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As thermoregulators, lizard movement is influenced by changing temperatures across seasons in temperate ecosystems. Lizard thermal performance may or may not be plastic to allow successful invasion or introduction to new locations with different thermal regimes. Measuring locomotor performance can determine an individual’s ability to capture prey or escape predation. This study tests sprint speed performance in the introduced European wall lizard, Podarcis muralis, established in Cincinnati since 1952. Measuring performance of introduced lizards at various body temperatures on a 0.5 m racetrack will determine if their thermal optimum differs from the 33-35˚C thermal optimum of native European populations.

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Invasive species can carry parasites to introduced locations, which may be key to understand the success or failure of species establishment and the invasive potential of introduced species. We compared the prevalence and infection levels of haemogregarine blood parasites between two sympatric congeneric species in Lisbon, Portugal: the invasive Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) and the native green Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis virescens). The two species had significant differences in their infection levels: while P. virescens had high prevalence of infection (69.0%), only one individual of P. siculus was infected (3.7%), and while P. virescens exhibited an average intensity of 1.36%, the infected P. siculus individual had an infection rate of only 0.04%. Genetic analyses of 18S rRNA identified two different haemogregarine haplotypes in P. virescens. Due to the low levels of infection, we were not able to amplify parasite DNA from the infected P. siculus indi vidual, although it was morphologically similar to those found in P. virescens. Since other studies also reported low levels of parasites in P. siculus, we hypothesize that this general lack of parasites could be one of the factors contributing to its competitive advantage over native lizard species and introduction success.

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Color polymorphisms have become a major topic in evolutionary biology and substantial efforts have been devoted to the understanding of the mechanisms responsible for originating such colorful systems. Within-morph continuous variation, on the other hand, has been neglected in most of the studies. Here, we combine spectrophotometric/ visual modeling and genetic data to study the mechanisms promoting continuous variation within categorical color morphs of Podarcis muralis. Our results suggest that intra-morph variability in the pterin-based orange morph is greater compared to white and yellow morphs. We also show that continuous variation within the orange morph is partially discriminable by conspecifics. Genotyping results indicate that allelic variants at the BCO2 locus (responsible for deposition of yellow carotenoids) contribute to generate continuous variation in orange individuals. However, other intrinsic and/or extrinsic mechanisms, such as body size, might be involved, opening a new avenue for future research on the drivers of continuous variation within-morphs.

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Immunolocalization of cell adhesion molecules during tail regeneration in the lizard Podarcis muralis indicates coordinated control of epithelial differentiation. Acta Zoologica (Stockolm). Lizard epidermis is formed by alternating layers of hard corneous beta-layers and softer and pliable alpha-layers. After tail amputation in the lizard Podarcis muralis, the tail regenerates within a month forming neogenic scales. The differentiation of beta- and alpha-layers in the epidermis has been studied by immunofluorescence detection of cell adhesion molecules. Initially, the thick wound epidermis shows high content in L-CAM and N-CAM in comparison with normal epidermis, including pre-corneous layers where labelling is intense in the cytoplasm and along the keratinocyte perimeter. L- and N-CAMs are also observed in the regenerating ependyma and N-CAM in mesenchymal cells of blastema. The apical regenerating (wound) epidermis often shows nuclear localization in basal layers, especially for E-cadherin, perhaps indicating epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Sections of regenerating scales show the typical renewal phase of the epidermis, with an intensification of L-CAM, N-CAM and general cadherin immunofluorescence in the forming clear-Oberhautchen layers, and in the following beta- and alpha-layers as they start to differentiate from the basal layer. A higher immunolabelling for cell adhesion cadherins suggests that these proteins contribute to form an integrated epidermal unit along the regenerating scales that allows the ordered stratification and shedding of these layers in lizard epidermis.

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The release of contaminants as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides into the environment has been listed as one of the six major contributors to the global decline of reptiles. Although reptiles may face severe risk from contaminants due to their ecology and physiology, they are currently less studied than other vertebrate groups. In the present work, we investigated if and how different types of field treatment (conventional and organic) affected the health status of Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) individuals in central Italy. We chose a multi-biomarker approach that evaluated the biological responses of lizards to the treatment by means of AChE activity in the nervous system, biotransformation enzymes activities and oxidative stress in the liver, micronuclei frequency measured in the erythrocytes, and rate of intestinal parasitic infection. Our findings showed evidence of effects of treatment in conventional areas and between sexes with significant oxidative stress due to hydroxyl radicals, that caused DNA damage. No difference of intestinal parasite infections was found among treatments. Podarcis siculus seems to be a good bioindicator in ecotoxicological studies and potentially in risk assessment of pesticides, although further analyses in laboratory and in the field are needed to achieve more accurate quantification of specific pesticide effects in relation to known exposure history and to understand if other mechanisms were involved in the toxicity and detoxification process of pesticides for this species.

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Understanding how morphology affects performance in novel environments and how populations shift their morphology in response to environmental selective pressures is necessary to understand how invaders can be successful. We tested these relationships in a global colonizer, the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), translocated to Cincinnati, OH, USA 70 years ago. We investigated how morphology shifts in this population inhabiting a novel environment, how these morphological shifts influence locomotor performance and how performance changes in novel conditions. We compared the morphology of museum specimens and current lizards to see which aspects of morphology have shifted over time. Although overall body size did not change, most body dimensions reduced in size. We measured sprint speed with a full-factorial design of substrate type, incline angle and obstacles. We identified a pattern of negative correlation in sprint performance between conditions with and without obstacles. The locomotor advantage of larger body size was diminished when obstacles were present. Finally, there was no relationship between individual variation in contemporary morphology and sprint performance, providing no support to the hypothesis that these shifts are attributable to selective pressures on locomotor performance in the conditions tested.

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In the Cologne area, wall lizards (Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768)) have mainly spread along the railway belt and its offshoots into industrial areas. These lizards can mainly be identified as the subspecies Podarcis muralis maculiventris (Werner, 1891), obviously belonging to the West Alps mitochondrial gene group, which normally occurs around the Italian great lakes area on the southern rim of the Alps and is differentiated from the Venetian line by the presence of a blackish vertebral line or row of spots. The original point of introduction cannot be verified with certainty; they may have been introduced with Italian vegetables into the vegetable market in the south of left-bank Cologne; early reports on a first introduction into right-bank Deutz harbour along with building materials, especially stones and marbles from Italy, cannot be ascertained today, as the immediate harbour area does not have any lizards, and lizards occuring on railway tracks south of the southern tip of the harbour may have arrived from the tracks near the vegetable market. On the left bank of the Rhine, a few lizards show the colouration of Podarcis muralis nigriventris Bonaparte, 1836 from Tuscany, viz. dorsally and laterally a strong blackish pattern on a green basic coulour in males and a dense black spotting on throat and vent in both sexes. It cannot be ascertained whether the hybridization with the prevalent maculiventris-type has occurred already in an area of intergradation in Northern Italy or after deplacement of both types in the Cologne area. These hybrid lizards have been found on the left bank of the Rhine in Cologne and just south of the city which indicates a late arrival of the (pure or hybridized) Tuscany genome. On the right bank of the Rhine the colouration of the P.m. nigriventris type is even rarer and, if existing at all, is usually dorsally reduced to a yellow spotting. The North Italian lizards may have met with wall lizards of the German subspecies Podarcis muralis brongniardii (Daudin, 1802), Eastern mitochondrial gene group, which were transported into the area from the lower Middle Rhine valley, where they have resp. have had their traditional northern range limit in Bonn, some 30 km south of Cologne. It seems that hybridization between maculiventris and brongniardii has mainly occurred on the right bank of the Rhine at Gremberghoven. The North Italian lizards have spread from southern left-bank Cologne southwards into the Cologne suburbs and into northern parts of Bonn (near its northern railway tracks). Bonn Botanical Garden has a population of the indigeneous German line; the founder animals have deliberately been introduced from the Ahr valley, the Ahr being a left-bank contributary to the Rhine river. South of the Botanical Garden, the left bank of the Rhine has thin populations of the indigeneous line as well. Wall lizards from the southeastern right-bank Cologne have spread southwards down to Troisdorf. The connection of the Troisdorf populations with Cologne populations has been interrupted by the recent upgrading of the railway tracks. Further south, the indigeneous wall lizard has a spotty distribution at its northern range limit.

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Life-history traits (e.g. body size, sexual size dimorphism and age) of a Turkish population of the Lebanon lizard Phoenicolacerta laevis were studied using skeletochronology techniques. We measured phalangeal bones (n = 30). The mean snout-vent length (SVL) was slightly different between the sexes. We recorded weakly expressed sexual size dimorphism: the snout-vent-length of the males was slightly bigger (SDI = -0.01). Sexual maturity was attained between the second and the fourth year of life in both sexes. The age ranged from 3 to 11 years in females and from 3 to 12 years in males. The mean SVL was 65.33 ± 3.06 mm in females and 66.59± 3.76 mm in males. The mean age was 6.67 ± 2.63 years in females and 6.47 ± 2.75 years in males. There was no statistically significant difference in mean age between the sexes.

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To understand the spread of parasite and the persistence of infection in an ecological environment, it is essential to investigate their transmission possibilities. Vertical transmission of pathogens from mother to offspring is a fundamental opportunity, notwithstanding a relatively under-researched topic, especially in wildlife animals. We studied whether there is vertical transmission of a haemogregarinid blood parasite of Iberian green lizard (Lacerta schreiberi). To study infection of mothers, embryos and freshly hatched juveniles, their blood smears and molecular analyses of their tail tissue were used. Examining blood smears, seventy-one percent of females were found to be infected, but molecular analyses of all mothers showed positive results for the blood parasite. Based on molecular data the parasite was identified as a Karyolysus species. In contrast, no parasite was found in the blood smears of the freshly hatched juveniles, and we could not detect Karyolysus in the embryos or tail tissue of offspring using molecular methods either. Based on our results, vertical transmission of Karyolysus blood parasites is unlikely in the Iberian green lizard.

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Lateralization is one of the specific characteristics of animals, occurring in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Lateralization exists at two levels, individual level and population level. This research is focused on the individual- and population-level lateralization of the European green lizard (Lacerta viridis) under laboratory conditions. Lateralization was observed experimentally in a modified T-maze without the possibility of visual control by lizards. Lizards were stimulated by a piston from the caudal side to simulate a predator attack from behind. The numbers of left and right choices were evaluated. Statistical analysis confirmed no statistically significant difference in lateralization at both the individual and population levels. The absence or presence of autotomy suggests that non-biased lizards have a better chance of escape from a predator than left- or right-biased individuals. In the population of L. viridis studied by us, it seems that to be non-biased could be the best strategy to survive predator attacks.

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Wolbachia, a maternally transmitted Gram-negative endosymbiont of onchocercid nematodes and arthropods, has a role in the biology of their host; thus it has been exploited for the filariasis treatment in humans. To assess the presence and prevalence of this endosymbiont in reptiles and their ectoparasites, blood and tail tissue as well as ticks and mites collected from them were molecularly screened for Wolbachia DNA using two sets of primers targeting partial 16S rRNA and Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) genes. Positive samples were screened for the partial 12S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes for filarioids. Of the different species of lizards (Podarcis siculus, Podarcis muralis and Lacerta bilineata) and snakes (Elaphe quatuorlineata and Boa constrictor constrictor) screened from three collection sites, only P. siculus scored positive for Wolbachia 16S rRNA. Among ectoparasites collected from reptiles (Ixodes ricinus ticks and Neotrombicula autumnalis, Ophionyssus sauracum and Ophionyssus natricis mites), I. ricinus (n = 4; 2.8%; 95% CI, 0.9–7) from P. siculus, N. autumnalis (n = 2 each; 2.8%; 95% CI, 0.9–6.5) from P. siculus and P. muralis and O. natricis (n = 1; 14.3%; 95% CI, 0.7–55.4) from Boa constrictor constrictor scored positive for Wolbachia DNA. None of the positive Wolbachia samples scored positive for filarioids. This represents the first report of Wolbachia in reptilian hosts and their ectoparasites, which follows a single identification in the intestinal cells of a filarioid associated with a gecko. This data could contribute to better understand the reptile filarioid-Wolbachia association and to unveil the evolutionary pattern of Wolbachia in its filarial host.

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Genetic information is one of the many things parents give to their offsprings to help guide them through life. Among the aforementioned genetic information are microsatellites, short tandem repetitions or STRs for short, which can be used to identify a specific individual thanks to their high mutation rate. High mutation rate means that every individual has their own, unique set of STRs. Resulting from this uniqueness is the use of STRs as genetic markers. They can be used to research the social structure of a population, mating behaviour or, alternatively, reproductive fitness. An analysis was conducted using five loci of the sand lizard, Lacerta agilis, to determine relatedness coefficients between individuals. Samples from individuals were collected on three separate locations and among the sampled individuals four different colour forms were recognized. Using the individuals` relatedness coefficients, potential parent-offspring relations were determined. On the same note, the most reproductively successful individuals were found, and their distribution based on colour forms was compared to the colour form distribution of the whole sampled population.

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We studied diet and food niche relationships among sympatric lizards in two areas in Jordan using stomach contents. We found that 77 stomachs from six species in the eastern deserts and 45 stomachs from three species in the western highlands resulted in 2,478 and 1,935 prey items, respectively. Stomachs from the eastern desert contained 1–216 prey items with an average of 31.5 items (median = 16) and 1–329 prey items with an average of 43.0 (median = 13) from the western highlands. The lizards were primarily insectivorous, with ants and beetles making up the highest percentages. Additionally, we identified a snake (Eirenis rothii), a freshwater fish, and four smaller lizards in the prey remains. The results showed similar niche breadths and high food-niche overlap values, especially among the agamid lizards, suggesting that some opportunistic feeding habits are likely influenced by prey availability and similar foraging strategies. Based on similar niche breadths and high food niche overlap values, we believe that interspecific competition is an important factor in organizing these lizard assemblages. Therefore, habitat segregation and different hunting strategies may likely occur among these species and allow for species coexistence in these areas.

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The main deal of this bachelor thesis is the colour variability and change of coloration from the perspective of the predation of the Sand lizard. I am examining the meaning of this changes on the specific localities and in the specific populations. Groundwork of my bachelor thesis, is collections of data, in form of Sand lizards (Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758) photos and their further processing. Based on the morphometry of the particular body parts, (especially the one about the tail regeneration), I determine potential level of the predation. Using the data from lizard populations from two localities in Opava region, I want to explore and possibly verify the function of the colour variability with respect to predation. For better understanding and optional generalisation over the species, my results are supplemented with data from other localities in Czech Republic and Slovakia. This broader dataset is included in the results and discussion to help to corroborate conclusions of my thesis. This bachelor thesis consist from two parts, the theoretical and the practical part. Theoretical part of my thesis is about colour variability of sand lizard in general. Gradually the topic is going deeper in the terms of the colour variability and tail regenerates, focusing on the level of the predation, implementing also the different levels of human impact in localities. Practical part of my thesis include my descriptione of the the population of the sand lizard on the chosen localities in the Opava region. With help of the morphometric analysis and the evaluation of the colour variability between individual lizards, I am comparing contrasting these populations and pattern within them. The important part of this comparing is profound characteristic of chosen localities from the view of anthropogenic impact to environment and predator structure. Thanks to the fact that this thesis is part of wide study of the sand lizard coloration, I can embed my results within the wider dataset from other parts of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

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Vertebral malformations have been reported previously from a wide range of reptile taxa. Kyphosis refers to an abnormally excessive convex curvature of the spine in the thoracic and sacral regions, while if the deviation affects the lateral plane of the spinal column, the condition is known as scoliosis. In some cases, these two types of malformation can be combined in the same animal, known as kyphoscoliosis (Garín-Barrio et al., 2011). It appears that kyphosis mainly affects species adapted to aquatic environments (e.g. turtles and crocodiles; Tucker, 1997; Boede & Sogbe, 2000; Tucker et al., 2007), while scoliosis is more common in terrestrial species (snakes and lizards; Grogan, 1976; Simbotwe, 1983; Frutos et al., 2006). Reports of kyphosis (and kyphoscoliosis) from wild lizard populations have increased lately (e.g. Liolaemus koslowskyi (Iguandiae) Avila et al. (2013); Sceloporus torquatus (Phrynosomatidae) Pérez-Delgadillo et al. (2015); Norops sericeus (Dactyloidae) Domínguez-De la Riva and Carbajal-Márquez (2016); Sceloporus vandenburgianus (Phrynosomatidae) Valdez-Villavicencio et al., (2016); Stenocercus guentheri (Tropiduridae) Ramírez-Jaramillo, (2018); Marisora brachypoda (Scinidae) Arrivillaga & Brown,(2019).

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Ectothermic animals living at high elevation often face interacting challenges, including temperature extremes, intense radiation, and hypoxia. While high-elevation specialists have developed strategies to withstand these constraints, the factors preventing downslope migration are not always well understood. As mean temperatures continue to rise and climate patterns become more extreme, such translocation may be a viable conservation strategy for some populations or species, yet the effects of novel conditions, such as relative hyperoxia, have not been well characterised. Our study examines the effect of downslope translocation on ectothermic thermal physiology and performance in Pyrenean rock lizards (Iberolacerta bonnali) from high elevation (2254 m above sea level). Specifically, we tested whether models of organismal performance developed from low-elevation species facing oxygen restriction (e.g., hierarchical mechanisms of thermal limitation hypothesis) can be applied to the opposite scenario, when high-elevation organisms face hyperoxia. Lizards were split into two treatment groups: one group was maintained at a high elevation (2877 m ASL) and the other group was transplanted to low elevation (432 m ASL). In support of hyperoxia representing a constraint, we found that lizards transplanted to the novel oxygen environment of low elevation exhibited decreased thermal preferences and that the thermal performance curve for sprint speed shifted, resulting in lower performance at high body temperatures. While the effects of hypoxia on thermal physiology are well-explored, few studies have examined the effects of hyperoxia in an ecological context. Our study suggests that high-elevation specialists may be hindered in such novel oxygen environments and thus constrained in their capacity for downslope migration.

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In Fortsetzung der Stichprobenkartierung 2005 zur Verbreitung von Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis) und Schlingnatter (Coronella austriaca) in Hessen (MALTEN & LINDERHAUS 2005) wurde im Jahr 2006 auf 314 zufällig ausgewählten 1 km2 großen Probeflächen kartiert. In der Zeit vom 8. Juni bis zum 15. Oktober wurden dazu innerhalb der Probeflächen frei wählbare Transekte von 1 km Länge, bzw. 1 h Begehungsdauer nach Vorkommen dieser Reptilien abgesucht. Die Probeflächen befanden sich in den hessischen Anteilen der Naturräume D18 Thüringer Becken mit Randplatten, D36 Weser- und Weser-Leine-Bergland (Niedersächsisches Bergland), D38 Bergisches Land, Sauerland, D39 Westerwald, D40 Lahntal und Limburger Hessen, D41 Taunus, D55 Odenwald, Spessart und Südrhön. Die zufällige Auswahl der Probeflächen erfolgte für jedes Messtischblatt separat, um eine homogenere Verteilung über Hessen zu erreichen. Die Bewertung der angetroffenen Populationen, Habitate und die Beeinträchtigungen und Gefährdungen wurden anhand eines für diese Erfassung modifizierten Bewertungsrahmens durchgeführt. Die Begehungen erfolgten durch speziell geschulte Mitarbeiter des Landesbetriebes Hessen-Forst, FIV, Naturschutzdaten, der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Amphibien- und Reptilienschutz Hessen (AGAR) sowie der Arbeitsgruppe Biotopkartierung am Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. Insgesamt wurden 912 Reptilien auf 217 Probeflächen nachgewiesen. Neben 279 Zauneidechsen und 9 Schlingnattern wurden dabei 500 Waldeidechsen (Zootoca vivipara), 93 Blindschleichen (Anguis fragilis), 19 Ringelnattern (Natrix natrix) sowie 12 nicht bestimmte Eidechsen gezählt. Damit war die Waldeidechse insgesamt die am häufigsten gefundene Art der Untersuchung.

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Geographic position and different climate features of our country is the most important reason of the richness and variety of the fauna of Turkey. Significant zoogeographic importance of this region has been stressed by recent studies on Turkey’s herpetofauna. In this study, 4 species anurans, 1 species turtle, 1species tortoise, 10 species lizards, 10 species snakes, have been collected from this region and there specimens were studied morphologically. Ecological and biological features of these species have been reported. In this research, the vicinity of Lake Bafa was studied with it’s herpetofauna firstly and it’s different features. As a result of this research, it was determined the area is one of the important watery areas of our country for it’s touristic construction, ancient town features, and biologic features such as having rich fauna and flora. The vicinity of Lake Bafa is one of the rare ecosystems, which is open to danger, having importance scientificly and education aly, and it should be presented with it’s biological diversity. While these were shown in the research, it’s diversity, field construction, ancient features, appropriate climate and touristic importance was stated, and the importance of protection of this area was tried to explain

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During a short trip to Hannover in August 2020 the Berggarten in Herrenhausen was visited. Thirteen wall lizards (Podarcis muralis maculiventris-East) were spotted: nine adults and two juveniles directly in the rockery plus two adults outside of the Canary greenhouse. An increase in number compared to KOTHE (2009) seems to be unlikely.

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Remarks on Common Wall Lizards Podarcis muralis s.l. (LAURENTI, 1768) in northwestern districts of the city of Stuttgart, Germany
Tendencies of their expansion and hybridizations, effects on populations of the Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis LINNAEUS, 1758 and considerations for managing alien Wall Lizards

We report occurrences of the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis s.l.) in the previously uninvestigated city districts of Feuerbach, Weilimdorf and Botnang in northwestern Stuttgart, Germany. New insights on known occurrences in adjacent city districts, already reported by DEICHSEL (2011) and SCHULTE et al. (2008, 2011), are added. With no exception, Stuttgart occurrences of P. m. brongniardii of the Eastern-France lineage, P. m. maculiventris-West of the Southern-Alps lineage, and P. m. nigriventris of the Tuscany lineage, and hybrids of these lineages with each other, are alien. In accordance with SCHULTE et al. (2021), BLANKE & LORENZ (2019), and with Flora-Fauna-Habitat Guidelines of the European Commission (February 2007), we urgently discourage the translocation of alien Wall Lizards in Stuttgart. The expansion potential and assertiveness of these alien animals may be detrimental to ecosystems, and sequelae cannot be corrected.

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As part of a natural history trip to the island of Lanzarote, it was possible to visit, among other things, a gray shrike’s spit-ground (Lanius excubitor koenigi) in a mastic bush (Pistacia lentiscus) of a garden. Severel cranial skeletons of Gallotia a. atlantica were discovered and photografically documented. A total of eight lizard skulls were counted, where further skulls are suspected in the upper area of the shrub.

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The information about the northern range boundary of the steppe-runner Eremias arguta (Pallas, 1773) has changed in recent decades. Based on the reliable recordins in 2001-2020 from 12 locations the northern range boundary between Volga and Ural was specified. It runs through the Engelsky District of the Saratov Region, through the Stavropolsky, Kinelsky, Bogatovsky and Borsky Districts of the Samara Region, through the Buzuluksky and Tashlinsky Districts of the Orenburg Region of Russia. The northern limit of the range should be considered the Volga above-floodplain slope in the left-bank part of the Stavropolsky district in Samara region. All specimens encountered had body coloration typical of Eremias arguta deserti (Gmelin, 1789). The locations of steppe-runner are confined to open spaces treeless and without a dense herbaceous vegetation on the southern sandy slopes.

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Im Rahmen des Bundesstichprobenmonitorings der Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis) in Hessen wurden 5 Gebiete mit Zauneidechsen - Vorkommen per Zufall ausgewählt und im Jahr 2011 untersucht. Im Gelände wurden Parameter zu den Hauptkriterien Zustand der Population, Habitatqualität und Beeinträchtigungen erhoben und in eigens dafür entwickelten Erfassungsbögen festgehalten. Die Einzelparameter wurden zu einer Wertstufe des Hauptkriteriums aggregiert, aus den Hauptkriterien wurde die Gesamtbewertung des Vorkommens abgeleitet. Die Ergebnisse der Bestandsaufnahme und Bewertung von jedem Einzelvorkommen werden dargestellt und diskutiert, soweit möglich werden Entwicklungstendenzen abgeleitet. Drei Vorkommen weisen einen guten (Wertstufe B) und zwei einen schlechten Erhaltungszustand (Wertstufe C) auf. In zwei Gebieten konnten keine Zauneidechsen nachgewiesen werden. Erfassungs- und Bewertungsmethode werden diskutiert und kritisch hinterfragt.

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In Fortsetzung der Stichprobenkartierung 2005 zur Verbreitung von Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis) und Schlingnatter (Coronella austriaca) in Hessen (MALTEN & LINDERHAUS 2005) wurde im Jahr 2006 auf 314 zufällig ausgewählten 1 km2 großen Probeflächen kartiert. In der Zeit vom 8. Juni bis zum 15. Oktober wurden dazu innerhalb der Probeflächen frei wählbare Transekte von 1 km Länge, bzw. 1 h Begehungsdauer nach Vorkommen dieser Reptilien abgesucht. Die Probeflächen befanden sich in den hessischen Anteilen der Naturräume D18 Thüringer Becken mit Randplatten, D36 Weser- und Weser Leine-Bergland (Niedersächsisches Bergland), D38 Bergisches Land, Sauerland, D39 Westerwald, D40 Lahntal und Limburger Hessen, D41 Taunus, D55 Odenwald, Spessart und Südrhön. Die zufälli ge Auswahl der Probeflächen erfolgte für jedes Messtischblatt separat, um eine homogenere Vertei lung über Hessen zu erreichen. Die Bewertung der angetroffenen Populationen, Habitate und die Be einträchtigungen und Gefährdungen wurden anhand eines für diese Erfassung modifizierten Bewer tungsrahmens durchgeführt. Die Begehungen erfolgten durch speziell geschulte Mitarbeiter des Lan desbetriebes Hessen-Forst, FIV, Naturschutzdaten, der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Amphibien- und Repti lienschutz Hessen (AGAR) sowie der Arbeitsgruppe Biotopkartierung am Forschungsinstitut Sen ckenberg. Insgesamt wurden 912 Reptilien auf 217 Probeflächen nachgewiesen. Neben 279 Zauneid echsen und 9 Schlingnattern wurden dabei 500 Waldeidechsen (Zootoca vivipara), 93 Blindschleichen (Anguis fragilis), 19 Ringelnattern (Natrix natrix) sowie 12 nicht bestimmte Eidechsen gezählt. Damit war die Waldeidechse insgesamt die am häufigsten gefundene Art der Untersuchung.

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The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Eremias dzungarica from the Junggar Basin in Northwest China was determined for the first time by next generation sequencing. The total length is 19,899bp, containing13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes and one control region. This gene arrangement is similar to the typical mtDNA of vertebrates. The 13 concatenated PCGs were used to perform Bayesian phylogenetic analyses together with several congeners as well as ten representative lacertids with mitogenome data available in GenBank. The resulting phylogenetic tree supports the monophyly of viviparous species in Eremias, with E. dzungarica being more closely related to E. przewalskii than to E. multiocellata. The mitogenome of E. dzungarica will provide fundamental data for the exploration of the mitogenome evolution in lacertids.

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Numerous molecular studies emphasized how past climatic oscillations in the Sahara-Sahel have left strong imprints on current biodiversity patterns and identified the Atlantic coast and the Northwest African Mountains as refugia and speciation hotspots. Yet, the biodiversity inventory in the region is still far from complete. We use an integrative taxonomy framework to revise the systematics of the Mesalina olivieri species complex; integrating molecular, morphological, and environmental data, we evaluated levels of genetic and phenotypic differentiation among species/lineages and revised the species distribution limits of the M. olivieri complex, refining the distribution of Mesalina simoni, and Mesalina pasteuri. Our study confirmed one previously unidentified speciation event, leading to the description of Mesalina adrarensis sp. nov. Together with this new species, we also describe the south-western Moroccan populations of M. olivieri as Mesalina simoni saharae ssp. nov. Mesalina adrarensis sp. nov. is sympatric with M. pasteuri and parapatric with M. simoni saharae ssp. nov. in Mauritania and southern Morocco. Based on our revised taxonomy, M. simoni now includes most populations of the M. olivieri complex in Morocco, M. olivieri being restricted in Morocco to the east and southeast of the country. We also build on these results to provide further insight on the biogeography of North Africa. Our results point to a diversification of the complex during the late Miocene, that led to the formation of the four species M. simoni, M. olivieri, M. pasteuri, and M. adrarensis sp. nov. After these four speciation events, high intraspecific diversification processes occurred since the beginning of the Plio-Pleistocene transition, in parallel with the beginning of the humid and arid cycles. Through our phylogenetic analysis, we highlight the existence of high levels of undescribed intraspecific diversity in M. olivieri and M. pasteuri that will need to be addressed in future studies. Moreover, we uncover instances of cytonuclear discordances, stressing the need of considering both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA for integrative taxonomic studies to explore biodiversity.

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Coccidian (Apicomplexa: Coccidia) parasites have been reported in almost all groups of vertebrates. These parasites may cause serious ecological and pathological effects to their hosts. Reptiles were found the be the host of the parasites of the genera Schellackia and Lankesterella, as these parasites undergo their entire life cycle in the reptilian body, with an intermediate stage of dormancy in the tissues of a hematophagus transmitter (generally a mite or a mosquito), until the next reptilian host swallows the infected insect. However, very little is known about the prevalence and intensity of these parasites in most of their distribution area, which is the focus of the current study. To do so, the prevalence and intensity of these blood parasites in three species of lizards, including Ophisops elegans, Trapelus lessonae and Eremias monticola from Markazi Province of Iran were investigated. Samples of blood were collected from the caudal vein of 51 lizards of the aforementioned species by insulin syringes, then the blood smears were dried, fixed with methanol and stained with Giemsa solution. Prepared blood samples were then examined by means of light microscopy, using a 100× magnification objective lens. 41 percent of the 51 examined samples were found to be infected by haemococcidians blood parasites from the family Lankesterellidae. The mean intensity of parasites in the three species were between 0.03-0.05%. The investigation revealed a relatively high percentage of prevalence and intensity of blood parasites in lizards of central part of Iran. The results showed the presence of a complete set of various vectors for the spread of haemoparasites in the area. Therefore, future researches are strongly recommended to utilize genetic markers in order to obtain a better identification of the parasites.

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A well-documented case of predation of an Anguis fragilis newborn by an adult male of Podarcis muralis is described in a sunny area on the side of an abandoned irrigation raft in Les Planes d’Hostoles (Catalonia, Spain). If we have paid attention to the compiled material published on the diets and predators of the two species, the case seems to be the first that is known in the Iberian Peninsula. As it is not possible to find another publication that comments on this predator-prey relationship, it is also possible that it is the first case published in the entire joint distribution of the two species.

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Im Rahmen einer Stichprobenkartierung wurden im Jahr 2005 auf 649 zufällig ausgewählten 1 km2 großen Probeflächen Zauneidechsen (Lacerta agilis) und Schlingnattern (Coronella austriaca) kartiert. In der Zeit vom 26.5.05-14.10.05 wurden dazu innerhalb der Probeflächen frei wählbare Transekte von 1 km Länge, bzw. 1 h Begehungsdauer nach Vorkommen dieser Reptilien abgesucht. Die Probeflächen befanden sich in den Naturräumen D46 Westhessisches Bergland, D47 Osthessisches Bergland, Vogelsberg und Rhön sowie D53 Oberrheinisches Tiefland. Die zufällige Auswahl der Probeflächen erfolgte für jedes Messtischblatt separat, um eine homogenere Verteilung über Hessen zu erreichen. Die Bewertung der angetroffenen Populationen, Habitate und die Beeinträchtigungen und Gefährdungen wurden anhand eines für diese Erfassung modifizierten Bewertungsrahmens durchgeführt. Die Begehungen erfolgten durch speziell geschulte Mitarbeiter des Landesbetriebes Hessen Forst, FIV, Naturschutzdaten, der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Amphibien- und Reptilienschutz Hessen (AGAR) sowie der Arbeitsgruppe Biotopkartierung am Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. Insgesamt wurden 2.598 Reptilien auf 449 Probeflächen nachgewiesen. Neben 879 Zauneidechsen und 15 Schlingnattern wurden dabei 1.474 Waldeidechsen (Zootoca vivipara), 176 Blindschleichen (Anguis fragilis), 18 Ringelnattern (Natrix natrix) sowie 36 nicht bestimmte Eidechsen gezählt. Damit war die Waldeidechse insgesamt die am häufigsten gefundene Art der Untersuchung, obwohl sie im Naturraum D53 deutlich seltener gefunden wurde als die Zauneidechse. In den drei untersuchten Naturräumen wurde eine Flächen deckende, im Süden (Naturraum D53) dichtere Verbreitung der Zauneidechse auf insgesamt 213 Probeflächen festgestellt. Zwar wurden im Naturraum D47 insgesamt weniger Vor kommen der Zauneidechse registriert, als im Naturraum D53, die hier festgestellten Populationen wurden jedoch besonders häufig mit „sehr gut“ bewertet. Insgesamt muss der klimatisch begünstigte Naturraum D53 aufgrund der hohen Bewertung der Habitate und der vielen Vorkommen als der für diese Art am besten zu bewertende Naturraum in Hessen eingestuft werden. Die Schlingnatter wurde überwiegend in der nördlichen Hälfte des Naturraums D47 (10 Probeflächen) und in einer weiteren Probefläche im Süden des Naturraums D53 kartiert. Diese Daten geben nicht annähernd die tatsächliche Verbreitung wieder, zeigen aber den Schwerpunkt des Vorkommens im untersuchten Raum. Die 2005 erhobenen Daten ermöglichen eine objektivere Beurteilung der Verbreitung von Zauneidechse und Waldeidechse sowie (eingeschränkt) der Schlingnatter in Hessen als vorausgegangene Untersuchungen. Die Auswahl der Probeflächen nach dem Zufallsprinzip verhindert, dass Fundpunkte lediglich die Wohnorte der Kartierer abbilden. Es wird empfohlen die Kartierung auf die gesamte Landesfläche auszudehnen und möglichst den Stichprobenumfang zur Abdeckung aller Messtischblattquadranten auf 10 % zu erhöhen, um einen lückenlosen Überblick über Status und Verbreitung von Zauneidechse und Schlingnatter in Hessen zu bekommen.

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Los datos de lagarto verdinegro recopilados en el Parque Natural de Gorbeia en la década de 2010 determinan una distribución escasa de la especie y limitada a áreas dispersas del término de Zuia, entre Altube y la cabecera del Baias. Las observaciones han sido siempre puntuales y accidentales, y no se conoce una población consolidada y mucho menos continua, si bien se ha observado tanto adultos como juveniles, siempre registrados entre mayo y julio. En 2018 se realizó una prospección intensiva, contando con algunos datos acumulados entre 2013 y 2014, procedentes de la base de datos de la guardería del Parque, que han sido contabilizados junto a los obtenidos en 2018. Los resultados confirman la escasez de la especie y su presencia exclusiva y dispersa en la mitad occidental del Parque (término de Zuia), habiéndose obtenido únicamente observaciones puntuales e individuales. En la zona de Katxabaso-Astorre pudo realizarse un transecto en borde de camino que transita entre argomales-brezales-helechales, con detección de un ejemplar por observación directa y de otros cinco asignables con alta fiabilidad a la especie, lo que proporcionó una estimación de abundancia de 28,85 ind / ha, asimilable a la de algunas poblaciones del norte de León. Paralelamente se acumularon datos de lagarto verde occidental, que mostraron el desplazamiento que estaría ejerciendo sobre el verdinegro, tanto por el mayor número de ejemplares observados y su amplia distribución como por la intensidad ejercida en el uso del hábitat, si bien comparte con éste las orillas de algunas regatas y los matorrales, y aparece en una franja altitudinal común, en torno a los 700 m.

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Host parasite specificity is related to several factors including the type of life cycle of the parasite, the habitat occupied by both parasites and hosts, and the food habits of the hosts. In this work, gastrointestinal helminths in two congeneric lacertid lizards, Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis carbonelli living in sintopy, have been analysed. Out of four helminth species found, three of them, the trematode Brachylaima sp., the cestode Oochoristica gallica and the nematode Skrjabinelazia hoffmanni, have indirect life cycles while the nematode Spauligodon carbonelli has a direct life cycle. Heteroxenous helminths showed low host specificity whereas S. carbonelli may be placed at an intermediate position in a continuum of the degree of specificity.

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HeteromorphicW and Y sex chromosomes often experience gene loss and heterochromatinization, which is frequently viewed as their “degeneration”. However, the evolutionary trajectories of the heterochromosomes are in fact more complex since they may not only lose but also acquire new sequences. Previously, we found that the heterochromatic W chromosome of a lizard Eremias velox (Lacertidae) is decondensed and thus transcriptionally active during the lampbrush stage. To determine possible sources of this transcription, we sequenced DNA from a microdissected W chromosome sample and a total female DNA sample and analyzed the results of reference-based and de novo assembly. We found a new repetitive sequence, consisting of fragments of an autosomal protein-coding gene ATF7IP2, several SINE elements, and sequences of unknown origin. This repetitive element is distributed across the whole length of the W chromosome, except the centromeric region. Since it retained only 3 out of 10 original ATF7IP2 exons, it remains unclear whether it is able to produce a protein product. Subsequent studies are required to test the presence of this element in other species of Lacertidae and possible functionality. Our results provide further evidence for the view of W and Y chromosomes as not just “degraded” copies of Z and X chromosomes but independent genomic segments in which novel genetic elements may arise.

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Although the thyroid effects of pyrethroids on non-target organisms have been well studied, research on the toxic effects of pyrethorid metabolites is still limited. In this study, a type of representative Chinese lizards was used as the model and exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT) and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (PBA) through cultivation on 3 and 15 μg/g soil to evaluate and compare their disruption effects on lizard hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. The alterations occurred in lizards were examined through histopathology analyses, hormone level and gene expression measurements, the molecular binding interactions were analyzed in silico as well. The results showed that LCT exposure increased the plasma triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) levels and the follicular epithelium heights of thyroid glands, whereas PBA induced no or much less degree of alterations. The ugt and dio2 gene expression in lizard liver was significantly up-regulated by LCT, but PBA caused less or opposite effects. The in silico homology simulation illustrated that LCT binds to TRα in the similar way of T3, while PBA binds to TRβ in the same manner of T3. The results demonstrated that both LCT and its metabolite-PBA could disrupt lizard HPT axis but through distinct mechanisms. The information would facilitate the comprehensive environmental safety assessment of pyrethroids.

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Im Rahmen der Umsetzung des FFH-Monitorings in Hessen zur Bewertung der Vorkommen und der Entwicklung des Erhaltungszustandes der Mauereidechse in Hessen und für das Bundesstichprobenverfahren zur Ermittlung des bundesweiten Trends der Art wurden 2009 erstmals in acht hessischen Vorkommensgebieten Transekte angelegt und bei vier Begehungen nach Mauereidechsen abgesucht. Die Auswahl der Stichprobeflächen mit den abgegrenzten Transekten und die Durchführung des Monitorings werden beschrieben. Es erfolgt eine Bewertung der untersuchten Transekte nach dem Bewertungsschema mit den Parametern zur Populationsgröße und -struktur, zur Habitatqualität und den Beeinträchtigungen. Diese Bewertungen werden in einer Übersichtstabelle dargestellt. Der Zustand der Population jedes einzelnen Transektes wird bewertet und, soweit möglich, werden Aussagen zum Trend und zu bisherigen Pflegemaßnahmen gemacht. Bei den Bewertungen mit Expertenvoten wird die Begründung separat dargestellt. In der Diskussion wird die Gefährdung der Art sowie die Praktikabilität der Kartiermethode und des Bewertungsschemas behandelt. Es wird empfohlen, für die weitere langfristige Durchführung des Monitorings eine detaillierte Kartierung der Mauereidechsen in den untersuchten Vorkommensgebieten über die Transekte hinaus durchzuführen. Dies ist notwendig, da die flächige Ausdehnung der Vorkommen unzureichend bekannt ist und deshalb kaum eine realistische Abschätzung der Populationsgrößen erfolgen kann. Auch sollte im Bereich der Transekte eine Biotoptypen- und Nutzungskartierung durchgeführt werden, denn nur durch eine entsprechend detaillierte Kartierung lassen sich Veränderungen in den Populationsgrößen nachvollziehbar erklären.

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Im Auftrag des Hessische Dienstleistungszentrums für Landwirtschaft, Gartenbau und Naturschutz (HDLGN) führte die Arbeitsgemeinschaft Amphibien- und Reptilienschutz in Hessen e.V. (AGAR) 2003 eine Erfassung der Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis) in Hessen durch. Durch Auswertung vorhandener Dokumente und durch eine landesweite Kartierung konnten insgesamt 470 Datensätze zu Zauneidechsensichtungen für den Zeitraum 1998- 2003 erfasst werden. Die Zauneidechse läßt sich im Vergleich zu anderen Reptilienarten verhältnismäßig leicht kartieren. Nicht desto trotz beruhen einige Hinweise auf Zufallsbeobachtungen. Die Auswertung der rezenten Verbreitungsdaten zeigt, dass die Art über fast ganz Hessen verbreitet ist und örtlich sogar relativ häufig angetroffen werden kann. Scheinbare Verbreitungslücken in ansonsten offensichtlich geeigneten Gebieten lassen sich vermutlich durch gezielte Regionalkartierungen schließen. Die Zauneidechse fehlt in Hessen vermutlich lediglich in den bewaldeten Hochlagen von Kellerwald, Rhön, Vogelsberg und Taunus. Die Zauneidechse kann zu den häufigsten Reptilienarten in Hessen gezählt werden. Die Bestandsentwicklung ist aber vermutlich rückläufig, wie dies z. B. auch für Rheinland-Pfalz vermutet wird (HAHN-SIRY 1996). Es wird angeregt, in Hessen zunächst auf der Basis regelmäßiger Präsenz-Absenz-Untersuchungen ein stichprobenartiges Monitoring an ausgewählten Zauneidechsen-Standorten einzuführen. Die Abschätzung von Abnahmetrends müsste über den Verlust gesamter Populationen erfolgen. Jegliche Monitoring-Ansätze sollten eine Komponente zur Bewertung der Habitatentwicklung beinhalten. Methoden und Bewertungsrahmen können provisorisch definiert werden, sollten aber in ihrer endgültigen Form gemeinsam mit anderen Bundesländern erarbeitet werden. Das vorliegende Gutachten enthält einen Steckbrief der Zauneidechse sowie den Entwurf eines Bewertungsrahmens.

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Colour signals are ubiquitous in nature but only recently have researchers recognised the potential of ultraviolet (UV)-refecting colour patches to function as signals of quality. Lacertid lizards often display UV-blue patches on their fanks and black spots over their entire body, both of which are under sexual selection. They also have a cryptic dorsum and some species have a conspicuous, polymorphic ventral coloration. In this study, we use the Tyrrhenian wall lizard Podarcis tiliguerta to investigate the information content of the lateral UV-blue patches and black melanin spots of males by assessing the relationship between colour features and individual quality traits. In addition, we use a visual modelling procedure to examine whether the colora tion of the diferent body parts and diferent colour morphs can be distinguished by a wall lizard visual system. We found that larger males had more numerous and larger UV-blue patches, with a higher UV chroma, UV-shifted hue, but a lower spectral intensity than smaller males. The extent of black on the throat, dorsum, and fanks also correlated with male body size and size-corrected head length but not with colour features of the UV-blue patches. These results suggest that the UV-blue and melanic colour patches may provide diferent, non-redundant information about male resource holding potential, and thus act as condition-dependent indicators of male quality. Finally, we found that the diferent body parts can be chromatically distin guished from each other, and that the UV-blue patches are the most conspicuous while the dorsum is the least conspicuous.

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While the effects of incubation environment on embryonic development and offspring traits have been extensively studied in oviparous vertebrates, studies into how genetic inheritance (population origin), maternal effects, and incubation environment interact to produce varying phenotypes, are rare. To elucidate the interactive role of those three factors during incubation in shaping offspring phenotypes through hydric conditions, we conducted a fully factorial experiment [arid and semiarid populations × maternal dry and wet treatments (MDT and MWT) × embryonic dry and wet treatments (EDT and EWT)] with a desert-dwelling lacertid lizard (Eremias argus). Female lizards in dry conditions produced larger clutch sizes but smaller eggs. The incubation period and hatching success were significantly affected by embryonic but not by maternal moisture treatments. Eggs in the EDT hatched later than those in the EWT in both arid and semiarid populations. Hatching success was lower in EDT than in EWT in the semiarid population, but not in the arid population. Hatchlings from the EDT had a slower post-hatch increase in body mass than those from the EWT. EDT would decrease the survival rates of hatchlings in the semiarid population only. In addition, structural equation models revealed that population had a stronger effect on embryonic and offspring survival than maternal and embryonic moisture. Our study demonstrates locally adaptive strategies of drought resistance at multiple life-history stages in lizard populations from diverse hydric habitats and highlights the importance of genetic factors in determining embryonic drought resistance in oviparous lizards.

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In 1971, five adult pairs of the lacertid species Podarcis siculus were taken from their native island Pod Kopište and introduced to the neighbouring island Pod Mrčaru. These two populations of P. Siculus developed high levels of phenotypic differences in both ecology and morphology. Those rapid changes also initiated changes in behaviour and social structure of the lacertid populations. To study sociability differences between the two island populations, we preformed two different behavioural tests. First test was an open field arena. Two plastic boxes were positioned to the opposite sides of the terrarium allowing the lizards to hide, and a bulb was provided for thermoregulation. A piece of paper was placed in both of the boxes – one was odorized with a scent of a random lizard, and one was non-odorized. The lizard could choose to spend time either under the shelter with or without odour, or outside the shelter and exposed. Second test was a three-chambered sociability arena. Two cages were positioned into the marginal parts, one empty and one holding a lizard. The lizard whose sociability was tested was placed into the central part. The lizard could spend time either in the one marginal part interacting with the other individual in the cage, or in the rest of the terrarium without any interaction. Personality variabilities between populations, and even within the same population, affect the data gathered during these tests. Variation in sociability could explain different dispersal responses and its effect in individuals’ aggression and boldness.

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Im Rahmen des Bundesstichprobenmonitorings der Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis) in Hessen wurden 5 Gebiete mit Zauneidechsen - Vorkommen per Zufall ausgewählt und im Jahr 2011 zum ersten Mal untersucht (vgl. BIOPLAN 2012). Diese Untersuchung wurde in 2014 mit den gleichen Methoden wiederholt. In drei Fällen blieben die Untersuchungsflächen die gleichen, in zwei Fällen (Eichenau, Weilbach) wurde die Abgrenzung verändert (vgl. Karten im Anhang). Vier kleine Vorkommen werden mit Wertstufe C (mittel-schlecht) bewertet, das Vorkommen bei Weilbach mit Wertstufe B (gut).

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In parthenogenetic hybrid Darevskia armeniaca species, the development of early oogenesis and early meiosis were analyzed. It has been shown for the first time that the number of synаptonemal complexes (SCs) of bivalents during the stages of early pachуtena–diplotena of the meiotic prophase 1 is constantly equal to the haploid number, 19. The SC karyotype is presented. The results of comparative molecular–cytogenetic (C/CMA3/DAPI) analysis of the mitotic chromosomes (2n = 38: 34A + 2m + Zw-sex chromosomes) of parthenogenetic females and of the meiotic Zw-sex chromosomes (n = 19 bivalents) of a male D. armeniaca specimen with sex inversion have been presented. Finally, the results obtained demonstrate the absence of premeiotic endoreplication of chromosomes, standard early stages of meiosis, and the formation of the haploid number of SC-bivalents (n = 19) of homeological chromosomes in D. armeniaca.

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The study of the sympatric population, located in the Ijevan region of Armenia, where the bisexual species D. raddei coexists with three partenogenetic species - D. rostombekovi, D. dahli and D. armeniaca has shown that in this population a hybridization process is taking place between the D. raddei and D. rostombekowi species. Of the captured 104 D. rostombekowi in the study area, 18 triploid hybrid males have been found. A comparative study of the smears and histological slides prepared from the testicles of 9 hybrid males has detected their possible fertility. The recorded triploid hybrid males could potentially play important role in hybrid speciation.

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A total of 44 species of amphibians and reptiles are reported from Al Madinah Al Munawwarah Province, Saudi Arabia. They include two species of amphibian in two families (Bufonidae and Dicroglossidae) and 42 reptiles belonging to 16 families (Agamidae, Boidae, Chamaeleonidae, Colubridae, Elapidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Lamprophiidae, Leptotyphlopidae, Phyllodactylidae, Psammophiidae, Scincidae, Sphaerodactylidae, Varanidae, Typhlopidae, and Viperidae). Platyceps sinai, Psammophis sibilans, Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus, are recorded for the first time to the herpetofauna of Saudi Arabia. Range expansion for Euphlyctis ehrenbergii and Acanthocercus adramitanus to northern Saudi Arabia is reported. Our records expand the known distribution range of the Arabian Cobra, Naja arabica, further northwest

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Tathleeth governorate in Aseer region of southwestern Saudi Arabia has been surveyed for 22 lizard species belonging to 6 families throughout three years started from 2015. A total of 412 specimens of these lizards were encountered and identified. Gekkonidae represented the major family inhabiting the region comprising more than 50% of the collected lizards. Agamidae was represented by 5 species comprising more than 23% of the recorded lizards. The other four families (Lacertidae, Scincidae, Chamaeleonidae and Varanidae) comprised approximately 20% of all the collected lizards. The current survey could be used as conservational clue for the herpetofauna of Tathleeth.

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Ectothermic organisms, like terrestrial reptiles have very strong physiological tendency to maintain a stable internal environment with buffering the effects of outer conditions. However, they mostly tend to regulate their homeostasis in winter season via hibernation strategy. The members of family Lacertidae are hibernating reptiles, which have relatively rare winter activities. Although winter basking activity might serve a variety of biotic regulations in different species, the Anatolian lizards, Apathya cappadocica has not been documented for its winter activity so far. In this study, it is presented that the mating behavior of A. cappadocica in warming period in February 2019 from Siirt, Turkey. Any mating observation in this period has not been reported in literature in the Anatolian Peninsula up to date. The climatic oscillation with consequent extraordinarily warm days in winter might cause fluctuations in species phenology traits. However, this situation might also possess several risks in many aspects (i.e. early embryonic development, foraging, escaping from the predators) for the offsprings.

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During most of the previtellogenic oocyte growth, the follicular epithelium of the lizard Podarcis sicula shows a polymorphic structure, due to the presence of different follicle cells. These include small cells which divide and move from the periphery of the follicle to the oocyte surface, intermediate cells which represent an initial step in the process of cell enlargement, and large pyriform cells engaged in the transport of different materials to the oocyte through intercellular bridges. We have studied, by immunolocalization and immunoblotting, the localization of alpha-tubulin and its acetylated form in different follicle cells and in the oocyte during the main steps of ovarian follicle differentiation. Our results indicate that alpha-tubulin is present in all follicle cells at different stages of ovarian follicle differentiation, while its acetylated form is detectable exclusively in the small proliferating and migrating follicle cells. In pyriform cells, alpha-tubulin is localized around the nucleus, extends to the cell apex, and crosses the zona pellucida into the oocyte cortex. The presence of acetylated tubulin in the small follicle cells may be related to the proliferation and/or migration of these cells. The absence of acetylated tubulin form in the cytoplasm of intermediate and pyriform cells can be related to the colocalization of alpha-tubulin with the keratin cytoskeleton in these cells, as detected by confocal microscopy. We have also identified the colocalization of alpha-tubulin with keratin in the cortical region of the oocyte, in particular when the cortex is engaged in the uptake of the yolk proteins.

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Climate change has been widely accepted as one of the major threats for global biodiversity and understanding its potential effects on species distribution is crucial to optimise conservation planning in future scenarios under global change. Integrating detailed climatic data across spatial and temporal scales into species distribution modelling can help to predict potential changes in biodiversity. Consequently, this type of data can be useful for developing efficient biodiversity management and conservation planning. The provision of such data becomes even more important in highly biodiverse regions, currently suffering from climatic and landscape changes. The Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (BRMI; Portugal-Spain) is one of the most relevant reserves for wildlife in Europe. This highly diverse region is of great ecological and socio-economical interest, suffering from synergistic processes of rural land abandonment and climatic instabilities that currently threaten local biodiversity. Aiming to optimise conservation planning in the Reserve, we provide a complete dataset of historical and future climate models (1 x 1 km) for the BRMI, used to build a series of distribution models for 207 vertebrate species. These models are projected for 2050 under two climate change scenarios. The climatic suitability of 52% and 57% of the species are predicted to decrease under the intermediate and extreme climatic scenarios, respectively. These models constitute framework data for improving local conservation planning in the Reserve, which should be further supported by implementing climate and land-use change factors to increase the accuracy of future predictions of species distributions in the study area.

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This study was carried out to evaluate the diversity in reptile communities in wetland landscapes located in the Mediterranean region. For this, the status of the reptile populations linked to different Mediterranean wetlands in relation to the different types of land use established in the nearby drainage basins (500 m around the wetlands perimeter) was determined. The different types of land use were determined together with the presence/absence, abundance and size class of the different reptile species. The results showed that areas with high anthropic pressure had a lower diversity of species, as well as a less balanced community structure, that could put at risk the effective recruitment and hence the maintenance of the reptile populations in these areas. The reasons behind the decline in the reptile community are similar to those put forward for explaining the decline in amphibians in the same area.

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Finger length ratios are organized during embryonic development of fingers as they exposed to sex steroid hormones, and may show varying degrees of sexual dimorphism between males and females in different animal groups. Among all the finger length ratios calculated in a sample, the ratio between the second to fourth fingers (2D: 4D) is the most important one. In this study, the 2D:4D ratios in both sides of the body (right and left) in all limbs were investigated to determine if sexual dimorphism is present in the 2D: 4D ratios in 44 specimens studied (20 males and 24 females) of Acanthodactylus blanfordi. Other morphological traits of the two sexes were also examined (23 metric and meristic traits), as a result, sexual dimorphism was observed in five metric and meristic morphological traits. In terms of the ratio of the size of the fingers and toes, sexual dimorphism in the length of the fingers was observed only in 2D: 4D on the right side of the body in forelimbs and hindlimbs. The value of this trait was higher in males than females and this difference was statistically significant P ≤0.05).

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Intercellular bridges first appear during lizard oogenesis when follicles are rather small (150 /tm in diameter); at this stage they form connecting links between the oocyte and follicle cells, which have not yet differentiated into pyriform cells. Later on, when the follicles have become larger (1 mm) and the follicular epithelium appears constituted by 3 types of cells (small, intermediate and pyriform cells) they form connecting links between the oocyte and both intermediate and pyriform. cells. The establishment of intercellular bridges between pyriform cells and the oocyte precedes the complete differentiation of the former, which excludes the possibility that the fusion between pyriform cells and oocyte occurs only after these cells are completely differentiated. In still larger follicles (up to 2 mm in diameter), during the degeneration of the pyriform cells, the occurrence, inside the bridges, of mitochondria and other cytoplasmic material suggests that these cells at the end of their function transfer their contents into the oocyte.

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Parity mode (oviparity/viviparity) importantly affects the ecology, morphology, physiology, biogeography and evolution of organisms. The main hypotheses explaining the evolution and maintenance of viviparity are based on bioclimatic predictions and also state that the benefits of viviparity arise during the reproductive period. We identify the main climatic variables discriminating between viviparous and oviparous Eurasian common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) occurrence records during the reproductive period and over the entire year. Analyses based on the climates during the reproductive period show that viviparous clades inhabit sites with less variable temperature and precipitation. On the contrary, analyses based on the annual climates show that viviparous clades inhabit sites with more variable temperatures. Results from models using climates during reproduction are in line with the “selfish-mother hypothesis”, which can explain the success of viviparity, the maintenance of the two reproductive modes, and why viviparous individuals cannot colonize sites inhabited by oviparous ones (and vice versa). They suggest that during the reproductive period viviparity has an adaptive advantage over oviparity in less risky habitats thanks to the selfish behaviour of the mothers. Moreover, the results from both analyses stress that hypotheses about the evolution and maintenance of viviparity need to be tested during the reproductive period.

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The cytokeratin (CK) cytoskeleton, previously described by immunofluorescence in the ovarian follicle of Podarcis sicula, at the electron microscope results constituted by bundles of 10 nm thick intermediate filaments containing keratin. These bundles are better evident in the cytoplasm of the pyriform cell apex pointed toward the oocyte surface and mostly in the intercellular bridges connecting fully differentiated pyriform cells to the oocyte. During the differentiation of pyriform cells, the intermediate filament bundles first appear inside the intercellular bridge, when the small follicle cells progressively enlarge after their fusion with the oocyte and assume a morphology of `intermediate` cells. The present study also reports a comparative analysis by immunolabeling, SDS-PAGE, and immunoblotting with anticytokeratins CK8, CK18, and CK19 antibodies of both the ovarian follicle and the intestine of Podarcis sicula. These antibodies, specific to the keratins of monolayered intestinal cells, react also against those expressed in the oocytes of Xenopus laevis. This study shows the presence in the ovarian follicle of this reptile only of keratin forms of homologues to the CK8 and CK18 of mammals and the lack of CK19. The same analysis carried out utilizing AE1 and AE3 antibodies, which recognize most of the acidic and basic keratins in mammals, has shown additional forms of keratins specifically expressed in the ovarian follicle (50 kDa) and in both the examined tissues (49 and 60 kDa). The reported results indicate that in the ovarian follicle of this reptile, keratins have peculiar characteristics that can be explained by the unique structural function of the cytoskeleton in this system.

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The present histochemical and cytochemical study using a lectin panel (WGA, GSI-A4, GSI-B4, PSA UEA-I, PNA, LCA, Con-A , DBA, MPA, BPA) has demonstrated that, in Podarcis sicula, the differentiation of small follicle cells into pyriform cells by means of intermediate cells is accompanied by the appearance of glycoproteins bearing a-GalNAc terminated O-linked side chains on the cell surface. The distribution of DBA- and MPAbinding sites over the follicular epithelium changed during the different stages of oocyte growth. DBA- and MPA-binding sites first appeared at the beginning of folliculogenesis within the zona pellucida (ZP) and on the surface of small cells, i.e., the stem cells of pyriform cells. Afterward, labeling was evident on the cell surfaces of intermediate cells and, later on, also of pyriform cells. On the other hand, no labeling was detected on the small cells located under the basal lamina, which, reportedly, do not differentiate into pyriform cells (Filosa et al. J. Embryol. Exp. Morphol., 1979; 15:297-316). Once pyriform cells were differentiated, the distribution of DBA- and MPA-binding sites over the follicular epithelium remained unchanged until intermediate and pyriform cells underwent apoptosis (Motta et al. J. Exp. Zool., 1996; 276:233-241) and the follicular epithelium transformed into a monolayer composed of small follicle cells only (Filosa Mon. Zool. Ital., 1973; 7:151–165). During this stage of oocyte growth, DBA and MPA labeling gradually decreased to completely disappear in the follicular epithelium of vitellogenic follicles. It is noteworthy that the observed changes in the distribution of DBA- and MPA-binding sites represent the f`rs ı t evidence recognized by lectins of a gradual modification of surface glycoprotein distribution over the follicular epithelium in the ovarian follicles of nonmammalian vertebrates so far studied. Finally, the zona pellucida (ZP), characterized by the presence of GalNAc, GluNAc, Man, and Gal, was demonstrated to be first synthetized by the oocyte and later on by the follicle cells.

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Wildfires are common disturbances that have a major impact on ecosystems. Recent decades have seen an increase in fire frequency and extension due to the combined effects of climate change and land-use history. We studied the taxonomic and functional response of a reptile assemblage to repeated fires in southern France to understand shifts in dominant species and diversity, as well as the mechanisms that underlie responses according to functional traits of species. In the spring of 2010, we sampled reptiles in areas with three types of fire regime: unburned, burned once (2003) and burned 4–5 times (last fire in 2003) along a fire history of 51-years period. With this field sampling design, we examined the intermediate disturbance hypothesis and the habitat accommodation model of succession as methods to predict reptile responses to natural fire regimes. We also compared habitat structure at the study area between 1944 and 2006 to certify that repeated-fire regimes have modified the habitat for reptiles. The comparison of the habitat structure between both periods demonstrated that repeated-fire regimes modified the landscape from a homogeneous sparse forest to a contrasted heterogeneous mixture of scrubland and dense forest. We found a loss of reptile diversity after one and multiple fires, a result that contradicts the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Reptile composition differed among the three fire regimes: there was a shift in dominant species and a reduction of beta diversity related to an increase in the number of fires. We also observed a functional response to repeated fires, with an increased frequency of insectivorous reptiles, which live in open areas, are specialists in their ecological niche, and have a short lifespan. These results suggest that reptile replacement according to fire regime accounts for a habitat accommodation model following particular traits of species. Our study indicated that areas subjected to repeated fires have a more strictly Mediterranean reptile assemblage than unburned areas, due to the ability of Mediterranean species to survive thermal environments in open (burned) areas. At a regional scale, changes in dominant species between unburned and repeatedly burned areas might be an argument for maintaining a patchwork of areas burned at variable intervals. However, the increase in fire frequency and extension suggests a future scenario of extinction for species negatively impacted by fire, such as the endangered Hermann’s tortoise Testudo hermanni, for which the study area is home to one of the last native populations in the western Mediterranean.

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We isolated two DNA sequences, here named Zv516 and Zv817 (of 516 and 817 bp), in the common European lizard Zootoca vivipara characterizing their nucleotide content, copy number, chromosomal location and conservation in different amniote taxonomic groups. Molecular and bioinformaticanalyses showed that Zv516 and Zv817 contain truncated traits of two different repeated interspersed DNA sequences, SINE Squam1 and TC1 Mariner, belonging to class I and II Transposable Elements (TEs), respectively. Quantitative dot blot evidenced that both TEs represent about 0.03% of the genome of Z. vivipara, with about 3200-4500 copies, and comparable quantities were found in different squamate groups. Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) located both sequences on all chromosome pairs, with probes from Zv516 preferentially distributed on centromeric and telomeric regions, while probes from Zv817 were also on interstitial chromosome regions. A different trait of Zv817 (of about 300 bp) was identified as an amniote Ultra-Conserved Element (UCE) occurring in reptiles, birds and mammals (identities from 86% to 100%), while no significant identities were found in Whole-Genome Shotgun (WGS) archives of amphibians, fishes and various tested invertebrate groups. Upstream and downstream regions (of about 1000 bp) of the same UCE are also conserved in different reptile groups with high identities at family level (>96%). Phylogenetic analyses performed both with the isolated UCE and its contigs provided tree topologies which were largely consistent with accepted evolutionary relationships at different taxonomic level. Further discussion will cover aspects of the genomic evolution of the isolated TEs and UCE.

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The demographic trend of a species depends on the dynamics of its local populations, which can be compromised by local or by global phenomena. However, the relevance of local and global phenomena has rarely been investigated simultaneously. Here we tested whether local phenomena compromised a species’ demographic trend using the Eurasian common lizard Zootoca vivipara, the terrestrial reptile exhibiting the widest geographic distribution, as a model species. We analysed the species’ ancient demographic trend using genetic data from its six allopatric genetic clades and tested whether its demographic trend mainly depended on single clades or on global phenomena. Zootoca vivipara’s effective population size increased since 2.3 million years ago and started to increase steeply and continuously from 0.531 Mya. Population growth rate exhibited two maxima, both occurring during global climatic changes and important vegetation changes on the northern hemisphere. Effective population size and growth rate were negatively correlated with global surface temperatures, in line with global parameters driving long-term demographic trends. Zootoca vivipara’s ancient demography was not driven by a single clade, nor by the two clades that colonized huge geographic areas after the last glaciation. The low importance of local phenomena, suggests that the experimentally demonstrated high sensitivity of this species to short-term ecological changes is a response in order to cope with short-term and local changes. This suggests that what affected its long-term demographic trend the most, were not these local changes/responses, but rather the important and prolonged global climatic changes and important vegetation changes on the northern hemisphere, including the opening up of the forest by humans.

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We presented data on reproductive traits of the rare parthenogenetic species Darevskia rostombekowi from the surroundings of the city in Dilijan and on the southern shore of the lake Sevan. Comparison of two populations showed that the length of the body of adult lizards from the Sevan population was significantly higher (p <0.01) than from the Dilijan population (51.75 ± 0.75). Lizards of the two populations do not differ in the number of eggs, they laid eggs in the laboratory in the 20-26 June, 2017, and hatching takes place in the period 08 -10 August 2017, the development of eggs was 45-47 days. Newbornlizardshadabodylengthof 26-27 mm.

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Darevskia valentini is the most widely distributed species among the Caucasian rock lizard but the phylogenetic relationship among geographically distant populations is poorly known. W sequenced several mitochondrial (12S rRNA, COI an cyt b) andnuclear (MC1R and cmos) genes from 75 individual samples collected across Central and Eastern Turkey. In total, 349 bp of 12S rRNA, 615 bp of COI, 743 bp of cyt b of mtDNA and 620 bp of MC1R, 326 bp of cmos of nDNA were obtained. Additionally, 34 individuals from Georgia and Eastern Turkey were genotyped for 10 microsatellite loci. Phylogenetic analyses (ML and BI) produced trees with similar topologies including well-supported clades. One clade found in the area of Lake Van is clearly separated from others on the phylogenetic tree, and the respective population formed distinct STRUCTURE and PCA clusters in the microsatellite data. Our results may suggest that D. valentini, one of the most complex species in Darevskia genus, needs taxonomical revision at the subspecies level.

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Since the 1930’s introductions of wall lizards took place in Passau, Bavaria, Germany. 80 years later this population has to be considered as the world’s largest introduced wall lizard population. It has extended its range about 30 km along a railway, now trespassing the Austrian border. Using DNA barcoding, we assigned the population to a geographically distinct evolutionary lineage which can be found in southern-most Slovenia, north-western Croatia, and the eastern part of the Po Plain (so-called Venetian Clade). Morphology suggests that, in concordance with mtDNA data, the source population stems from the Bologna-Modena area. To reconstruct the invasion history of the population a total of 165 individuals were genotyped at 13 microsatellite loci. In order to investigate routes of expansion wall lizards were sampled every 5 km along a transect, covering the whole invasive range of this population. First results indicate a rapid expansion of the population.

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According to animal signalling theory, social costs incurred by aggressive conspecifics are one mechanism maintaining signal honesty. Although our understanding of signal evolution has much improved for pigment-based colours, the mechanisms maintaining the honesty of structural colour signals, such as ultraviolet (UV), remain elusive. Here, we used the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) to test whether the honesty of UV-reflecting signals displayed on male throats is under social control. To do so, we staged agonistic interactions between non-manipulated focal males and opponents of either larger or smaller body size. We manipulated the UV component of the male throat colour patch to create small cheaters with UV-enhanced throats, large cheaters with UV-reduced throats, and their respective controls. In support of a conventional signal hypothesis, focal males were aggressive towards large cheaters and became submissive when these large cheaters retaliated, and were less submissive against small cheaters. However, that focal males were not more aggressive towards small cheaters contradicts our initial predictions. We confirm that male UV reflectance and bite force were good predictors of contest outcomes in control conditions. Overall, we provide partial evidence suggesting that social costs enforce UV signal honesty in common lizards.

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The ability to recognize chemical cues from predatory snakes is congenital in the common lizard Lacerta vivipara. This conclusion follows from a series of experiments in which we observed the behavior of naive lab-born lizards in terraria that had previously been inhabited by predatory snakes. Chemicals from both the viper Vipera berus (a sympatric predator) and the smooth snake Coronella austriaca (an allopatric saurophagic snake) elicited a sharp increase in tongue-flick rates. The lizards, when confronted with snake chemicals, exhibited an increased number of foot shakes, tail vibrations and starts, and moved about in a strange, jerky way. In these aspects, the behavioral response of juvenile lizards resembled that of adults. The only quantitative age-related difference concerned thermoregulatory be havior: whereas juveniles refrained almost completely from basking in the presence of snake chemicals, adult lizards basked equally long in snake and control experiments.

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Deciphering how species and phenotypic diversity emerge is a major objective of evolutionary research, with important implications for our capacity to protect biodiversity. A powerful tool to understand how historical and contemporary processes influencethe evolution of biodiversity is to combine phylogenetic inferences with information on phenotypic traits which reflect ecological responses to the environment. Podarcis wall lizards are a symbolic element of Mediterranean ecosystems, and their evolution is representative of the complex biogeographic and climatic history of this region. Their phylogenetic relationships have long puzzled European herpetologists, due to a basal polytomy, which may point to a quick radiation early in the history of the group. We combined a phylogenetic hypothesis inferred based on mitochondrial and nuclear genes and a series of morphological and functional traits, to test whether there are signs of an adaptive radiation in thi genus of Mediterranean lizards. The cladogenetic pattern is in accordance with a scenario of a fast diversification early in the history of the genus, with the emergence of new lineages slowing down through time. However, phenotypic traits provide mixed evidence: while body size seems to have evolved under random processes, relative head size and limb length, as well as sprinting capacity, bare signs of adaptive evolution. Interestingly, though, our results do not support a scenario of an early burst of phenotypic diversification under an adaptive radiation in this group. Instead, phenotypic evolution may have rather proceeded in response to other ecological factors, such as insularity or habitat use.

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The species introductions already constitute one of the major threats to biodiversity worldwide. Determining the origin of such aliens is the irst step to develop successful strategies of prevention and minimisation. The Italian wall lizard, Podarcis sicula, is a lacertid predominantly present in the central Mediterranean region, also inhabiting Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica as well as on many Adriatic islands. It frequently occurs in humanized areas, but is really fast and shy compared to other lacertids. Several scatered populations have been reported across the Mediterranean basin, namely Toulon in France, Istanbul and Marmara Islands in Turkey, Tunis and Tripoli in North Africa, and Menorca in Spain where is the dominant lizard. Experimental evidence has demonstrated behavioural interference and competitive exclusion of congeneric species and instances of hybridisation between introduced populations and other local Podarcis are also known. This suggests that the introduction of this species may be highly harmful for the local biota. In the Iberian Peninsula, populations of undetermined origin are currently known from three coastal populations with very contrasting climatic conditions. Namely, those in Almeria city (SE Spain) and Noja beach (Santander, N Spain) are suspected to be old (40-50 years ago) whereas that in Lisbon (SW Portugal) is a more recent (end of 90’s). Here we assess the origin of all three populations using the cytochrome b gene by putting sequences generated together with those published for the species both in its autochthonous range and in other introduces populations. Results are discussed in the context of the phylogeography of the species and its invasive character.

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1. In the past decades, nocturnal temperatures have been playing a disproportionate role in the global warming of the planet. Yet, they remain a neglected factor in studies assessing the impact of global warming on natural populations. 2. Here, we question whether an intense augmentation of nocturnal temperatures is beneficial or deleterious to ectotherms. Physiological performance is influenced by thermal conditions in ectotherms and an increase in temperature by only 2°C is sufficient to induce a disproportionate increase in metabolic expenditure. Warmer nights may expand ectotherms` species thermal niche and open new opportunities for prolonged activities and improve foraging efficiency. However, increased activity may also have deleterious effects on energy balance if exposure to warmer nights reduces resting periods and elevates resting metabolic rate. 3. We assessed whether warmer nights affected an individual`s growth, dorsal skin colouration, thermoregulation behaviour, oxidative stress status and parasite load by exposing yearling common lizards (Zootoca vivipara) from four populations to either ambient or high nocturnal temperatures for approximately 5weeks. 4. Warmer nocturnal temperatures increased the prevalence of ectoparasitic infestation and altered allocation of resources towards structural growth rather than storage. We found no change in markers for oxidative stress. The thermal treatment did not influence thermal preferences, but influenced dorsal skin brightness and luminance, in line with a predicted acclimation response in colder environments to enhance heat gain from solar radiation. 5. Altogether, our results highlight the importance of considering nocturnal warming as an independent factor affecting ectotherms` life history in the context of global climate change.

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The study of flower visitor behavior and pollen transport dynamics within and between plants can be of great importance, especially for threatened or rare plant species. In this work, we aim to assess the flower visitor assemblage of the Madeiran endemic Echium candicans and evaluate the performance of the most common visitors through the analysis of their foraging behavior and pollen loads. The flower visitor assemblage of E. candicans is diverse, including several insect groups and the endemic lizard Teira dugesii, but bees are the most common visitors. In general, large bees (Amegilla quadrifasciata, Apis mellifera, and Bombus spp.) had the highest average visitation rates (>18 flowers/min) and their pollen loads had higher percentages of homospecific pollen (>66%) when compared with butterflies and hoverflies. The honeybee (Apis mellifera) and two bumblebees (Bombus terrestris and B. ruderatus) were the most efficient flower visitors of E. candicans, but their foraging behavior seems to favor geitonogamy. Other visitors, such as butterflies and the small bee Lasioglossum wollastoni, may have a complementary role to the honeybee and bumblebee species, as their high mobility is associated with fewer flower visits on each plant and may promote xenogamy. Two non-native bees (A. mellifera and B. ruderatus) are important flower visitors of E. candicans and may contribute mostly to self-pollination rendering the endemic plant more vulnerable to inbreeding effects.

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Recent studies evidenced brain lateralization in ectotherms occurs and propose that the right eye/left hemisphere is involved in predatory behavior while food searching while the left eye/right hemisphere seems to control predator monitoring, making lateralized individuals able to carry out both tasks simultaneously. However, most of these studies are based on a single species (among reptiles Podarcis muralis), and these results are assumed as general. Here we studied the lateral component of the escape behavior in three diferent lineages of the Podarcis hispanica species complex. A total of 10 male and 10 female adults were tested 10 times using a “T” design, during two diferent days (ive races per day). Statistical analysis was made using Log Linear analysis. The results showed that, although, there is lateralization in escape behavior, it varied between the studied lineages. While the irst one lineage present ≈80% of right preference, the second one present ≈ 60% and the third one lineage tested showed ≈ 50% of preference to the right part. Interaction between lineage*side was statistically signiicant whereas, no diferences in the interactions sex*side, and sex*lineage*side were found. Result advise against generalizing results on lateralization tests and recommend broader comparative research on this topic. In addition, the possibility that the individual learning between subsequent races, of escape behavior, is discussed.

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Vertebrate pests cause significant economic loss in several agricultural crops worldwide; therefore, their populations are often controlled through culling. Correctly identifying the main species responsible for the damage is essential to avoid persecuting the wrong targets, yet it is challenging. During 2016 and 2017, we tested the usefulness of camera-trapping (CT) in Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal to identify vertebrate pests. Vineyard owners in this region cull the Azores woodpigeon (Columba palumbus azorica), the common pigeon (Columba livia), the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), the Azores blackbird (Turdus merula azorensis), and the Madeira wall lizard (Teira dugesii) to reduce damage to grapes. Using CT photos and videos, we identified nine species damaging the grape, but four of those were only observed occasionally (< 10 consumption events over 2years). The Madeira lizard (371.09 and 232.47 consumption events100-CT-days in 2016 and 2017, respectively), the house sparrow (284.01 and 21.73 consumption events100-CT-days in 2016 and 2017, respectively), and the Azores blackbird (17.35 and 8.23 consumption events100-CT-days in 2016 and 2017, respectively) had the most frequent consumption events. All three species were most active in the morning (8:00–9:00) and in the afternoon (16:00–17:00 for the Madeira lizard and the house sparrow, and 18:00–19:00 for the Azores blackbird). We demonstrated the advantage of using CT in cultivated habitats to provide valuable information about the identity, behaviour, daily-activity patterns, and relative consumption rates of vineyard pests. We also provided evidence that the endemic Azores woodpigeon and the common pigeon should not be targeted by the farmers in Terceira.

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Ex situ conservation of animal populations may benefit from captive-breeding programmes, but these are criticised because they are assumed to be difficult, time-consuming and expensive, while they do not guarantee success. However, such assumptions remain untested in most organisms; for example, introductions could be very useful for recovering populations of small-sized species with short generation time, no learned behaviours, and ease to rear in captivity. Here, we document an easy, cheap and successful reintroduction programme of the lacertid lizard Psammodromus algirus. Two captive-bred cohorts (178 juveniles in 2001 and 187 in 2002) were released in four woodland fragments (0.9–5.2 ha) at two localities (B and V); B housed a stable lizard population whereas V apparently lacked a viable population of lizards. We monitored introduced and native lizards during 2002 and 2003, and carried out a corroborative searching in 2006 which confirmed the existence of a lizard population at site V. Introduced lizards had higher activity and dispersed more frequently among woodland fragments than native ones. Survivorship and growth rates were similar for both groups, but introduced juveniles were about 25% larger than native ones, due to both early hatching and better rearing conditions. The whole procedure was easily implemented in our Faculty facilities (mean hatching and hatchling survival rates of 0.90 and 0.87), and cost less than 20,000 € (excluding salaries). Therefore, similar programmes may be of wide application in small animals and of practical importance for species with a meta-population structure living in fragmented landscapes.

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Form and function have always intrigued biologists, as they constitute a key element of the evolutionary history of organisms. Under the ecomorphological paradigm, differences in morphological traits result in differences in performance which in turn translate into variation in fitness in a given environment. Understanding how such evolutionary associations emerge at the microevolutionary level (i.e. across individuals of a species) and then scale up to shape macroevolutionary patterns (i.e. across species) has long been a challenge in evolutionary biology. In the Mediterranean Basin, wall lizards (Podarcis spp.) are an intriguing model system for investigating the evolutionar meaning of phenotypic traits and their relationship with performance, due to their elevated variability and their occurrence in a diversity of both natural and anthropized habitats. We examined locomotion and bite force, and severa morphological traits relevant for functional performance for several species of wall lizards. We then obtained F-matrix statistics that describe the association between form and function within (intraspecific) and across species (interspecific). We also used pairwise Mantel tests to investigate the functional divergence among species and to study whether these were in accordance with clade-level phenotype-performance relationships. Mantel tests on intraspecific F-matrices suggested some degree of functional divergence among species. Our results also showed that intra- and interspecific F-matrices provide different information, where phenotype-performance relationships often do not coincide across analytical levels. Overall, our results suggest that phenotype-performance relationships may vary substantially across species and evolutionary scales.

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Sexual dimorphism (SD) in locomotor performance is prominent in many species of lizards. This functional pattern is related to both size and shape SD and it has been associated to sexual selection on males, related to territorial behaviour. Locomotor capacities of lacertid lizards are related to habitat variation, following ecomorphological predictions, but SD has not been extensively investigated. The few existing studies have indicated a lack of SD in this respect. We investigated SD in locomotor performance and its relation to morphological traits in a population of Podarcis bocagei, a species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. We measured sprinting, climbing and clambering speed, as well as manoeuvrability, of adult male and female P. bocagei in a racing track. We also quantiied body size and shape, including characters potentially relevant for locomotion, in the same individuals. Our results indicate that while SD in performance is not signiicant when looking at each locomotor component separately, diferences between sexes are signiicant when treating the data in a multivariate framework. This is due to diferences between sexes in the trade-ofs between conditions: while females are relatively stable across designs, males are fast sprinters, but sufer a visible reduction of their locomotor capacity when climbing or serpentizing. Fitting biomechanical predictions and previous observations, the morphological variables associated to locomotor performance are total body size and limb length. Our study suggests that signiicant, but previously unnoticed, SD may exist in locomotor performance in lacertids and remarks the importance of multivariate analyses when examining performance capacities.

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The co-occurrence of the lizards Podarcis muralis and P. siculus is frequent but anecdotally reported in the literature, mostly as side notes of their complex ecology and life history. There are a few studies on the interactions between these two species, but these are old or focalized only on individual populations. This research aims to fill and enlighten the possible competitive interactions between P. muralis and P. siculus when they share a microhabitat. Being a base researh, which is not founded on previous works, every result will be an important contribution to the study of these two lizards. We have observed a clear trend in P. muralis associated with the elongation of the jaw in the syntopic population of Calci while their body size remains unchanged between syntopic and allopatric populations. This differentiation causes an overlap in jaw length between the two species and the sharing of the same range of variation for this character. Hence, in syntopy, they are not distinguishable at all if we base our discrimination only on the length of the jaw, contrary to the common situation where P. siculus head-length outmeasures P. muralis. Syntopic P. muralis are instead well discriminable from their allopatric populations. For the first time, we provide comparative data from different populations, both in allopatry and in syntopy. Our preliminary results suggest a diversification only in head morphology (convergent character displacement) in the area of co-occurrence, hence a proxy of a history of co-evolution that shape the relationship of these two species.

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Coexisting species may experience population and range changes alone or jointly in response to environmental change. Here, we used six climate variables and ten modeling algorithms to predict the distribution of two Takydromus species (T. septentrionalis and T. sexlineatus) in China. We identified the sympatric and allopatric areas by comparing projections between the two species based on habitat suitability under present and future climate scenarios. We constructed the hypervolumes of six climate variables for the two species and then evaluated overlaps between hypervolumes. From this study, we know the following. First, minimum temperature of coldest month contributes the most to the prediction of habitat suitability. Second, habitats suitable for the two species will shift northward in response to climate warming. Third, the range of T. sexlineatus will expand across the four future time intervals before 2,100, namely the 2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100 intervals, under both Shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) 245 and SSP585 scenarios, and the range of T. septentrionalis will also expand in the future except at the 2081–2100 interval under the SSP585 scenario. Fourth, the sympatric areas will contract or expand under the SSP245 scenario and expand across the four future time intervals before 2,100 under the SSP585 scenario. Fifth, the niche hypervolumes of the two species partially overlapped, and the differences in niche centroid show some degree of niche differentiation between the two species. These results allow to conclude that climate warming will not only drive the northward drift of sympatric areas but also increase the size of these areas if nothing is done to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. Given the existence of hybridization and introgression between T. septentrionalis and T. sexlineatus in the field where they coexist, we also conclude that climate warming will increase chances of hybridization and introgression between the two species.

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This bachelor thesis is focused on the population of the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) occuring in Strejckuv Quarry near Grygov. In Czech Republic, the species is known from only four localities. The main objectives are search of available sources, which brings morphology data of Europe populations and to carry out my own morphometric research of the population. The research took place in the locality of Strejčkův Quarry in Grygov in years 2018 – 2019. As a result, 36 individuals were captured (22 males, 9 females and 5 juveniles). The average SVL of males was 58.86mm and 56.56mm for females. The SVL of juveniles ranged 29 – 41mm.

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Competition between species can lead to ecological and evolutionary differentiation of species. The Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) is a generalist species with broad ecological tolerance and frequently excludes other small lizards. The areals of Podarcis siculus and Podarcis melisellensis sometimes overlap and when that happens P. siculus overpowers P. melisellensis. In order to better understand the behaviour of both species and to explore whether differentiation in behaviour can explain dominant-subordinate interaction between these two species, we tested 28 individuals of each species, of both sexes, in open field and radial maze. Both experiments lasted 15 to 23 minutes and were repeated 3 times in order to habituate the lizard to the new environment. Lizards’ performance in novel and familiar habitat (after habituation) was measured and analysed for potential dispersal and explorative behaviour, cautiousness, risk to predation and food consumption. We hypothesized that P. siculus, as a dominant competitor, wouldshow greater dispersal and explorative behaviour, be more cautious and less prone to predation and would consume more food. As expected, P. siculus showed greater dispersal and explorative behaviour in both open field and radial maze and ate more food. Also, P. siculus was more cautious and less prone to predation. These results show that different behaviour can help competitors persevere and outcompete other individuals in ecologically competitive relationships.

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The Aeolian wall lizard Podarcis raffonei is an island endemic that survives only on three tiny islets, and on the Capo Grosso peninsula of the Vulcano island, thus is among the European vertebrates with the smallest range and one of the most threatened by extinction. This species is declining due to competition and hybridization with the non-native lizard Podarcis siculus, but a regular monitoring program is lacking. Here we assessed the size and status of the Capo Grosso population of P. raffonei on Vulcano. In September 2015 we captured 30 individuals showing the typical brown phenotype of P. raffonei, while one single male showed a green phenotype, apparently intermediate between P. raffonei and the non-native Podarcis siculus. In May 2017, only 47% of 131 individuals showed the typical brown phenotype (P. raffonei-like) and 53% showed the green phenotype (P. siculus-like). Based on N-mixture models and removal sampling the estimated size of the Capo Grosso population was of 800–1300 individuals in 2017, being similar to 2015; available data suggest that the total range of the species could be as small as 2 ha. The frequency of individuals with the typical P. raffonei phenotype dramatically dropped between two samplings with a parallel increase of individuals displaying the green phenotype. Observation on outdoor captive bred individuals demonstrates plasticity for colouration in P. raffonei individuals from Capo Grosso, with several individuals showing the typical brown pattern in September 2017 and a green pattern in March 2021. Non-exclusive hypotheses, including hybridization with P. siculus and plasticity in colour pattern of P. raffonei, are discussed to explain the phenotypic shifts of the P. raffonei population of Capo Grosso. While genomic evidence is required to reach conclusions and investigate eventual hybridization, it is urgent to undertake a programme for the monitoring and management of this lizard.

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Parasites are important drivers shaping animal populations by affecting growth, performance, reproductive successand survival. In sympatric related host species, parasites may shape their interspecific interaction and vice-versa - the intensity of parasite infection and parasitemia couldbe influenced by beforementioned interactions. Members of the genus Hepatozoon (Apicomplexa, Adeleorina) are the most common and widely distributed intracellular parasites oflizards. In this work we studied the parasitization patterns of tw lizard species, Iberolacerta horvathi and Podarcis muralis, ranging Slovenia either in sympatry or in allopatry. We used the 18S rRNA gene to confirm parasite identity an identify potential new haplotype an estimated prevalenc and intensity using microscopy. Then, we tested for the effect of host species, geographic region, body size sex and sympatry/allopatry on these parameters. Preliminary results show significant differences in parasite prevalence and intensity among localities, as well as differences in parasite intensity both among localities and host species. This one of the first studies examining the blood parasites in Slovene reptiles combining microscop and molecular methods, and as such expands our knowledge on parasite diversity, their possible impact in this region and the interaction patterns betwee both lizard species. In addition, the study recovers the variation between sympatry and allopatry as a way of understanding coexistence of two lizard species occupying a similar ecological niche.

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Species interactions are complex processes derived from a combination of organisms’ physiological predispositions and their behavioural and ecological traits combined with their spatial and temporal distribution. Understanding interspeciic interactions between two lacertid species should include a multi-level approach. The focus of individual studies should interfere with each other, but the irst step should be done separately. Podarcis muralis and Iberolacerta horvathi are sympatric in almost whole range of I. horvathi’s distribution (endemic to Southern Alps in NE Italy, S Austria and NW Slovenia and Dinaric Mountains in Slovenia and Croatia) and display overall similarity in morphometric, coloration and ecological characteristics. I. horvathi is more abundant at higher altitudes whereas P. muralis shows the opposite trend, suggesting competitive exclusion pattern. One way to understand biological processes of lacertid species on a mechanistic level is to preform experiments investigating preferred body temperatures (Tp), since the use of best basking sites could be source of competition in ectothermic reptiles. For two consecutive years we performed a comparative analysis of Tp with experiments in laboratory thermo gradients (20 -50°C; measurements at 11 hourly intervals) with specimens of both sympatric species to compare interspeciic variation. I. horvathi selected higher Tps than P. muralis but mainly in spring and in the afternoon, in summer and early morning being more similar. P. muralis had a broader range of Tp than I. horvathi, suggesting it to be more eurythermic. Secondly, we investigated if the presence of conspeciic or heterospeciic male inluences the males’ Tp of both species to ind out if inference interactions inluence Tp. Preliminary results show that the inluence of presence of con- or hetero-speciic males on Tp was only evident in I. horvathi, but not in P. muralis.

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The relationship between form, function and ecology is very important for us to understand the process of phenotypic evolution and ecological evolution in biological organisms. Trait evolution between species and populations is the result of multiple factors. The Bite force of a vertebrate plays an important role in its life, mainly including eating habits, mate competition, territorial possession, defense against invaders and so on. In this study, the northern grass lizard (Takydromus septentrionalis) was used as a subject to explore the influence of living environmental factors on lizard morphology and bite force. After measuring the morphological traits of five populations, it was made a comparative analysis, on the differences in morphology and bite force between populations by studying the morphology, bite force and sexual dimorphism between different populations. The results showed that with the morphological size and bite force of the lizard increase as the average annual temperature of the land population decreases, however, the island population did not show this phenomenon. A significant positive correlation between the head size and the bite force of the lizard was found,and the obvious sexual dimorphism of head size,mouth opening and bite force of the lizard was also detected.

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The persistence of colour polymorphism (CP) within a given population is generally associated with the coexistence of alternative reproductive strategies, each one involving specific trade-offs among behavioural, morphological, physiological, and other life history. Trade-offs involving immune system are of particular interest, since the ability of dealing with parasites and diseases has severe consequences on the fitness individuals may achieve, but also entails substantial costs for them. T-level fosters a strong motivation to defend territories against rivals (i.e. increasing movements, activity, and aggressive display) and increases mating. At the same time, high T-level can decrease immune functions favours parasite infections, stimulates risky behaviours, and thus diminishes survival, according Immunocompetence Handicap Hypothesi (ICHH), and there is no way to maximize stamina and aggressive behaviours at once. Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) showing CP in three main color (yellow, white and red) and a morph specific pattern for both immunocompetence and seasonal variation of T-levels, where the former show low stamina with high plasma T-levels and the following high stamina with low intra-sexual competitive ability. We hypothesised the presence of 2 strategies: one from yellow-morph and another from white/red-morph. Thus we tested the aggressive response to conspecifics of yellow and white-morph using a mirror inserted into the ownsetting box, throughout the breeding season (128 experiments). All lizard was tested after a period of acclimatization. Results demonstrated the yellow males was more aggressive in the early bird season and with a decrease towards the end, whereas white males show an opposite pattern.

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The Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) represents one of the few reptile species that have successfully colonized regions in north-western Europe far outside their Mediterranean native range. DNA barcoding revealed that 85 introduced populations stem from eight geographically distinct invasive evolutionary lineages. Although the high phenotypic variability in colour pattern of wall lizards at both the intra-speciic and intra-population level might lead to a delayed recognition of introductions and little awareness of the problem of introgression in conservation management, there is increasing evidence of introductions at the native range margin of the species in south-western Germany. In order to infer the level of potential hybridizations in contact zones of alien and native lineages, we analysed a combination of maternally (mtDNA; cytochrome b) and bi-parentally inherited molecular markers (13 microsatellite loci). A total of 316 wall lizards from ive mixed populations as well as one native and one pure introduced reference population were analysed. Based upon model-based clustering methods our results suggest a rapid genetic assimilation of native populations through strong introgression of introduced Italian lineages. We also found a positive relationship between genetic diversity and the number of source populations. This high genetic diversity might be caused by the introduction of founders from diferent native populations from the Apennine Peninsula, which is a hotspot of the species’ genetic diversity. High levels of intraspeciic admixture may have promoted the invasion success of mixed populations. Nevertheless, introduced pure-bred populations with a low number of founders also retained rather high levels of genetic diversity like native populations and no evidence for a genetic bottleneck was found. The extent of introgression within artiicial hybrid populations suggests that introductions of non-native lineages are threatening the genetic integrity of native populations at the northern range margin through a rapid creation of hybrid swarms.

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Wildfires are a natural disturbance in many ecosystems. However, their effect on biotic interactions has been poorly studied. Fire consumes the vegetation and the litter layer where many parasites spend part of their life cycles. We hypothesize that wildfires reduce habitat availability for parasites with consequent potential benefits for hosts. We tested this for the lizard Psammodromus algirus and its ectoparasites in a Mediterranean ecosystem. We predicted that lizards in recently burned areas would have lower parasite load (cleaning effect) than those in unburned areas and that this phenomenon implies that lizards spending their entire lives in postfire conditions experience a lower level of parasitism than those living in unburned areas. We compared the ectoparasite load of lizards between eight paired burned/unburned sites, including recent (less than 1 year postfire) and older fires (2–4 years). We found that lizards` ectoparasites prevalence was drastically reduced in recently burned areas. Likewise, lizards in older burned areas showed less evidence of past parasitic infections. Fire disrupted the host–parasite interaction, providing the opportunity for lizards to avoid the negative effects of ectoparasites. Our results suggest that wildfires probably fulfil a role in controlling vector-borne diseases and pathogens, and highlight ecological effects of wildfires that have been overlooked.

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In the researched area, we identified a total of 16 species for the herpetofauna. Among these, 11 belong to the amphibians (Triturus vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana ridibunda, Rana lessonae, Rana dalmatina) and 5 to the reptiles (Emys orbicularis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis taurica, Natrix natrix). Aside these 16 species, we also identified populations of Rana kl. esculenta, a hybrid form between Rana ridibunda and Rana lessonae.

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Experimental studies about any species could not be carried out without a solid foundation about its biology and natural history. However, a great amount of time, energy and perseverance are recquired in order to collect these data, especially in long-term studies at individual level. This kind of studies monitor individually recognisable animals, which allows to get repeated measures of the studied traits. Thus, access to enough numbers of recognisable individuals with known life histories provides the possibility of asking, and answering, a wide range of novel questions that are otherwise inaccesible, allowing to conduct statistical analyses and/or experiments that isolate the effect of particular traits, impossible to perform on a sample of unknown individuals. In this thesis, we aim to know in a precise way the life-history traits of a population of Lilford’s wall lizard, Podarcis lilfordi, as well as its dynamic at individual level. To do so, a capture-recapture study spanning three years from April to September was carried out on an experimental plot. During the study period, information about several aspects of the lizards’ natural history, such as their home ranges, their coloration and seasonal variability, the traits of sexual dimorphism and their pairing patterns, was gathered. Through the use of these data the influence of such individual traits on intraespecific interactions and thus, their effect on dominance, will be stablished. General results show that the studied population of Lilford’s wall lizard moves around small-sized home ranges, to which individuals are faithful. The value given to said home ranges decides the outcome of aggresive interactions among neighbours invariably favoring the residents of the home range. Additionally, reduced aggression between neighbours is observed. However, when residency factor is nonexistent, dorsal coloration predicts the outcome of male contests, much more colourful than females. Nevertheless, both sexes manifest seasonal change in their dorsal coloration, although for different reasons. Evidences for mate guarding, as well as remarkable fidelity among observed pairs, were also found during mating season. Lastly, dominance is subject to mate choice and, in females only, mate dominance appears as the only significative factor regarding females own dominance.

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Diversity of reptile fauna, as well as threat factors were investigated during April and May 2019 in the settlement Mareza. Field methodology included active searching and visual observation of species along defined transects. In total, 20 reptile species were recorded, what comprises about 55 % of reptile fauna known for Montenegro. According to obtained results, area of Mareza can be considered as important reptile diversity hotspot in Montenegro. First finding of Xerotyphlops vermicularis in this area contribute to knowledge of its distribution range. Three identified species (Emys orbicularis, Testudo hermanni and Elaphe quatuorli neata) are listed on Annex II of the Habitat Directive. None of identified species are vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered, upon the IUCN Red List. Almost all identified species are protected on national level. Main threat factors for reptile fauna in the area of Mareza are: urbanization, habitat fragmentation and destruction, fires, illegal landfills, direct killing by locals and road killing.

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The Iberian Algyroides (Algyroides marchi) is a lacertid lizard with one of the narrow est distribution ranges in continental Europe, restricted to a minute area in the Subbaetic mountains in SE Spain. Due to specifc habitat requirements, this species is considered threatened by climate change and habitat degradation. Here, an improved and time-cali brated multilocus phylogenetic analysis, combining two mitochondrial, three nuclear mark ers as well as a battery of 12 microsatellite loci, was performed. Moreover, ancestral changes in efective population size were determined under Approximate Bayesian Com putation (ABC) analysis. In parallel, past, present and future habitat suitability was inferred using Ecological Niche Models (ENMs). The diversifcation of A. marchi in the Iberian Peninsula began during the Upper-Pleistocene around 0.10 Mya. However, during the Last Interglacial the species had much larger suitable habitats along NE Iberia and/or the Can tabrian region. Indeed, ABC analysis indicates that not the Last Interglacial, but instead the Last Glacial Maximum led to a population bottleneck followed by a recovery/expan sion. The footprint of this complex evolutionary history is refected today in six mono phyletic lineages, with little genetic diferentiation and geographic coherency. This pat tern most likely arises from the climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene, leading to a complete range shift and secondary contact, with very divergent haplogroups in sympatry and exchanging genes. Finally, the ENMs predict a considerable future retraction and shift in the area suitable for the species, which should be taken into account for conservation policies.

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Understanding the climatic factors influencing a species behavior is important for a multitude of reasons including conservation planning. Climate ecology of Lacerta agilis has been studied thoroughly at the edges of its distribution range and at high elevations but hardly in the central parts. As preferences between populations living in extreme conditions can vary considerably from those of populations in more moderate conditions, in order to properly conserve central populations of Lacerta agilis, we cannot rely on studies conducted in extreme conditions. We therefore use a visual encounter study on a sand lizard population in a heathland near Cologne over two years and combine it with the corresponding data of a nearby weather station. Our aim is to determine climatic preferences within the population and identify which factors influence activity in sand lizards using among other methods CART models and analysis of variance. Furthermore, we aim to deliver a method which can easily be included in any visual encounter based fieldwork.

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In this study, we identified the diversity of the freshwater, marine and terrestrial herpetofauna of the State of Kuwait. It consists of a total of 45 extant species; 44 species of reptiles and a single species of amphibian according to recent updated taxonomic studies. All specimens of reptiles collected and held in American and European natural history museums are documented. Four species are added to the herpetofauna of Kuwait: Chalcides ocellatus, Hydrophis lapemo ides, Hydrophis viperina, and Trapelus agnetae.

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The practice of free-range goat grazing in islets is common throughout Mediterranean Sea with well-documented consequences on plant communities. In the case of lizards grazing has been reported to alter vegetation providing less cover from avian predators, increasing thus predation risk. In this study we focused on the impact of grazing on populations of the Skyros Wall lizard (Podarcis gaigeae), an endemic lacertid of Skyros Archipelago (Aegean Sea, Greece). Our aim was to detect and assess possible direct and/or indirect efects on several features of lizards’ overall biology. Five biotopes (three islets and two localities from Skyros Island) that difer in the duration and intension of grazing were included in the project. For a time-window of six years we realized monthly samplings during spring and summer (reproductive period of P. gaigeae) and recorded invertebrate population densities, lizard ectoparasites prevalence, presence and density of sea gulls and lizard population densities. As expected, grazing had a strong negative inluence on plant communities. The restriction of vegetation impoverished considerably invertebrate populations, decreasing thus food availability for lizards, which feed mainly on insects. Furthermore it resulted in a serious degradation of the biotope quality since lizards in islets use plants as shelters or thermoregulation sites. Ectoparasite loads (ticks and mites) were higher in places where goats were present in large numbers for long periods. Goat activity disturbs sea gulls that normally nest on remote islands. Islets where grazing was continuous hosted few or even none breeding pair. Since sea gulls support in terms of energy many islets of Skyros Archipelago through marine subsidies, the devastation of their breeding colonies afected negatively small insular ecosystems. Finally, population densities of lizards were higher in biotopes with no grazing (Diavates islet and the dunal ecosystem of Palamari at Skyros Island) and much lower in places with intense grazing.