Tail autotomy and extinction in Mediterranean lizards. A preliminary study of continental and insular populations

Pérez-Mellado, Valentı́n; Corti, Claudia; Cascio, Patrizia Lo

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb02799.x

Cited by 59 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…Specifically, average durations of tail movement for all taxa analyzed here are substantially longer than analogous times in Eumeces fasciatus (0.8 min), Eumeces laticeps (0.95 min), and Holbrookia garnotii (1.7 min; Vitt and Cooper 1986;Lochetto 1998) and closer but still exceeding those of Hemidactylus mabouia (5.2 min; Meyer et al 2002) and Scincella lateralis (approximately 5 min; Dial and Fitzpatrick 1983). Moreover, the six lacertid species examined here appear to have average times of tail movement considerably longer than analogous times given in the only other study on lacertid lizard autotomy published to date (Perez-Mellado et al 1997). These differences stem most likely from small sample sizes in previous studies, as well as differences in methodology (e.g., differences in criteria in when tail movement was considered to have ceased).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 43%

“…Tail autotomy is considered an important antipredator mechanism in lacertid lizards (Arnold 1984;Perez-Mellado et al 1997). Dial and Fitzpatrick (1984) first suggested that the high anaerobic capacity of autotomized lizard tails is an adaptation to predation because it allows for prolonged tail thrashing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Caudal autotomy is considered a primitive trait in lizards, but this mechanism has been retained only in evolutionary time when its benefits exceed its costs (Arnold 1988;Perez-Mellado et al 1997). Because many lizards store substantial amounts of lipids in their tails, tail loss can reduce survival during unfavorable periods of the year (Avery 1974;Daniels 1984;Vitt and Cooper 1986).…”

Section: Physiological and Biochemical Zoologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Differences among species in the ease of tail autotomy also appear to be related to differences in levels of predation pressure (Fox et al 1994;Perez-Mellado et al 1997). For example, Perez-Mellado et al (1997) demonstrated that lacertid species from the Mediterranean mainland shed their tail more easily than insular taxa experiencing reduced predation pressure.…”

Section: Physiological and Biochemical Zoologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To simulate predation, we adopted a technique proposed by Perez-Mellado et al (1997) that closely resembles a predator's attack. Lizards were placed in a terrarium covered with a rough cork mat, which allowed them to maintain good traction.…”

Section: Predation Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Comparative Postautotomy Tail Activity in Six Mediterranean Lacertid Lizard Species

Pafilis¹,

Valakos²,

Foufopoulos³

2005

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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Tail autotomy, the self-induced tail separation from the body, is a common and effective antipredator mechanism in lizards. In this study, we examine the muscle energetics of tail shedding in six lacertid lizard species (Podarcis erhardii, Podarcis peloponnesiaca, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis gaigeae, Podarcis milensis, and Lacerta graeca) from the northeast Mediterranean region. Very long periods of postautotomy tail movement were demonstrated for all species ( min), and differences range p 6-8 among species were not statistically significant. Postautotomy tail movement, powered by anaerobic muscle activity, resulted in a strong increase in lactate concentrations and a concomitant depletion of muscle glycogen of exhausted tails relative to resting tails. No significant differences were found in either lactate or glycogen concentrations among the species examined. Duration of movement was negatively correlated with final lactate concentrations. The lack of differentiation in postautotomy energetic physiology in this group of species that have evolved under very different predation environments indicates that postautotomy muscle metabolism involves an overall conservative suite of characters.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 43%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Physiological and Biochemical Zoologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Physiological and Biochemical Zoologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Predation Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Comparative Postautotomy Tail Activity in Six Mediterranean Lacertid Lizard Species

Pafilis¹,

Valakos²,

Foufopoulos³

2005

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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Population genetics and phylogeographic history of the insular lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Gunther, 1874) from the Balearic Islands based on genome‐wide polymorphic data

Otalora,

Riera,

Tavecchia

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Islands provide a great system to explore the processes that maintain genetic diversity and promote local adaptation. We explored the genomic diversity of the Balearic lizard Podarcis lilfordi, an endemic species characterized by numerous small insular populations with large phenotypic diversity. Using the newly available genome for this species, we characterized more than 300,000 SNPs, merging genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) data with previously published restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐Seq) data, providing a dataset of 16 island populations (191 individuals) across the range of species distribution (Menorca, Mallorca, and Cabrera). Results indicate that each islet hosts a well‐differentiated population (FST = 0.247 ± 0.09), with no recent immigration/translocation events. Contrary to expectations, most populations harbor a considerable genetic diversity (mean nucleotide diversity, Pi = 0.144 ± 0.021), characterized by overall low inbreeding values (FIS < 0.1). While the genetic diversity significantly decreased with decreasing islet surface, maintenance of substantial genetic diversity even in tiny islets suggests variable selection or other mechanisms that buffer genetic drift. Maximum‐likelihood tree based on concatenated SNP data confirmed the existence of the two major independent lineages of Menorca and Mallorca/Cabrera. Multiple lines of evidence, including admixture and root testing, robustly placed the origin of the species in the Mallorca Island, rather than in Menorca. Outlier analysis mainly retrieved a strong signature of genome differentiation between the two major archipelagos, especially in the sexual chromosome Z. A set of proteins were target of multiple outliers and primarily associated with binding and catalytic activity, providing interesting candidates for future selection studies. This study provides the framework to explore crucial aspects of the genetic basis of phenotypic divergence and insular adaptation.

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Organization of Squamata (Reptilia) assemblages in Mediterranean archipelagos

Escoriza

2020

Ecology and Evolution

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

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Tail autotomy and extinction in Mediterranean lizards. A preliminary study of continental and insular populations

Cited by 59 publications

References 26 publications

Comparative Postautotomy Tail Activity in Six Mediterranean Lacertid Lizard Species

Comparative Postautotomy Tail Activity in Six Mediterranean Lacertid Lizard Species

Population genetics and phylogeographic history of the insular lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Gunther, 1874) from the Balearic Islands based on genome‐wide polymorphic data

Organization of Squamata (Reptilia) assemblages in Mediterranean archipelagos

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