Relationships among<i> Tomistoma schlegelii</i> in Malaysia Based on Cyt<i> b</i>-Control Region Gene Analysis

As wild population threats for the endangered false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) persist, conservation breeding programs, including developing semen collection techniques for subsequent artificial insemination, are becoming important species conservation measures. Developing reproductive biology understanding of a species is important to developing best practices and hopefully maximizing reproductive successes. However, information on crocodylians functional copulatory anatomy in general is lacking. To that end, zoological facilities and conservation centres have the exceptional opportunity to contribute new understandings that may not otherwise be attainable regarding crocodylian reproductive anatomy, particularly during routine physical examinations or post‐mortem necropsies. Therefore, to better understand T. schlegelii reproductive biology, to contribute knowledge in support of zoo breeding conservation efforts and to contribute to what is known overall about crocodylian reproduction, we investigated phallic anatomy of adult male Tomistoma from two zoological populations, the St. Louis Zoo, USA and Sungai Dusun Wildlife Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia. Here, we present the gross anatomical features and histological analysis of underlying tissue‐level details in pursuit of a better understanding of copulatory function and associated gamete transfer mechanisms. While much of the overall Tomistoma phallic morphology and inferred function corresponds to that of other crocodylian species and speaks to conserved aspects of functional anatomy across taxa, species‐specific aspects of glans and glans tip morphology are also identified. These novelties are discussed in a general function and overall broader evolutionary contexts.

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A Taphonomic Study of Crocodylus porosus (Crocodylidae) and Tomistoma schlegelii (Gavialidae) Remains from Western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo: Applications for Public Education

Hassan

Azizi

Adzhar

et al. 2018

TUR

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This study documented details of the dentitions, skulls and other skeletal remains of Crocodylus porosus and Tomistoma schlegelii, from western part of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The remains of both reptiles were exhumed, followed by standard cleaning procedures and then detail morphological assessments were carried out accordingly. Both species show similar structure of vertebral columns, but T. schlegelii has the following unique structures: a long and narrower snout, D-shaped eye sockets, long and sharp pointed protruding quadratojugal bones, straight maxillae and dentary, a smooth surfaced skull, elongated triangular suborbital fenestrae, round shaped internal nares and visible supraoccipital from a dorsal view. C. porosus has heterodont dentition with blunt-pointed and irregular size of teeth whereas T. schlegelii has almost homodont dentition with sharp and similar size teeth. This is the first collection of teeth, skulls and other skeletal remains of both species obtained from Sarawak, and the materials have been used regularly to educate the public through science exhibitions, hoping they will spark the interests of young budding scientists to be involved in wildlife taphonomic studies in the future.Keywords: Crocodylus porosus, dentition, reptile, skeletal remain, Tomistoma schlegelii

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Relationships among Tomistoma schlegelii in Malaysia Based on Cyt b-Control Region Gene Analysis

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References 16 publications

How Genetic Tools Can Help Crocodilians’ Management and Governance

How Genetic Tools Can Help Crocodilians’ Management and Governance

Crocodylian conservation and evolution insights from an anatomical and histological examination of phalli from male false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii)

A Taphonomic Study of Crocodylus porosus (Crocodylidae) and Tomistoma schlegelii (Gavialidae) Remains from Western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo: Applications for Public Education

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