycle until the next spring, performing a biennial reproductive cycle. Thus, females have the potential to adjust their frequency of reproduction according to the energetic restrictions imposed by environmental conditions in the southernmost lands of South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks were collected or recorded from 522 individual reptiles on Dominica and from 658 reptiles from the Bahamas. Two species of ticks were collected on Dominica: Amblyomma antillorum and Amblyomma rotundatum. Similarly, 2 species were collected in the Bahamas: Amblyomma albopictum and Amblyomma torrei. On Dominica, A. antillorum was recorded from 517 Lesser Antillean iguanas ( Iguana delicatissima), 2 boa constrictors ( Boa nebulosa), 1 Antilles snake ( Alsophis sibonius), and 1 Dominican ground lizard ( Ameiva fuscata), whereas A. rotundatum was recorded from 1 Lesser Antillean skink ( Mabuya mabouya). In the Bahamas, A. albopictum was recorded from 131 Andros iguanas ( Cyclura cychlura cychlura), 271 Exuma Island iguanas ( Cyclura cychlura figginsi), and 1 Andros curlytail lizard ( Leiocephalus carinatus coryi), whereas A. torrei was recorded from 255 Exuma Island iguanas. In the Bahamas, A. albopictum parasitized iguanas on Andros Island and the central Exuma Islands, and A. torrei parasitized iguanas in the southern Exumas. An exception to this trend was that A. torrei was collected from iguanas on Pasture Cay in the central Exumas, an anomaly that is explained by the fact that iguanas (with attached ticks) on Pasture Cay were introduced by humans in the past from islands further south. External hyperparasitic larval erythraeid mites ( Leptus sp.) were recorded from A. torrei in the Bahamas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In wildlife translocations, it is important to identify reliable monitoring methods that can provide accurate population estimates for post-release management. We compared density and abundance estimates of distance sampling and repeated counts with complete counts (census data) to determine accuracy (percentage relative bias) and precision (coefficient of variation) for monitoring populations of blue iguanas restored to protected areas on Grand Cayman. We conducted incomplete counts (survey data) of blue iguanas at 12 transects of unequal length (range = 322.1 to 431.7 m) visited 36 times per year, yielding 405 detections in March 2010 and 443 detections in March 2013. Distance sampling and repeated counts provided accurate (range of percentage relative bias = −9.52% to 0.00%) and precise (range of coefficient of variation = 0.10 to 0.15) estimates of iguana density and abundance, and yielded an estimate of the proportion of individuals that were available for detection in the study area during the surveys ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]