DOCSLIB.ORG

An Initial Estimate Toward Identifying and Numbering the Ark Turtle and Crocodile Kinds

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Initial Estimate Toward Identifying and Numbering the Ark Turtle and Crocodile Kinds Answers Research Journal 7 (2014):1–10. www.answersingenesis.org/arj/v7/ark-turtle-crocodile-kinds.pdf An Initial Estimate toward Identifying and Numbering the Ark Turtle and Crocodile Kinds Tom Hennigan, Truett-McConnell College, Cleveland, Georgia. Abstract Biosystematics is in great flux today because of the plethora of genetic research continually shedding light on organism relationships. Despite the large amount of data being published, the challenge is having enough knowledge about genetics to draw conclusions regarding the biological history of organisms and their taxonomy. Based on the analyses of molecular data, hybridization capability, and statistical baraminology it is estimated that 11 extant turtle kinds and three extant crocodile kinds were brought on the Ark. Keywords: Ark Encounter, biosystematics, taxonomy, amniotes, reptiles, testudines, crocodylia, turtles, alligators, archosaurs, kind, baraminology Introduction naturalists assume randomness and common Creation research should be guided by God’s Word descent and in keeping with these assumptions, are which is foundational to the scientific models that are gradually moving away from Linnaean hierarchies built. The Ark Encounter Project has tasked creation and toward the PhyloCode system based on assumed researchers to investigate several questions, some of evolutionary relationships (Vitt and Caldwell 2009, which include: pp. 20–25). In contrast, creation biologists recognize • What did God mean by kind when He told Noah the God of Scripture as the Creator of all “kinds” and to bring two of each and seven—sevens of clean assume “forest,” rather than “tree” thinking. For the animals on board (Turner 2009; Williams 1997)? creationist, instead of the tree (or trees) of life • How have organisms diversified from their Ark that represent evolutionary random processes and ancestors (Wood 2003)? common descent from life’s beginnings, creationists • Can the Ark kind be recognized from today’s visualize individual trees in a forest as the originally organisms (Brophy and Kramer 2007; Lightner et created kinds. The separation of each tree represents al. 2011; Sanders and Wise 2003)? the discontinuity between kinds and the degree • How many kinds were taken on board the Ark of branching represents the diversification of that (Woodmorappe 1996)? kind over time. Whereas the philosophical and/or In previous papers the number of amphibian kinds materialistic naturalist may interpret continuity were estimated (Hennigan 2013a; Hennigan 2013b). between taxa as evidence for common descent or The purpose of this paper is to use all available similar environmental pressures, the Christian information to make an initial estimate of the theist may interpret continuity between taxa identity and number of extant turtle and crocodile as either limited common descent (e.g., hybrids kinds taken on board the Ark. between Emys and Glyptemys turtles) or products of a common Designer. Specifically, creationists are The State of Biosystematics and Taxonomy Today interested in how creatures have diversified from the Biosystematics is the science of discovering, originally created baramins and the archetypes that classifying, and organizing biological diversity. The left the Ark. While genetic and molecular data will science of identifying taxa and naming organisms be incorporated in this taxonomic analysis, there is is taxonomy. There is no universally accepted still not enough knowledge about biochemistry and procedure for organism classification and currently genetics to draw conclusions regarding the biological these disciplines are in great flux as researchers history and taxonomy of organisms. Therefore, are putting more importance on new genetic and other variables will also be incorporated such as molecular data being accumulated for phylogeny hybridization data (which has its limitations) and development and much is being changed accordingly. holistic continuity and discontinuity amongst and Therefore, how organisms are named and organized between organisms using statistical baraminology today may change tomorrow, depending on the data (Lightner et al. 2011; Genesis 1; Genesis 7; Sanders and assumptions about that data. For example, and Wise 2003; Wood 2006a; Wood 2006b). ISSN: 1937-9056 Copyright © 2014, 2016 Answers in Genesis, Inc. All content is owned by Answers in Genesis (“AiG”) unless otherwise indicated. AiG consents to unlimited copying and distribution of print copies of Answers Research Journal articles for non-commercial, non-sale purposes only, provided the following conditions are met: the author of the article is clearly identified; Answers in Genesis is acknowledged as the copyright owner; Answers Research Journal and its website, www.answersresearchjournal.org, are acknowledged as the publication source; and the integrity of the work is not compromised in any way. For website and other electronic distribution and publication, AiG consents to republication of article abstracts with direct links to the full papers on the ARJ website. All rights reserved. For more information write to: Answers in Genesis, PO Box 510, Hebron, KY 41048, Attn: Editor, Answers Research Journal. The views expressed are those of the writer(s) and not necessarily those of the Answers Research Journal Editor or of Answers in Genesis. 2 T. Hennigan The following precautions and perspectives are developing from the original diapsid condition. in order. Baraminologists tend to equate kinds Complicating matters, this character is absent with the family (Wood 2006a). However, we should in fossils interpreted to be diapsid ancestors and carefully analyze the structures, behaviors, and are present on fossils interpreted to be anapsid physiologies of members of a putative kind and look ancestors, and is therefore not considered a reliable at the genetic reasons why a certain member of a guide in phylogenetic studies (UC Berkeley Museum kind doesn’t have characters that the other members of Paleontology 2013). In fact, much about turtle possess. Scripture, especially for herptiles, does not taxonomy and evolutionary history is incertae sedis shed much light about their kinds. The challenge is (of uncertain placement) and those issues will be to demonstrate where discontinuities lie, and there briefly discussed later. is not enough information to do that. There is a need All extant diapsids are classified in the taxon to compare whole genomes of species and genera in Sauria which also include the extinct ancestors order to see if there is genomic equivalence (Wilson and, depending on the researcher, may or may 2010). Did any members of a kind have features not include turtles. Sauria is further subdivided not present in other members of the same kind and into the Archosauromorpha (crocodiles, dinosaurs, if so, why? Hybridization data is also limited. birds, and possibly turtles) and Lepidosauromorpha Biogeographic data may shed light on geographic (tuataras, lizards, amphisbaenas, and snakes; patterns based on Ark dispersal; however, until we Vitt and Caldwell 2009, p. 19). The rest of this can demonstrate either empirically or theoretically paper will focus on Archosauromorpha, specifically that fairly disparate species can arise from a the Orders; Testudines (turtles, tortoises) and founder population of two, we have to be careful Crocodylia (crocodiles, gharials, alligators). Taxon about lumping smaller taxa into large ones Lepidosauromorpha will be the subject of later and calling the larger taxon an Ark kind. papers. Therefore, this research is meant to be a In terms of reproduction both turtles and crocodiles foundation upon which further research and are oviparous and must lay their hard-shelled understanding of God’s diverse organisms can or leathery shelled eggs on land. In many reptile be built. Within His Trinitarian character God is species, including turtles and crocodiles, the gender diverse, and we would expect that His creation of the embryo is not determined by parental genetics, would reflect that diversity in His creatures. When but is instead determined by soil temperature. we better understand what mechanisms are Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) is involved in the production of differences since species dependent and sex is determined based on the initial creation, we should be better able to the average temperature during the second trimester infer whether they are traits produced by direct (Vitt and Caldwell 2009, pp. 121–124). creation, post-Flood diversification through unknown genetic preprogrammed mechanisms, Testudines and/or random mutations. Turtles belong to the Order Testudines. The Non-Avian Reptiles Currently they consist of 14 Families and 328 Extant reptiles consist of the following taxa: species (Complete Chelonian Taxonomy List 2003; birds, turtles, tuataras, snakes, amphisbaenas, Reptile database 2013). They are unique in the lizards, and crocodiles (Pough et al. 2004 p. 8; animal world and are easily identified because of Vitt and Caldwell 2009, p. 24). Birds will not be the shells that give them a tank-like look. Turtles discussed here, but are the subject of another paper are the only group of vertebrates with the limbs (Lightner 2013). Reptiles, along with mammals, encased within the rib cage (since the ribs form are amniotes and have an amniotic membrane part of the shell). Other names are used to describe that encloses the embryo in a fluid-filled sac. Based turtles and, though they are not precise, they include on current taxonomy, all extant
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Herpetological Journal SHORT NOTE
    Volume 28 (April 2018), 93-95 SHORT NOTE Herpetological Journal Published by the British Intersexuality in Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865 Herpetological Society (Dipsadidae: Hydropsini) Ruth A. Regnet1, Fernando M. Quintela1, Wolfgang Böhme2 & Daniel Loebmann1 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vertebrados. Av. Itália km 8, CEP: 96203-900, Vila Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 2Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum A. Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, Germany Herein, we describe the first case of intersexuality in the are viviparous, and interestingly, H. angulatus exhibits Hydropsini tribe. After examination of 720 specimens both reproductive modes (Rossman, 1984; Aguiar & Di- of Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865, we discovered Bernardo, 2005; Braz et al., 2016). Helicops infrataeniatus one individual that presented feminine and masculine has a wide distribution that encompasses south- reproductive features. The specimen was 619 mm long, southeastern Brazil, southern Paraguay, North-eastern with seven follicles in secondary stage, of different shapes Argentina and Uruguay (Deiques & Cechin, 1991; Giraudo, and sizes, and a hemipenis with 13.32 and 13.57 mm in 2001; Carreira & Maneyro, 2013). At the coastal zone of length. The general shape of this organ is similar to that southernmost Brazil, H. infrataeniatus is among the most observed in males, although it is smaller and does not abundant species in many types of limnic and estuarine present conspicuous spines along its body. Deformities environments (Quintela & Loebmann, 2009; Regnet found in feminine and masculine structures suggest that et al., 2017). In October 2015 at the Laranjal beach, this specimen might not be reproductively functional. municipality of Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (31°46’S, 52°13’W), a remarkable aggregation of reptiles Key words: Follicles, hemipenis, hermaphroditism, water and caecilians occurred after a flood event associated to snake.
    [Show full text]
  • The Global Distribution of Tetrapods Reveals a Need for Targeted Reptile
    1 The global distribution of tetrapods reveals a need for targeted reptile 2 conservation 3 4 Uri Roll#1,2, Anat Feldman#3, Maria Novosolov#3, Allen Allison4, Aaron M. Bauer5, Rodolphe 5 Bernard6, Monika Böhm7, Fernando Castro-Herrera8, Laurent Chirio9, Ben Collen10, Guarino R. 6 Colli11, Lital Dabool12 Indraneil Das13, Tiffany M. Doan14, Lee L. Grismer15, Marinus 7 Hoogmoed16, Yuval Itescu3, Fred Kraus17, Matthew LeBreton18, Amir Lewin3, Marcio Martins19, 8 Erez Maza3, Danny Meirte20, Zoltán T. Nagy21, Cristiano de C. Nogueira19, Olivier S.G. 9 Pauwels22, Daniel Pincheira-Donoso23, Gary Powney24, Roberto Sindaco25, Oliver Tallowin3, 10 Omar Torres-Carvajal26, Jean-François Trape27, Enav Vidan3, Peter Uetz28, Philipp Wagner5,29, 11 Yuezhao Wang30, C David L Orme6, Richard Grenyer✝1 and Shai Meiri✝*3 12 13 # Contributed equally to the paper 14 ✝ Contributed equally to the paper 15 * Corresponding author 16 17 Affiliations: 18 1 School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13QY, UK. 19 2 Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, 20 Ben-Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel. (Current address) 21 3 Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel. 22 4 Hawaii Biological Survey, 4 Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI 96817, USA. 23 5 Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA. 24 6 Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus Silwood Park, 25 Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK 26 7 Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London NW1 4RY, UK. 27 8 School of Basic Sciences, Physiology Sciences Department, Universidad del Valle, Colombia.
    [Show full text]
  • An Inventory of Online Reptile Images
    Zootaxa 0000 (0): 000–000 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2020 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.0000.0.0 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:00000000-0000-0000-0000-00000000000 An inventory of online reptile images BENJAMIN MICHAEL MARSHALL1*, PAUL FREED2, LAURIE J. VITT3, PEDRO BERNARDO4, GERNOT VOGEL5, SEBASTIAN LOTZKAT6, MICHAEL FRANZEN7, JAKOB HALLERMANN8, RICHARD D. SAGE9, BRIAN BUSH10, MARCELO RIBEIRO DUARTE11, LUCIANO JAVIER AVILA12, DAVID JANDZIK13, BORIS KLUSMEYER14, BRAD MARYAN15, JIŘÍ HOŠEK16, PETER UETZ17* 1Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand �[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9554-0605 2Scotts Mills, Oregon 97375, USA. �[email protected] 3Sam Noble Museum, Norman, Oklahoma 73072, USA. �[email protected] 4Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON, Canada. �[email protected] 5Society for Southeast Asian Herpetology, Heidelberg, Germany �[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4542-518X 6Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany �[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8171-9321 7Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), 81247 München, Germany. �[email protected] 8Universität Hamburg, Centrum für Naturkunde, Hamburg, Germany �[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8835-9303 9Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, and Sociedad Naturalista Andino Patagónica (SNAP), S. C. de Bariloche, Río Negro, 8400, Argentina. �[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0897-6927 10Stoneville, WA, Australia. �[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3487-6620 11Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Coleções Zoológicas, São Paulo, Brazil.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary Report of Freshwater Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in U.S
    Summary Report of Freshwater Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4—An Update April 2013 Prepared by: Pam L. Fuller, Amy J. Benson, and Matthew J. Cannister U.S. Geological Survey Southeast Ecological Science Center Gainesville, Florida Prepared for: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia Cover Photos: Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix – Auburn University Giant Applesnail, Pomacea maculata – David Knott Straightedge Crayfish, Procambarus hayi – U.S. Forest Service i Table of Contents Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... ii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................ v List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ vi INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Overview of Region 4 Introductions Since 2000 ....................................................................................... 1 Format of Species Accounts ...................................................................................................................... 2 Explanation of Maps ................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Reptile Rap Newsletter of the South Asian Reptile Network ISSN 2230-7079 No.15 | January 2013 Date of Publication: 22 January 2013 1
    Reptile Rap Newsletter of the South Asian Reptile Network No.15 | January 2013 ISSN 2230-7079 Date of publication: 22 January 2013 1. Crocodile, 1. 2. Crocodile, Caiman, 3. Gharial, 4.Common Chameleon, 5. Chameleon, 9. Chameleon, Flap-necked 8. Chameleon Flying 7. Gecko, Dragon, Ptychozoon Chamaeleo sp. Fischer’s 10 dilepsis, 6. &11. Jackson’s Frill-necked 21. Stump-tailed Skink, 20. Gila Monster, Lizard, Green Iguana, 19. European Iguana, 18. Rhinoceros Antillean Basilisk, Iguana, 17. Lesser 16. Green 15. Common Lizard, 14. Horned Devil, Thorny 13. 12. Uromastyx, Lizard, 34. Eastern Tortoise, 33. 32. Rattlesnake Indian Star cerastes, 22. 31. Boa,Cerastes 23. Python, 25. 24. 30. viper, Ahaetulla Grass Rhinoceros nasuta Snake, 29. 26. 27. Asp, Indian Naja Snake, 28. Cobra, haje, Grater African 46. Ceratophrys, Bombina,45. 44. Toad, 43. Bullfrog, 42. Frog, Common 41. Turtle, Sea Loggerhead 40. Trionychidae, 39. mata Mata 38. Turtle, Snake-necked Argentine 37. Emydidae, 36. Tortoise, Galapagos 35. Turtle, Box 48. Marbled Newt Newt, Crested 47. Great Salamander, Fire Reptiles, illustration by Adolphe Millot. Source: Nouveau Larousse Illustré, edited by Claude Augé, published in Paris by Librarie Larousse 1897-1904, this illustration from vol. 7 p. 263 7 p. vol. from 1897-1904, this illustration Larousse Librarie by published in Paris Augé, Claude by edited Illustré, Larousse Nouveau Source: Millot. Adolphe by illustration Reptiles, www.zoosprint.org/Newsletters/ReptileRap.htm OPEN ACCESS | FREE DOWNLOAD REPTILE RAP #15, January 2013 Contents A new record of the Cochin Forest Cane Turtle Vijayachelys silvatica (Henderson, 1912) from Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India Arun Kanagavel, 3–6pp New Record of Elliot’s Shieldtail (Gray, 1858) in Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India M.
    [Show full text]
  • Diversity and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles in North Punjab, Pakistan
    Diversity and conservation of amphibians and reptiles in North Punjab, Pakistan. MUHAMMAD RAIS, SARA BALOCH, JAVERIA REHMAN, MAQSOOD ANWAR, IFTIKHAR HUSSAIN AND TARIQ MAHMOOD Department of Wildlife Management, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Corresponding Author: Muhammad Rais, Visiting Scholar, Department of Biology, Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT - Amphibians and reptiles are the most neglected and least studied wildlife groups in Pakistan. The present study was conducted in the selected areas of districts Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Chakwal, North Punjab, Pakistan, to obtain data on herpetofaunal species richness and abundance from February, 2010 to January, 2011 using area-constrained searches. A total of 35 species of amphibians and reptiles (29 genera, 16 families, four orders) were recorded from the study area. Of the recorded species, 30 were reptiles (25 genera, 13 families, three orders) and five were amphibians (four genera, three families and a single order). A total of 388 individuals belonging to 11 recognizable taxonomic units (RTUs) with a population density of 0.22 individuals/ ha. and 4.10 encounters were recorded. Of the recorded RTUs, two (lacertids and skinks) were rated as uncommon, seven (hard-shell turtles, soft-shell turtles, agamids, gekkonids, medium and large-sized lizards, non-venomous snakes and venomous snakes) as frequent and two (toads and frogs) as common. Districts Rawalpindi/ Islamabad had higher species richness while District Chakwal had relatively higher species diversity and evenness. Threatened species of the area included the Narrow-headed Soft-shell Turtle (Chitra indica), Indian Soft-shell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica), Peacock Soft-shell Turtle (Aspideretes hurum), and Brown River Turtle (Pangshura smithii).
    [Show full text]
  • Introduced Amphibians and Reptiles in the Cuban Archipelago
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10(3):985–1012. Submitted: 3 December 2014; Accepted: 14 October 2015; Published: 16 December 2015. INTRODUCED AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN THE CUBAN ARCHIPELAGO 1,5 2 3 RAFAEL BORROTO-PÁEZ , ROBERTO ALONSO BOSCH , BORIS A. FABRES , AND OSMANY 4 ALVAREZ GARCÍA 1Sociedad Cubana de Zoología, Carretera de Varona km 3.5, Boyeros, La Habana, Cuba 2Museo de Historia Natural ”Felipe Poey.” Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba 3Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC), Green Cove Springs, Florida, USA 4Centro de Investigaciones de Mejoramiento Animal de la Ganadería Tropical, MINAGRI, Cotorro, La Habana, Cuba 5Corresponding author, email: [email protected] Abstract.—The number of introductions and resulting established populations of amphibians and reptiles in Caribbean islands is alarming. Through an extensive review of information on Cuban herpetofauna, including protected area management plans, we present the first comprehensive inventory of introduced amphibians and reptiles in the Cuban archipelago. We classify species as Invasive, Established Non-invasive, Not Established, and Transported. We document the arrival of 26 species, five amphibians and 21 reptiles, in more than 35 different introduction events. Of the 26 species, we identify 11 species (42.3%), one amphibian and 10 reptiles, as established, with nine of them being invasive: Lithobates catesbeianus, Caiman crocodilus, Hemidactylus mabouia, H. angulatus, H. frenatus, Gonatodes albogularis, Sphaerodactylus argus, Gymnophthalmus underwoodi, and Indotyphlops braminus. We present the introduced range of each of the 26 species in the Cuban archipelago as well as the other Caribbean islands and document historical records, the population sources, dispersal pathways, introduction events, current status of distribution, and impacts.
    [Show full text]
  • Digit Evolution in Gymnophthalmid Lizards JULIANA G
    Int. J. Dev. Biol. 58: 895-908 (2014) doi: 10.1387/ijdb.140255jg www.intjdevbiol.com Digit evolution in gymnophthalmid lizards JULIANA G. ROSCITO*,1, PEDRO M.S. NUNES2 and MIGUEL T. RODRIGUES1 1Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo-SP and 2Departamento de Zoologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil ABSTRACT The tetrapod limb is a highly diverse structure, and reduction or loss of this structure accounts for many of the limb phenotypes observed within species. Squamate reptiles are one of the many tetrapod lineages in which the limbs have been greatly modified from the pentadactyl generalized pattern, including different degrees of reduction in the number of limb elements to complete limblessness. Even though limb reduction is widespread, the evolutionary and develop- mental mechanisms involved in the formation of reduced limb morphologies remains unclear. In this study, we present an overview of limb morphology within the microteiid lizard group Gymn- ophthalmidae, focusing on digit arrangement. We show that there are two major groups of limb- reduced gymnophthalmids. The first group is formed by lizard-like (and frequently pentadactyl) species, in which minor reductions (such as the loss of 1-2 phalanges mainly in digits I and V) are the rule; these morphologies generally correspond to those seen in other squamates. The second group is formed by species showing more drastic losses, which can include the absence of an ex- ternally distinct limb in adults. We also present the expression patterns of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) in the greatly reduced fore and hindlimb of a serpentiform gymnophthalmid.
    [Show full text]
  • A Phylogeny and Revised Classification of Squamata, Including 4161 Species of Lizards and Snakes
    BMC Evolutionary Biology This Provisional PDF corresponds to the article as it appeared upon acceptance. Fully formatted PDF and full text (HTML) versions will be made available soon. A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes BMC Evolutionary Biology 2013, 13:93 doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-93 Robert Alexander Pyron ([email protected]) Frank T Burbrink ([email protected]) John J Wiens ([email protected]) ISSN 1471-2148 Article type Research article Submission date 30 January 2013 Acceptance date 19 March 2013 Publication date 29 April 2013 Article URL http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/13/93 Like all articles in BMC journals, this peer-reviewed article can be downloaded, printed and distributed freely for any purposes (see copyright notice below). Articles in BMC journals are listed in PubMed and archived at PubMed Central. For information about publishing your research in BMC journals or any BioMed Central journal, go to http://www.biomedcentral.com/info/authors/ © 2013 Pyron et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes Robert Alexander Pyron 1* * Corresponding author Email: [email protected] Frank T Burbrink 2,3 Email: [email protected] John J Wiens 4 Email: [email protected] 1 Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, 2023 G St.
    [Show full text]
  • Development and Assessment of a Wildlife Habitat Relationship Model for Terrestrial Vertebrates in the State of Maryland
    DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF A WILDLIFE HABITAT RELATIONSHIP MODEL FOR TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND by Robert John Northrop A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology Spring 2009 Copyright 2009 Robert John Northrop All Rights Reserved DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF A WILDLIFE HABITAT RELATIONSHIP MODEL FOR TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND by Robert John Northrop Approved: __________________________________________________________ Jacob L. Bowman, Ph.D. Professor in charge of thesis on behalf of the Advisory Committee Approved: __________________________________________________________ Douglas W. Tallamy, Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology Approved: __________________________________________________________ Robin Morgan, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Approved: __________________________________________________________ Debra Hess Norris, M.S. Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank Dr. Jacob Bowman for his patience and continuing support over the past several years. Thanks to Dr. Roland Roth who originally asked me to teach at the University of Delaware in 1989. The experience of teaching wildlife conservation and management at the University for 14 years has changed the way I approach my professional life as a forest ecologist. I also offer a big thank – you to all my students at the University I have learned more from you than you can imagine. I am grateful to the U.S. Forest Service, Dr. Mark Twery and Scott Thomasma, for funding the initial literature review and research, and for ongoing database support as we use this work to build a useful conservation tool for planners and natural resource managers in Maryland.
    [Show full text]
  • A Quarter Century of Reptile and Amphibian Databases
    246 ARTICLES Herpetological Review, 2021, 52(2), 246–255. © 2021 by Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles A Quarter Century of Reptile and Amphibian Databases In 2020, the Reptile Database (RDB) and AmphibiaWeb (AW) Database have grown for a quarter century. More specifically, celebrated their 25th and 20th anniversaries, respectively. Here, we outline the similarities and differences of each project, their we briefly review their history and highlight the biodiversity operation and content, and review their histories, activities, informatics context in which AmphibiaWeb and the Reptile users, and shared challenges. Amphibians and reptiles represent almost one-third of PETER UETZ*1 all vertebrates, and may contain more species than birds and Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USA mammals combined (but see Dickinson and Christidis 2014, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Dickinson and Remsen 2014, Barrowclough et al. 2016, Padial MICHELLE S. KOO*2 and de la Riva 2021). Conservation concerns, a growing body Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, of literature, and the rise of the internet in the 1990s led to the Berkeley, California 94720, USA; e-mail: [email protected] creation of several major efforts to provide online biodiversity 1 ROCÍO AGUILAR databases, including AW and the RDB (Table 1). Monash University, University of Melbourne, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Australia wHy dAtAbases? ELIZABETH BRINGS1 Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USA The tenth edition of Systema Naturae, published by Linneaus 2 ALESSANDRO CATENAZZI in 1758, contained data on more than 4000 animal species, which Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA one could view as the first taxonomic database.
    [Show full text]
  • Snake Trade and Conservation Management
    CoP15 Doc. 48 CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA ____________________ Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties Doha (Qatar), 13-25 March 2010 Interpretation and implementation of the Convention Species trade and conservation SNAKE TRADE AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 1. This document has been submitted by the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China.* Overview 2. Snakes are globally distributed and their trade and consumption are a global issue as well. While they occur throughout the Asian region, East, South, and Southeast Asia contain a rich diversity of terrestrial snakes. Records maintained by the TIGR (The Institute for Genomic Research) Reptile Database (www.reptile-database.org/) show that this area may contain 30% of the world’s described snake species. Many wild snakes are harvested and traded internationally, and are used locally as food or for the production of traditional medicine, leather, and other products. Snakes have been used for food and medicine for centuries, and ancient Chinese texts list snake among the recognized traditional medicinal ingredients (Zhou and Jiang 2004, and Dharmananda 1997). Liver, gallbladder, and venom are among the therapeutic body parts and products, and some species are used to relieve pain and stimulate blood circulation. Snake is also prescribed for rheumatism, neuralgia, polio, hemiplegia, and hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis of the liver (Ibid and Chang et al. 2005). 3. Asia’s snakes have also been harvested in large numbers for the skin trade since the early part of the 20th century, starting with Javan species around 1910.
    [Show full text]