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Afficients to the habenular complex were studied by means of in vitro horseradish peroxidase retrograde labeling and anterograde control experiments in the lizard Gallotia galloti. The medial habenular nucleus was found to receive abundant afferent fibers from the nucleus of the posterior pallia] commissure and the nucleus scptalis impar. More restricted input comes from the nucleus eminen- tiac thalami and the nucleus of the stria medullaris. The lateral habenular nucleus is innervated by various fiber groups originating from the bed nucleus of the anterior commissure, the diagonal band nucleus, the lateral preoptic area, the anteriorentopcduncular nucleus, the lateral hypothalamic and mammillary areas, the nucleus of the stria medullaris. the area tegmentalis vcntralis and a scattered neuronal subpopulation in the large-celled dorsolateral nucleus of the dorsal thalamus. Habenulopctal fibers generally follow the stria medullaris, but hypothalamic, entopcduncularand dorsal thalamic afferents course through the dorsal peduncle of the lateral forebrain bundle in a transthalamic route. Mesencephalic ventral tegmental afferents ascend through the tractus retroflexus.

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In a previous study we found a seasonal distribution of cell proliferation (the first stage of adult neurogenesis) in the telencephalic ventricular walls of the adult Gallotia galloti lizard. The aimof the present work was to determine the influence of seasonality on the subsequent migration of the resulting immature neurons. We used wild animals injected with bromodeoxyuridine and kept in captivity within 30 days. To confirm the neuronal identity of these cells, we used double immunohistochemical 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and doublecortin (DCX, an early neuronal marker) labeling, as well as autoradiography after the administration of methyl-[3H] thymidine ([3H]T).We foundthat: (1) therateofcell division and/ormigration fromthe ventricular walls varied with the season, especially in regions related with olfaction. (2) Immature neuronlike cells appeared to migrate in an apparently radial and tangential way towards different parts of the telencephalic parenchyma. (3) We didnot observeultrastructurallymature neuronsuntil at least 90 days later, a period considerably greater than that reported for other species of vertebrates in similar studies.

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Background: The accumulation of repetitive sequences such as microsatellites during the differentiation of sex chromosomes has not been studied in most squamate reptiles (lizards, amphisbaenians and snakes), a group which has a large diversity of sex determining systems. It is known that the Bkm repeats containing tandem arrays of GATA tetranucleotides are highly accumulated on the degenerated W chromosomes in advanced snakes. Similar, potentially homologous, repetitive sequences were found on sex chromosomes in other vertebrates. Using FISH with probes containing all possible mono-, di-, and tri-nucleotide sequences and GATA, we studied the genome distribution of microsatellite repeats on sex chromosomes in two lizard species (the gecko Coleonyx elegans and the lacertid Eremias velox) with independently evolved sex chromosomes. The gecko possesses heteromorphic euchromatic sex chromosomes, while sex chromosomes in the lacertid are homomorphic and the W chromosome is highly heterochromatic. Our aim was to test whether microsatellite distribution on sex chromosomes corresponds to the stage of their heteromorphism or heterochromatinization. Moreover, because the lizards lie phylogenetically between snakes and other vertebrates with the Bkm-related repeats on sex chromosomes, the knowledge of their repetitive sequence is informative for the determination of conserved versus convergently evolved repetitive sequences across vertebrate lineages. Results: Heteromorphic sex chromosomes of C. elegans do not show any sign of microsatellite accumulation. On the other hand, in E. velox, certain microsatellite sequences are extensively accumulated over the whole length or parts of the W chromosome, while others, including GATA, are absent on this heterochromatinized sex chromosome. Conclusion: The accumulation of microsatellite repeats corresponds to the stage of heterochromatinization of sex chromosomes rather than to their heteromorphism. The lack of GATA repeats on the sex chromosomes of both lizards suggests that the Bkm-related repeats on sex chromosomes in snakes and other vertebrates evolved convergently. The comparison of microsatellite sequences accumulated on sex chromosomes in E. velox and in other eukaryotic organisms suggests that historical contingency, not characteristics of particular sequences, plays a major role in the determination of which microsatellite sequence is accumulated on the sex chromosomes in a particular lineage.

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Lizard erythrocytic viruses ~LEVs! have previously been described in Lacerta monticola from Serra da Estrela, Portugal. Like other known erythrocytic viruses of heterothermic vertebrates, these viruses have never been adapted to cell cultures and remain uncharacterized at the molecular level. In this study, we made attempts to adapt the virus to cell cultures that resulted instead in the isolation of a previously undetected Ranavirus closely related to FV3. The Ranavirus was subsequently detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the blood of infected lizards using primers for a conserved portion of the Ranavirus major capsid protein gene. Electron microscopic study of the new Ranavirus disclosed, among other features, the presence of intranuclear viruses that may be related to an unrecognized intranuclear morphogenetic process. Attempts to detect by PCR a portion of the DNA polymerase gene of the LEV in infected lizard blood were successful. The recovered sequence had 65.2/69.4% nt/aa% homology with a previously detected sequence from a snake erythrocytic virus from Florida, which is ultrastructurally different from the studied LEV. These results further support the hypothesis that erythrocytic viruses are related to one another and may represent a new group of nucleocytoplasmic large deoxyriboviruses.

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Microscopy suggests that glutathione S-transferase is stored in large granules of myeloid cells in bone marrow and sparse granulocytes of the regenerating tail of lizard. Acta Zoologica (Stockolm). Tail regeneration in lizards occurs after an immune-privileged blastema and is formed where various immunosuppressive cells and biomolecules keep inflammation low. Molecules that limit inflammation may include glutathione and glutathione S-transferase (GST). These molecules reduce reactive oxidative species (ROS) and detoxify extraneous molecules. In the present study, the presence of GST has been analysed in the early phases of tail regeneration in the lizard Podarcis muralis. Using a rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against epitopes present in GST of P. muralis, a light and electron microscopy immunohistochemical and Western blotting study has been done. The study detected proteins of 25 and 32 kDa in pale-medium electron-dense and large granules present in promyelocytes and myelocytes of likely basophilic or eosinophilic fate that is present in the bone marrow of tail vertebrae. These cells are still proliferating and give rise to basophilic or eosinophilic granulocytes that also migrate into the regenerating tail. The enzyme stored in granules of promyelocytes and myelocytes is also localized in the cytoplasm of granulocytes present in the regenerating blastema-cone, basophilic or/and eosinophilic. It is suggested that these granulocytes in the blastema reduce ROS and detoxify potentially inflammatory metabolites, contributing with other molecules to limit inflammation and favour regeneration.

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hypothalamus, and also in peripheral tissues. Reproduction is a peripheral activity that is strongly influenced by a circadian clock in many organisms. Most mammals that exhibit a seasonal cycle are able to decode the daily changes in light across the year and to translate these in hormonal signals that regulate reproductive cycles. Expression of many clock genes has been revealed in mouse testis, although transcription of these genes seems to be constitutive in 24 h, suggesting that these genes may play in the testis a different role with regard to the central clockwork function. The seasonal breeding lizard Podarcis sicula represents an attractive model for studying some developmental and differentiation phenomena, such as gonadal maturation, since in the adult male the testis shows a spring full activity and a complete summer regression. Experimental data seem to suggest that in lizard the environmental factors, as photoperiod and temperature, affect the endogenous elements, although the interaction mechanisms are unknown. It is known that temperature signals have a direct influence on clock processes such as transcription, translation, protein phosphorylation and degradation. In addition, most data show that the expression of circadian clock genes, such as period2, is affected by length of photoperiod. In this way, the core clockwork may also decode seasonal information. Here we report the cloning, sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of period2 gene, isolated from the testis of lizard P. sicula, and its expression both in the testis and in other tissues during the different phases of the seasonal cycle. RT-PCR assays enlighten the presence of transcript in testis, brain, heart, liver and kidney in all the phases analysed. Moreover, real time quantitative PCR assays detect a peak of per2 testicular expression during gonadal regression. Our preliminary results cannot clearly demonstrate the involvement of per2 gene in seasonal reproductive cycle of male lizard P. sicula, but ist presence in the testis may suggest a role of this gene during spermatogenesis. Besides, our work can provide numerous starting points to clarify the role of per2 during seasonal reproductive cycle.

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Fifteen years have elapsed since the arrival of the invasive snake Hemorrhois hippocrepis to the island of Ibiza (Balearic Islands, Spain). In that time, the only endemic vertebrate, the Ibiza Wall Lizard (Podarcis pityusensis), has disappeared across half of the island, a subspecies restricted to an offshore islet has vanished, and its extinction in its native range is likely to happen in the next several years if managers do not implement conservation measures with alacrity and decisiveness. In light of these fndings, our re-assessment of the IUCN extinction risk category for this lizard shows that its risk status has increased by two levels since its last assessment in 2008, from Near Threatened to Endangered. We also classify this snake as producing a Massive (MA) impact under the Environmental Impact Classifcation for Alien Taxa. Lastly, we suggest six management measures to prevent the extinction of the majority of genetic and taxonomic diversity of this lizard on Ibiza, Formentera, and the numerous surrounding islets.

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We examined the effects of carbaryl in the digestive system of Ophisops elegans. Lizards were exposed once to different concentrations of carbaryl (2.5, 25 and 250 lg/g). After 96 h, findings related to the esophagus in all treatment groups were not conspicuous. The most important histological defects were observed in the stomach. In the small intestine, collapse of villi was prominent at high-dose. In the large intestine, disintegration in epithelial cells and scattered secretory granules of goblet cells were observed at high dose.

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Non-native wall lizards in Germany – Dispersal, legal framework, and recommendations for management
There are naturally two subspecies of the wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) in Germany: P. m. brongniardii in southwestern Germany and P. m. maculiventris-West only in the Inn Valley of Bavaria on the border with Austria. Of both lineages, numerous allochthonous (not native to the locality) occurrences are found scattered throughout Germany. The recognition characteristics of this lineages as well as of another frequently introduced lineage (Venetian lineage) are presented.
In the natural range, dispersals of individual populations were observed; shifts of the range margins did not occur. Known occurrences of alien wall lizards are spreading rapidly. The currently northernmost known occurrence is located at 53.37 °N at a dike culvert (Siel) in the North of Winsen (Luhe). Currently, at least one occurrence is known from 153 TK25 quadrants.
Wall lizards are only strictly protected in their native range, otherwise the regulations for non-native species apply. Non-native wall lizards are considered invasive, and allochthonous and hybrid populations should never be translocated. From a nature conservation perspective, measures to contain and control allochthonous populations seem to be necessary. Recommendations on how to manage non-native wall lizards are presented; these have already been created by the federal states of Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and Rhineland-Palatinate .

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Im Juni 2020 wurde am MegaHub Lehrte mit dem Güterumschlag zwischen Zug und Lkw begonnen. –Auf der innovativen Schnellumschlaganlage für den Kombinierten Verkehr verteilen drei Portalkräne die Container schnell, leise, energieeffizient und umweltfreundlich zwischen Schiene und Straße sowie zwischen Zügen. Neben der Technik fand auch die Natur neuen Raum. Nicht nur in „Eidechsenhausen“, auch in weiteren Schutzzonen und in umliegenden Ausgleichsflächen vor Ort tummeln sich streng geschützte Zauneidechsen und andere seltene Arten.

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Autotomy is a drastic antipredator defense consisting of the voluntary shedding of abody part to escape from the predators. The loss of a body part may impair loco-motion, feeding or mating, so animals may face a higher predation risk shortly afterautotomy. Thus, until regeneration is completed, prey may adjust their behavior toreduce predation risk, and this could involve secondary costs. We assessed theeffect of tail loss on the antipredator behavior of wall lizards (Podarcis muralis), comparing the behavior of tailed and tailless individuals exposed to a predatorysnake (Coronella austriaca) scent, under controlled experimental conditions. Taillesslizards spent significantly more time performing behaviors with antipredatory sig-nificance (e.g., moving slowly), whereas tailed individuals performed exploratorywalking for significantly more time. Moreover, tailless lizards spent more timebasking, which probably increases the effectiveness of their cryptic design and de-creases detection by predators. Lizards intensified the tongue flick rates when ex-posed to a pungent control or snake scents, as compared to their response to aneutral control. Besides, both tailed and tailless lizards intensified some aspects oftheir antipredator behavior (walking slowly and avoiding refuge use) when exposedto snake scent, which indicates discrimination of the smell of predatory snakes. Lizards decreased refuge use when exposed to predator scents, probably becausethe refuges are evaluated as unsafe due to a high concentration of snake scents. Toconclude, our experiments showed that, after losing their tails, wall lizards modifytheir behavior in a way that likely minimizes predation risk.

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New data on the boundaries of the range of the Lindholm lizard (Darevskia lindholmi), an endemic of the Crimean peninsula, are presented. The species is petrophilic and inhabits a wide range of biotopes in various landscape layers of the Crimean Mountains. The upper boundary of the distribution of D. lindholmi in the southwest of the Main Ridge of the Crimean Mountains reaches 1520 m above sea level. m. (Ai-Petrinskaya yayla, Mount Kemal-Egerek), while on other highlands with maximum heights of over 1.5 km, but colder climate (Babugan, Chatyrdag), the species was traced only up to 1250-1320 m above sea level. m. The northern border of the D. lindholmi range in the western part of the Crimean Mountains runs along the Outer piedmont ridge (right bank of the Alma River), while in the eastern one, along the last rock massifs of the Inner piedmont ridge north of 45 ° N. Isolated peripheral populations found in the forest-steppe or frigan-steppe landscapes of the Crimean foothills and the arid South-East coast differ significantly in their remoteness from the main range, the number and density of the lizard population. A hypothetical history of the formation of the current range of D. lindholmi is discussed.

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Currently, more than 58 skeletal anomalies and pathologies are known in the recent Squamata reptiles. In this paper, eight pathologies of a complex nature are described in Agamidae and Lacertidae: Paralaudakia caucasia (Eichwald, 1831) and Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758. Description of tail pathologies was carried out based on the analysis of X-ray images and on the results of computer microtomography. In the specimen of P. caucasia (ЗИН 19116.1) complete ablation of the caudal vertebra was revealed, which provoked the detachment of chevron and the proliferation of soft tissues. In some Agamidae, after pseudoautotomy, partial ablation of the caudal vertebra occurs to promote wound healing. Complete ablation of the distal caudal vertebra has not been previously re- ported in literature. In females of L. agilis, deformation of the right transverse process of the vertebra with “false bifurcation” without the formation of a cartilaginous tube (VOLSU 98.2), scoliosis, hematoma and callus on the cartilaginous tube were noted, as well as the absence of an autotomy plane in the postpygal vertebra (ZIN 31549). An unusual pathology in L. agilis (ZIN 31549) is the absence of an autotomy plane in the postpigal vertebra and of its anterior neural spine. The loss of the plane of autotomy during ontogeny is characteristic of some Iguanidae, but it has not been previously noted in Lacertidae. The described cases of anomalies expand the spectrum of known pathologies in reptiles.

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Die Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis LINNAEUS, 1758) ist unter den Eidechsen eine der am weitesten verbreiteten Arten Europas (Bischoff 1988). Auffällig in diesem Zusammenhang ist ihr nur lokales Auftreten in Italien (siehe Lapini et al. 1989, Corti & Lo Cascio 2002, Lapini & Dall’Asta, 2004 Sindaco et al. 2009). und das Fehlen der Art im Küstenbereich des Mittelmeers (z.b. Corti & Lo Cascio 2002, vgl. Karte in Bischoff 1988, Verbreitungskarte Lacerta agilis auf lacerta.de). Der Literatur sind aus drei, weit voneinander entfernt liegenden Provinzen Italiens entlang der Alpen Meldungen von Zauneidechsen zu entnehmen. Wobei die Frage ist, ob die Zauneidechse, wie von Rahmel (1991) angenommen, rezent in Südtirol (Alto Adige (Italien)) vorkommt oder historisch vorkam. Anhand einer Literaturrecherche, einer Recherche an Museumsmaterial, Auswertungen von Datenbanken und feldherpetologischer Begehungen wurde dieser Frage nachgegangen. Weiter wird der Frage nachgegangen, warum sich die Zauneidechse südlich des Alpenbogens nicht oder nur bedingt etablieren konnte. Der Mauereidechse Podarcis muralis (LAURENTI, 1768) wird in diesem Zusammenhang Bedeutung zugemessen.

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Die Mauereidechse (Podarcis muralis) ist eine in Europa weit verbreitete Echse, von der auch viele Populationen außerhalb ihrer natürlichen Vorkommen, einschließlich Nordamerikas, bekannt sind. In Polen wurde vor etwas zehn Jahren eine Population in Niederschlesien entdeckt. Weitere Nachforschungn brachten in der näheren Umgebung weitere Populationen zutage. In diesem Bericht wird eine kurze Zusammenfassung der Geschichte der Mauereidechse in Polen gegeben, ergänzt durch Bemerkungen zur aktuellen Situation der Populationen in der benachbarten Tschechischen Republik und Deutschland. Diese Populationen besitzen einzigartige Haplotypen, entsprechen darin aber den polnischen Populationen. Daher ist sehr wahrscheinlich, das es sich um allochthone Populationen in Polen handelt. Abschließend wird kurz über den aktuellen Zustand dieser Popularionen am Nordostrand ihres natürlichen Areals berichtet.

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A work by the Polish teacher and natural scientist JAN ALEKSANDER BAYGER (1867-1958) from 1909 is presented that has hitherto been overlooked by experts. BAYGER describes a subspecies of the sand lizard under the name Lacerta agilis L. var. Dzieduszyckii from the area around the city of Lviv, which today belongs to the Ukraine. This name is a synonym for Lacerta agilis chersonensis. In addition, the largely unknown outside of Poland J.A. BAYGER briefly introduced.

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GEORGI FEDOROWITSCH SUCHOW (1899-1942) was one of those researchers from the former Soviet Union who has been completely forgotten. This changed with the memories of his daughter NATALIA GEORGIEVNA SUKHOVA, published in 2015. Born in Ukraine, SUKHOV went to Leningrad in 1930, but did not get the hoped-for position as a scientist in the local herpetological department of the Zoological Museum of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. He was only hired as a museum guide. In February 1942 he died as a result of the siege of Leningrad by German troops. SUCHOW’S twelve herpetological works were almost exclusively devoted to the lacertid lizards. He described five new taxa, four of which are valid (Lacerta agilis tauridica, Lacerta agilis boemica, Apathya cappadocica urmiana und Timon kurdistanicus).

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Die Eidechsen Bulgariens und deren Lebensräume werden in Text und Bild vorgestellt. Die Autoren konnten auf mehreren Reisen neun der insgesamt zehn vorkommenden Lacertiden-Arten finden.

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Brief presentation of a partially melanistic male sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), which was observed near Lorsch on the Hessian Bergstrasse.

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Observations on a small population of the Common lizard Zootoca vivipara at the Baltic Sea. The lizards inhabited wooden fence posts directly at the steep coast exclusively.

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From 2012 to 2021, a total of 435 observations of reptiles were collected in the Special Area of Conservation of the Bardenas Reales (Navarre) and its surrounding area, corresponding to 15 autochthonous species. The observations were mapped on 5 x 5 km UTM grids, which allowed the distribution of these species in the area to be updated. Their pattern of presence can be summarised in three types of spatial occupation: ubiquitous species, species with a specific distribution in selective environments and species concentrated in restricted and specific areas. The Mediterranean scrub is the habitat with the highest number of observations (63 % of the records). The most widely represented lizard species was Psammodromus algirus (Linnaeus, 1758) (73.81 % of the squares), and the snake species, Natrix maura (Linnaeus, 1758) (38.10 %). Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758), favoured by a population monitoring and habitat improvement programme, was located in 16.67 % of the squares. The rarest species were Chalcides bedriagai (Boscá, 1880) (2.38 %) and Vipera latastei Boscá, 1878 (9. 52 %).

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Invasive snakes represent a serious threat to island biodiversity, being responsible for far-reaching impacts that are noticeably understudied, particularly regarding native reptiles. We analysed the impact of the invasive California kingsnake, Lampropeltis californiae—recently introduced in the Canary Islands—on the abundance of all endemic herpetofauna of the island of Gran Canaria. We quantified the density in invaded and uninvaded sites for the Gran Canaria giant lizard, Gallotia stehlini, the Gran Canaria skink, Chalcides sexlineatus, and Boettger’s wall gecko, Tarentola boettgeri. We used spatially explicit capture-recapture and distance-sampling methods for G. stehlini and active searches under rocks for the abundance of the other two reptiles. The abundance of all species was lower in invaded sites, with a reduction in the number of individuals greater than 90% for G. stehlini, greater than 80% for C. sexlineatus and greater than 50% for T. boettgeri in invaded sites. Our results illustrate the severe impact of L. californiae on the endemic herpetofauna of Gran Canaria and highlight the need for strengthened measures to manage this invasion. We also provide further evidence of the negative consequences of invasive snakes on island reptiles and emphasize the need for further research on this matter on islands worldwide.

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In the studied region we encountered 7 species of amphibian (Triturus dobrogicus, Triturus vulgaris, Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, Pelobates syriacus, Epidalea (Bufo) viridis, Pelophylax (Rana) ridibundus) and 4 species of reptiles (Emys orbicularis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Natrix natrix). The herpetofauna of the studied region is one typical for the plain areas from Romania. Pelobates syriacus was recorded for the first time in Ialomiţa County.

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Reptiles are sensitive to temperature changes as ectotherm animals. The climate warming may pose more serious threat to reptiles. Although the behavior effect and reproduction biology have been well studied, little information is available about the adaptation mechanisms of reptiles to temperature stress. In this study, the native Chinese species, Eremias argus were incubated at 15 (cold stress), 25 (control group) and 35 C (thermal stress) for 24 h. The transcriptome and metabolome technology were applied to investigate the molecular regulation mechanisms of lizards to acute temperature changes. The CIRBP and HSPA8 were hub genes in response to temperature adaptation. The increased expression of PER gene in lizard circadian rhythm is associated with tyrosine metabolism after cold or thermal stress. The poly-unsaturated fatty acids in female lizard liver were significantly increased with up-regulation of FASN and ACACA genes after thermal stress, which proved the disruption of fatty acid biosynthesis pathway in corporation with the altered body weight. The cortisol and testosterone were important steroid hormones in response to temperature changes especially in male lizard liver. The increased CIRBP gene expression in lizard gonads suppressed the KDM6B gene, which regulates the testis development and may induce sex reversal in male lizard after thermal stress. The adaptation responses of lizards to temperature stress may threaten the health status of wild population.

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Mucous cells and enteroendocrine cells of the pyloric region of the ruin lizard (Podarcis sicula campestris De Betta) have been examined by lectin histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. Binding to five plant lectins (Canavalia ensijormis. Con A; Triticum vulgare. wheat germ, WGL; Lotus tetragonolobus, winged pea, WPL; Glycine max, soybean, SBL; Arachis hypogaea. peanut, PNL) was performed to characterize glycoconjugates in the secretory products of superficial and glandular mucous cells. Lectin histochemistry revealed the presence of N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, D-galactose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in the pyloric superficial cells. Mucous glandular cells mainly contained neutral glycoproteins with terminal residues of galactose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. These cells did not react with Con A after periodate oxidation-sodium borohydride reduction (Paradoxical Con A staining). In the pyloric glands three different types of endocrine cells were identified immunohistochemically: gastrin-, serotonin- and somatostatin-immunoreactive cells; VIP-. bombesin- or cholecystokinin-immunoreactive cells have not been found in the pyloric mucosa.

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We have studied the organization of the midbrain radial glia in embryos of Gallotia galloti using the fluorescent lipophilic dye 1,1_-dioctadecyl-3,3,3_,3_-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) and the antibodies H5 and RC2. Our goal was to verify if the radial glia takes part in the midbrain boundaries formation and if it defines different zones. Our exam reveals two clear limits, anterior or mesencephalic–diencephalic (m/d) and posterior or mesencephalic–rhombencephalic (m/r), that can be defined as the borders where the midbrain radial glia processes end. Moreover, fasciculate radial glia processes characterize these limits totally or partially. They coincide with gene expression limits and with cytoarchitectonic limits defined by other criteria. Six different subdivisions, five alar and one basal, can be defined according to radial glia distribution, fasciculation, and immunohistochemical features. The ventral part of the alar region is defined by an RC2-positive bundle of radial glial cells. This bundle supposes a trustworthy landmark to point out the tectal/ tegmental boundary. We hypothesize that this pattern of midbrain radial glia represents a basic model in amniota.

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In male Podarcis s. sicula plasma, a sex steroid binding protein [SSBP(s)] binds testosterone (T) and estradiol-17 beta (E2) with moderate affinity (Kd = 0.23 +/- 0.08 x 10(-8) for 3H-E2, and 0.24 +/- 0.07 x 10(-8) for 3H-T) and high capacity. The SSBP binding affinity is unchanged throughout the sexual cycle, although its capacity is higher in nonreproductive males (winter and postreproductive period). This change may be related to changes in plasma T and E2 levels, and is likely to be involved in mechanisms whereby free steroid is delivered to target organs. SSBP, under isoelectrofocusing, is distributed between pH 5.5-6.5 and pH 7.1-7.5. The concentration of these two forms varies during the annual cycle.

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This study shows that in the liver of the oviparous lizard, Podarcis s. sicula, the estrogen receptor (ER) level increases during the reproductive period (spring) when vitellogenesis occurs. This phenomenon interested both unfilled and filled ER present in the cytosolic and nuclear fractions. The increase in unfilled cytosolic and filled nuclear receptor was positively correlated to the plasma level of vitellogenin. The level of liver ER approximated that of mammalian liver ER and, therefore, it is higher than that reported for the liver of several nonmammalian species. At electrofocusing, liver ER distributes in two pH ranges (pH 6.5-7.5 and 8.0-8.8, respectively). The first form predominated in nuclei of reproductive females or of spayed estrogenized females and could represent the activated form of receptor. Ovariectomy was followed by a decrease in liver ER which can be induced in spayed females by estradiol administration. Pituitary growth hormone (GH) seemed to exert a synergic effect on estradiol liver estrogen receptor regulation. In lizards treated both with estradiol and GH, in fact, there was a significant increase in nuclear filled ER rather than an increase in the level of total nuclear ER.

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The distribution of herpetofauna in large parts of mainland Greece has not been studied extensively. This study covers a poorly-known herpetological area in Thessaly Region - Lake Karla’s Plain. We conducted 59 field surveys during 12 consecutive years (2008–2019) and recorded a total of 26 herpetofauna species: 4 anuran amphibians and 22 reptiles (5 tortoises and terrapins, 7 lizards and 10 snakes). Our study brings updates regarding the presence, distribution and the main threats for the herpetofauna of Lake Karla’s Plain, with 17 species being recorded here for the first time, including an alien freshwater turtle, Trachemys scripta.

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Data on the reproduction of the rock lizard (Darevskia saxicola (Eversmann 1834)) in the gorges of Bol’shaya Laba (Karachay-Cherkessia) and Malaya Laba (Krasnodar Territory) rivers are presented. Gravid females of this species were captured in nature and transported to the laboratory. The animals were kept in captivity until oviposition. All eggs were obtained between July 20 and August 20. Breeding females had a body length of 42.5–60.1 mm. Hatches comprised 1–4 eggs 11.2–18.0 × 5.8–8.5 mm in size and weighing 0.185–0.535 g. Incubation in the laboratory lasted 38–47 days. Young lizards after hatching had a body length of 21.6–30.8 mm, tail 39.9–60.4 mm long, and weight of 0.375–0.635 g. A comparison of the reproductive characteristics of D. saxicola and syntopic species (D. derjugini (Nikolsky 1898) and D. pontica (Lantz et Cyren 1919)) was carried out. The late oviposition and relatively low fertility in the rock lizards are compen- sated for by the large size of eggs and newborn lizards.

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In response to a warming climate, many montane species are shifting upslope to track the emergence of preferred temperatures. Characterizing patterns of variation in metabolic, physiological, and thermal traits along an elevational gradient, and the plastic potential of these traits, is necessary to understand current and future responses to abiotic constraints at high elevations, including limited oxygen availability. We performed a transplant experiment with the upslope-colonizing common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) in which we measured nine aspects of thermal physiology and aerobic capacity in lizards from replicate low- (400 m above sea level [ASL]) and high-elevation (1700 m ASL) populations. We first measured traits at their elevation of origin and then transplanted half of each group to extreme high elevation (2900 m ASL; above the current elevational range limit of this species), where oxygen availability is reduced by ∼25% relative to sea level. After three weeks of acclimation, we again measured these traits in both the transplanted and control groups. The multivariate thermal-metabolic phenotypes of lizards originating from different elevations differed clearly when measured at the elevation of origin. For example, high-elevation lizards are more heat tolerant than low-elevation counterparts (countergradient variation). Yet, these phenotypes converged after exposure to reduced oxygen availability at extreme high elevation, suggesting limited plastic responses under this novel constraint. Our results suggest that high-elevation populations are well-suited to their oxygen environments, but that plasticity in the thermal-metabolic phenotype does not pre-adapt these populations to colonize more hypoxic environments at higher elevations.

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Despite the importance of reptiles in agroecosystems, little is known about the efects of agricultural intensifcation and pesticide use on these animals. We compared antioxidant and haematological biomarkers in the wild Italian wall lizards Podarcis siculus from three olive groves representing a gradient of management intensity. Lizards from the conventional grove showed induced antioxidant defences relative to those from the organic feld. However, this induction did not avoid the occurrence of oxidative stress in males from intensively managed olive groves, who showed TBARS levels 58%–133% higher than males from the other sites. Haematological responses also suggested increased stress in females from the intensively managed olive groves, with a heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio 5.3 to 14.8-fold higher than in the other sites. The observed stress responses of lizards along the studied gradient of agricultural management suggest their potential usefulness as non destructive biomarkers to environmental stressors associated with agricultural intensifcation.

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The influence of temperature on the physiological processes in reptiles is well known, for example growth, reproduction, muscular energy are all largely temperature dependent and therefore temperature is a key aspect of reptilian ecology. However, there may be constraints on the ability of reptiles to harness thermal energy, particularly during cold seasons in the temperate zones. Substrate selection is a key aspect in thermoregulation and can enhance heat uptake. For example, wood substrates are known to increase rates of heat gain in basking reptiles enabling earlier attainment of optimum body temperatures compared to other substrate types, which enables increased time available for other activities. In this paper we describe substrate use for basking in two species of lizard, Lacerta bilineata and Podarcis muralis in a hedgerow and suburban garden in western France compared against a null model of substrate availability. When different substrates were pooled based on their material similarities both species were recorded in greater frequency on wood based materials in comparison to their availability compared to non-wood substrates. However at a finer level, in comparison to substrate availability (fallen tree branches, tree stumps, open ground etc), P. muralis showed strong substrate selection for basking, whereas L. bilineata did not depart significantly from the null model. We speculated that intra-specific aggression in L. bilineata was a possible cause of this result due to dominant individuals limiting smaller or female lizards from accessing prime basking sites. Differences in communal basking between the two species supported this notion.

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In the study, the samples collected from Akşehir, Konya, Turkey and stored in the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, ZDEU-COMU collection were used. Thirty lizards belonging to the family Lacertidae (Lacerta trilineata 5 juveniles, 5 ♂♂; Ophisops elegans 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; Parvilacerta parva 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀) were evaluated. The age of the individuals was estimated after phalanges, femurs, and humeri samples were compared whether if there is any difference in terms of skeletochronological method. Among these species, the age is 2 years in 5 juvenile specimens of Lacerta trilineata and the ages of 5 males vary between 5 and 8. The age of male specimens of Parvilacerta parva vary between 4 and 6, and the age of females vary between 4 and 5. The age of male Ophisops elegans specimens vary between 4 and 6, and the age of females vary between 5 and 7. Similar ages were found in all three different bones that were sectioned and examined in all samples of all three species. Due to this similarity between the LAGs in the cross-sections of the bones, it is thought that phalanges could be used to determine ages without killing the specimens. In this way, the species that are already damaged due to human activities and changing environmental factors will be prevented from being adversely affected by these studies.

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The distribution of melanistic specimens of Zootoca vivipara is analyzed for the entire range (based on the review of literature data and the available publications in the iNaturalist). Most of the indings in European countries are associated with mountainous landscapes, while in the eastern part of species range range melanistic specimens are associated with habitats with varying degrees of moisture or proximity to water bodies (ponds, rivers, marshes). A melanistic male (on 21.07.2012) and a female (on 16.07.1919) were recorded in the vicinity of the railway platform Karmanovo (Moscow Province, Taldomsky District: 56.695437° N, 37.192758° E); these specimens are uniform black with olive-yellow (olivaceo-lavus — Bondartzev, 1954) distal edges of the abdominal, femoral, preanal and tail shields. This partially melanistic colouration is however not considered as an abundism.

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Las nuevas técnicas de secuenciacón permiten la identificación de una gran cantidad de polimorfismos de un único nucleótido (SNPs), que pueden ser empleados para detectar el grado de variación en una muestra de individuos y aplicarse a estudios poblacionales. En este trabajo se analizaron 90 individuos del lacértido Iberolacerta monticola de la población presente en la ZEC Betanzos-Mandeo. Se empleó el pipeline de STACKS para obtener, a partir de las lecturas procesadas, un catálogo de loci, genotipar todos los individuos y llevar a cabo el análisis genético de la población. Previamente a la ejecución, se realizó una exploración del espacio paramétrico. Además, se elaboró una lista negra de loci para poder restringir los análisis poblacionales a loci autosómicos. El estudio concluye con la determinación de la estructura genética de la población, que permitió observar el grado de fragmentación y detectar barreras que pueden estar afectando a la supervivencia de la misma.

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In parasite–host interactions host species may differ in their ability to fight parasitic infections, while other ecological interactions, including competition, may differentially alter their physiological state, making them even more susceptible to parasites. In this study, we analyse the haemogregarine blood parasites infecting two competing lizard species, Iberolacerta horvathi and Podarcis muralis, and explore host–parasite relationships under different host competition scenarios. Both species were infected with haemogregarine parasites belonging to the genus Karyolysus. Using the 18S rRNA gene, six new Karyolysus haplotypes were identified clustering with other Central and Eastern European samples, and widely shared between both lizard hosts. Haemogregarine infections were detected at all sampled sites with over 50% of individuals parasitized. Overall, I. horvathi was more frequently and also more intensely parasitized than P. muralis, with higher infection rates observed in syntopy. Males of both species tended to be more frequently infected and showed a higher infection intensity than conspecific females. The results suggest that parasitisation by haemogregarines may be relevant in the dynamics of the competitive relationship between these lizard species. More studies, including immunological response analysis, and the identification of the vectors are needed to better understand host–parasite relationships and competition.

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Prothioconazole (PTC) is a high effective systemic fungicide, and one of its major metabolites is prothioconazole-desthio (PTC-d). Because of its wildly use in the farmland of China, the local eco-toxicological effects of PTC as well as PTC-d are needed to be concerned. This study investigated hepatoxicity of Chinese lizards (Eremias argus), a local non-target organism, after single dose oral treated (100 mg kg−1 BW) through pathological, enzyme activity and gene expression analysis. PTC treatment caused ballooning and PTC-d treatment led to macrovesicular steatosis of hepatocyte. The elevation of serum indexes, including the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), further confirmed the hepatic injury. PTC and PTC-d treatments altered oxidative status reflected by the inhibition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, meanwhile, the stimulation of catalase (CAT) activity, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The mRNA expression changes of apoptosis-related factors and cytokines genes, including Bax, Bcl-2, TNF-α, NF-κB, Caspase-3 and Nrf2, deeply uncovered the potential mechanism of hepatotoxicity caused by PTC and PTC-d. In brief, the results indicated that both of these two compounds altered oxidative status, then were likely to trigger caspase-3 by affecting the ratio of pro- and anti-apoptotic factors which belong to intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Specifically, more serious impacts were induced by PTC-d than its parent compound. This study is the first to provide specific insight into potential hepatotoxicity resulted from PTC and PTC-d in male Chinese lizards.

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This paper represents an update of the list of Italian amphibians and reptiles published 15 years ago by Razzetti et al. (2006) and of the checklist published in 1993 by the late Benedetto Lanza. At present, the Italian herpetofauna includes 100 species (41 amphibians and 59 reptiles) and an amphibian taxon of hybrid origin. Seven species and one subspecies are allochthonous and became naturalized within the last century. Since the last published list, a new species has been described (Vipera walser), five taxa have been raised to species rank (Salamandrina perspicillata, Speleomantes sarrabusensis, Zootoca carniolica, Malpolon insignitus and Natrix helvetica) while three taxa have been downgraded to subspecies. All the relevant taxonomic changes based upon new research have been discussed, including tentative revisions and controversial taxa. Nine species reported or listed dubitatively in Lanza’s 1993 list are excluded here.

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We updated the checklists of extant, native amphibians and reptiles of China based on the previously published checklist of reptiles in 2015, the online checklist of amphibians on the database AmphibiaChina, newly published data as of December 2019, and previously uncollected literature prior to 2015. In total, the amphibian fauna of China consists of 515 species in 62 genera, 13 families, and three orders (Anura: 431 species in 47 genera and nine families; Caudata: 82 species in 14 genera and four families; Gymnophiona: one species in one genus and one family), while the reptilian fauna of China consists of 511 species in 135 genera, 35 families, and three orders (Crocodylia: one species in one genus and one family; Testudines: 34 species in 18 genera and six families; Squamata 466 species in 116 genera and 28 families [Serpentes: 256 species in 73 genera, 18 families; Lacertilia: 211 species in 43 genera and 10 families]). Specifically, for amphibians between 2015 and 2019, one family was recorded from China for the first time, two new genera were described, a genus was resurrected, a genus was recorded from China for the first time, 74 new, valid species were either described or resurrected, 18 recognized species were recorded from China for the first time, and six genera and eight species were considered as junior synonyms. For reptiles between 2015 and 2019, five subfamilies were elevated to the full family status, one new subfamily and a new genus were described, three genera were resurrected, three recognized genera were recorded from China for the first time, 35 new species were described, two species were resurrected from synonyms, six subspecies were elevated to the full species status, 10 recognized species were recorded from China for the first time, four genera and four species were considered as junior synonyms, and distribution records of one genus and four recognized species were removed from China. Furthermore, by reviewing literature before 2015, we make additional changes on the previous reptile checklist, including adding new records of three genera, elevating three subspecies to full species status, adding new records of three recognized species, synonymizing three genera and two species as junior synonyms, and removing the distribution record of a single recognized species from China. Lastly, we revise the Chinese common names of some reptilian groups with recomandations to maintain the stability of the Chinese common names. The number of new species and new national records for amphibians and reptiles between 2015 and 2019 in China accounts for 17.1% and 10.2% of the total number of species in each group, respectively. Because new species are described at considerable speed and given the constant changes in the taxonomy of China’s herpetofuna, it is crucial to update the checklists regularly and discuss the existing taxonomic problems, so that such information reflects the most current state of knowledge and are available for taxonomic researchers and conservation biologists alike.

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Risk assessments of the ecotoxicological effects insecticides impose on ectotherms have increasingly considered temperature. However, the changes toxicants induce in thermoregulatory behavioral traits may lead to a divergence of thermal selection and temperature-dependent changes of contaminant toxicity. This study demonstrated the interaction of behavioral thermoregulation and temperature-dependent toxicity of beta-cyfluthrin (BC) in the lizard Eremias argus. Based on the negative relationship between temperature and BC toxicity, seeking a warming environment was assumed to represent a self-rescue behavior (and vice versa). The results showed that BC-treated lizards (0–20 μg/g body weight (bw)) showed such self-rescue behavior, while lizards exposed to an extremely high BC dose (200 μg/g bw) sought a cooler environment. Biochemical assays showed that BC affected neurotransmitter systems, caused oxidative stress, and interfered with ion-transport in the central nervous system. Biomarkers of the cholinergic and glutamatergic system, ion-transport function, and oxidative stress were identified as potential biochemical variables related to thermoregulatory behavior. Apparently, seeking a warmer environment is a survival strategy with the aim to neutralize BC toxicity, while seeking a cooler environment aims to attenuate the harmful effects of metabolic and oxidative stress, and to decelerate internal BC diffusion. This phenomenon could be also explained by the concept of the “cooling trap”, i.e., a behavior where cooler temperatures are sought. This impairs survival after exposure to BC at it has a negative temperature coefficient, derived from a dysfunction of the central nervous system regarding thermoregulation caused by the high dosage of neurotoxicant and resulting temperature maladaptation. Implications of the interaction between thermoregulatory behavior and temperature-dependent toxicity are presented, which may aid further temperature-dependent risk assessments.

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Extreme climate events, together with anthropogenic land use changes, have led to the rise of megafires (i.e., fires at the top of the frequency size distribution) in many world regions. Megafires imply that the centre of the burned area is far from the unburnt; thus, recolonization may be critical for species with low dispersal abilities such as reptiles. We aimed to evaluate the effect of megafires on a reptile community, exploring to what extent reptile responses are spatially shaped by the distance to the unburned area. We examined the short-term spatiotemporal response of a Mediterranean reptile community after two megafires (>20.000 hectares) occurred in summer 2012 at eastern Spain. Reptiles were sampled during four years after the fire in burnt plots located at different distances from the fire perimeter (edge, middle, and centre), and in adjacent unburnt plots. Reptile responses were modelled with fire history, as well as climate and remotely sensed environmental variables. In total we recorded 522 reptiles from 12 species (11 species in the burnt plots and 9 in the unburnt plots). Reptile abundance decreased in burnt compared to unburnt plots. The community composition and species richness did not vary either spatially (unburnt and burnt plots) or temporally (along the four years). The persistence of reptiles in the burnt area supports their resilience to megafires. The most common lizard species was Psammodromus algirus; both adults and juveniles were found in all unburnt and burnt plots. This species showed lower abundances in burnt areas compared to the unburnt and a slow short-term abundance recovery. The lizard P. edwarsianus was much less abundant and showed a tendency to increase its abundance at burnt plots compared to unburnt plots. Within the megafire area, P. algirus and P. edwarsianus abundances correlated with the thermal-moisture environment and vegetation recovery regardless of the distance from the fire edge. These results indicate the absence of a short-term reptile recolonization from the unburnt zone, demonstrating that reptiles are resilient (in-situ persistence) to megafires when environmental conditions are favourable.

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Alborán is a small volcanic island located in the center of the Alborán Sea, W Mediterranean, 85 km from the Iberian Peninsula (Europe) and 55.5 km from the NW African coast line. Despite its small size (605 × 265 m), four distinct exotic lizard species have already been reported there, one of them presumably extinct (Saurodactylus mauritanicus). Throughout history, the island has maintained an intermittent human presence, being now permanently occupied by a military detachment connected to the Iberian Peninsula mainly by means of cargo shipments. Hence, this communication between the island and the continent has fuelled human-mediated species introductions. Populations of the geckos Tarentola mauritanica and Hemidactylus turcicus and the most recently reported wall lizard Podarcis vaucheri still remain in the island. Here, we used molecular tools to assess species identity and putative invasion pathways. As expected, results confirm the initial species assignement and indicate southern Iberia as the source area. However, surprisingly, two clades of T. mauritanica were found, the European clade commonly introduced elsewhere, and the Iberian clade, reported here for the first time outside its native distribution. Moreover, the reported southern Iberian lineage of P. vaucheri in Alborán, represents the third case of introduction of this species. This amazing concentration of alien species in such a reduced territory highlights how prone small islands are to be sucessfully invaded, and that these should not be neglected in invasion biology. The effects of these alien reptile species over native taxa are yet unknown, although an impact over several endemic invertebrates cannot be ruled out. As such, regular monitoring should be implemented to prevent they act as hubs for future new introductions.