Search results for "Lacertidae"
showing 10 items of 28 documents
Helminth infracommunities of Gallotia caesaris caesaris and Gallotia caesaris gomerae (Sauria: Lacertidae) from the Canary Islands (Eastern Atlantic).
2004
A survey of gastrointestinal helminth communities of Gallotia caesaris caesaris (Lehrs, 1914) and G. c. gomerae (Boettger and Muller, 1914), from the islands of El Hierro and La Gomera, respectively, in the Canary Archipelago, Spain, was conducted to determine the prevalence, intensity, and diversity of intestinal parasites of these lacertid lizards. Larval forms of cestodes, nematodes, and acanthocephalans were found in the body cavity of G. c. caesaris; this lizard is the intermediate or paratenic host in the life cycle of these helminths. Pharyngodonid nematodes were the most common intestinal helminths in both hosts, 4 of them being Gallotia spp. specialists. Helminth infracommunities o…
Helminth communities of two lizard populations (Lacertidae) from Canary Islands (Spain): Host diet-parasite relationships
2005
Abstract A parasitological survey has been carried out to determine the relationships between host diet and parasite fauna. Diet, and infracommunities and component communities of two subspecies of lacertid lizards, Gallotia galloti galloti (Oudart, 1839) and G. g. palmae (Boettger et Müller, 1914) from Tenerife and La Palma islands (Canary Islands, Spain), have been analysed. High values of parasite infection parameters were found in both subspecies, which were only infected by nematodes of the family Pharyngodonidae. Plant matter was mainly consumed by both lizard subspecies and relevant amounts of mineral matter were also found in both hosts. Diet of these lacertid lizards was correlate…
Relationship between diet and helminths in Gallotia caesaris (Sauria: Lacertidae)
2004
Diet and helminth fauna were analysed in Gallotia caesaris, a small lacertid lizard endemic to El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain) in order to study the evolutionary and functional relationships between the two traits. This species is omnivorous but consumed a high proportion (82.13%) of plant matter including not only seeds but also leaves and other vegetative parts. Helminth fauna included many helminth species typical of herbivorous reptiles. Both herbivory and helminth presence were higher than expected for a lizard of its size. Comparison with other lacertids suggests that both traits result from an adaptation to insular conditions but that some "evolutionary time" to develop them is nee…
Ultraviolet vision in lacertid lizards: evidence from retinal structure, eye transmittance, SWS1 visual pigment genes, and behaviour
2014
Abstract Ultraviolet (UV) vision and UV colour patches have been reported in a wide range of taxa and are increasingly appreciated as an integral part of vertebrate visual perception and communication systems. Previous studies with Lacertidae, a lizard family with diverse and complex coloration, have revealed the existence of UV-reflecting patches that may function as social signals. However, confirmation of the signalling role of UV coloration requires demonstrating that the lizards are capable of vision in the UV waveband. Here we use a multidisciplinary approach to characterize the visual sensitivity of a diverse sample of lacertid species. Spectral transmission measurements of the ocula…
Host-parasite relationships of Zootoca vivipara (Sauria: Lacertidae) in the Pyrenees (North Spain)
2000
The helminths infesting the common lizard, Zootoca vivipara (Jacquin, 1787), were studied with special attention to the relations between the number of nematodes, Oswaldocruzia filiformis (Goeze, 1782), and the size, sex and age class of the host. The possible seasonality of the parasite intensity and the relationship with the feeding habits of the host were also tested. Helminth infracommunities of Z. vivipara were depauperate with lizards harbouring only two species, the trematode Plagiorchis molini (Lent et Freitas, 1940) and the nematode O. filiformis. A positive correlation between host size and the number of O. filiformis was found for female Z. vivipara. However, no correlation was d…
Intestinal helminth communities of Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis carbonelli (Sauria: Lacertidae) in NW Portugal
2006
Abstract A survey of gastrointestinal helminth communities of Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis carbonelli (Sauria: Lacertidae) from NW Portugal was conducted to determine the prevalence, intensity and diversity of intestinal parasites in these lizards. A few parasite species were found in both hosts, their prevalences, mean intensities and abundances of infection being low or very low. Low values of richness and abundance of parasite species were also found in the helminth infracommunities of individuals of both host species. These low values of parameters of infection and diversity are discussed and compared between both host species and among other Iberian lacertid lizards.
Helminth infracommunities of a population of the Gran Canaria giant lizard Gallotia stehlini
2004
AbstractA survey of gastro-intestinal helminth communities of Gallotia stehlini (Sauria: Lacertidae) from Gran Canaria island (Canary Archipelago, Spain), was conducted to determine the prevalence, abundance and species diversity of intestinal parasites in these lizards. Pharyngodonid nematodes were the most common intestinal helminths, three species being Gallotia specialists. Helminth infracommunities of G. stehlini were rich and appear to be closer to the interactive end of the continuum isolationist–interactive helminth communities, according to the high values of helminth diversity. It is the first case of a saurian reptile showing this kind of diverse helminth infracommunity, produced…
Parasite specificity in Podarcis bocagei and P. carbonelli (Lacertidae) from NW Portugal: a host-parasite history
2015
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 intermed…
Description deSkrjabinelazia pyrenaican. sp. (Nematoda : Seuratidae) et proposition d’une nouvelle diagnose pour le genreSkrjabinelazia
1988
Description de Skrjabinelazia pyrenaica n. sp. (Nematoda : Seuratidae), parasite intestinal du lezard iberique Podarcis hispanica (Steindachner, 1870) et du lezard des murailles Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768) (Reptilia : Lacertidae), captures dans les Pyrenees Centrales iberiques. La nouvelle espece est caracterisee, chez le mâle, par le nombre de papilles cloacales et la longueur des spicules et du gubernaculum et chez la femelle par la presence d’une ornementation cuticulaire particuliere, ainsi que par les dimensions des œufs. En accord avec les caracteristiques morphologiques et anatomiques observees chez S. pyrenaica n. sp. et apres la revision generique de Skrjabinelazia , une nouv…
Ultraviolet reflectance and cryptic sexual dichromatism in the ocellated lizard, Lacerta (Timon) lepida (Squamata: Lacertidae)
2009
Ultraviolet (UV) colorations have garnered extensive theoretical and empirical treatment in recent years, although the majority of studies have concerned themselves with avian taxa. However, many lizards have acute visual systems with retinal photoreceptors that are sensitive to UV wavelengths, and also display UV-reflecting colour patches. In the present study, we used UV photography and full-spectrum reflectance spectrophotometry to describe intra- and intersexual colour variation in adult ocellated lizards Lacerta (Timon) lepida and to obtain evidence of UV-based ornamentation. We also investigated whether any colour traits correlate with morphological traits potentially related to indiv…