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A Case of Piebaldism in the Anatolian Worm Lizard, Blanus Strauchi (Bedriaga, 1884), from Kastellorizo Island, Greece (Squamata: Blanidae)

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A Case of Piebaldism in the Anatolian Worm Lizard, Blanus Strauchi (Bedriaga, 1884), from Kastellorizo Island, Greece (Squamata: Blanidae) Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 527-529 (2018) (published online on 25 July 2018) A case of piebaldism in the Anatolian Worm Lizard, Blanus strauchi (Bedriaga, 1884), from Kastellorizo Island, Greece (Squamata: Blanidae) Christos Kazilas1,*, Konstantinos Kalaentzis1, and Ilias Strachinis1 Chromatic aberrations are pigmentation anomalies Jeremčenko, 2008). Previously included in the family that lead to abnormal colour variation of the skin and Amphisbaenidae, Blanus is currently the only genus derivatives (Rook et al., 1998). Such disorders may be in the family Blanidae (Gans, 1978; Kearney, 2003). caused by a deficiency of colour pigments and they can Although all species of the genus are externally limbless, be described by various terms, although there is a general they retain internal hind limb rudiments (Zangerl, 1945; confusion as to their correct usage in the literature Kearney, 2002). These lizards have a long, slender body (Lucati and Lopes-Baucells, 2016; Zalapa et al., 2016). and rudimentary eyes with a powerfully constructed The term albinism is used to describe a congenital and skull, allowing them to push through soil and create inherited condition where melanocytes fail to produce burrows. normal amounts of melanin in eyes, skin, or both, The Anatolian worm lizard, Blanus strauchi (Bedriaga, through recessive allele expression (Bechtel, 1991). In 1884), is a fossorial species that can reach up to 200 contrast, leucism refers to the absence of pigmentation mm in length and can be found in a variety of sparsely on the whole body and involves deficiencies in all vegetated Mediterranean habitats. It is present in the the different types of skin pigments (Kornilios, 2014; southwestern parts of Anatolia (Turkey) and on the Lucati and Lopes-Baucells, 2016). Another type of Greek islands of Fourni, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, Kos, hypopigmentation is piebaldism, also known as partial Leros, Nisyros, Rhodes, and Symi (Tok et al., 2012). In albinism, which is characterized by the absence of this report, we present a case of piebaldism in B. strauchi pigmentation in some parts of the body while the eyes on the Dodecanese island of Kastellorizo, Greece. present normal colouration (Fertl and Rosel, 2002; In the course of a five-day herpetological field Abreu et al., 2013). Unlike the first two conditions, in survey on Kastellorizo we spotted three individuals piebald animals the lack of pigment is localized and of B. strauchi, including one specimen with a piebald the individuals exhibit a random distribution of patches morphotype (Fig. 1A, B). The piebald lizard was of non-pigmented cells on their otherwise normally found on 4 May 2017 at ca. 1800 h under a stone on coloured and patterned body (Davis, 2007). the island’s plateau (ca. 36.1397°N, 29.5913°E). It was Amphisbaenians are fossorial squamates, nearly photographed and measured using a measuring tape. all of which are limbless (Kearney and Stuart, 2004). The individual had a total body length of 185 mm. White Blanus is a small genus of worm lizards endemic to patches were visible on most parts of the body, with certain parts of the Mediterranean basin, including the only few body areas retaining the typical colouration Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, southern Anatolia, some (Fig. 1C). The eyespots, however, did have the typical eastern Aegean islands, northern Iraq, northwestern dark colouration. The lizard was released back shortly Syria, Lebanon, and northern Israel (Sindaco and after measuring and photography. This is the first record of piebaldism in B. strauchi. Pigmentation deficiency disorders seem to occur primarily in cryptozoic species (Sazima and di-Bernardo, 1991). Individuals with such chromatic disorders are 1 School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 very rare in the wild, due to a variety of factors that Thessaloniki, Greece affect their survival, such as vision problems, inability * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] of thermoregulation and high predation (Bechtel, 528 Christos Kazilas et al. Figure 1. (A) The piebald specimen of the Anatolian Worm Lizard (Blanus strauchi) found on Kastellorizo Island, Greece on 4 May 2017. (Β) Size comparison of the specimen with a 2 Euro coin. (C) An Anatolian Worm Lizard from the same region with typical colouration. 1978; Hupfeld and Hoffmann, 2006; Krecsák, 2008; Acknowledgments. We thank Kostas Chousalas for his company Kornilios, 2014). However, worm lizards are naturally and suggestions during our stay on the island and Stephanos A. blind and strictly fossorial species, so conditions such Roussos for his help and advice. as albinism, leucism, and piebaldism, should not affect their thermoregulation capacity or their detection from predators (Kornilios, 2014). Therefore, these References abnormalities do not seem to be eliminated by natural Abreu, M.S.L., Machado, R., Barbieri, F., Freitas, N.S., Oliveira, selection in fossorial species to the same extent as in L.R. (2013): Anomalous colour in neotropical mammals: other animals. A similar case to the one we present a review with new records for Didelphis sp. (Didelphidae, herein was reported for Blanus cinereus by Malkmus Didelphimorphia) and Arctocephalus australis (Otariidae, (1997). Carnivora). Brazilian Journal of Biology 73: 185–94. A case of piebaldism in the Anatolian Worm Lizard from Greece 529 Bechtel, H.B. (1978): Color and pattern in snakes (Reptilia, Lucati, F., Lopez-Baucells, A. (2016): Chromatic disorders in bats: Serpentes). Journal of Herpetology 12: 521–532. a review of pigmentation anomalies and the misuse of terms to Bechtel, H.B. (1991): Inherited color defects: Comparisons between describe them. Mammal Review 47 (2): 112–123. humans and snakes. International Journal of Dermatology 30: Malkmus, R. (1997): Partieller Albinismus bei der Netzwühle, 243–246. Blanus cinereus (Vandelli, 1797) in Portugal (Reptilia: Davis, J.N. (2007): Color abnormalities in birds: a proposed Amphisbaenidae). Sauria 19 (4): 45–46. nomenclature for birders. Birding 39: 36–46. Rook, A., Wilkinson, D.S., Ebling, F.J.B., Champion, R.H., Burton, Fertl, D., Rosel, P. (2002): Albinism. In: Encyclopedia of Marine J.L. (1998): Textbook of Dermatology, Sixth Edition. Boston, Mammals, p. 24–26. Perrin, W.F., Wursig, B., Thewissen, Massachusetts, USA, Blackwell Science. J.G.M, Eds., San Diego, California, USA, Academic Press. Sazima, I., Di-Bernardo, M. (1991): Albinismo em serpentes Gans, C. (1978): The characteristics and affinities of the neotropicais. Memórias do Instituto Butantan 53 (2): 167–173. Amphisbaenia. Transactions of the Zoological Society of Sindaco, R., Jeremčenko, V.K. (2008): The reptiles of the Western London 34: 347–416. Palearctic. 1. Annotated checklist and distributional atlas of the Hupfeld, D., Hoffmann, K.P. (2006): Motion perception in rats turtles, crocodiles, amphisbaenians and lizards of Europe, North (Rattus norvegicus sp.): deficits in albino Wistarrats compared Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. Monografie della Societas to pigmented Long-Evans rats. Behavioural Brain Research Herpetologica Italica. Edizioni Belvedere, Latina. 170: 29–33. Tok, C.V., Tosunoğlu, M., Ayaz, D., Çiçek, K., Mutlu, H.S. (2012): Kearney, M. (2002): The appendicular skeleton in amphisbaenians. New records of the Anatolian Worm Lizard, Blanus strauchi Copeia 2002: 719–738. (Bedriaga, 1884) from Turkey (Squamata: Amphisbaenia: Kearney, M. (2003): Systematics of the Amphisbaenia Blanidae). Herpetozoa 24 (3/4): 107–111. (Lepidosauria: Squamata) based on morphological evidence Zalapa, S.S., Guerrero, S., Romero-Almaraz, M.D.L., Sánchez- from Recent and fossil forms. Herpetological Monographs 17: Hernández, C. (2016): Coloración atípica en murciélagos: 1–74. frecuencia y fenotipos en Norte y Centroamérica e islas del Kearney, M., Stuart, B.L. (2004): Repeated evolution of Caribe y nuevos casos para México y Costa Rica. 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