Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 15-17 (2020) (published online on 23 January 2020)

Hindlimb malformation in a widely distributed , ocellatus

Apostolos Christopoulos1,* and Panayiotis Pafilis1,2

Malformations in are quite common. Most and Thanou, 2016). Most probably the arrived morphological anomalies refer to tail regeneration, there thanks to its notorious skills of anthropogenically- namely bifurcation (e.g. Gogliath et al., 2012; Tamar assisted dispersal (Caputo et al., 1997; Kornilios et al., et al., 2013; Koleška et al., 2017; Koleška, 2018; 2010; Gunn et al., 2012). Ofori et al., 2018), trifurcation (Pheasey et al., 2014; On 10 April 2019, we made a herpetological survey Koleška and Jablonski, 2015; Passos et al., 2016) or at Iliki Lake (Boeotia, Central ; 38.4055oN, even hexafurcation (Pelegrin and Leão, 2016). Limb 23.2233oE; Fig. 1). The habitat is located on low limestone (Norval et al., 2009; Cortada et al., 2017; Gkourtsouli- slopes at the elevation of 126 m. Vegetation consists of Antoniadou et al., 2017; Kolenda et al., 2017) and digit Mediterranean maquis and phrygana with predominant (Kaliontzopoulou et al., 2013; Itescu et al., 2017; Sanches species the kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) and spiny et al., 2017) malformations are uncommon. In , broom (Calicotome villosa). While looking under morphological anomalies have been reported mainly road debris and waste plywood, places where reptiles as bifurcated tails (Jablonski, 2016; Turner et al., 2017; typically resort, we found two juveniles Balkan green Vergilov and Natchev, 2017). Limb malformations are rare (Skinner, 2012) and, to the best of our knowledge, there are no records of malformed skinks from Europe. Here we report a case of a hindlimb malformation of the ocellated skink, , from Greece. The ocellated skink, Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) (: Scincidae) is a medium-sized (snout to vent length [SVL] up to 130 mm), diurnal skink with a wide range that includes southwestern Asia (from to ), northern Africa (from Kenya to Morocco) and southern Europe (Sardinia, Sicily, Naples area, Greece) (Sindaco and Jeremčenko, 2008). In Greece, the species occurs in Attica, Boeotia, northeastern Peloponnese, parts of western coastal Greek mainland and on few islands (Lymberakis et al., 2018). Recently, C. ocellatus was recorded from the islands Naxos, Syros, Kythnos and Kassos (Belasen et al., 2012; Roussos and Densmore, 2014; Itescu et al., 2016; Kornilios

1 Dept. of Zoology and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, 15784 Athens, Greece. 2 Zoological Museum, National and Kapodistrian University of Figure 2. (A) The Chalcides ocellatus with the hindlimb Athens, Greece, Panepistimioupolis, 15784 Athens, Greece. malformation; (B) Hind limb detail, dorsal view; (C) Hind * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] limb detail, ventral view. Photos by Apostolos Christopoulos. 16 Apostolos Christopoulos & Panayiotis Pafilis

Figure 1. Map of the Iliki Lake area showing the observation point of the focal Chalcides ocellatus.

( trilineata) and two adult C. ocellatus. de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, On one of the later, we made a fortuitous observation: Portugal) for the pre-peer review of the manuscript. this individual had a conspicuous somatic malformation, an atrophic meromelic right hindlimb (Fig. 2A). Besides References this anomaly, the skink (SVL: 103 mm) was a healthy Alibardi, L. (2017): Review: Biological and molecular differences individual with normal morphological features. The between tail regeneration and limb scarring in : an inspiring limb had an atrophic thigh and tibia and the foot was model addressing limb regeneration in amniotes. Journal lacking. The colour and scalation of the malformed limb of Experimental Zoology B: Molecular and Developmental resembled the tail (Fig. 2B, C). After photographed and Evolution 328B: 493–514. measured, the skink was released into its habitat and run Belasen, A., Li, B., Foufopoulos, J. (2012): Geographic Distribution: Chalcides ocellatus (Ocellated skink). Herpetological Review swiftly for cover under the debris. 43(1): 102. According to the literature, such limb malformations Caputo, V., Guarino, F.M., Baldanza (1997): A new finding of are rather sporadic and are regarded as having the skink, Chalcides ocellatus in the ex royal garden of Portici environmental or genetic origin (Rothschild et al., 2012; (Naples, Italy). Boletin Asociación Herpetologica Española, Alibardi, 2017; Cortada et al., 2017). Further researches Madrid 8: 3–4. are necessary to provide the background to understand Cortada, A., Kaliontzopoulou, A., Mendes, J., Carretero, M.A. (2017): A case of limb regeneration in a wild adult Podarcis the nature of limb deformities in lizards. lilfordi lizard. Turkish Journal of Zoology 41: 1069–1071. Gkourtsouli-Antoniadou, I., Deimezis-Tsikoutas, A., Vassaki, K., Acknowledgements. We would like to thank Dionysis Kapatos Vezyrakis, A., Pafilis, P. (2017): A tail where it shouldn’t be: and Grigoris Kapsalas for assistance in the field and map creation a morphological anomaly in Podarcis erhardii. Herpetology respectively. We also thank Dr. Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou (Centro Notes 10: 233–234. Hindlimb malformation in a widely distributed skink, Chalcides ocellatus 17

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Accepted by Jiri Smid