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I here describe lacertid and snake remains from the classic Middle Miocene (MN 6) locality Bonanza of the Devínska Kobyla Hill near Bratislava (Slovakia). The locality is famous for being a type locality of an early seal Devinophoca Koretsky & Holec, 2002. During the Middle Miocene, the area of Devínska Nová Ves was part of an archipelago in the western part of the Central Paratethys in the northern part of the Vienna basin. The fossils described here comprise an incomplete left maxilla of a lacertid lizard and an articulated portion of a vertebral column of a small colubrid snake with several ribs still attached. The maxilla is tentativelly allocated here to Lacerta Linnaeus, 1758 and is a rare instance of the occurrence of the clade Lacertidae Oppel, 1811 in this environment during the Middle Miocene. Moreover, it represents the oldest known occurence of this clade in Slovakia. Articulated snake specimens from the Cenozoic are rare and although only party articulated, the specimen from Bonanza is therefore exceptional. On the basis of vertebrae alone, determination of fossil colubrids is very difficult. The morphology of the Bonanza specimen is most similar to the extant Dolichophis Gistel, 1868, as also to other small fossil snakes assigned to 'Coluber' Linnaeus, 1758 when that genus was a catch-all grade taxon recognised from both Europe and North America, notably 'Coluber' dolnicensis Szyndlar, 1987 and 'Coluber' pouchetii (Rochebrune, 1880). Because the potentially closest living relative of the European Miocene 'Coluber' is Dolichophis, I assigned tentatively the material from Bonanza to cf. Dolichophis, rather than to the wastebasket taxon 'Coluber'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous environmental Gram-negative bacterium and also an opportunistic pathogen for both humans and animals, causing acute or chronic infections. It has been frequently detected in healthy and diseased reptiles, more commonly in captive ones. Since most studies are primarily on clinical isolates, the pathogenic potential of strains originating from wild animals is poorly explored. We isolated the strain P. aeruginosa PM1012 from the cloacal microbiota of a common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis Laurenti, 1768) from a free-living population. The effect of temperature, pH and salinity on its growth was evaluated. Antibiotic resistance, the expression of several virulence factors as some extracellular enzymes, pyocyanin production and biofilm formation were also assessed. Apart from intrinsic resistance, the newly isolated strain P. aeruginosa PM1012 presented an antibiotic susceptibility profile with a low resistance rate limited to meropenem and intermediate to ceftazidime and aztreonam. Protease, lipase and gelatinase secretion was detected. Strong pyocyanin production was observed in the optimal range of growth conditions. An excellent biofilm-forming capacity was manifested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) is a cluster of genes that code for protein components of cornified cells on the skin surface of amniotes. Squamates are the most species-rich clade of reptiles with skin adaptations to many different environments. As the genetic regulation of the skin epidermis and its evolution has been characterized for only a few species so far, we aimed to determine the organization of the EDC in a model species of squamates, the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis). By comparative genomics, we identified EDC genes of the wall lizard and compared them with homologs in other amniotes. We found that the EDC of the wall lizard has undergone a major rearrangement leading to a unique order of three ancestral EDC segments. Several subfamilies of EDC genes, such as those encoding epidermal differentiation proteins containing PCCC motifs (EDPCCC) and loricrins, have expanded by gene duplications. Most of the EDPCCC proteins have cysteine contents higher than 50%, whereas glycine constitutes more than 50% of the amino acid residues of loricrin 1. The extremely biased amino acid compositions indicate unique structural properties of these EDC proteins. This study demonstrates that cornification proteins of the common wall lizard differ from homologous proteins of other reptiles, illustrating the evolutionary dynamics of diversifying evolution in squamates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple within individual and non-redundant signals can convey complementary information about individual quality in lizards. This visual information is commonly provided by colour patches of different hues (red, yellow, blue). However, whether different within-individual colour patches of a single hue can contain non-redundant information remains understudied. To test this idea, we investigated the spectrophotometric reflectance of three colour patches in adult males of Acanthodactylus erythrurus, a lizard of the family Lacertidae that has colour patches that look similarly yellow to the human eye. We modelled the spectral variables of these patches using model averaging and cross-validation as a function of head volume and body length (proxies of resource allocation to somatic growth), escape behaviour (proxy of quality to cope with stress), body condition (proxy of nutritional state), leukocytic profiles (proxy of immune state), and faecal testosterone metabolites (proxy of reproductive state and aggression). The different relationships of the three "yellow" patches with the independent predictors analysed suggested that they can provide complementary information about the males' quality in the context of the sexual selection theory. Significance statement: The objective of this study was to investigate whether multiple colour patches of a similar colour can provide complementary information about male quality in a lizard species in the context of the sexual selection theory. The colour patches investigated significantly differed in their spectral variables, and each had different relationships with the escape behaviour, morphological traits, leukocyte profiles, ectoparasites, and hormones of the lizards. These findings support that although the multiple colour patches were similarly yellow they can provide non-redundant information on individual quality in the context of sexual selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used skeletochronology to assess the relationships of age and body length of the individuals in a population of the Levant green lizard (Lacerta media), located in the Harmancık Village, Torul District, Gümüşhane Province. The mean age and SVL in the adult individuals of the Harmancık population were 101.57 ± 4.04 mm and 5.31 ± 1.34 years for all individuals (101.10 ± 3.61 mm and 5.31 ± 1.03 years in adult females and 102.09 ± 4.57 mm and 5.33 ± 1.67 years in adult males). The age range varied was 4-8 years in adult males and 4-7 years in adult females. The age of the subadult males and subadult females was at 3 years, while the age of the two juveniles was 2 years. A positive correlation was found between body size (SVL) and age in adult female and male individuals of the species. A male-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD = -0.097) was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure of the tuberculate dorsal and lamellar ventral skin of the body in rock lizards of different ages (Darevskia raddei, D. nairensis, D. valentini, D. dahli, and D. armeniaca) was described for the first time. The thickness of the skin in the most xerophilic species (D. raddei) is less than that in the more hygrophilic species. Rock lizards have single or paired longitudinal skin folds that are not closed from the side, which stretch along the inner side of the scutes to the distal edge. Small folds are also present in the lining of the squamous pocket; they consist of all layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. A large fold can completely block the cavity of the squamous pocket, the volume of which changes with contraction of the subcutaneous muscle bundles reaching the bases of the scutes. Small folds are also present on the scales of tuberculate skin. In mesophilic lizards (Zootoca vivipara), similar formations appear at later stages of postnatal ontogenesis than in rock lizards. The likely functional significance of the described skin structures is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, studies on animal coloration have expanded significantly, from understanding color production and perception mechanisms to exploring the selective pressures driving these patterns. Conservation biology has begun leveraging these studies to develop effective strategies, gauge public support for conservation projects, select flagship species, and determine reproductive pairs and optimal rearing and release conditions for captive breeding. Critically endangered Aeolian wall lizards (Podarcis raffonei) were housed at the Fondazione Bioparco di Roma for a pilot captive breeding project following alarming hypotheses of rising numbers of "green" hybrids (P. raffonei × P. siculus) in one of the four surviving populations. Through a quantitative analysis of visible dorsal color in captive and natural populations, we aim to determine whether P. raffonei is characterized by seasonal variation in its dorsal coloration and if color is influenced by sex and ontogenesis. Our findings show that P. raffonei's dorsal pigmentation varies between seasons. In spring, the size and age of the animals does not seem to affect any color component, while the sexes always differ in their hue, with males having consistently more yellow-green dorsa. Between-year analyses, including measurements from the wild population, indicate that yearly variation is not limited to the captive population but also occurs in nature. We caution against identifying potential hybrids based solely on phenotypic traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) in Italy show a striking variation in body coloration across the landscape, with highly exaggerated black and green colors in hot and dry climates and brown and white colors in cool and wet climates. Males are more intensely colored than females, and previous work has suggested that the maintenance of variation in coloration across the landscape reflects climatic effects on the strength of male–male competition, and through this sexual selection. However climatic effects on the intensity of male–male competition would need to be exceptionally strong to fully explain the geographic patterns of color variation. Thus, additional processes may contribute to the maintenance of color variation. Here we test the hypothesis that selection for green and black ornamentation in the context of male–male competition is opposed by selection against ornamentation because the genes involved in the regulation of coloration have pleiotropic effects on thermal physiology, such that ornamentation is selected against in cool climates. Field observations revealed no association between body coloration and microhabitat use or field active body temperatures. Consistent with these field data, lizards at the extreme ends of the phenotypic distribution for body coloration did not show any differences in critical minimum temperature, preferred body temperature, temperature‐dependent metabolic rate, or evaporative water loss when tested in the laboratory. Combined, these results provide no evidence that genes that underlie sexual ornamentation are selected against in cool climate because of pleiotropic effects on thermal biology. Research Highlights: Common wall lizards in Italy show a striking variation in coloration across the landscape with highly exaggerated coloration occurring in hot and dry climates.This could be because climate selects for coloration in warm climates and/or because the genes that underlie.We show that there are no differences in thermal traits between lizards with different color phenotypes providing limited evidence for the antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female and male hosts may maximise their fitness by evolving different strategies to compensate for the costs of parasite infections. The resulting sexual dimorphism might be apparent in differential relationships between parasite load and body condition, potentially reflecting differences in energy allocation to anti‐parasitic defences. For example, male lacertids with high body condition may produce many offspring while being intensely parasitised. In contrast, female lacertids may show a different outcome of the trade‐offs between body condition and immunity, aiming to better protect themselves from the harm of parasites. We predicted that females would have fewer parasites than males and a lower body condition across parasitaemia levels because they would invest resources in parasite defence to mitigate the costs of infection. In contrast, the male strategy to maximise access to females would imply some level of parasite tolerance and, thus, higher parasitaemia. We analysed the relationship between the body condition of lizards and the parasitemias of Karyolysus and Schellackia, two genera of blood parasites with different phylogenetic origins, in 565 females and 899 males belonging to 10 species of the Lacertidae (Squamata). These lizards were sampled over a period of 12 years across 34 sampling sites in southwestern Europe. The results concerning the Karyolysus infections were consistent with the predictions, with males having similar body condition across parasitaemia levels even though they had higher infection intensities than females. On the other hand, females with higher levels of Karyolysus parasitaemia had lower body condition. This is consistent with the prediction that different life strategies of male and female lacertids can explain the infection patterns of Karyolysus. In contrast, the parasitaemia of Schellackia was consistently low in both male and female hosts, with no significant effect on the body condition of lizards. This suggests that lizards of both sexes maintain this parasite below a pathogenic threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability in behavioural syndromes at different scale levels (e.g., within population or among species) is relevant in ecological and evolutionary patterns. It provides the basis on which natural selection can act to promote evolutionary processes. Additionally, behavioural syndromes can be seen as a form of pre-adaptation, favouring a species' ability to cope with novel selective pressures, establish in new habitats, enhancing population stability, and dealing with deseases and parasites. We assessed repeatability (two replicates for individual) for five behavioural traits (activity, boldness including components of exploration and escape, sociability, and foraging activity) and tested the occurrence of behavioural syndromes in both sexes of three taxa of lacertid lizards: two clades of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis maculiventris and P. m. nigriventris), and the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus). All behavioural traits except sociability were repeatable in all the three taxa. Our findings clearly reveal the occurrence of a behavioural syndrome related to the propensity to move through and explore new enviroments, escape from predation risk, and successfully capture prey. We also provide empirical evidence for higher repeatability of behaviours in males compared to females, as well as differences in behavioural syndromes at the taxon-level. These results support the occurrence of personality in both common and Italian wall lizards, highlighting marked variability in personality across different scales. This variability could ultimately reflect the interaction between the specific needs inherent in both sexes within each species, and the environmental/competitive context in which these needs are fulfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay between morphological (structures) and behavioral (acts) signals in contest assessment is still poorly understood. During contests, males of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) display both morphological (i.e. static color patches) and behavioral (i.e. raised-body display, foot shakes) traits. We set out to evaluate the role of these putative signals in determining the outcome and intensity of contests by recording agonistic behavior in ten mesocosm enclosures. We find that contests are typically won by males with relatively more black coloration, which are also more aggressive. However, black coloration does not seem to play a role in rival assessment, and behavioral traits are stronger predictors of contest outcome and winner aggression than prior experience, morphology, and coloration. Contest intensity is mainly driven by resource- and self-assessment, with males probably using behavioral threat (raised-body displays) and de-escalation signals (foot shakes) to communicate their willingness to engage/persist in a fight. Our results agree with the view that agonistic signals used during contests are not associated with mutual evaluation of developmentally-fixed attributes, and instead animals monitor each other to ensure that their motivation is matched by their rival. We emphasize the importance of testing the effect of signals on receiver behavior and discuss that social recognition in territorial species may select receivers to neglect potential morphological signals conveying static information on sex, age, or intrinsic quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic structure and dispersal dynamics of reptile populations are profoundly influenced by natural processes and human activities. While natural dispersal is shaped by species' characteristics and paleogeographical features, human-mediated translocations have become increasingly prevalent, posing ecological challenges. Mitochondrial genetic markers have been pivotal in untangling invasion pathways for various species. Our study focuses on the Dalmatian Algyroides, Algyroides nigropunctatus (Duméril & Bibron, 1839), a lizard species endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, where recent observations in the Apulian region of Italy suggest an introduced population. Genetic analyses employing two mtDNA markers (16S and ND4 genes) elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of the Dalmatian Algyroides and trace the geographic origin of the introduced population. Our findings reveal areas in western Greece and southwestern Albania as the most probable areas of the source population, while we identify two previously undetected geographical lineages in the native range, highlighting the complex evolutionary history of the species in the region. Additionally, indications of potential glacial refugia and post-glacial dispersal patterns shed more light on the species' demographic dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) have been found in several gabion structures on a former railway line between Oberhausen and Duisburg. The "populations" comprise only a few animals in each case, but reproduction was also detected at one site. In our cleared landscapes, gabions now provide substitute habitats for lizards in many places - in place of former dry stone walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations of lacertids and their habitats from two trips in 2006 and 2023 in the west and south of the Peloponnese peninsula are summarized. Greek Algyroides Algyroides moreoticus Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833, Greek Rock Lizard Hellenolacerta graeca (Bedriaga, 1886), Balkan Green Lizard Lacerta trilineata trilineata Bedriaga, 1886, Ionic Wall Lizard Podarcis ionicus (Lehrs, 1902) and Peloponnese Wall Lizard Podarcis peloponnesiacus (Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) were found at various locations. In some cases, four of the mentioned species were found at one location at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization occurs at a global scale, imposing dramatic and abrupt environmental changes that lead to biodiversity loss. Yet, some animal species can handle these changes, and thrive in such artificial environments. One possible explanation is that urban individuals are equipped with better cognitive abilities, but most studies have focused on birds and mammals and yielded varied results. Reptiles have received much less attention, despite some lizard species being common city dwellers. The Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus , and the common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis , are two successful lizards in anthropogenic habitats that thrive in urban locations. To test for differences in a cognitive skill between urban and semi-natural environments, we investigated inhibitory control through a detour task in syntopic populations of the two species, across 249 lizards that were tested in partially artificial field settings. Sophisticated inhibitory control is considered essential for higher degrees of cognitive flexibility and other higher-level cognitive abilities. In this task, we confronted lizards with a transparent barrier, separating them from a desired shelter area that they could only reach by controlling their impulse to go straight and instead detour the barrier. We found no differences between lizards in urban and semi-natural environments, nor between species, but females overall performed better than males. Moreover, 48% of the lizards in our study did not perform a correct trial in any of the 5 trials, hinting at the difficulty of the task for these species. This study is among the first to address lizard cognition, through their inhibitory control, as a potential explanation for success in cities and highlights one should be careful with assuming that urban animals generally have enhanced cognitive performance, as it might be taxa, task, or condition dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among prey functional traits, mobility plays a major role, affecting its actual availability to predators: a moving animal is usually more susceptible of being detected than immobile or inanimate prey. With the aim of investigating the role played by visual cues and preference for moving vs. immobile prey in a widespread, generalist species, common wall lizard Podarcis muralis , we used two different experimental approaches. First, we assessed the preference of tested individuals for either one active or one still mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), symmetrically hung in a T-shaped arena (single prey preference experiment); secondly, each individual was left free to interact for 20 min with two closed boxes containing 10 moving or still worms, kept at opposite sides of a rectangular arena (multiple prey experiment). Our results showed that lizards consistently selected the moving stimuli when no chemical prey-borne cues were available. When choosing between single prey, we found inter-individual variation in both lizard preference for moving or still prey and latency to attack, which may depend on either microhabitat-related difference in foraging tactics or personality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Balkan wall lizard (Podarcis tauricus) is a small-sized ground-dwelling species distributed in southeastern Europe and northwestern Anatolia. Although some insights into its diet and food preferences were published, there is still a lack of knowledge of its feeding ecology in parts of its range, especially in Bulgaria. Our results showed that the trophic spectrum of P. tauricus in NW Bulgaria consists of insects and arachnids. At a lower taxonomic level, two orders - Hymenoptera (incl. Formicidae) (24.63%) and Heteroptera (23.19%) have almost equal participation and together represent nearly 50% of the diet, while among other groups, only Orthoptera (13.04%) and Araneae (11.59%) have a significant presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how phenotypic divergence arises among natural populations remains one of the major goals in evolutionary biology. As part of competitive exclusion experiment conducted in 1971, 10 individuals of Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus (Rafinesque‐Schmaltz, 1810)) were transplanted from Pod Kopište Island to the nearby island of Pod Mrčaru (Adriatic Sea). Merely 35 years after the introduction, the newly established population on Pod Mrčaru Island had shifted their diet from predominantly insectivorous towards omnivorous and changed significantly in a range of morphological, behavioural, physiological and ecological characteristics. Here, we combine genomic and quantitative genetic approaches to determine the relative roles of genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in driving this rapid phenotypic shift. Our results show genome‐wide genetic differentiation between ancestral and transplanted population, with weak genetic erosion on Pod Mrčaru Island. Adaptive processes following the founder event are indicated by highly differentiated genomic loci associating with ecologically relevant phenotypic traits, and/or having a putatively adaptive role across multiple lizard populations. Diverged traits related to head size and shape or bite force showed moderate heritability in a crossing experiment, but between‐population differences in these traits did not persist in a common garden environment. Our results confirm the existence of sufficient additive genetic variance for traits to evolve under selection while also demonstrating that phenotypic plasticity and/or genotype by environment interactions are the main drivers of population differentiation at this early evolutionary stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The genus Takydromus (Squamata: Lacertidae) currently comprises 24 species distributed in East (Eastern Palearctic) and Southeast (Oriental) Asia. Of these 24 species, 15 can be found in China, 8 only in the Chinese mainland and adjacent countries or regions, 6 only in Taiwan and 1 (T. kuehnei) on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Here, we described a new Takydromus species from the suburb of Guilin, northeastern Guangxi, South China, based on morphological and mitochondrial DNA data. From the phylogeny reconstructed with a mitochondrial DNA fragment (CO1 and cyt b), we know that the new species differs from its congeners and that it is a sister taxon to T. intermedius. Morphologically, the new species can be diagnosed from other Takydromus species from the same clade. Based on the above multiple lines of evidence, we suggest that this lacertid lizard from Guilin should be named as a new species, Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. The discovery of this species increases the total number of Takydromus species to 25, of which 16 can be found in China. During our collecting trip to Guangxi in 2016, we collected ten specimens of the genus Takydromus from the suburb of Guilin, northeastern Guangxi, South China, and found that they did not belong to any currently known species. Here, we described this new species, Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov., based on morphological and mitochondrial DNA (CO1 and cyt b) data. This new species is a sister taxon to T. intermedius with a p-distance of 0.070 in CO1 and 0.080 in cyt b. These two p-distances exceed not only the minimum value (0.067) between T. septentrionalis and T. stejnegeri but also the minimum value (0.079) between T. intermedius and T. yunkaiensis. Morphologically, this new species differs from other currently recognized Takydromus species from the same clade, more evidently in the longitudinal rows of dorsal scales, transverse rows of scales at the mid-body and mensural variables. The description of Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. increases the total number of Takydromus species to 25, of which 16 can be found in China. Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. is currently known only from Guilin, Guangxi, South China, where it is sympatric with the other four Takydromus species (T. septentrionalis, T. kuehnei, T. sexlineatus and T. intermedius). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maintenance of polymorphisms often depends on multiple selective forces, but less is known on the role of stochastic or historical processes in maintaining variation. The common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) is a colour polymorphic species in which local colour morph frequencies are thought to be modulated by natural and sexual selection. Here, we used genome‐wide single‐nucleotide polymorphism data to investigate the relationships between morph composition and population biogeography at a regional scale, by comparing morph composition with patterns of genetic variation of 54 populations sampled across the Pyrenees. We found that genetic divergence was explained by geographic distance but not by environmental features. Differences in morph composition were associated with genetic and environmental differentiation, as well as differences in sex ratio. Thus, variation in colour morph frequencies could have arisen via historical events and/or differences in the permeability to gene flow, possibly shaped by the complex topography and environment. In agreement with this hypothesis, colour morph diversity was positively correlated with genetic diversity and rates of gene flow and inversely correlated with the likelihood of the occurrence of bottlenecks. Concurrently, we did not find conclusive evidence for selection in the two colour loci. As an illustration of these effects, we observed that populations with higher proportions of the rarer yellow and yellow‐orange morphs had higher genetic diversity. Our results suggest that processes involving a decay in overall genetic diversity, such as reduced gene flow and/or bottleneck events have an important role in shaping population‐specific morph composition via non‐selective processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many species exhibit color polymorphisms which have distinct physiological and behavioral characteristics. However, the consistency of morph trait covariation patterns across species, time, and ecological contexts remains unclear. This trait covariation is especially relevant in the context of invasion biology and urban adaptation. Specifically, physiological traits pertaining to energy maintenance are crucial to fitness, given their immediate ties to individual reproduction, growth, and population establishment. We investigated the physiological traits of Podarcis muralis, a versatile color polymorphic species that thrives in urban environments (including invasive populations in Ohio, USA). We measured five physiological traits (plasma corticosterone and triglycerides, hematocrit, body condition, and field body temperature), which compose an integrated multivariate phenotype. We then tested variation among co‐occurring color morphs in the context of establishment in an urban environment. We found that the traits describing physiological status and strategy shifted across the active season in a morph‐dependent manner—the white and yellow morphs exhibited clearly different multivariate physiological phenotypes, characterized primarily by differences in plasma corticosterone. This suggests that morphs have different strategies in physiological regulation, the flexibility of which is crucial to urban adaptation. The white‐yellow morph exhibited an intermediate phenotype, suggesting an intermediary energy maintenance strategy. Orange morphs also exhibited distinct phenotypes, but the low prevalence of this morph in our study populations precludes clear interpretation. Our work provides insight into how differences among stable polymorphisms exist across axes of the phenotype and how this variation may aid in establishment within novel environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the spatial distribution of reptiles is essential for decision-making in conservation under future climate change scenarios. We present a new compilation of reptile records for Odesa Oblast (i.e. province), south-west Ukraine. We compiled 662 records: 200 from our own research during 2012–2022, 362 from the published literature, 73 from public databases and 27 from museum collections. Fourteen native species of reptile (one species of Emydidae, four of Lacertidae, one of Anguidae, six of Colubridae and two of Viperidae) have been recorded in Odesa Oblast but the distribution of several are poorly known and/or records have rarely been published. We also report four introduced reptile species (one each of Emydidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae and Anguidae). We present the data in a grid of 462 10 × 10 km cells covering the oblast. In this compilation we did not record any new species, but our records include previously unreported localities for some species. Species richness was highest in the areas along the Black Sea, in protected areas. The main threats to the reptiles in Odesa Oblast are the alteration and degradation of habitats, military action, uncontrolled pressure from infrastructure projects and the presence of invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The breeding statistics of the DGHT-AG Lacertids for 2023 show that serious terraristics can be successful and that there is a diverse interest in the true lizards of the Lacertidae family. In total, 436 lizards were kept and 696 offspring were produced. The majority of the offspring were from representatives of the genera Podarcis, Lacerta, Timon, Algyroides, Darevskia, Zootoca, Hellenolacerta, Iranolacerta, Dalmatolacerta, Psammodromus, and Omanosaura. The wall lizard, ruin lizard, fence lizard, Peloponnese lizard, and Betica pearl lizard were the most commonly bred species. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: We designed a common garden experiment to collect data on female reproductive traits from three populations of Takydromus sexlineatus, testing the hypothesis that geographically separated populations should share a species-specific pattern of seasonal shifts in reproductive allocation. Six traits differed among populations, with four of the six also differing among successive clutches. Females grew longer during the breeding season and produced more eggs in the first clutch than in the subsequent clutches; egg size was unchanged throughout the breeding season. After removing the influence of female size or postpartum mass we found that (1) postpartum body mass, clutch mass, and relative clutch mass were greater in the Wuzhishan population than in the Shaoguan and Zhaoqing populations; (2) egg size was greatest in the Wuzhishan population and smallest in the Zhaoqing population; and (3) clutch size was greatest in the Wuzhishan population and smallest in the Shaoguan population. Our data validate the hypothesis tested. We designed a common garden design to collect data on female reproductive traits from three populations of the southern grass lizard Takydromus sexlineatus, testing the hypothesis that a species-specific pattern of seasonal shifts in reproductive allocation should be shared by geographically separated populations. Of the seven examined traits, six differed among populations, with four of the six also differing among successive clutches. Females grew longer during the breeding season and produced more eggs in the first clutch than in the subsequent clutches; egg size was unchanged throughout the breeding season. After removing the influence of female size or postpartum body mass we found the following. First, postpartum body mass, clutch mass, and relative clutch mass were greater in the Wuzhishan population than in the Shaoguan and Zhaoqing populations. Second, egg size was greatest in the Wuzhishan population and smallest in the Zhaoqing population. Third, clutch size was greatest in the Wuzhishan population and smallest in the Shaoguan population. Females did not trade-off egg size against number within each population × clutch combination. Our study validates the hypothesis tested, supports the conventional view that reproductive output is highly linked to maternal body size in lizards, and follows the classic prediction that females with different amounts of resources to invest in reproduction should give priority to adjusting the total number rather than size of their offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The joint expression of particular colors, morphologies, and behaviors is a common feature of adaptation, but the genetic basis for such "phenotypic syndromes" remains poorly understood. Here, we identified a complex genetic architecture associated with a sexually selected syndrome in common wall lizards, by capitalizing on the adaptive introgression of coloration and morphology into a distantly related lineage. Consistent with the hypothesis that the evolution of phenotypic syndromes in vertebrates is facilitated by developmental linkage through neural crest cells, most of the genes associated with the syndrome are involved in neural crest cell regulation. A major locus was a ~400-kb region, characterized by standing structural genetic variation and previously implied in the evolutionary innovation of coloration and beak size in birds. We conclude that features of the developmental and genetic architecture contribute to maintaining trait integration, facilitating the extensive and rapid introgressive spread of suites of sexually selected characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) has the largest range among the genus Podarcis. Although there are a number of studies on its diet, data on regional level remains insufficient, particularly from a purely ecological perspective. We investigated 194 individual faecal samples of P. muralis obtained from two localities in western Bulgaria with the aim of clarifying the composition of the trophic spectrum of the species, as well as the intra-population characteristics in terms of age and sex. In one study site, we compared the realized trophic niche (prey items from the faecal pellets) with the fundamental (invertebrates collected via pit-fall traps exposure). We confirmed that P. muralis is an opportunist in terms of feeding and has a very wide trophic spectrum including several taxa, which have not been reported until now as a part of the species' diet. We revealed differences in feeding behavior between subadults and adults, as well as between males and females. Adults have higher diversity in the food spectrum compared to subadults. According to sexes, females have more varied diet. We also report for the first time for the species six cases of keratophagy. Also, we identified a relatively frequent occurrence of saurophagy (n = 16), including in females and subadults, for which this phenomenon has not been recorded so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual dimorphism stands out as a significant evolutionary outcome of sexual selection between males and females across various species. Reptiles also exhibit distinct morphological differences between males and females. For instance, the genus Darevskia, exemplified by Darevskia schaekeli in this study, displays sexual dimorphism. Examination of morphological traits in this species revealed that males possess greater head length, trunk length, forelimb and hindlimb length, as well as a higher number of femoral pores compared to females. All these morphological distinctions, favoring males, are pivotal in their mating and reproductive processes. In this species, the mating process commences with the male biting the female's head. Subsequently, he restrains her by gripping her hindlimbs and positions their cloacal edges to rotate his body in front of hers. Greater body length and hind limb size are crucial for this maneuver. During the mating season (spring), males exhibit a more diverse and prominent dorsal and lateral color pattern compared to females, suggesting a form of sexual selection within this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lacertid wall lizards of the genus Podarcis (Wagler, 1830) originate from Western Europe and are divided into 24-25 species (Speybroeck et al., 2020). Despite the abundance of phylogenetic studies referring to the genus, the relationships among certain species, as well as the taxonomic status of some genealogical lineages, remain unclear due to great genetic diversity. The common wall lizard Podarcis muralis has a relatively wide distribution and despite the existence of various molecular studies focused on this species, its Greek populations had never been thoroughly sampled until now. To fill in this geographical gap, we sampled the species' Greek distribution and constructed phylogenies that uncovered the presence of at least five monophyletic lineages that correspond to different geographic regions. Furthermore, species delimitation analyses assigned all lineages to a single species diversifying during the early Pleistocene (c. 1.93 mya). The strong association of the genetic lineages with specific geographical regions coupled with the Pleistocene diversification of the group imply the presence of multiple refugia within Greece and, by extension, the Balkan peninsula, supporting a refugia-within-refugia scenario. Finally, in an effort to clarify the position of these new samples within the larger phylogeny of P. muralis , a larger phylogeny was constructed which indicated that the Greek populations cluster with the central European, Italian and Turkish populations of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nocturnal temperatures are increasing at a pace exceeding diurnal temperatures in most parts of the world. The role of warmer nocturnal temperatures in animal ecology has received scant attention and most studies focus on diurnal or daily descriptors of thermal environments' temporal trends. Yet, available evidence from plant and insect studies suggests that organisms can exhibit contrasting physiological responses to diurnal and nocturnal warming. Limiting studies to diurnal trends can thus result in incomplete and misleading interpretations of the ability of species to cope with global warming. Although they are expected to be impacted by warmer nocturnal temperatures, insufficient data are available regarding the night‐time ecology of vertebrate ectotherms. Here, we illustrate the complex effects of nocturnal warming on squamate reptiles, a keystone group of vertebrate ectotherms. Our review includes discussion of diurnal and nocturnal ectotherms, but we mainly focus on diurnal species for which nocturnal warming affects a period dedicated to physiological recovery, and thus may perturb activity patterns and energy balance. We first summarise the physical consequences of nocturnal warming on habitats used by squamate reptiles. Second, we describe how such changes can alter the energy balance of diurnal species. We illustrate this with empirical data from the asp viper (Vipera aspis) and common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), two diurnal species found throughout western Europe. Third, we make use of a mechanistic approach based on an energy‐balance model to draw general conclusions about the effects of nocturnal temperatures. Fourth, we examine how warmer nights may affect squamates over their lifetime, with potential consequences on individual fitness and population dynamics. We review quantitative evidence for such lifetime effects using recent data derived from a range of studies on the European common lizard (Zootoca vivipara). Finally, we consider the broader eco‐evolutionary ramifications of nocturnal warming and highlight several research questions that require future attention. Our work emphasises the importance of considering the joint influence of diurnal and nocturnal warming on the responses of vertebrate ectotherms to climate warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Information on the host range and genetic diversity of members of the Circoviridae family is quickly increasing, but the ecology of these viruses remains largely unknown. In this study, using a panviral PCR targeting the Rep gene, we detected CyV DNA in rectal and saliva swabs collected from 48 NHPs housed in Bioparco—Rome Zoological Garden (Italy) and in the Anima Natura Wild Sanctuary Semproniano (Grosseto, Italy), with an overall prevalence of 18.7% (9/48). When reconstructing the sequence and genome organization of five strains, all CyVs appeared genetically highly related (98.3–98.6% nucleotide identity) to a CyV strain (RI196/ITA) detected in the intestinal content of a Maltese wall lizard (Podarcis filfolensis) in Italy. Circoviruses (CVs) and cycloviruses (CyVs), members of the family Circoviridae, have been identified only occasionally in non-human primates (NHPs). In this study, we investigated the presence and genetic features of these viruses in 48 NHPs housed in the Bioparco—Rome Zoological Garden (Italy) and in the Anima Natura Wild Sanctuary Semproniano (Grosseto, Italy), testing fecal, saliva, and serum samples with a broadly reactive consensus nested PCR able of amplifying a partial region of the replicase (Rep) gene of members of the family Circoviridae. Viral DNA was detected in a total of 10 samples, including a saliva swab and 9 fecal samples collected, respectively from five Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) and four mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), with an overall prevalence of 18.7% (9/48). On genome sequencing, five strains revealed the highest nucleotide identity (98.3–98.6%) to a CyV strain (RI196/ITA) detected in the intestinal content of a Maltese wall lizard (Podarcis filfolensis) in Italy. Although the origin of the Italian NHP strains, genetically distant from previously detected NHP CyVs, is uncertain, our results also highlight that the virome of captive animals is modulated by the different dietary and environmental sources of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrion, which is an intracellular organelle responsible for most of the energy‐producing pathways, can have its genome targeted for climate‐driven selection. However, climate‐driven mitochondrial selection remains a sparsely studied area in reptiles. Here, we reported the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a lacertid lizard (Takydromus intermedius) and used mitogenomes from 54 species of lacertid lizards to study their phylogenetic relationships and to identify the mitochondrial genes under positive selection by climate. The length of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of T. intermedius was 17,713 bp, which was within the range of lengths (17,224–18,943) ever reported for Takydromus species. The arrangement of mitochondrial genes in T. intermedius was the same as in other congeneric species. The 54 lacertid species could be divided into three geographically and climatically different clades. We identified three mitochondrial genes (ATP6, ATP8, and ND3) under positive selection by climate, and found that isothermality, temperature seasonality, precipitation of wettest month, and precipitation seasonality were the most important climatic variables contributing to the gene selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caudal autotomy is a phenomenon observed in many reptile taxa, and tail loss is a pivotal functional trait for reptiles, with potentially negative implications for organism fitness due to its influence on locomotion. Some lizard species can regenerate a lost tail, which sometimes can lead to the development of more than one tail (i.e., abnormal tail regeneration) in the process. However, little is currently known about the impact of abnormal tail regeneration on locomotor performance. In this study, we document abnormal tail regeneration in Eremias yarkandensis, a reptile species native to northwestern China. Additionally, we investigated the sprint speed and endurance performance of these lizards. This study provides the first report on abnormal tail regeneration and its locomotor performance on a Chinese reptile. We suggest that the abnormal regeneration of tails may contribute to the accumulation of food reserves in the species. In light of our findings, we propose that herpetologists continue to share their sporadic observations and assess the locomotor performance of species experiencing abnormal tail regeneration, further expanding our understanding of this intriguing phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the gut microbiome of free-living reptiles in Europe are generally fragmentary and still missing in Bulgaria. We aimed to identify and compare the fecal microbiota profiles of five syntopic lizard species from three families: the European green lizard (Lacerta viridis), the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), the meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola) (Lacertidae), the European snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) (Scincidae), and the European slow worm (Anguis fragilis) (Anguidae), which coinhabit a low mountainous area in the western part of the country. A high-throughput sequencing of the hypervariable V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, performed on the Illumina HiSeq2500 platform, was used. The core microbiota of lizard hosts seems to be species-specific. A dynamic phyla proportion between hosts was found. The richest alpha diversity was observed in D. praticola, and the lowest alpha diversity was observed in P. muralis and A. fragilis. Within the three lacertids, the microbiota of D. praticola and L. viridis were more closely related to each other than they were to those of P. muralis. Sharing a largely common trophic resource (all species except A. fragilis are mainly insectivorous) was not an indication of similarity in their gut microbial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The Mediterranean Basin is a global biodiversity hotspot and has one of the longest histories of human–biota interactions. Islands host a large fraction of Mediterranean diversity and endemism, but the relative importance of natural versus human‐mediated colonisation processes in shaping the distribution and genetic structure of Mediterranean island fauna remains poorly understood. Here, we combine population genomics, demographic models and palaeoshoreline reconstructions to establish the island‐colonisation dynamics of wall lizards in Mediterranean archipelagos. Location: Four Mediterranean archipelagos in Italy and Croatia. Taxon: The wall lizard Podarcis siculus. Methods: We used ddRAD sequencing to genotype 140 lizards from 23 island and mainland populations. Analyses of admixture and site frequency spectra were used to reconstruct population structure, demographic history and variation of gene flow through time. Genomic results were integrated with palaeogeographical reconstructions and were compared to archaeological evidence of human presence on these islands. Results: Although many island populations of this species are assumed to be non‐native, we find that many islands were colonised long before any known human settlements (230,000–12,000 years ago). This natural colonisation most likely occurred through land bridges during glacial marine regression or by over‐sea rafting. On the other hand, islands distant from the continent were often colonised recently, and some of the estimated island colonisation times match historical records of human arrival. We also determine that long‐established island populations generally show lower genetic diversity compared to proximate mainland populations, contrary to recently colonised islands that must have experienced higher rates of post‐colonisation gene flow. Main Conclusion: Our integrated approach provides us with the power to accurately quantify the origin, timing and mode of island colonisation. This framework helps to clarify the biogeographical and evolutionary history of island populations, with important implications for conservation and management of island biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the gut microbiome of free-living reptiles in Europe are generally fragmentary and still missing in Bulgaria. We aimed to identify and compare the fecal microbiota profiles of five syntopic lizard species from three families: the European green lizard (Lacerta viridis), the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), the meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola) (Lacertidae), the European snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) (Scincidae), and the European slow worm (Anguis fragilis) (Anguidae), which coinhabit a low mountainous area in the western part of the country. A high-throughput sequencing of the hypervariable V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, performed on the Illumina HiSeq2500 platform, was used. The core microbiota of lizard hosts seems to be species-specific. A dynamic phyla proportion between hosts was found. The richest alpha diversity was observed in D. praticola, and the lowest alpha diversity was observed in P. muralis and A. fragilis. Within the three lacertids, the microbiota of D. praticola and L. viridis were more closely related to each other than they were to those of P. muralis. Sharing a largely common trophic resource (all species except A. fragilis are mainly insectivorous) was not an indication of similarity in their gut microbial communities.

Comments on the possible causes of observed green backs in wall lizards in Rhineland-Palatinate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainties on species taxonomy and distribution are major factors hampering efficient conservation planning in the current context of biodiversity erosion, even concerning widespread and abundant species in relatively well‐studied regions. Species delimitation have long been based on phylogenetic analyses of a small number of standard markers, but accurate lineage identification through this approach can be hampered by incomplete lineage sorting, introgression or isolation by distance. In that context, analyses of introgression patterns at secondary contact zones offer an interesting alternative by allowing a direct estimation of reproductive isolation, especially when using genome‐wide markers. Here, we investigated a contact zone between two genetic groups of the Spiny‐footed Lizard Acanthodactylus erythrurus (Schinz, 1833) in Morocco, whose status as separate lineages remained disputed in previous multilocus studies. Based on thousands of genome‐wide markers obtained through a RADseq approach, we confirmed that they represent distinct evolutionary lineages. Furthermore, the transition at their contact zone was very steep, with spatially restricted gene flow, highlighting levels of reproductive isolation consistent with species‐level lineages. Our study further illustrates the power of RADseq‐based studies of contact zones to understand cryptic diversity in non‐model organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied at least part of Kuhnʼs original material of lizards from the Paleocene (~ MP 5) of the Walbeck locality in Germany. The collection was considered to be lost but is consistently discussed in the literature due to its importance. We restudied the type material of aff. Parasauromalus paleocenicus and aff. Glyptosaurus walbeckensis described by Kuhn in 1940. The former was originally allocated to Iguania, the latter to Anguimorpha, though later on these identifications were questioned by several authors. We show such a classification of both cannot be upheld. P. paleocenicus resembles the morphology of lacertids showing their presence in Europe already around MP 5. We consider the name P. paleocenicus as a nomen dubium. The material of aff. G. walbeckensis was later suggested to belong to Lacertidae and also considered as a potential amphisbaenian. Although it differs from modern amphisbaenians, it shares features with one supposed polyodontobaenid – Camptognathosaurus parisiensis. The Walbeck form is identical to this species. Since the Walbeck taxon was described in 1940, the principle of priority makes Camptognathosaurus parisiensis a junior synonym of the species erected by Kuhn. We propose a new combined name for this form, Camptognathosaurus walbeckensis comb. nov. The specimen figured by Kuhn is currently lost, thus we designate a neotype from Walbeck. However, this taxon differs significantly from Polyodontobaena and new data doubt the attribution of Camptognathosaurus to Amphisbaenia. This taxon is tentatively assigned here to Lacertidae, as further confirmed by phylogenetic analyses. Material of Scincoidea is also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying how variable temperature regimes affect energy expenditure during development is crucial for understanding how future thermal regimes may impact early life survival and population persistence.Developmental cost theory (DCT) suggests that there is an optimal temperature (Topt) that minimises energy expenditure during development (the 'cost of development'). Exposure to fluctuating temperatures around an average of Topt is anticipated to increase either development time or metabolic rate. As a result, embryos will rapidly deplete yolk reserves, and consequently hatch at a smaller size or with less residual yolk to support postnatal survival and growth.Here, we studied total embryonic energy expenditure (development time and rate of CO2 production) and conversion of yolk into tissue in common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) under three incubation treatments anticipated, based on DCT, to increase the cost of development: no variance (Topt constant, 24°C), low variance (22°C–26°C) and high variance (18°C–30°C).As predicted, we found that increasing variance around Topt increased the cost of development, despite reducing time to hatching. As a consequence, embryos on average hatched with 59% lower residual yolk reserves under high variance versus the constant incubation temperature treatment.Our results highlight how the relative temperature sensitivities of development time and metabolic rate determine the cost of development, which in turn may predict the ability of egg‐laying ectotherms to persist in variable environments. We show that DCT can provide a mechanistic framework for understanding the widespread, but often seemingly idiosyncratic, effects of fluctuating incubation temperatures on hatchling tissue and residual yolk mass. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to detect areas of endemism in lizards in Iran. This is the first study of its kind focusing on this subject. Areas of endemism for two families of lizards (Lacertidae and Gekkonidae) that have the highest number of endemic species than other lizard families in Iran were identified by Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE). Distribution data were collected from previous studies on the Iranian lizards and also from the recent literature on the descriptions of new endemic species. A total of 81 species of lizards were available for analysis. The study area was divided into a 2° × 2° grid of 63 Operational Geographic Units (OGUs). PAE was applied to the data matrix to detect areas of endemism and detected eight areas of endemism in southwestern Iran and near the Persian Gulf. Southern Iran is the main region where most species from Arabia came into Iran and were stopped in their dispersal. Two grids in southern and northeastern Iran were recognized as the areas with the highest density of species in the studied families. Lacertidae and Gekkonidae did not have a shared endemic species in the region (cells 59 and 60) but the area of endemism identified by PAE in the Persian Gulf region suggests that exchange between Iranian and Arabian herpetofauna was very high during interglacial periods. The distribution pattern of the endemic species of these families is concentrated in the region of the Alborz and the Zagros Mountains, but the single area of endemism in southern Iran has an important role in the historical biogeography of the Iranian herpetofauna. During interglacial periods, the Persian Gulf acted as a corridor between the herpetofauna of the two sides and this suggests the importance of this area of endemism for the Gekkonidae family. Also, the OGUs with the highest density of species are located around the country and, the lowest density is in the Central Plateau. PAE detected eight areas of endemism in southwestern Iran, but according to the number of species per units, two OGUs can be identified as high density in northeastern and southern Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Persian lizard, or Brandt's lizard (Iranolacerta brandtii), is a narrowly distributed and poorly studied species. Information concerning the reproduction of these lizards in nature is based only on the results of autopsies of animals. New data are presented on the reproductive biology of I. brandtii obtained in laboratory conditions. Six adult lizards (three males and three females) were kept in a group in a terrarium. Females laid eggs from March 11 to January 15. During this period, females brought one (one female), two (one female), or three (one female) egg clutches, but not more than two clutches per calendar year. One clutch contained from two to four eggs. The mass of the entire egg clutch amounted to 18.0–45.6% of the female's body weight. The eggs were 14.6–17.3 mm long, 8.1–10.0 mm wide, and weighed 0.59–0.81 g. Incubation of eggs at 27–29°C lasted 67–89 days. Newborn lizards had a body length of 35.2–30.8 mm, a tail length of 55.1–61.8 mm, and a weight of 0.98–1.10 g. Small adult females of I. brandtii were noted to have relatively very large eggs and newborn juveniles, like green lizards from the genus Lacerta. At the same time, the fertility of this species is low, as in some rock lizards from the genus Darevskia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The recent debate on the theory of evolution focuses on various aspects that arise following the evidence of the advancement of knowledge in genetics and molecular biology. In particular, some researchers are inclined to introduce an extended evolutionary theory involving this hypothesis. Many theoretical hypotheses are based on the ever-increasing knowledge of phenotypic plasticity as well as epigenetic mechanisms. In particular, plasticity increases the complexity of the selection–phenotype–genotype interaction, and the collection of cases deriving from empirical experiments helps understand its role. The case of the blue lizard on islets is particularly intriguing due to the speed of its evolution and the modulation of the genome that make these populations a model of plasticity. We have highlighted the adaptive role of regulation of the genome in tissues such as the brain and testis. This would happen because the phenotype adapted to island life is characterized by inter-individual and sexual interaction behaviors that are controlled by genes differentially expressed in these two districts. The Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) living on islets exhibits a melanic skin coloration and a suite of adaptive traits lacking in nearby mainland populations. On islets, the unpredictable environmental conditions and highly fluctuating population densities are believed to have produced reversed island syndrome (RIS). Several physiological, behavioral, and life-history changes based on the RIS could result from positive selection on increased activity of melanocortins. We hypothesize that phenotypes on islets are the product of a plastic variation depending on the regulation of specific genes. Focusing on control systems that determine the insular-adapted phenotype, we demonstrated that reproductive markers, involved in the hypothalamus–hypophysis–gonadal axis, and metabolism markers, flags for hypophysis-melanocortin receptors, are all up-regulated in island lizards under the RIS. This behavior, combined with the observed limited variation in the mitochondrial genome, agrees with the hypothesis that plasticity enables populations to persist in novel environmental conditions and that over time, natural selection will "fine-tune" the population to the environment by modifying the phenotype under selection. We believe that analysis of the transcriptome and the single gene expression, such that all the variations observed in the island populations, can be useful to shed light on evolutionary plasticity as a process affecting animals' populations in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first visit of a new population of allochthonous wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) is described. This vital population occurs in Nienburg/Weser, Lower Saxony, far north of its autochthonous distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Physiological and metabolic performance are key mediators of the functional response of species to environmental change. Few environments offer such a multifaceted array of stressors as high‐altitude habitats, which differ markedly in temperature, water availability, UV radiation and oxygen pressure compared to low‐altitude habitats. Species that inhabit large altitudinal gradients are thus excellent models to study how organisms respond to environmental variation. Location: Tenerife island, Canary Islands archipelago (Spain). Taxon: Tenerife lizard (Gallotia galloti, Lacertidae). Methods: We integrated data on age structure, thermal and hydric regulatory behaviour and four metabolic and stress‐related biomarkers for an insular lizard that inhabits an extreme altitudinal range (sea level to 3700 m a.s.l.), to understand how an ectotherms' age, ecophysiology and metabolism can be affected by extreme environmental variation. Results: We found marked differences in metabolic stress markers associated with altitude (particularly in the abundance of carbonyl metabolites and relative telomere length), but without a linear pattern along the altitudinal cline. Contrary to expectations, longer telomeres and lower carbonyl content were detected at the highest altitude, suggesting reduced stress in these populations. Evaporative water loss differed between populations but did not follow a linear altitudinal gradient. Lizard age structure or thermal physiological performance did not markedly change across different altitudes. Mixed signals in life‐history and thermal ecology across populations and altitude suggest complex responses to variable conditions across altitude in this species. Main Conclusions: Our integrative study of multiple functional traits demonstrated that adaptation to highly divergent environmental conditions in this lizard is potentially linked to an interplay between plasticity and local adaptation variably associated with different functional traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Understanding individual variation in reproductive investment, such as the number and size of eggs a mother produces in a single clutch, is an important species characteristic with implications for resilience to environmental change and conservation. In this study, we aimed to identify the main determinants of female reproductive investment in an island lizard species that experiences different local selection pressures depending on island size and local conditions such as vegetation cover, food availability, and predator species. We found that the number of eggs produced by a female is not just a function of maternal size, but is also strongly shaped by the richness of the local predator community: lizard populations living on islands with the fewest predators showed a >50% reduction in clutch size, as well as corresponding reductions in clutch volume. Our results emphasize the importance of local ecological conditions on vertebrate reproductive investment. Reproductive investment, including the number of offspring produced, is one of the fundamental characteristics of a species. It is particularly important for island vertebrates, which face a disproportionate number of threats to their survival, because it predicts, among other things, a species' resilience to environmental disruption. Taxa producing more offspring recover more quickly from environmental perturbations and survive environmental change better. However, ecologists do not understand which primary drivers shape a species' reproductive investment well. Here, we compare the reproductive efforts of 14 island populations of the Aegean Wall Lizard (Podarcis erhardii), which lives across widely diverging environmental conditions. We test three hypotheses, namely that reproductive investment (measured as clutch size, clutch volume) is (1) positively associated with predation risk ['Predation Risk Hypothesis']; (2) positively associated with the presence of reliable vegetation cover that provides shelter ['Gravid Female Protection Hypothesis']; and (3) limited by (and hence positively correlated with) food availability ['Food Limitation Hypothesis']. Although field data are somewhat consistent with all three hypotheses, statistical analyses provide strong support for the Predation Risk Hypothesis. The results not only shed light on which fundamental forces shape reproductive investment in island vertebrates, but can also help shape conservation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian predators introduced to oceanic islands pose a significant threat to biodiversity and have led to numerous extinctions. Free‐ranging cats are particularly problematic due to their predatory habits and negative impact on conservation. However, there is limited information on the ecology and population status of free‐ranging cats in insular ecosystems, where they often represent the apex terrestrial predator. Using a peri‐urban protected area in the subtropical island of Madeira as a case study, we employed camera traps to assess the density of free‐ranging cats and investigate the ecological drivers influencing their abundance and activity in nonurban insular habitats. Based on 582 trapping‐nights, we identified 25 individual cats from 156 cat detections. Spatially explicit capture–recapture models revealed a density of 1.4 cats per km2. Cat activity was positively affected by both the proportion of rocky areas in the landscape and the distance to human resource subsidies, whereas no significant driver was found for abundance. Our results indicate that cats are highly abundant throughout the protected area and suggest that their core home ranges are associated with rocky terrain, away from the most humanized sections of the park. Free‐ranging cats do not appear to heavily rely on anthropogenic food sources, signaling that they may rely mostly on wild prey to fulfill their dietary needs. Their preference for rocky areas could be explained by the increased availability of shelter and prey, such as the Madeira wall lizard (Teira dugesii). Notably, cat abundance and activity were particularly high in the vicinity of the only known breeding colony of the locally threatened Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) on Madeira Island. Our findings suggest that cats pose a significant threat to the native vertebrate fauna of the protected area and thus their management, particularly during the breeding season of the Manx shearwater, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Color polymorphisms are common across reptile species and are frequently correlated with variation in behavior and other functional traits. Here, we tested whether the ventral color morphs (yellow, orange and white pure morphs, as well as yellow-orange and white-orange mosaic morphs) of Common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) exhibit differential temporal changes in their reaction to exposure to a novel environment. We conducted 15 min long trials of a novel environment test (open field test) in a set of populations from the eastern Pyrenees. Locomotion, boldness and freezing behavior changed over time, in agreement with a previous study carried out in central Pyrenees, but without highlighting a clear behavioral difference among color morphs. Only yellow-orange lizards showed a distinct correlation pattern between locomotion and body size compared to the other morphs. Carefully standardized studies involving more populations are needed to unravel the complex interactions between morphological and behavioral traits among lizard color morphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of chemical signals is subject to environmental constraints. A multicomponent signal may combine semiochemical molecules with supporting compounds able to enhance communication efficacy. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ubiquitous enzymes catalysing the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide, a reaction involved in a variety of physiological processes as it controls the chemical environment of the different tissues or cellular compartments, thus contributing to the overall system homeostasis. CA-IV isoform has been recently identified by mass spectrometry in the femoral gland secretions (FG) of the marine iguana, where it has been hypothesized to contribute to the chemical stability of the signal, by regulating blend pH. Lizards, indeed, use FG to communicate by delivering the waxy secretion on bare substrate, where it is exposed to environmental stressors. Therefore, we expect that some molecules in the mixture may play supporting functions, enhancing the stability of the chemical environment, or even conferring homeostatic properties to the blend. CA-IV may well represent an important candidate to this hypothesized supporting/homeostatic function, and, therefore, we can expect it to be common in FG secretions of other lizard species. To evaluate this prediction and definitely validate CA identity, we analysed FG secretions of eight species of wall lizards (genus Podarcis), combining mass spectrometry, immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrate CA-IV to actually occur in the FG of seven out of the eight considered species, providing an immunochemistry validation of mass-spectrometry identifications, and localizing the enzyme within the secretion mass. The predicted structure of the identified CA is compatible with the known enzymatic activity of CA-IV, supporting the hypothesis that CA play a signal homeostasis function and opening to new perspective about the role of proteins in vertebrate chemical communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]