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Morphologic diversity was studied in 129 species of lacertid lizards and their relationship with ecology by means of comparative analysis on seven linear morphometric measurements. Body size is the most important variable determining, a continuum among small bodied species and larger ones independently evolved through the lacertid phylogeny. This variable is strongly and positively correlated with the others masking the patterns of morphologic diversity. Multivariate analysis on size-adjusted variables show a negative covariation among relative tail and limb length. Remarkably, arboreal and semiarboreal species (Takydromus and the Equatorial African clade) appeared two times independently during the evolution of lacertids and are characterized by extremely long tails, and relatively long forelimbs in comparison with hindlimb length. The arboreal and glider lizard Holaspis with their short tail constitute the only exception. Another case of convergence is found by some species dwelling into dense vegetation or grass (Tropidosaura, Lacerta agilis, Takydromus amurensis or Zootoca) which have long tails and short limbs. On the opposite, species living in deserts, steppes or scrublands with scarce vegetation isolated into extended open areas have developed long hindlimbs and short forelimbs to achieve higher speed and maneuverability This is especially the case of Acanthodactylus and Eremias.

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Biting performance is important for feeding, territory defense, and mating in many animals. While maximal bite force is a well-studied trait, other aspects of biting and their variatio depending on behavior are rarely considered. Here, we took an innovative approach, where (1) we quantified a novel trait, bite duration in lizards; (2) we examined variation across setups that simulate feeding and antagonistic behavior; and (3) we used F-matrix statistics to investigate how different functional components are optimized for ecological and social demands with respect to individual morphology. Our results did not show differences between the sexes in bite duration, but bite performance varied across experimental setups in males, suggesting a higher functional flexibility in this sex. The investigation of form-function associations revealed that trade-offs, facilitations, and one-to-one relationships are simultaneously involved in the morphological optimization of bite force and duration. Put together, our integrated analysis of two different components of bite performance—force and duration—demonstrates their importance for males in both ecological and social tasks. Our findings also suggest the existence of trade-offs in the morphological optimization of functional components, possibly due to physiological constraints on muscle composition, insertion, and orientation.

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The penetration mechanism of Sphaerirostris picae cystacanths in intestinal wall of the paratenic host Lacerta agilis and characteristic features of inflammatory changes in host intestinal wall are examined. Inflammatory reaction is characterized by predomination of eosinophiles and comparatively small amount of neutrophiles. The reaction is much more pronounced when cystacanth is placed in parallel to the wall of intestine. Extensive edema, plethora, stases in vessels, and slight hemorrhages are observed in submucous membrane. Inflammatory infiltration is less pronounced in case of perpendicular orientation of the proboscis. The secretory glands in cystacanths were not found, secretion on the tegumental surface was not seen, as well as no morphological effect of lytic enzymes on host tissues. The penetration of host intestinal wall is shown to be mechanic, advancement of the cystacanth through the wall of intestine is due to alterations of partial evagination and invagination of the presoma in combination with contractions of the metasoma.

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In spite of the importance of chemical signals (pheromones) in the reproductive behaviour of lizards, only a few studies have examined the role of specific chemical compounds as sexual signals. The secreted chemicals vary widely between species but whether this variation reflects phylogenetic or environmental differences remains unclear. Based on mass spectra, obtained by GC-MS, we found 40 lipophilic compounds in femoral gland secretions of male green lizards (Lacerta viridis), including several steroids, alpha-tocopherol, and esters of n-C16 to n-C20 carboxylic acids, and minor components such as alcohols between C12 and C20, squalene, three lactones and one ketone. We compared these chemicals with those previously found in other closely related green lizard species, and discussed how phylogenetical differences and/or environmental conditions could be responsible for the differential presence of chemicals in different lizard species.

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The geographical position, mild climate, mountainous landscape, and habitat heterogeneity determine Bulgaria’s rich diversity of herpetofauna. Currently, 17 species of amphibians (20 subspecies) and 36 species of reptiles (45 subspecies) are known from Bulgaria. Due to its transitional position, Bulgaria lies at the southern or northern distribution limits of many species of amphibians and reptiles. Vertical distribution is presented for all species found in Bulgaria. The richest in terms of diversity and abundance are the areas below 400 m, where nearly 95 % of taxa occur. The geographical ranges of almost all amphibians and reptiles in Bulgaria are well-known, although on a local scale the information is often limited. Zoogeographical analysis demonstrates that amphibian species belong to nine chorotypes, of which the Eastern Mediterranean and the European chorotypes are represented with three species each. Out of the ten chorotypes recognized for the reptiles, 51.4 % of the species belong to the Eastern Mediterranean (25.7 %) and Turanian–Mediterranean (25.7 %) chorotypes. Only two subspecies are Bulgarian endemics (Salamandra salamandra beschkovi and Mediodactylus kotschyi rumelicus). Due to the high diversity and mosaic distribution of habitats in Bulgaria, the herpetofauna has a rather continuous occurrence and high relative abundance. Although 80 % of the Bulgarian herpetofauna is legally protected by the Biodiversity Protection Act (2002) and other conventions, some species are threatened through collection for trade or habitat changes due to construction. Several sites in the southern part of Bulgaria are very rich in herpetofauna (nine to ten species of amphibians and 19 to 21 species of reptiles).

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A part of the COI mitochondrial barcoding gene was sequenced from seven species of diff erent taxonomical groups: Ambystoma mexicanum (Amphibia, Ambystomatidae), Darevskia lindholmi, Lacerta agilis exigua (Reptilia, Lacertidae), Erinaceus roumanicus (Mammalia, Erinaceidae), Macrobiotus sp. 1 and 2 (Eutardigrada, Macrobiotidae) and Cameraria ohridella (Insecta, Gracillariidae). Th e sequences were compared with available sequences from databases and positioned on phylogenetic trees when the taxa had not yet been sequenced. Th e presence of Mexican axolotls in herpetoculture in Ukraine was confi rmed. Th e partial COI genes of the Crimean rock lizard and an eastern sub-species of the sand lizard were sequenced. We demonstrated the presence of two tardigrade mitochondrial lineages of the Macrobiotus hufelandi group in the same sample from the Zeya Natural Reserve in the Far East: one was nearly identical to the Italian M. macrocalix, and the other one is similar to M. persimilis and M. vladimiri. We also confi rmed the presence of the invasive haplotype “A” of the horse chestnut leaf miner in Ukraine, in line with the hypothesized route of invasion from Central Europe.

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The Versiliana Park hosts a varied plant and animal biodiversity. The herpetofauna of the Versiliana Park is represented by 3 Amphibian and 8 Reptile species: 3 Anurans (Bufo bufo, Hyla intermedia, Pelophylax esculentus complex), 1 allochtonous Chelonian (Trachemys scripta) and 7 Squamates (5 lizards, Tarentola mauritanica, Lacerta bilineata, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis siculus, Anguis veronensis and 2 Snakes, Hierophis viridiflavus, Natrix helvetica). The presence of two further species, reported in the past (Lissotron vulgaris, Rana dalmatina), is to be confirmed.

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The current paper reviews the species composition and distribution of 2 amphibian (Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea) and 7 reptile species (Cyrtopodion kotschyi, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta trilineata, Podarcis taurica, Podarcis muralis, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Coronella austriaca) inhabiting three protected territories in the town of Plovdiv. Some aspects of the species ’ ecology are discussed in relation to the urban environment and the recorded amphibians and reptiles are categorized in ecological groups according to their level of synanthropy. Species ’ zoogeographic characteristics, level of endemism, conservation significance and the basic conservation threats and problems in the studied protected territories are also discussed.

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Vorarbeiten über Schädlingsfauna der Kriehtieren (Reptilien) in der Türkei -- Die Kriehtiere leben meistens auf dem Lande. Viele sind Insektenfresser. Zahlreiche Arten nehmen tierische und pflanzliche, oder ausschliesslich pflanzliche Nahrung zu sich. Ihre wirtschaftliche Schäden an Kulturpflanzen sind gelegentlich. Die besonderen Arten von Pflanzenschädlingen, die in der Türkei leben, sind noch nicht genugend untersucht. Darüber findet man heute sehr wenige und nur zerstreute Veröffentlichungen und Beobachtungen in der Hand. In dieser Vorarbeit sind die bisheute bekannten pflanzenschädliche Arten von Kriehtieren bzw. Eidechsen und Schildkröten, in ihren Verbreitungsgebieten und ihre Nährpflanzen zum erstenmale zusammengestellt. Selbstverstândlioh sind darüber weitere und vertiefte Beobachtungen erforderlich. -- Die Arten der Eidechsen: Agama stellio L. (Schleuderschwanz). Verbreitung: Anatolien, Ankara (Ebner 1919, Kerville 1939). Nährpflanzen: Die süssen Früchten wie Feigen, Pfirsiche, Zuckermelonen, und andere Früohte, Salate, Lattichsalate.,- Agama stellio stellio L. Verbreitung: Süd - und west Türkei, Amasya, Nigde, Diyarbakir, Kayseri, Çanakkale (Bodenheimer 1946 und andere). Nährpflanzen: Wie bei Agama stellio L. -- Agama ruderata Oliv. (Ankara, Kerville 1939), Agama ruderata ruderata Oliv. Ankara, Eregli (Konya), Mardin, Nusaybin, Gaziantep und Malatya (Bodenheimer 1946), Eine Probe in Eregli (Konya) wurde vom Verfasser gefunden. Nährpflanzen: Noch nicht festgestellt, vielleicht wie bei Agama stellio L. -- Lacerta viridis Laur. var. major D. und B. (Srnaragdeidechse). Verbreitung: Westanatolien, andere Fundorte sind nicht bekannt. Nährpflanzen: Weintrauben, Feigen, Kirchen und andere süsse Früchten. Note: Noch mehrere Lacerta Arten wurden in der Türkei gefunden, ob sie pflanzliche Nahrung zu sich nehmen oder nicht, ist unklar. -- Die Arten der Schildkröten. Testudo graeca L. (Grichische Schildkröte). Verbreitung: Fast in allen Geblieten der Türkei. Nährpflanzen: Steppenpflanzen, junges Getreide - Baumwolle -Luzerne - Pflanzen, Gemüsen, Weintrauben, Blätter und Juruge Triebe von vielen jungen Pflanzen. -- Emys orbicularis L. (Surnpf-oder Europäische Schildkröte). Verbreuitung: Ankara (Kerville 1939), Manisa, Bursa, Kayseri, Eski¬sehir, Adapazari, Turhal (Bodenheimer 1946 und andere). Nährpflanzen: Wedntrauben, Zucker-und Wassermelonen. - Note: Noch andere Arten der Schâldknöten leben auch in der Türkei, aber ihre Nahrung ist nicht bekannt.

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Mediterranean islands have complex reptile assemblages, but little is known about the factors that determine their organization. In this study, the structure of as-semblages of Squamata was evaluated based on their species richness and two measures of phylogenetic diversity (variability and clustering). I evaluated the com-position of the assemblages comparing distinct biogeographic subregions within the Mediterranean: Adriatic, Aegean, Balearic, Corsica–Sardinia, Crete, Gulf of Gabés, Ionian Sea, Ligurian Sea, Malta, Sicily, and Tyrrhenian Sea. The effect of island en-vironments and geographical isolation on the diversity metrics was assessed using generalized linear models. The analyses indicated that species richness was mostly influenced by island area and geographical isolation. Assemblages on smaller islands were poorer in species and phylogenetically dispersed, possibly as an effect of inter-specific competition. The species composition of the assemblages was determined by similar environmental drivers within the biogeographic subregions, including is-land area, island elevation, geographical isolation, and aridity. In several subregions, significant patterns of phylogenetic attraction were found in species co-occurrences, caused by the limits imposed by the island size on large predatory species

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Revealing cryptic diversity constitutes the backbone of the future identification and description of a new lineage. For the genus Ophisops (Lacertidae), previous studies indicated that this genus is characterized by cryptic diversity as three clades were obtained for O. elegans and O. occidentalis that do not fit the classical systematics. Notably, we were interested to delineate the distribution range of the two clades of O. elegans described in Iran. We sequenced 65 individuals of Ophisops mainly from northwestern Iran for one mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 [COI]; 686 base pairs [bp]) and three nuclear genes (R35, MC1R, and PKM2; 1,857 bp). Phylogeographic analysis from mitochondrial and nuclear genes confirmed that Iranian samples belong to two major haplogroups (divergence of 13% for COI) that are also split into several subclades (divergence of 6%–10% for COI), revealing an unsuspected diversity within Iranian Ophisops. Divergence dating and biogeographi- cal analysis indicated that most clades arose through vicariance and dispersal pro- cesses during the Mio-Pliocene (between 7.2 and 1 Myr). However, a scenario of expansion/regression is also advocated for explaining the distribution and contact between three subclades in North Iran. We propose to recognize the three major clades as three potential candidate species. Moreover, we found some correspond- ence between several phylogenetic clades or subclades identified and six of the nine subspecies described for O. elegans. Both species and subspecies delimitation and identification would deserve additional investigations (including morphology, ecol- ogy, biogeography, and behavior) to fulfill the conditions of integrative taxonomy.

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Eighty-two green lizards, Lacerta viridis (Laurenti, 1768), from different locations of Bursa, Turkey, were examined for helminths. Two species of Cestoda, Mesocestoides sp. (as tetrathyridium) and Oochoristica tuberculata, and 4 species of Nematoda, Oswaldocruzia filiformis, Skrjabinelazia hoffmanni, Skrjabinelazia taurica, and Skrjabinodon medinae, were found. Lacerta viridis is parasitized by generalist helminths that also infect other lizards. Parasite lists for other Turkish lacertid lizards are given.

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The gaps as yet existing in our knowledge on the palaeogeography of the Mediteranean area, one of the most geologically «restless» on the globe, the scarcity of palaeontological data on amphibians and reptiles (often identified or identifiable only as far as the genus or family) as well as the uncertainties on the systematic position and true relationships of several of the taxa involved make many of the following conclusions on the origins of the herpetological population of Sardinia opinable. This population seems to have occurred i n at least five periods: 1) premiocenic age (taxa deriving from ancestors already present on the Sardinian Corsican microplate prior to its detachment from the main European plate): Euproctus platycephalus, Hydromantes genei, Discoglossus sardus?, Phyllodactylus europaeus??, Algyroides fitzingeri?, Archaeolacerta bedriagae?, Podarcis tiliguerta?; 2) messinian age (salinity crisis of the Upper Miocene), from European or African areas: Hydromantes flavus, Hydromantes imperialis, Hydromantes n.sp., Discoglossus sardus? Hemìdactylus turcicus??, Tarentola mauritanica??, Phyllodactylus europaeus?, Algyroides fitzingeri?, Archaeolacerta bedriagae?, Podarcis tiliguerta?, Chalcides chalcides?, Chalcides ocellatus?, Coluber hippocrepis?, Natrix natrix?, Natrix maura? 3) pliocenic age: Bufo viridis?, Hyla sarda, Hemìdactylus turcicus??, Tarentola mauritanica??, Natrix natrix?; 4 ) pleistocenic age (Cassian regression), from Tuscany across the so-called Elba-Brücke: Bufo viridis? Emys orbicularis, Testudo hermanni?, Hemìdactylus turcicus?, Tarentola maurìtanica?, Podarcis sicula?? Coluber viridiflavus, Elaphe longissima?, Natrix natrix?; 5) protohistoric and/or historic period (transport by man followed by acclimatization): Rana sp. plurimae of the «Rana escidenta-complex», Testudo graeca, Testudo marginata, Hemìdactylus turcicus?, Tarentola mauritanica?, Podarcis sicula?, Chalcides chalcides??, Chalcides ocellatus??, Coluber hippocrepis??, Elaphe longissima?, Natrix maura??, Testudo hermanni?.

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We describe a new species of Lacertid lizard of the genus Eremias from the border of the northeastern side of Markazi Province to the western side of Tehran Province in Iran. Eremias fahimii sp. nov. is part of the Eremias subgenus (or morphotype) by virtue of lacking lateral fringes on the fourth toe, having movable eyelids, a lower nasal shield that rests on two supralabials, and ventral plates arranged in oblique longitudinal rows. It can be further differentiated from previously described species assigned to this morphotype by the absence of distinctly keeled upper caudal scales, gular scales that do not extend to the second inframaxiallary scales, shape and relative size of frontoparietals, parietal and parietals, scale counts and absence of lateral color ocellus. In addition, the molecular phylogeny of the most common Iranian racerunnersincluding Eremias fahimii sp. nov. was studied using mitochondrial Cytochrome b (Cyt b) and 12S ribosomal RNA (12S) genes. Our results support the validation of the new species which depicts a sister group relationship to E. persica. Of the 20 species of Eremias known from Iran, E. fahimii sp. nov. is the seventh endemic species along with E. andersoni, E. isfahanica, E. lalezharica, E. kavirensis, E. montana and E. papenfussi. Despite the fact that up to now E. fahimii sp. nov.is only known from the type locality, it is highly probable that it also occurs in Tehran, Alborz, Qom, Qazvin and Zanjan Provinces due to topological characteristics and habitat similarities in these areas.

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The effects of habitat loss on the distribution of populations are often linked with species specialization degree. Specialist species can be more affected by changes in landscape structure and local patch characteristics compared to generalist species. Moreover, the spatial scale at which different land covers (eg. habitat, cropland, urban areas) affect specialist species can be smaller. Specialization is usually assumed as a constant trait along the distribution range of species. However, for several taxa, there is evidence of higher specialization degree in peripheral populations compared with populations in the core. Hence, peripheral populations should have a higher sensitivity to habitat loss, and strongest effects should be found at a smaller spatial scale. To test these expectations, we implemented a patch-landscape approach at different spatial scales, and compared effects of landscape structure and patch characteristics on occupancy probability among northern peripheral, more specialized populations (Czech Republic) and core populations (Bulgaria) of the eastern green lizard Lacerta viridis. We found that landscape structure and patch characteristics affect differently the occupancy probability of Lacerta viridis in each region. Strongest effects of habitat loss were found at a spatial scale of 150m around patches in the periphery, but at a scale of 500m in the core. In the periphery occupancy probability of populations was principally affected by landscape composition, and the effect of habitat quality was stronger compared to core populations. In the core, persistence of populations was mainly explained by characteristics of the spatial configuration of habitat patches. We discuss possible ecological mechanisms behind the relationship between sensitivity to habitat loss, populations’ specialization degree and position in the distribution range, and suggest conservation measures for L. viridis.

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Reproductive mode, ancestry, and climate are hypothesized to determine body size variation in reptiles but their effects have rarely been estimated simultaneously, especially at the intraspecific level. The common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) occupies almost the entire Northern Eurasia and includes viviparous and oviparous lineages, thus representing an excellent model for such studies. Using body length data for >10,000 individuals from 72 geographically distinct populations over the species` range, we analyzed how sex-specific adult body size and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is associated with reproductive mode, lineage identity, and several climatic variables. Variation in male size was low and poorly explained by our predictors. In contrast, female size and SSD varied considerably, demonstrating significant effects of reproductive mode and particularly seasonality. Populations of the western oviparous lineage (northern Spain, south-western France) exhibited a smaller female size and less female-biased SSD than those of the western viviparous (France to Eastern Europe) and the eastern viviparous (Eastern Europe to Far East) lineages; this pattern persisted even after controlling for climatic effects. The phenotypic response to seasonality was complex: across the lineages, as well as within the eastern viviparous lineage, female size and SSD increase with increasing seasonality, whereas the western viviparous lineage followed the opposing trends. Altogether, viviparous populations seem to follow a saw-tooth geographic cline, which might reflect the nonmonotonic relationship of body size at maturity in females with the length of activity season. This relationship is predicted to arise in perennial ectotherms as a response to environmental constraints caused by seasonality of growth and reproduction. The SSD allometry followed the converse of Rensch`s rule, a rare pattern for amniotes. Our results provide the first evidence of opposing body size—climate relationships in intraspecific units.

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Theory predicts that predators can reduce parasite abundance on prey by reducing prey density and through disproportionate predation on heavily infested individuals. We experimentally tested this prediction by examining the effects of bird predation on parasitic mite infestation of the prey lizard Acanthodactylus beershebensis. We manipulated predation by adding perches to arid scrubland, allowing avian predators to hunt for lizards in a habitat the birds would not normally use. Host density influenced parasite abundance in hatchlings, but not in older aged individuals and parasite abundance did not affect lizard host survival. Contrary to expectation mite abundance on adult lizards increased under low predation intensities. We explain these results by suggesting a novel hypothesis based on the assumption that the two components of predation, i.e. actual removal of prey and risk, exert contradictory effects on macroparasite abundance.

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The aim of this study was to catalog the species of amphibians and reptiles in Honaz District, in the province of Denizli, Turkey, based on field surveys carried out during March–October of 2015–2018. The species found include five amphibians (Bufo bufo, Bufotes variabilis, Pelophylax bedriagae, Hyla orientalis, Rana macrocnemis) and 22 reptiles: two turtles (Mauremys rivulata, Testudo graeca), nine lizards (Stellagama stellio, Mediodactylus kotschyi, Anatololacerta danfordi, Lacerta trilineata, Ophisops elegans, Ablepharus kitaibellii, Pseudopodus apodus, Blanus strauchi, Heremites auratus), and 11 snakes (Xerotyphlops vermicularis, Dolichophis jugularis, D. caspius, Hemorrhois numnifer, Eirenis modestus, Telescopus fallax, Elaphe sauromates, Natrix natrix, N. tessellata, Eryx jaculus, Montivipera xanthina). In addition, the various factors threatening these species in this area were determined and proposals for the conservation of these species are presented.

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Colorful tails that become cryptic during ontogeny are found in diverse taxa. Nevertheless, the evolutionary bases for this change remain debated. Recent work suggests that colorful tails, deflective displays, and striped patterns may represent antipredator mechanisms used by immature lizards to compensate for being more active and hence more vulnerable to predation (increased movement hypothesis, IMH). I challenged the generality of IMH by comparing foraging behavior and frequency of tail displays across five Acanthodactylus lizards that vary in fundamental life history traits, before and after the tail changed color. As these species underwent changes in tail coloration, they congruently adopted less risky behaviors and reduced the frequencies of tail displays. Contrary to expectation, in two species, the hatchling risky behavior resulted not from increased movements but from longer stay in exposed microhabitats. I suggest that colorful tails and deflective tail displays are synergistic antipredator mechanisms neonates use to minimize the fitness consequences of using various risky behaviors rather than increased movement alone.

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Current climate change-forced local extinctions of ectotherms in their warmer distribution limits have been linked to a reduction in their activity budgets by excess of heat. However, warmer distribution limits of species may be determined by biotic interactions as well. We aimed to understand the role of thermal activity budgets as drivers of the warmer distribution limit of cold-adapted mountain ectotherms, and the colder distribution limit of partially sympatric thermophilous species. In the southern slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama, Madrid, Spain, (1800–2200 m asl), we collected data from surveys of active individuals, thermal preferences, thermoregulation effectiveness, and activity budgets across 12 different sites exposed to different microclimates and habitats. We assessed how abundances of each species were predicted by activity budgets, restriction time, temperature deviation, habitat covers and date. We found that Iberolacerta cyreni abundances are not predicted by heat-restricted activity time as they were absent or rare in the areas where its activity budgets are broader. Conversely, the abundances of the other lizards were positively predicted by the potential activity time. Habitat preferences and date explained also part of the occurrences of the four species. Our results suggest that realized niches of lizards in the Sierra de Guadarrama are a consequence of niche partitioning by temperature-mediated competitive exclusion. The more thermophilous species were physiologically limited by the reduced chances of being active due to the cold, while the cold-adapted species was abundant in those areas where its potential activity is limited by cold-temperatures, but the thermophilous species cannot inhabit. We provide new insights on the ecological processes affecting the distribution of ectotherm mountain organisms, the assemblage of their communities and how climate change could affect them.

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Une comparaison de l`herpétofaune du Maroc et de la Jordanie est esquissée. Ces deux pays ont été choisis parce qu`ils se situent aux extrémités ouest et est de la Méditerranée, et que j`ai eu l`opportunité d`y séjourner plusieurs fois. Bien que distants de 3 700 km l`un de l`autre, ces deux pays présentent de nombreuses affinités dans la composition de leurs herpétofaunes respectives. Ceci est dû entre autres à des configurations géographiques en partie comparables. En revanche, l`isolation des plaines de l`ouest Marocain par les chaînes de l`Atlas et l`influence océanique très marquée ont favorisé la persistance d`espèces relictuelles endémiques et la différentiation d`espèces distinctes de part et d`autre de l`axe atlasique, alors que la Jordanie ne comporte aucune espèce endémique à ce seul pays. Enfin, le Maroc est presque huit fois plus étendu que la Jordanie, ce qui n`est pas négligeable quand on s`intéresse à la richesse spécifique d`un pays. En effet, le Maroc compte au moins 119 espèces d`amphibiens et de reptiles et la Jordanie, 100 espèces. Dans l`état actuel des connaissances taxonomiques, 13 espèces sont encore considérées comme les mêmes au Maroc et en Jordanie, presque toutes cependant représentées par des sous-espèces bien différenciées et/ou par des lignées très divergentes. Trente-deux genres sont communs aux deux pays, dont beaucoup sont des taxons des régions arides et désertiques, zones toutes plus ou moins reliées entre elles et non séparées par des barrières géographiques très anciennes. Vingt-sept genres présents au Maroc sont inconnus en Jordanie et 24 genres présents en Jordanie sont inconnus au Maroc. Contrairement aux similitudes des deux herpétofaunes, les différences sont surtout marquées chez les espèces méditerranéennes, auxquelles se joignent quelques éléments afro-tropicaux absents de Jordanie. Plusieurs exemples de couples d`espèces Maroc / Jordanie ont été commentés sur la base de photos originales prises dans les deux pays. Le genre Mesalina a fait l`objet d`une attention particulière, avec la mise en évidence de deux espèces supplémentaires pour la Jordanie: Mesalina bahaeldini et M. microlepis.

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Thirty specimens of sand lizard, Lacerta agilis, were analyzed and Ophionyssus saurarum was found on three of them. These parasitic mites were located in the ear opening of the host. The only lizard specimens which were infested were those that inhabit areas degraded by human activity.

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In work results of studying hemopoiesis formations of a digestive tract of the nimble lizard (Lacerta agilis (Linnaeus, 1758)) are resulted{brought}. The basic features of localization and structure of hemopoietic tissue are specific, the detailed characteristic of a qualitative and quantitative compound of formed blood cells is given. It is established, that in own plastic of a mucous membrane drinks, thin intestines, a blind gut, thick intestines and a foul place the lizard has agglomerations of hemopoietic tissue where cells agranulocytopoietic and granulocytopoietic numbers were formed. Among agranulocytes have been revealed formed lyphocytes and plazmocytes, and among granulocytes formed eosinophyles and neutrophyles.

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Gallotia atlantica is a lizard endemic to the eastermost islands of the Canary Islands. However, there is also one population present on Gran Canaria. Once described as a different subspecies than the ones from Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, it is now acknowledged that this population was introduced on Gran Canaria. According to different publications, this population was attributed either to Gallotia atlantica atlantica or to Gallotia atlantica mahoratae. Here, the author gives the clarification why the population on Gran Canaria should be considered as Gallotia atlantica atlantica and not Gallotia atlantica mahoratae.

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The author gives an insight into his decade-long engagement with the sand lizard.

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1. Studies of animal communication have documented myriad rapid, contextdependent changes in visual and acoustic signal design. In contrast, relatively little is known about the capacity of vertebrate chemical signals to rapidly respond, either plastically or deterministically, to changes in context. 2. Four years following an experimental introduction of lizards to replicate experimental islets, we aimed to determine if chemical signal design of the experimental populations differed from that of the source population. 3. In 2014, we translocated Podarcis erhardii lizards from a large, predator-rich island to each of five replicate predator-free islets. Mean population densities increased fivefold over the following 4 years and bite scars suggest significantly more intraspecific fighting among these experimental populations. In 2018, we analysed the chemical signal design of males in each of the experimental populations and compared it to the chemical signals of the source population. 4. We found that males consistently presented a significantly more complex chemical signal compared to the source population. Moreover, their chemical signals were marked by high proportions of octadecanoic acid, oleic acid and α-tocopherol, the three compounds that are known to be associated with lizard territoriality and mate choice. 5. Our island introduction experiment thus suggests that the chemical signal design of animals can shift rapidly and predictably in novel ecological contexts

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In an area in Michendorf (Brandenburg) that was completely free of sand lizards after demolition works in 2016, a total of 80 adult and subadult specimens as well as 60 hatchlings were caught in 2019. All these captured sand lizards therefore probably immigrated or hatched primarily in a short period of two yerars in 2017 and 2018.

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During a stay in Las Palmas (capital of the island of Gran Canaria) in January 2020, we took the opportunity to search for the introduced population of the Madeira wall lizards (Teira dugesii). After initial difficulties, we were able to take some photographs of these shy animals. Furthermore, we give insights into the very limited and extraordinary habitat of these lizards in the middle of this big city.

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The present study examined for the first time whether a Morris water-maze can be used to explore compass and other orientation mechanisms in the ruin lizard Podarcis sicula. In the open field, during sunny days, lizards were individually trained to swim from the center of the water maze onto a hidden platform (the goal), positioned at the periphery of the maze in a single compass direction. The goal was invisible because it was placed just beneath the water surface and the water was rendered opaque. The results showed that lizards learn to swim directly towards the hidden goal under the sun in the absence of visual feature cues. We further examined whether the observed orientation response would be due to lizards learning the spatial position of the goal relative to the sun’s azimuth, i.e. to the use of a time-compensated sun compass. Lizards reaching learning criteria were subjected to 6h clock-shift (fast or slow), and tested for goal orientation in the Morris water-maze. Results demonstrated that the learned orientation response is mediated by a time-compensated sun compass. Further investigations provided direct evidence that in ruin lizards an intact parietal eye is required to perform goal orientation under the sun inside a Morris water-maze, and that other brain photoreceptors, like the pineal or deep brain photoreceptors, are not involved in orientation.

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In this article the characteristics of reproductive biology of Zootoca vivipara (Lichtenstein, 1823) from the Middle Volga region are presented. Our researching resulted that viviparous lizard of that region had earlier birth date and shorter gestation period than in other regions. The long duration of newborn being in eggshell membranes was observed in some cases. The average fecundity of viviparous lizards was statistically higher or did not differ from those of the other parts of area. Newborn of Zootoca vivipara from the Middle Volga region weighed smaller than those from populations located in the north and had smaller body length than those from northern and eastern parts of its area.

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Circadian rhythms can be defined as specific adaptations of the various cycles presented by organisms to daily environmental oscillations. Evidence has been presented that most of the studied rhythms are endogenous, meaning that they are maintained despite the absence of environmental signals. In spite of their endogenous nature, these rhythms can suffer alterations by means of the modification of the environmental conditions. Over time a number of techniques have been developed for the study of different biological rhythms and in particular circadian rhythms. Although the sleep-wake rhythm is recognized as the most studied within circadian rhythms, it is comparable to the activity-inactivity rhythm, which will be understood as the basis of this work. This project will study the behaviour of a population of 14 organisms of the Gallotia galloti species in different light-dark cycles of 9 days duration (light-dark, constant light and constant dark) by recording their movements by a series of photoreceptor infrared sensors located on each side of an individual cage for each lizard. With the objective of observing the changes produced in the circadian rhythm of the individuals under study during the different cycles with different lighting conditions and to have more information on the functioning of the circadian system in reptiles. The results obtained show obvious variations in rhythm as different lighting periods are applied. It can therefore be said that the application of the different light-dark cycles involves significant changes in the regulation of the endogenous circadian rhythm of the lizard Gallotia galloti.

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In the present work, the structure of the tongue has been described in the context of its functional phylogenetic significance in 7 species of lizards inhabiting Damietta; Acanthodactylus boskianus (Bosc`s lizard), Acanthodactylus scutellatus (Nidua lizard), Mabuya quinquetaeniata (Bean skink), Mabuya vittata (Banded skink), Chalcides ocellatus (Ocellated skink), Hemidactylus turcicus (Warty gecko) and Chamaeleo africanus (African chameleon). There is similarity in gross appearance of the tongue between species. The tongue is bifurcated. Based on regional differences in surface morphology, the dorsum of the tongue can be divided into 3 regions. Histological examination revealed that in Acanthodactylus boskianus and Acanthodactylus scutellatus the tongue structure is nearly the same. In addition, there is a great similarity in tongue structure between Mabuya quinquetaeniata and Mabuya vittata. On the other hand, tongue musculature is the same in all studied species in chameleon which belong to another sister group.

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Circadian rhythms are the oscillations of biological variables at regular intervals of time. Natural selection has favored the evolution of circadian rhythms and animals that adjust to the activity according to the most favorable environmental circumstances. However, the circadian rhythms persist demonstrating their endogenous character, but enter the rhythm of the free course “free running rhythm”. The parietal eye is part of the epithalamus, it is a photoreceptor organ and is associated with the pineal gland, regulating the circadian rhythm and hormonal production for thermoregulation. In reference to the circadian system, the pineal organ plays an important role in the regulation of rhythms. It has been shown that, through pinealectomy, marked changes have occurred in the periods of free course and arrhythmias in lizards. The hypothesis of this study is based on the effect of covering the parietal eye, blocking the arrival of the environmental light estimation to the pineal gland, which would cause a pronounced imbalance in the activity-inactivity rhythm. In the event that this pronounced desynchronization does not occur, it will be necessary to consider that there are other or other ways that synchronize the activity-inactivity rhythm in this species. The function of the pineal organ in the regulation of the circadian rhythm of the lancet Gallotia galloti. The experiment consisted in recording the circadian rhythm of the lizards in 3 different cycles. A first cycle consisted of 12 hours of light and dark, in the second cycle they were maintained in 24 hours of constant light and in the third cycle they returned to the conditions of the first cycle. The second part of the experiment consisted of performing the same procedure, but this time the parietal organ of the animal. For the analysis of the data, statistical analyzes, actograms and the cosinor method are used. The results indicate that the parietal eye in the Gallotia galloti species is not the main mechanism by which the pineal gland receives light information from the environment. If not, it could be assumed that there are signaling pathways in these animals.

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In island environments, lizards tend to include plant materials into their diet at a higher proportion than in the mainland surroundings. They are considered as key elements for plant dynamics in many islands communities, where they consume a great amount of fruits. In the Canary Islands, it has been evidenced that Gallotia lizards are among the most important seed dispersers of fleshy-fruited plant species. However, if lizards’ effectiveness as seed dispersers changes or not throughout their ontogeny is still unknown. Hence, this study compares the “seed dispersal effectiveness” (SDE) provided by large and small-sized individuals of the common Canary lizard Gallotia galloti (Oudart 1839) to a group of plant species representative of the thermo-sclerophyllous shrubland, one of the most threatened habitats in the macaronesian islands. The results of this study show that large male lizards disperse a greater wealth of plants species than juveniles and female lizards. In addition, considering the quantity and quality of dispersal, large-sized lizards provide a higher SDE to plants than small-sized lizards. These results might have important consequences for the conservation of the thermos-sclerophyllous shrubland from Tenerife within a context of global change, where invasive alien predators, although without driving native species to extinction, can lead to their body size reduction.

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Lizards present neuronal production throughout the telencephalon in their adult state, both naturally and after experimentally induced brain lesions. As in birds, lizards present seasonal behavioural variations. In birds, such variations have been shown to alter neuronal production. In birds and mammals, lack of stimuli or exposure to stress interferes with adult neurogenetic capacity. The effect of this type of study has not been performed with lizards. In the present study we used bromodeoxyuridine to label dividing cells in the ventricular walls of Gallotia galloti lizards during all four seasons and we investigated the effect of captivity on such proliferation. We found that G. galloti presented a particular distribution that differed from that previously described in other reptiles with respect to regions of greater or lesser proliferative rate. In addition, proliferative rate varied seasonally, with greater production of cells in Spring and low production in Autumn and Winter. Proliferative rate was significantly lower throughout the telencephalon and during all seasons in those lizards kept in captivity as compared with wild animals, even though photoperiod and temperature were similar to natural conditions. Our results indicate that cell production in lizards is species-dependent, varies with seasons and is significantly reduced in captive animals.

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Stressful events typically induce glucocorticoid production that suppresses unnecessary physiological and behavioural functions. The glucocorticoid production also temporally activates alternative behavioural and physiological pathways. These responses are generally adaptive changes to avoid the negative effects of stressors. However, under low food availability, these behavioural and physiological modifications might lead to energetic costs. We therefore predict that these responses should not be activated when there are energetic constraints (e.g., low food availability). We experimentally tested whether food deprivation modifies corticosterone-induced behavioural and physiological responses in captive male common lizards. We measured corticosterone-induced responses in terms of body mass, metabolic rate, activity level and basking behaviour. We found that corticosterone-induced various behavioural and physiological responses which were dependent on food availability. Well-fed lizards treated with corticosterone were active earlier, and increased their basking behaviour. These behavioural modifications did not occur in food-deprived lizards. This inactivation of stress-related behavioural changes probably allows the lizard to save energy.

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We describe the distribution of the amphibians and reptiles of the Serra de Monte-muro (northern Portugal). In the introduction the geological and climatical condi-tions of this region as well as the habitat types and the herpetofaunistic studies are described. 11 amphibian and 17 reptile species were recorded. The distribution pat-tern of each species is shown by maps using the 1 x 1 km squares of the UTM grid system. In the montane region predominate north Iberian endemits (Chioglossa lusi-tanica, Rana iberica, Lacerta schreiberi; the occurrence of Podarcis bocagei is doubtful) and ubiquists (Salamandra salamandra, Triturus marmoratus, Lissotriton boscai, Pelophy-lax perezi; Chalcides striatus, Timon lepidus, Podarcis guadarramae). Along the rivers (Rio Douro, Rio Paiva), areas with components of Mediterranean climate, thermophile species (Chalcides bedriagai, Blanus cinereus, Hemorrhois hippocrepis) penetrate into the investigated area. Within the region Podarcis carbonelli reaches the northernmost oc-currence of its total distribution range. Remarkable is the high number of individuals of some montane Hyla molleri populations. Finally, the human impact on the land-scape (change of agricultural activities, reforestation in monocultures, widespread forest fires), its influence on the distribution pattern of the amphibians and reptiles and the efforts for protect the habitats are discussed.

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In den Jahren 2005 bis 2007 fanden im Becken von Feneos (Peloponnes, Griechenland) umfangreiche Untersuchungen zur Avifauna und Herpetofauna statt. Bei der erstmaligen Erfassung der Vogelwelt im Bergtal konnten 98 Vogelarten nachgewiesen werden, davon 81 Brutvögel, 14 Durchzügler und drei Nahrungsgäste. Für die Herpetofauna gelang der Nachweis von sieben Amphibien- und 26 Reptilienarten.

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Leaving a population without having information about the surrounding areas is highly risky. Candidates for dispersal may reduce these risks by making decisions based on the level of connectivity between patches, e.g., through immigrants. The benefits of information acquisition may vary within a population according to the dispersal cause and the phenotype of the candidate disperser. For instance, kin-based dispersers should be prepared to accept higher dispersal cost than individuals leaving for competition with congeners, and individuals of better condition should better deal with the costs of dispersing. We investigated whether the use of information obtained from immigrants depended on the reason for dispersal and the phenotype of individuals in common lizards (Lacerta vivipara). Dispersal decisions with respect to connection status depended on the cause of dispersal and on body mass. When intraspecific competition was the driving force behind dispersal, the information carried by immigrants allowed candidate dispersers to decrease uncertainty about the success of dispersal. Therefore, larger individuals dispersed when connectivity was low, whereas smaller individuals dispersed when connectivity was high. When kin competition dominated, dispersers did not adjust their dispersal decisions on the basis of information about the existence of surrounding populations, and larger individuals dispersed whatever the connectivity. These results provide support for the hypothesis that kin competition is one of the factors driving colonization.

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Pine heath forests on sandy sediments occur as `biotope islands` all over Fennoscandia. An important component of the biodiversity within such pine heaths is early successional species restricted to open patches with sparsely vegetated sand. Surveys of the endangered sand lizard Lacerta agilis on a regional scale in south-central Sweden showed that populated pine heaths were significantly larger (median area 65 km²) than those where the species was absent (median area 5 km²). No effect of pine heath isolation was found. Moreover, on a landscape scale, occupied habitat patches within individual pine heaths were significantly larger than patches where the sand lizard had recently gone extinct. Patch isolation had no significant effect. Furthermore, an analysis of presence/absence of ground-nesting spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) on sandy pine heaths of different size showed that species composition was significantly nested. The highest diversity, of all species and red-listed ones, was found on the largest pine heaths, in sympatry with the sand lizard. It is argued that only the largest sandy pine heaths have provided historical continuity of suitable early successional habitat patches with exposed sand for the most dispersal-limited species. Because of forest fire suppression and afforestation since the beginning of the 20th century, many early successional species in sandy pine heath forests are now threatened due to loss of such patches. To provide habitat for these species, measures to re-create early successional patches must be taken. The sand lizard can be used as a cross-taxonomic umbrella species for red-listed spider wasps and other early successional species. However, to preserve the existing threatened biodiversity within a given pine heath (including the many pine heaths where the sand lizard is absent), a strategy of multiple umbrella species and demarcation of patches with key habitat components is needed.

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Background. The reptilian thermobiology is the most important factor determining their ecology, spatial and temporal structure of activity and biotopical distribution. But the mechanisms of this process are poorly understood. This article describes the results of studies illustrating the specific mechanisms of the influence of certain thermophysiological characteristics and characteristics of thermoregulation in two sympatric species of racerunners on their ecology and their biotopical selection in Kyzylkum desert. Materials and methods. In the Kyzylkum desert we studied the thermophysiological characteristics of the full activity and temperature stabilization ranges, as well as the thermoregulation techniques in two species of racerunners. Also, in this area we studied the climatic conditions in different biotopes. All the data obtained were associated with observations of the spatial and temporal structure of the daily activity of lizards and their biotopical preferences. Results. The aralo-caspian racerunner is noticeably less thermophilic in thermobiological indicators than the striped racerunner. The temperatures of full activity in the aralo-caspian racerunner are 32,3–39,0º, the range of temperature stabilization is 34,0–35,5º. In the striped racerunner, these indicators are 34,5–41,0º and 35,5–37,0º, respectively. For some morphological and physiological reasons, under the same conditions, the body in aralo-caspian racerunner heats up faster than in striped racerunner. Striped racerunners, unlike aralo-caspian ones, can actively use the lower branches of bushes for thermoregulation, i.e. to separate their body from the hot soil during the warmest part of day. Conclusions. The thermobiological characters and the manner of thermoregulation lead to differences in the spatial-temporal activity structure and biotopical differences between aralo-caspian and striped racerunners: the striped racerunners have the ability to use and actually use more open spaces for activity and a hotter time of day, while aralo-caspian ones use more matted areas with openwork or dense shadow, with shrubs and trees, and are active at more fresh time of day.

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There is little information available on the susceptibility of reptilian saccule hair cells to ototoxin-induced sensory damage. In this study, we report morphological evidence of hair cell recovery and regeneration after damage induced by gentamicin in the saccule of a lizard. We perform morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy with actin and calbindin as markers for hair cells and tubulin as a marker for supporting cells. The data were consistent: gentamicin induced damage in the hair cells, and the damage increased with increasing duration of treatment. Initially, the saccule appeared unhealthy. Subsequently, the sensory hair cells became compromised, with fused stereovilli, followed by widespread loss of hair cell bundles from the hair cells. Finally, numerous hair cells were lost. Morphologically, the saccule appeared normal 28days after gentamicin treatment. Using a mitogenic marker, we tested whether or not there is hair cell regeneration following administration of gentamicin. We found evidence of bromodeoxyuridine incorporation first in supporting cell nuclei and subsequently in hair cell nuclei. This indicates that a process of sensory epithelium repair and hair cell regeneration occurred, in both extrastriolar and striolar regions, and that the recovery was due to both the proliferation of supporting cells and, as seems likely, self-repair of hair cell bundles.

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Prothioconazole (PTC) is a widely used triazole fungicide with low toxicity, and its desulfurization metabolite, prothioconazole-desthio (PTC-d), is reported to have higher reproductive toxicity to mammals. However, little is known about the reproductive toxicity, much less endocrine disrupting effect, of these two chemicals on reptiles. In this study, we investigated the effects of single dose of PTC/PTC-d (100 mg kg−1 body weight) exposure on the pathomorphism of testes and epididymides, serum sex steroid hormones (testosterone and 17β-estradiol) and transcription of steroidogenic-related genes (STARD, cyp11A, cyp17, cyp19A, 17β-HSD, 3β-HSD, AR and ER-α) in gonads of male lizards (Eremias argus). Although structural disorder existed in PTC-d exposure group, severe gonadal disruption, especially suppression of spermatogenesis was only observed in testis after PTC treatment, which consequently led to the lack of spermatozoa in epididymal ducts. Consistent with this result, T/E2 value in PTC exposure was elevated to a significant higher level compared with control and continually increased over time, while T/E2 value in the PTC-d exposure group slightly increased only at 12 h. These results demonstrated a more serious disruption of PTC on male lizard gonads than PTC-d. In addition, the expression of cyp17 gene was inhibited at 6 h, however, was induced at 12 h, and exhibited negative correlations with STARD, cyp11A and 3β-HSD after PTC exposure at each timepoint. In PTC-d group, the expression of STARD and 3β-HSD were significantly down-regulated, in contrast, cyp11A and cyp17 were up-regulated, and each gene showed consistent changes over time. For 17β-HSD, no significance was observed in both treated groups. This study was the first to compare the gonadal disruption of PTC and PTC-d in male lizards and elucidated that these two chemicals influenced the physiological function of male gonads through differential transcriptional modulation.

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The steppe racerunner (Eremias arguta) is one of the most widespread species of the Eurasian racerunners (genus Eremias), inhabiting steppes and semi-deserts of eastern Europe and central Asia from Romania to Mongolia and western China. Historically, 6 subspecies are recognized, and with 2 subspecies occurring in China; however, the taxonomical status of some subspecies is still controversial due in part to their high morphological variability. The present study deals with the intraspecies systematics of 28 samples representing 4 populations in Bole city and Ili River Valley, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, through morphological comparison and phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene. Cyt b gene sequences of E. arguta available in the GenBank were compiled for comparison with the obtained haplotypes. Tree-based subspecies delimitation was achieved by using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. Bayes factors (BF) were used to test the competing hypotheses for E. arguta by comparing the unconstrained Bayesian tree topology to Bayesian trees with `hard` constraints. The morphological features of steppe racerunner population in Bole city matched the description of those from the Ili River Valley, with specific dorsal pattern characterized by the presence of bright blue or green ocelli in breeding males. Phylogenetic trees congruently indicated that the haplotypes from Bole city belong to the Ili River Valley clade, which represents a separate lineage with undescribed subspecies (E. arguta ssp.). The 3 hypotheses that populations from the Ili River Valley belong to the subspecies E. a. arguta, or E. a. potanini, or E. a. uzbekistanica were rejected with very strong evidence (2lnBF>10), respectively. The Ili River Valley clade is most likely the sister taxon to E. a. uzbekistanica and E. a. darevskii; meanwhile, there is no reliable evidence to reject the alternative hypothesis that E. arguta ssp.is sister to the remaining lineages of E. a. arguta (2 < 2lnBF < 6). In addition, the reciprocal monophyly of E. a. potanini and E. a. arguta was recovered albeit with low bootstrap values and moderate Bayesian posterior probabilities. An alternative topology with samples of E. a. potanini nested within the E. a. arguta clade was not rejected with very strong evidence (6 < 2lnBF < 10). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that:(i) the steppe racerunner in Bole city is not E. a. potanini, but belongs to the Ili River Valley clade and thus represents a new record of E. arguta ssp. in Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, China; (ii) the populations from the Ili River Valley should not be classified as E. a. arguta or E. a. potanini or E. a. uzbekistanica, but belong to a cryptic clade (an undescribed subspecies); (iii) the phylogenetic placement of the novel clade (subspecies) is unclear and needing further clarification with integrative taxonomic approach. Finally, in combination with morphological variability, the validity of the E. a. potanini subspecies was discussed.

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Although reptiles are the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates, crucial data on their extinction risks are lacking. The reptile species assessed by IUCN are only a fraction of those at risk of extinction. Thus, conservation planning and management decisions are hindered by the lack of ecological information on the species’ distribution patterns and their habitat requirements. Pleske’s racerunner (Eremias pleskei) is a rare and critically endangered species known to occur exclusively in the eastern Anatolian Montane Steppe ecoregion. In this study, we used ten species distribution model algo- rithms and 62 climate change scenarios (from 19 global climate models under four representative concentration pathways) to predict future habitat suitability for Pleske’s racerunner in the Anatolian Montane Steppe ecoregion. Our results indicate that this species may in future migrate from its current distribution range towards the central and western areas of the Anatolian Montane Steppe ecoregion. Our results also show that the variation in the temperature-related variables in suitable habitats will increase in future as compared with the current conditions. It seems that due to climate change, in future, deserts will be appropriate for this species. The same mechanisms, however, will make some of its current habitats unsuitable. Dealing with uncertainties in climate change and species distribution modeling is a major challenge when planning strategies for species’ conservation. We recommend conservation measures to be implemented to make sure that E. pleskei’s current habitats are suitable for it also in future.

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In the context of global warming, an important issue is that many pesticides become more toxic, putting non-target organisms at higher risk of pesticide exposure. Eremias argus (a native Chinese lizard) was selected as animal model in this study. As a kind of poikilothermic vertebrate, E.argus is sensitive to temperature change. The experimental design [(with or without L-Glufosinate-ammonium (L-GLA) pollution × two temperatures (25 and 30 °C)] was used in this study for 90 days to identify the chronic effects of the pesticide–temperature interaction on the lizards’ neuroendocrine-regulated reproduction. Survival rate, body weight, clutch characteristics, testicular histopathology, the content of neurotransmitters and related enzyme activity, the level of sex steroid, the expression of Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), antioxidant system, the accumulation and degradation of L-GLA were examined. Results showed that L-GLA disrupt reproduction of lizards through hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis. In addition, temperature can not only change the environmental behavior of pesticides, but also alter the physiological characteristics of lizards. Thus, our results emphasized that temperature is an essential abiotic factor that should not be overlooked in ecotoxicological studies.

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Formation of chondrocranium of Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758 in early embryogenesis is described. Particular attention is given to both the primary anlagen of the neurocranium, and participation of the acrochordal cartilage in formation of the crista sellaris. The attention is paid to debatable questions. Morphological descriptions are based on hematoxylin and counterstained with eosin serially-sectioned embryos. The results show that mesenchymatous rudiments of parachordals, acrochordal cartilage and trabecula cranii are the first to appear in the chondrocranium of Lacerta agilis. The parachordals are the first to chondrify following by chondrification of the acrochordal cartilage and the trabecula cranii.

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Phenotypic traits are usually correlated with the environment where organism occurs. In this study, the distribution of Eremias velox in the eastern periphery of its range was specified, and its morphological variation was analyzed. Linear dimensions, pholidosis, coloration and pattern features were compared among 135 specimens from nine populations inhabiting the Balkhash, Ili and Alakol basins, Junggar and Turpan depressions in the territory of Southeast Kazakhstan and Xinjiang, Northwest China. The populations from the Junggar Depression (Kuytun, Shihezi and Urumqi) were characterized by higher mean values of linear characters, the number of scales across the middle of the body and gular, and were similar in the dominant coloration patterns. Small size, dark coloration and almost complete dominance of the striped-type coloration pattern among the specimens from the Alakol Lake islands seem to have an adaptive significance associated with the isolation of the population and type of their habitats. The subspecies Eremias velox roborowskii (endemic to the Turpan Depression) is elevated to species level, as supported by morphological divergence congruent with molecular and geographical data, including its peculiar type of coloration pattern, significantly lower amount of femoral pores and a higher percentage of specimens with one enlarged preanal scale (72.7%). These results together confirm a high degree of variability in morphology for E. veloх in the eastern periphery of its range, reflecting a complex orography and the existence of multiple geographical barriers in this territory.

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The distribution and habitat characteristics of two Eremias species (E. arguta and E. stummeri) from contiguous areas of southeastern Kazakhstan, northeastern Kyrgyzstan, and western Xinjiang, China, were analyzed using GIS modeling. We show that both species are dry-steppe-adapted xerophilous lizards with sclerophilic and partially petrophilic specialization. In spite of the visible similarity of the ecological niches (ENs) occupied by E. arguta and E. stummeri, the latter differs in a number of key variables. While most of the precipitation variables, the radiation of the winter and off-season months, and afternoon (PM) humidity are most important for E. arguta habitats, the habitats suitable for E. stummeri are limited by temperature variables, radiation during most of the year, and morning (AM) humidity. Differences on this scale indicate the way in which these lizards are adapted to different ecosystems — E. arguta to the plains and E. stummeri to the mountains — and support the views on their different zoogeographical accessory. Avisible correspondence of the distributional pattern of the two Eremias species to the mountain piedmonts and low foothills, with Pliocene-Quaternary concreted pebble deposits and the loess strata, permit us to consider mountain trails as the most likely means by which the species expanded in the Late Cenozoic period. Pronounced isolation of the populations in the Northern and the Central Tien Shan intramontane depressions appears as a factor from at least the Late Pliocene (E. stummeri) and the Middle Pleistocene (E. arguta) periods; and the association of the lizard habitats with loess deposits has given rise to the suggestion that there was an absence of serious change in their ranges during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Low precipitation, a high annual temperature range and the high aridity of the climate in general beyond the ENM optimum of E. arguta all point to severe conditions for lizards surviving already in the eastern part of the Ily Basin and explain the limited species distribution in the highly arid deserts of Xinjiang. In terms of methodology, our data highlights the lack of a ‘generalized set’ of BIOCLIM parameters in the ecological niche modeling of the mountain species. In particular, moisture and solar radiation as well as the relief variables play an important role in the ecological health of the poikilothermic xerophilous species inhabiting mountain areas.

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In this case, a green lizard (Lacerta viridis LAURENTI 1768) caught in Uludag, Bursa, north-western Turkey, was diagnosed as reovirus by electron microscopy. In the macroscopical examination, wart-like growths were seen on the dorsum of the animal on the skin between the forearms and on the back close to the pelvic region. In the microscopical examination of hematoxylin and eosin stained sections, hyperkeratosis, ballooning degeneration and eosinophilic inclusions in the cytoplasm were observed. There was no positive reaction for papillomavirus in immunohistochemistry. Electron microscopic study of these growths revealed the presence of viral particles belonging, from the morphological aspect, to the family Reoviridae.

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Based on the Giemsa-dyeing karyotypes and silver-staining bands of 15 populations from different localities in China belonging to 6 species of the genus Eremias , We found all species studied have 19 pairs of chromosomes, the size of chromosomes reduces gradually and there are no marked differences between the arranged pairs of macrochromosomes except the last pair of microchromosome. There are the same karyotype formula as 2n=38=36I+2m with NF=38 in E. argus, E. multiocellata, E. velox, E. arguta and E. grammica; but the karyotype formula of E. vermiculata is different as 2n=38=12V+2sI+22I+2m with NF=50. The NOR are all located on one small pair in female of E. velox, and E. arguta , in male of E. grammica and E. vermiculata ,and in both male and female of E. multiocellata. We have not found two or more than two pairs of NOR. Having one pair of NOR may be common in Genus Eremias and also the trait of Eremias. We speculate that the derivation of the karyotype of E. vermiculata had two possible way: one experienced the stage of triploid, and later the Robertsonian transposal of chromosomes; the other way was through the inversions between the arms on the chromosome and the phenomenon of inversions might occur during or subsequently after the upheaval of the Tibet and Qinghai plateau and the founding of the Tianshan . With regard to the trend of the evolution of chromosomes in the lizards ([1]), the karyotype of E. vermiculata is more advanced. Making specialties of E. vermiculata will help in building the phylogenic tree of Eremias. In both male and female of the species studied, the heteromorphic sex-chromosomes were not found.

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Soil contaminants can cause direct harm to lizards due to their regular swallowing of soil particles. As the world’s fastest growing insecticide with long half-life in soil, the endocrine disrupting effect of neonicotinoids on lizards deserves more attention. In this report, we assessed the endocrine disrupting effect of imidacloprid on Eremias argus during 28 days of continuous exposure. Among the imidacloprid and its metabolites, only the metabolite 6-chloropyridic acid had a significant accumulation in the gonads and was positively correlated with its blood concentration. Imidacloprid might cause endocrine disrupting effects on lizards in two ways. First, the desnitro metabolites of imidacloprid could accumulate in the brain, inhibited the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and ultimately affected the feedback regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal related hormones. Secondly, imidacloprid severely inhibited the gene expression of the corresponding enzymes in the gonadal anti-oxidative stress system, causing histological damage to the gonads and ultimately affecting gonadal function. Specifically, exposure to imidacloprid resulted in abnormal arrangement of spermatogenic epithelial epithelium, hyperplasia of epididymal wall, and oligospermia of male lizard. Meanwhile, gene expressions of cyp17, cyp19, and hsd17β were severely inhibited in the imidacloprid exposure group, consistent with decreased levels of testosterone and estradiol in plasma. Imidacloprid exposure could cause insufficient androgen secretion and less spermatogenesis in male lizards. The risk of imidacloprid exposure to female lizards was not as severe as that of male lizards, but it still inhibited the expression of cyp19 in the ovaries and led to a decrease in the synthesis of estradiol. This study firstly reported the endocrine disruption of imidacloprid to lizards, providing new data for limiting the use of neonicotinoids.

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General morphology and size of erythrocytes of some lacertid lizards. Ophisops elegans, Lacerta cappodocica, Anatololacerta danfordi and Podarcis muralis, living in Turkey was studied using technique. The longest erythrocytes and nuclei were measured in O. elegans and the shortest ones in L cappodocica. The widest erythrocytes were recorded ill P. muralis and the narrowest ones in L. cappodocica, The widest nuclei were found in O. elegans mid the narrowest ones in L cappodocica.

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Reptiles are an important part of vertebrates and are the primitive terrestrial vertebrates. However, lots of reptile species are endangered or susceptible to extinction. It is no doubt that contaminants are one of the important reasons for the decline of the lizard population. In this study, the selective metabolism of triadimenol (TN) in the male Eremias argus lizards and the toxic effects of TN on lizards were studied. TN chiral isomers were separated and detected by HPLC-MS/MS system with Lux Cellulose-1 column. Tissue distribution experiments showed the existence of stereoselectivity biotransformation of TN enantiomers among organs in lizards, and RR-TN preferentially emerged over the other enantiomers. The antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GST) activities and MDA content assays demonstrated that TN induced oxidative stress in most organs, especially in the liver, and the histopathology analysis showed the severe liver and testis damage caused by 14-day continuous TN gavage. The reproductive effects of TN-induced reflected in the increased sex hormone testosterone. This research confirms that TN could induce hepatic and reproductive toxicity of E. argus lizard.

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The trade-off between self-maintenance and reproduction has been explored wildly in reptiles. However, the effects of exogenous pollutants on the life history traits of reptiles have not been paid attention to. In the current study, lizards (Eremias argus), living in the soil polluted by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were selected as the main focus. Bodyweight, survival rate, clutch characteristics and biochemical analysis (immune response, lipid accumulation, sex steroid secretion, antioxidant level, and metabolomics) were investigated and the results revealed that lizards’ life-history trade-offs are gender-dependent: females were more inclined to choose a “Conservative” life-history strategy. After 60 days of exposure to PFOA, larger body weight, higher survival rate, stronger immune response, and lighter egg mass in females suggested that their trade-offs are more biased towards self-maintenance. Whereas, the “Risk” strategy would more popular among males: reduced body weight and survival rate, and suffering from oxidative damage indicated that males made little investment in self-maintenance.

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Key to the management of biological invasions is the assessment of an invading species’ potential for progression from introduction to establishment to invasion. Heterogeneity within the introduced range as well as variation in the nature of the introductions (timing, source, propagule pressure) create spatial and temporal variation in invasion dynamics, while population lags can mask the true potential for invasion success and subsequent impacts, and should be a consideration when making management decisions. I studied several measures of individual fitness, namely body condition, hemoparasite prevalence, and tail damage, in 12 established populations of the common wall lizards, Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768), introduced to southern England and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. As introduction history, habitat occupied, and native origins differ between populations, I hypothesised that aspects of morphology and fitness may therefore also vary between populations, thus influencing invasive potential. Capture-mark-recapture (CMR) methods used to estimate population sizes indicated densities generally lower than those reported for native and introduced populations in the literature. Lineage was a significant factor for variation in body size, with male and female lizards of Italian origin being 4.5% and 4% larger than counterparts of French lineage, respectively. Differences in body condition were site specific, with little effect of habitat type or lineage. Tail damage was more prevalent in lizards inhabiting urban sites than those from more rural habitats. I found hemogregarine infection in only one of nine populations screened (prevalence 54%). Intensity of infection was low compared to data in the literature with no detectable effect on body condition. Estimates of low wall lizard density compared to densities elsewhere suggest UK populations, although established for >40 years in some cases, may be exhibiting a lag phase in population growth post-introduction. Furthermore, significant variation in aspects of individual fitness between populations may influence the dynamics of their invasion potential making some populations more ‘high risk’ than others for transition to invasion. These findings, in addition to the effectiveness of capture methods and high levels of recapture during CMR, provide the first indication that targeted eradication/control may be feasible at some UK sites and that decisions to initiate such efforts need to consider the possibility of acting prior to a potentially abrupt breakthrough in apparent lag phase.

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Effects of temperature on metabolism/biotransformation and toxicokinetics to lizards are significant, but frequently ignored in toxicology studies. Beta-cyfluthrin (BC) is a pyrethroid insecticide and has been widely used globally. The study aimed to understand the diverse adverse effects of BC to the lizard (Eremias argus) at different temperature regimes. We carried out a single oral BC treatment (20 mg/kg bw) for toxicokinetic study and a 7-day BC (10 mg/kg bw) gavage to look at toxicology by monitoring changes in the biomarkers HSP70, SOD, MDA, CarE, UDPGT, GST, cyp genes, and other metabolic responses. Results showed that BC was lethal to lizards, showing oxidative damages in the liver at ambient temperature (25 °C). Heat stress (35 °C) could exacerbate the oxidative damage (MDA increased) caused by BC, due to the disorder of the antioxidant defense system. The result of tissue distribution and toxicokinetic study also showed that temperature affected the BC biotransformation in lizards. The biotransformation of BC maybe relates to the activation of CarE and UDGPT by heat stress. However, the cyp system and GST didn`t increase under BC or/and heat treatments. 1H-NMR metabolomics analysis showed that BC or/and heat stress interfered with energy and amino acid metabolism of the liver. Unlike acute lethal toxicity, the occurrence of the BC and heat stresses has detrimental effects on lizard individuals and populations on sub-lethal levels. Our results indicate that pollution and global warming (or some other extremely weather) may generate significant and harmful effects on lizards.

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Mate choice with regard to genetic similarity has been rarely considered as a dynamic process. We examined this possibility in breeding populations of the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara) kept for several years in semi-natural conditions. We investigated whether they displayed a pattern of mate choice according to the genetic similarity and whether it was context-dependent. Mate choice depended on genetic similarity with the partner and also on age and condition. There was no systematic avoidance of inbreeding. Females of intermediate ages, more monogamous, did not mate with genetically similar partners, whereas younger and older females, more polyandrous, did but highest clutch proportions were associated with intermediate values of pair-relatedness. These results indicate dynamic mate choice, suggesting that individuals of different phenotypes select their partners in different ways according to their genetic similarity. We consider our results in the light of diverse and apparently contradictory theories concerning genetic compatibility, and particularly, optimal inbreeding and inclusive fitness.

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The maintenance of optimal body temperatures has profound consequences on all aspects of ectotherms life history, like fitness and performance, and has been the subject of research for decades. In contrast, for reptiles, comparatively less is known on the potential effects of water balance on physiology, ecology and behaviour. In recent years, several recent studies are pointing out the importance of studying thermoregulation and water balance within the same framework. Here, we used a Mediterranean lizard, Psammodromus algirus, to investigate how field body temperature and water loss rates may vary among populations, between sexes and along an altitudinal gradient. We found little variation in field body temperatures among populations, while within each population, field body temperature may change daily, seasonally and differ between sexes. On the contrary, water loss rates decreased with elevation and showed no seasonal trend or difference between sexes. Microclimatic data indicated that highland lizards experienced more fluctuating conditions, a factor that may explain their lower water loss rates. Other factors, like inter-population differences in ectoparasite intensity, might also contribute in explaining the observed patterns. We present here the first data for a lacertid lizard on the inter-population variability and sexual difference in water loss rates and point out that water balance may play a fundamental role in regulating lizard activity during the hottest and driest period of the year.

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During a visit to Osor on the island Cres, Cro-atia, in mid August 2016 I photographed one adult Dalmatolacerta oxycephala eating a stink bug of the (family Pentatomidae). Judging from the pertinent literature it is concluded that D. oxycephala eats a wide variety of invertebrates, including scorpions, beetles and possibly even centipedes. Ripe fruit is also eaten. D. oxycephala is comfortable with humans at Osor and in other habitats visited frequently by people, whereas it proves very shy in other habitats. At Osor one Hierophis gemonensis was apparently hunting D. oxycephala in a wall.

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Secondary seed dispersal is a multistep system that includes 2 or more dispersal processes that can increase the distance from whichseeds arrive. This phenomenon is relatively common in some habitats of subtropical oceanic islands due to the frequent frugivore–predator interactions found in them. In this study, we describe how the Eurasian Kestrel is an effective disperser of plants in thesecondary seed dispersal process, through interaction with frugivorous lizards. Experiments using captive wild kestrels, along withfield data, showed that predation of kestrels on lizards leads to a secondary seed dispersal with 2 possible outcomes: 1) most seeds(89%) are not consumed by kestrels because they reject the lizards’ digestive tracts and so receive only the gut treatment of lizardsand 2) a small fraction of seeds (11%) appeared inside the kestrel pellets as a result of indirect ingestion by this raptor, thusundergoing double gut treatment. So, 2 different seed dispersal distances may result from this interaction: 1) when the kestrelscapture the lizard and transport it to a perch where the seed-containing guts are discarded and 2) when they indirectly ingest a fewseeds from lizards, consequently increasing the dispersal distance. Seeds from the Macaronesian plant speciesRubia fruticosaweretested, finding that those passed through kestrels had a lower germinability than those that remained inside the rejected lizards’digestive tracts, which had similar germination rates to those from control plants (uningested seeds). The kestrel can be consid-ered an important and effective long-distance seed disperser due to the high abundance of frugivorous lizards in their diet, theirstereotyped consumption behavior, and the effectiveness of their seed dispersal.

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Two satellite DNAs (satDNAs) have been isolated and characterized from three populations of Atlantolacerta andreanskyi. One satDNA (AAN‐TaqI) has been isolated here from the first time. It is characterized by a tendency to AT enrichment (AT = 54.2%) and monomer length ranging from 187 to 199 bp. FISH experiments showed that this element occurs in subterminal position on the short arms of all chromosomes of the complement. The analyses of genetic variability of AAN‐TaqI showed that the concerted evolution is acting effectively on these repeats that form separate clusters consistent with the geographic origin in the phylogenetic tree, thus supporting the hypothesis that A. andreanskyi would be a species complex. In addition, in the population from Jbel Aoulime this satDNA is already differentiated into two subfamilies. The other satDNA belongs to the family of IMO‐TaqI already isolated in other lacertids. Differently from AAN‐TaqI, concerted evolution does not seem to act effectively on this element that is not differentiated between populations. These results confirm that IMO‐TaqI (AT = 53.4%) is conserved in both chromosomal position and most of its sequence in the lacertids from which it has been characterized so far. Its remarkable evolutionary conservation for about 45 million years could indicate that this satDNA may have a functional role that future investigations could unveil. Once again, this study shows how satDNAs coexisting in the same genome may differ in their evolutionary pattern, even though the reasons underlying this phenomenon in the species here studied have still to be fully understood.

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A new species, Ophionyssus schreibericolus Moraza sp. nov. is described, based on adult females, males and protonymphal instars. Ophionyssus schreibericolus parasitizes Lacerta schreiberi, a lizard endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, and known to have persisted in refugial populations throughout the Pleistocene. A key to adult females, males and protonymphs of the genus Ophionyssus is presented. Ophionyssus viperae Miron & Ivan 2003 is synonymised with O. natricis (new synonymy).

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The use of space of the balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi. Causal factors at Aire Island. -- during April, June and July 2004 the use of space on a study plot of 2500 m2 at the central area of Aire Island (Menorca, balearic Islands, Spain) have been studied. This area is characterized by a dense shrub cover, mainly composed by Suaeda vera, as well as large areas of rocks and a very high density of the dead horse arum, Dracunculus muscivorus. 3324 captures and recaptures from 766 lizards were obtained. The average home range size was around 138 m2 for those lizards with four or more recaptures. We did not detect significant differences in home range size between adult males and females, nor among the three months under study. The home range size of the balearic lizard is similar to those recorded for other small lacertid lizards of the Mediterranean basin. We did not find any significant correlation between body size and home range size, with only marginally significant results for adult females. Anyway, in all partial analyses on each studied month the correlation was negative, perhaps indicating the occupation of smaller but better, from the viewpoint of available resources, home ranges by larger lizards. The extent of home range overlap is a clear indication of the absence of territorial behaviour in the balearic lizard, both in males and females. While during April, we observed lower home range overlap between adult females. on the other hand, adult males showed a higher home range overlap from June, in spite of a lower number of males present at the study plot during this month. This result could indicate a higher tolerance between males after disappearance of flowering dead horse arums. the monopolizing of open inflorescences during April did not lead in a different spatial distribution of males and females in relation to plants and both sexes exhibited similar distances to dead horse arums. however, during June, within the peak of the ripening period, distances to plants were significantly shorter in adult males. We discuss the significance of a not lasting resource as the dead horse arum for space use of the balearic lizard, contrasting with patterns observed at continental populations of small lacertid lizards, where refuges and other structural elements of the habitat are more relevant to explain the spatial distribution of lizards. We propose the hypothesis that these differences are only possible because of particular conditions of microinsular environments of the Mediterranean, characterized by poor trophic resources and a low predation pressure.

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Some mate choice theories propose that only male signals that are honest and condition-dependent can be stable, while another hypothesis states that males evolve signals that exploit the sensory system of females. However, sensory traps might evolve into honest signals if they are differentially costly for males. We tested whether a pre-existing sensory bias for food chemicals explained chemosensory preferences of female Iberian rock lizards for male scents. We manipulated hunger levels of females and found that food-deprived females had increased chemosensory responses to chemical stimuli from both invertebrate prey and femoral secretions of males, but not to control water. Further tests suggested that cholesta-5,7-dien-3-ol (provitamin D3), a lipid found in both prey and males’ scent, may be one of the chemicals eliciting these responses. Moreover, hungry females spent more time on scent marks of males that had experimentally increased cholesta-5,7-dien-3-ol than on scent marks of males alone, whereas for control females this effect was not significant. We suggest that preexisting sensory bias for essential nutrients (i.e., provitamin D) may be the origin of similar female responses to male chemicals. However, previous studies have suggested that the allocation of these chemicals to ornaments is costly and only high quality males can afford it. Therefore, preexisting sensory bias for essential nutrients may further allow the evolution and maintenance of honest sexual display.

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Prey experience a broad range of temporal patterns of predation risk and may face different problems when assessing risk level and deciding how to allocate costly antipredator behaviour across time. We simulated in the laboratory repeated predatory attacks of different intensity (low versus high risk) to Iberian rock lizards, Iberolacerta cyreni, with similar numbers of low- and high-risk attacks across a trial, but with different temporal patterns of presentation (i.e. a series of low-risk and then a series of high risk, or vice versa, or successive attacks where risk changed randomly). We measured activity levels, time hidden in refuges after each predatory attack, and propensity to hide in refuges when the predator is close but not actually attacking (‘false alarm’ flights). Antipredator responses were of higher intensity when risk was high, but responses also depended on temporal patterns of risk. When previous attacks were of low-risk or when risk was random, prey activity did not change between risk levels. False alarm flights in the low-risk situation were more frequent when risk was random or immediately after a series of high-risk attacks. When successive attacks were of similar risk level, lizards seemed able to predict risk level in the next attack and modified their antipredator behaviour accurately. However, when risk level was random, lizards did not seem able to predict risk level and adopted a conservative strategy, overestimating risk even though costs of the antipredator responses increased.

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Here, we present a case of nocturnal activity of a diurnal Pelasgian Rock Lizard,Anatololacerta pelasgiana (Mertens, 1959) in Çığlıkara Nature Reserve. During our fieldwork in August 2016, we detected the nocturnal behavior individuals on the walls of the fire tower/cabin in the cedar forest. Besides, there is this is the first case of a nocturnal behavior without any artificial light.