DOCSLIB.ORG

Very Little Is Known About the Breeding Habits of Amphisbaenids Generally (Gans, 1960; Schmidt and Inger, 1957)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Very Little Is Known About the Breeding Habits of Amphisbaenids Generally (Gans, 1960; Schmidt and Inger, 1957) FIRST REPORT OF OVOVIVIPARITY IN A SOUTHERN AFRICAN AMPHISBAENID, MONOPELTIS C. CAPENSIS JOHN VISSER c/o Department of Zoology, Stellenbosch Very little is known about the breeding habits of amphisbaenids generally (Gans, 1960; Schmidt and Inger, 1957). Ovoviviparity in an African amphisbaenid was reported first for Trogonophis wiegmanni Kaup by Hediger (1935). This mode of reproduction has since been described for Amphisbaena (Loveridgea) ionidesi, and is suspected for Amphisbaena (Chirindia) ewerbecki (Loveridge, 1955 and 1941). This present report, besides being the first of ovovivi­ parity for the genus Monopeltis (as currently defined), is apparently the fifth only to deal with the life-history of an African species. It also corrects an earlier account (FitzSimons, 1943) which claimed oviparity for all the southern African species. Oviparity is known for one African species only (" Dalophia pistil/urn" of Loveridge, 1941, "Monopeltis g. granti" of FitzSimons, 1943), now placed in Tomuropeltis. If the life-histories of the species in this genus and those in Monopeltis show constancy, further support for the retention of Tomuropeltis would be at hand. Embryos found in material from three localities are recorded in Table I. The dispropor­ tionate amount of yolk relative to the size of the embryo, first described for T. wiegmanni (Hediger 1935) and subsequently for the South American Amphisbaena manni by Gans and Alexander (1962), is a feature also of the development of Monopeltis c. capensis (Fig. I). ) TM. 32023 was seen to be expelled on January 31, 1966, when its mother was unearthed after 0 1 0 being damaged by a ploughshare. TM. 32024 is of near-term stage and was removed after 2 d killing the female in alcohol on February 3, 1966. Both these embryos were unpigmented e t a except for their eyes. All the Maquassi embryos were found during stomach analysis of a large d ( r series of adults collected by Dr. C. C. Kritzinger while the Vaal River was in flood in December, e h s 1942. i l b u TABLE 1. P e h t Museum number, Localities, Month Brood size Length of y b and Lengths of Females uncoiled· d e Embryos t SUo 2040 Maquassi 237 17·5 Dec. 1 45 mm. n + a SUo 2041 252 + 19 Dec. 3 45 mm. r g SUo 2042 222 + 16 Dec. 1 10mm. e c SUo 2043 235 + 17 Dec. 1 Damaged n SUo 2044 230 18 Dec. 1 35 mm. e + c i SUo 2047 225 + 17 Dec. 2 ( + 2 coagulated 22mm. l r yolk masses) e SUo 2053 212 14 Dec. 26mm. d + n SUo 2070 190 + 13 Dec. 7·5 mm. u TM. 32023 Bra;;'dfort 230 + 14 Jan. 31 92 7 mm. y + a TM. 32024 Odendaa1srus 235 + 14 Feb. 3 86 + 5 mm. w e t a ·Coiled half-grown embryos occupy approx. t of the yolk mass length. G t e n i Zoologica Africana 3 (I): IlI-IJ3 (1967) 111 b a S y b d e c u d o r p e R "' ZOOLOGICA A F RICANA VOL 3 . ) 0 1 0 2 d e t a d Figure I . To show (he disproponionate amount of yolk re lative to the si~e or the embryo. Yolk mass = 40 ( mm ; uncoiled. or stretched. embryo _ 22 mm. r e h s i l AC K NOWLE D GME1'JTS b u My thanks are due to the Department of Zoology. University or Stellcnboich. ra; the loan of, P e h and perm ission to dissect. material in their collection. Dr. D. G. Broadley, Cur-ator of the t y Umta li Museu m, Rhodesia, read this note in dran form and gave va lu!lblc advic'! for which L b d am mos t grateful. e t n a r R EF ERENCES g e c FlTZSIMOI'<S, v. M. 1943. Lizard.f 0/ Soulh Africa. Trans. Mus. Memoi r No. L n e GANS, CARL. [960. Studies all Amphisbac nids (Amph isbaenia: Reptilia). J. A taxonomic c i l r revision of the Trogonophinae, and a functional interpretation of the amphisbaenid e d adaptive pa lter n. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nal. His'. 119: 129- 204. n u GANS, CA RL, and ALEXANDER, A. All A"'. 1%2. Studies on amphisbaenids (Amphisbaenia: y a Reptilia). 2. On the amphisbaenids orthe Antilles. Bull. AlliS. Compo Zool. 128: 65- 158. w e t a HED IGER, H. 1935. Herpetologisehe Beobachtungen in Maro kko. Verhalldl. Nalurj. Gesell. G t Basel, 46: 1-49. e n i LOVERIDGE, ARTHUR. 1941. Revision or the African lizards of the family Amphisbaenidac. b a Bull. Mus. Compo Zool. 87: 35 1-451. S y b d e c u d o r p e R SCHMIDT, LOVERIDGE, 1967 ganyika London. KARL ARTHUR. Territory P., and 1955. VISSER: by INGER, . ) 0 C. 1 0 On 2 J. d ROBERT P. e a t OVOVIVIPARITY a Ionides, second d ( r e F. h s i 1957. l collection b Esq. u P e Living Journ. h t y b of d Reptiles e East IN t reptiles n a r MONOPELTIS g African e c of n e and c the i l Nat. r e amphibians World. d n u Hist. y a Hamish w e Soc. t a G taken t 22: e n Hamilton, i b 168-198. a in S . y ... Tan­ b _."'- 113 d e c '. u d o r p e R.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Review on the Reproduction of the Amphisbaenia with Notes on Four Neotropical Species
    Amphibia-Reptilia 27 (2006): 207-217 Habits hidden underground: a review on the reproduction of the Amphisbaenia with notes on four neotropical species Denis V. Andrade1, Luciana B. Nascimento2, Augusto S. Abe1 Abstract. We review the information currently available on the reproduction of the Amphisbaenia and provide original data on the reproductive biology of four Neotropical species: Amphisbaena alba; A. mertensi; Cercolophia roberti,and Leposternon infraorbitale. In total, we compiled data for 22 species: 17 Amphisbaenidae, 1 Rhineuridae, 3 Bipedidae, and 1 Trogonophidae. The majority of the species were oviparous with the exceptions of Loveridgea ionidesii, Monopeltis anchietae, M. capensis,andTrogonophis wiegmanni. Viviparity was interpreted as a derived trait that evolved independently for at least 3 times within the Amphisbaenia. In most species, reproduction is synchronized with the hot and rainy season and seems to vary with latitude. Although Amphisbaenia eggs have been found in ant nests, it remains disputable whether this is an obligatory or even a preferable location for egg-laying. Incubation time in A. mertensii lasts 59 days and this is the first report encompassing egg-laying to hatching for any Amphisbaenia species. Nonetheless, a two months incubation period seems to be the common rule for oviparous Amphisbaenia. The general pattern of reproductive output in Amphisbaenia is characterized by a low number of eggs/embryos per clutch whose individual size is comparatively large in relation to adult body size. Eggs are markedly elongated on the long axis and arranged in-line within the abdominal cavity possibly to prevent/diminish biomechanic drawbacks of egg bearing. Hatchlings of A.
    [Show full text]
  • Amblyodipsas Polylepis (Bocage, 1873) Feeding on the Amphisbaenid Monopeltis Luandae Gans, 1976
    Herpetology Notes, volume 14: 205-207 (2021) (published online on 26 January 2021) A snake with an appetite for the rare: Amblyodipsas polylepis (Bocage, 1873) feeding on the amphisbaenid Monopeltis luandae Gans, 1976 Werner Conradie1,* and Pedro Vaz Pinto2,3 Specimens in natural history museum collections catalogue number PEM R22034. The snake measured represent a unique snapshot of the time and place they 634 mm in snout–vent length (no tail length is provided were collected, while the analysis of stomach contents as the tail was truncated). Identification to the nominate often leads to unexpected results and new discoveries. For subspecies A. p. polylepis was based on a series of example, the Angolan lizard Ichnotropis microlepidota characteristics (fide Broadley, 1990), including enlarged Marx, 1956 was described based on material recovered fangs below a small eye; loreal absent; preocular absent; from the crop of a Dark Chanting Goshawk (Melierax one postocular; seven supralabials, with the 3rd and metabates), and the species has not been collected since 4th entering the orbit; seven infralabials, with the first (Marx, 1956; van den Berg, 2018). Specifically, such four in contact with a single pair of genials; temporal an approach is known to provide extremely valuable formula 0+1 on both sides; 19-19-17 midbody scale insights into highly cryptic and rarely sighted fossorial rows; 227 ventrals; 16+ paired subcaudals (truncated). species, such as amphisbaenids (Broadley, 1971; Shine The specimen was re-examined in mid-2019 and it was et al., 2006). These tend to be generally underrepresented discovered that the stomach was full. Upon dissection, a in museum collections and, therefore, make a case for fully intact amphisbaenian was removed (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Miombo Ecoregion Vision Report
    MIOMBO ECOREGION VISION REPORT Jonathan Timberlake & Emmanuel Chidumayo December 2001 (published 2011) Occasional Publications in Biodiversity No. 20 WWF - SARPO MIOMBO ECOREGION VISION REPORT 2001 (revised August 2011) by Jonathan Timberlake & Emmanuel Chidumayo Occasional Publications in Biodiversity No. 20 Biodiversity Foundation for Africa P.O. Box FM730, Famona, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe PREFACE The Miombo Ecoregion Vision Report was commissioned in 2001 by the Southern Africa Regional Programme Office of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF SARPO). It represented the culmination of an ecoregion reconnaissance process led by Bruce Byers (see Byers 2001a, 2001b), followed by an ecoregion-scale mapping process of taxa and areas of interest or importance for various ecological and bio-physical parameters. The report was then used as a basis for more detailed discussions during a series of national workshops held across the region in the early part of 2002. The main purpose of the reconnaissance and visioning process was to initially outline the bio-physical extent and properties of the so-called Miombo Ecoregion (in practice, a collection of smaller previously described ecoregions), to identify the main areas of potential conservation interest and to identify appropriate activities and areas for conservation action. The outline and some features of the Miombo Ecoregion (later termed the Miombo– Mopane Ecoregion by Conservation International, or the Miombo–Mopane Woodlands and Grasslands) are often mentioned (e.g. Burgess et al. 2004). However, apart from two booklets (WWF SARPO 2001, 2003), few details or justifications are publically available, although a modified outline can be found in Frost, Timberlake & Chidumayo (2002). Over the years numerous requests have been made to use and refer to the original document and maps, which had only very restricted distribution.
    [Show full text]
  • Novitatesamerican MUSEUM PUBLISHED by the AMERICAN MUSEUM of NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST at 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y
    NovitatesAMERICAN MUSEUM PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 Number 2896, pp. 1-84, figs. 1-39, tables 1-7 November 9, 1987 Studies on Amphisbaenians (Reptilia). 7. The Small Round-headed Species (Cynisca) from Western Africa CARL GANS' CONTENTS Abstract ........................................ 2 Introduction ........................................ 2 Materials and Methods ........................................ 3 Sources ........................................ 3 Geography ........................................ 4 Character States ........................................ 4 Annuli and Segments ............. ............................ 4 Body Proportions ........................................ 5 Head Segmentation ........... ............................. 5 Other Characteristics ............ ............................ 9 Analysis ........................................ 10 Approach ........................................ 10 Variants of Cephalic Segmentation ........................................ 10 Nondimensional Species ............. ........................... 13 Gabon ........................................ 13 Central African Republic, Chad, and Cameroon ................. .............. 13 Nigeria ........................................ 13 Benin ........................................ 15 Togo ........................................ 15 Ghana ........................................ 15 Burkina Faso ........................................ 17 'Research Associate,
    [Show full text]
  • Patterns of Species Richness, Endemism and Environmental Gradients of African Reptiles
    Journal of Biogeography (J. Biogeogr.) (2016) ORIGINAL Patterns of species richness, endemism ARTICLE and environmental gradients of African reptiles Amir Lewin1*, Anat Feldman1, Aaron M. Bauer2, Jonathan Belmaker1, Donald G. Broadley3†, Laurent Chirio4, Yuval Itescu1, Matthew LeBreton5, Erez Maza1, Danny Meirte6, Zoltan T. Nagy7, Maria Novosolov1, Uri Roll8, 1 9 1 1 Oliver Tallowin , Jean-Francßois Trape , Enav Vidan and Shai Meiri 1Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, ABSTRACT 6997801 Tel Aviv, Israel, 2Department of Aim To map and assess the richness patterns of reptiles (and included groups: Biology, Villanova University, Villanova PA 3 amphisbaenians, crocodiles, lizards, snakes and turtles) in Africa, quantify the 19085, USA, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, PO Box 240, Bulawayo, overlap in species richness of reptiles (and included groups) with the other ter- Zimbabwe, 4Museum National d’Histoire restrial vertebrate classes, investigate the environmental correlates underlying Naturelle, Department Systematique et these patterns, and evaluate the role of range size on richness patterns. Evolution (Reptiles), ISYEB (Institut Location Africa. Systematique, Evolution, Biodiversite, UMR 7205 CNRS/EPHE/MNHN), Paris, France, Methods We assembled a data set of distributions of all African reptile spe- 5Mosaic, (Environment, Health, Data, cies. We tested the spatial congruence of reptile richness with that of amphib- Technology), BP 35322 Yaounde, Cameroon, ians, birds and mammals. We further tested the relative importance of 6Department of African Biology, Royal temperature, precipitation, elevation range and net primary productivity for Museum for Central Africa, 3080 Tervuren, species richness over two spatial scales (ecoregions and 1° grids). We arranged Belgium, 7Royal Belgian Institute of Natural reptile and vertebrate groups into range-size quartiles in order to evaluate the Sciences, OD Taxonomy and Phylogeny, role of range size in producing richness patterns.
    [Show full text]
  • Vital but Vulnerable: Climate Change Vulnerability and Human Use of Wildlife in Africa’S Albertine Rift
    Vital but vulnerable: Climate change vulnerability and human use of wildlife in Africa’s Albertine Rift J.A. Carr, W.E. Outhwaite, G.L. Goodman, T.E.E. Oldfield and W.B. Foden Occasional Paper for the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 48 The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or the compilers concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN or other participating organizations. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland Copyright: © 2013 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Carr, J.A., Outhwaite, W.E., Goodman, G.L., Oldfield, T.E.E. and Foden, W.B. 2013. Vital but vulnerable: Climate change vulnerability and human use of wildlife in Africa’s Albertine Rift. Occasional Paper of the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 48. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. xii + 224pp. ISBN: 978-2-8317-1591-9 Front cover: A Burundian fisherman makes a good catch. © R. Allgayer and A. Sapoli. Back cover: © T. Knowles Available from: IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Publications Services Rue Mauverney 28 1196 Gland Switzerland Tel +41 22 999 0000 Fax +41 22 999 0020 [email protected] www.iucn.org/publications Also available at http://www.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/SSC-OP-048.pdf About IUCN IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny and Evolution of Head Shape in Amphisbaenia
    Roberta Graboski Mendes Phylogeny and evolution of head shape in Amphisbaenia (Reptilia: Squamata). 37 20 57 29 59 18 30 55 52 16 32 45 22 39 54 25 27 53 51 14 23 43 56 26 15 24 41 60 21 31 35 58 17 28 19 Amphisbaena unilepida sp a r Amphisbaena frontalis i l Amphisbaena hetero l Amphisbaena ibija e Amphisbaena t i i h r Amphisbaena heathi r Amphisbaena darwinii ingoe ia c r r t i Amphisbaena p is Amphisbaena A m r ulu Amphisbaena angustifrons a n r e Amphisbaena dubia a anomala micula a r b e s v i r Amphisbaena anaema achu h aoh r p a Amphisbaena hogei z r m r r m u unicolor onata a m unoai A r Amphisbaena caia Amphisbaena sp Goias Amphisbaena me Anops kingii a Amphisbaena leese Amphisbaena ignatiana Amphisbaena arena Bronia bedai Bronia k rtensii Amphisbaena c Bronia saxosa Amphisbaena Amphisbaena mensae Amphisbaena pretrei ia Amphisbaena leucocephala ar zolinii v ri Cercolophia cuiabana r Amphisbaena alba an Cercolophia steindachne iae Amphisbaena ca v Amphisbaena supe r Amphisbaena bolivica isae Amphisbaena me Amphisbaena cunhai Amphisbaena Amphisbaena hastata rnume Amphisbaena fuliginosa ri Amphisbaena fuliginosa bassle Cercolophia bahianararia Amphisbaena fuliginosaridleyi wiedi Amphisbaena ur Amphisbaena innocens Amphisbaena Amphisbaena sp Ilheusoxena Anops bilabialatus rasiliana Leposternon microcephalum Bronia b Bronia cf brasiliana Leposternon infraorbitalae Bronia cf brasiliana1 ri Psammodro Leposternon wuchere mus algirus rum Nucras sp Leposternon scutige Podarcis bocagei non polystegum Takydro r m Leposte era Lace us ocellatus
    [Show full text]
  • Multiple Evolutionary Origins and Losses of Tooth Complexity
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.15.042796; this version posted April 16, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Multiple evolutionary origins and losses of tooth 2 complexity in squamates 3 4 Fabien Lafuma*a, Ian J. Corfe*a, Julien Clavelb,c, Nicolas Di-Poï*a 5 6 aDevelopmental Biology Program, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, FIN- 7 00014 Helsinki, Finland 8 bDepartment of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, United 9 Kingdom 10 cLaboratoire d’Écologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés (LEHNA), Université 11 Claude Bernard Lyon 1 – UMR CNRS 5023, ENTPE, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France 12 13 *Mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.15.042796; this version posted April 16, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 14 Teeth act as tools for acquiring and processing food and so hold a prominent role in 15 vertebrate evolution1,2. In mammals, dental-dietary adaptations rely on tooth shape and 16 complexity variations controlled by cusp number and pattern – the main features of the 17 tooth surface3,4.
    [Show full text]
  • De Vertebrados De Moçambique Checklist of Vertebrates of Mozambique
    ‘Checklist’ de Vertebrados de Moçambique Checklist of Vertebrates of Mozambique Michael F. Schneider*, Victorino A. Buramuge, Luís Aliasse & Filipa Serfontein * autor para a correspondência – author for correspondence [email protected] Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Faculdade de Agronomia e Engenharia Florestal Departamento de Engenharia Florestal Maputo, Moçambique Abril de 2005 financiado por – funded by IUCN Mozambique Fundo Para a Gestão dos Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (FGRNA) Projecto No 17/2004/FGRNA/PES/C2CICLO2 Índice – Table of Contents Abreviaturas – Abbreviations..............................................................................2 Nomes vernáculos – vernacular names: .............................................................3 Referências bibliográficas – Bibliographic References ......................................4 Checklist de Mamíferos- Checklist of Mammals ................................................5 Checklist de Aves- Checklist of Birds ..............................................................38 Checklist de Répteis- Checklist of Reptiles ....................................................102 Checklist de Anfíbios- Checklist of Amphibians............................................124 Checklist de Peixes- Checklist of Fish............................................................130 1 Abreviaturas - Abbreviations * espécie introduzida – introduced species ? ocorrência duvidosa – occurrence uncertain end. espécie endémica (só avaliada para mamíferos, aves e répteis) – endemic species (only
    [Show full text]
  • (Ampisbania,Reptlia .~~~O Th ~~'American Museum of Natural History~~~~~~~~~~~~ Voum 13:Atce2 E Ok16
    141. Al (AMPISBANIA,REPTLIA .~~~O TH ~~'AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY~~~~~~~~~~~~ VOUM 13:ATCE2 E OK16 A CHECK LIST OF RECENT AMPHISBAENIANS (AMPHISBAENIA, REPTILIA) CARL GANS Research Associate, Department of Herpetology The American Museum of Natural History Professor of Biology State University of New York at Buffalo BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY VOLUME 135 : ARTICLE 2 NEW YORK 1967 BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Volume 135, article 2, pages 61-106 Issued February 20, 1967 Price: $1.50 a copy INTRODUCTION THE AMPHISBAENIA are an excellent demon- contains a remarkably useful section of gen- stration of the futility of the classical, or eric synonyms. typological, species concept. Parallelism and The present check list forms an interim convergence, caused by the strong selec- summary in a program of re-evaluation that tive pressures on the cephalic scutellation, may ultimately result in a monograph of the together with the limited number of external group. Emphasis has been placed on a com- characteristics available to the taxonomist, plete listing of described forms and syn- have provided unusual opportunities for con- onyms, rather than on a review of their ge- fusion. The difficulties are compounded by neric status. In view of my continuing interest the extremely restricted ranges inhabited by in the group, I shall appreciate comments many species, and by the seemingly disjunct and corrections. distribution of more wide-ranging forms. The subterranean mode of life keeps these ani- GENERAL APPROACH mals out of the way of the casual collector. The review of the amphisbaenians of which In consequence they have been scarce in col- this paper forms a part has been designed as a lections, and many species have been inad- basis for additional studies of their system- equately described, often on the basis of atics, morphology, physiology, and behavior.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Change Vulnerability and Human Use of Wildlife in Africa's
    Vital but vulnerable: Climate change vulnerability and human use wildlife of in Vital but vulnerable: Climate change vulnerability and human use of wildlife in africa’s albertine rift J.a. Carr, W.e. Outhwaite, G.l. Goodman, t.e.e. Oldfield and W.B. Foden a frica’s frica’s a lbertine r ift INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE WOrld HeadqUarterS rue Mauverney 28 1196 Gland, Switzerland [email protected] tel: +41 22 999 0000 Fax: +41 22 999 0002 www.iucn.org Occasional Paper for the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 48 The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or the compilers concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN or other participating organizations. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland Copyright: © 2013 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Carr, J.A., Outhwaite, W.E., Goodman, G.L., Oldfield, T.E.E. and Foden, W.B. 2013. Vital but vulnerable: Climate change vulnerability and human use of wildlife in Africa’s Albertine Rift.
    [Show full text]
  • Amphisbaenia) Driven by End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction
    Biogeography of worm lizards rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org (Amphisbaenia) driven by end-Cretaceous mass extinction Nicholas R. Longrich1, Jakob Vinther2, R. Alexander Pyron3, Davide Pisani2 Research and Jacques A. Gauthier4 Cite this article: Longrich NR, Vinther J, 1Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK Pyron RA, Pisani D, Gauthier JA. 2015 2School of Biological Sciences and School of Earth Sciences, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, University Biogeography of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK 3Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA driven by end-Cretaceous mass extinction. 4Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8109, USA Proc. R. Soc. B 282: 20143034. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.3034 Worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) are burrowing squamatesthat live as subterranean predators. Their underground existence should limit dispersal, yet they are wide- spread throughout the Americas, Europe and Africa. This pattern was traditionally explained by continental drift, but molecular clocks suggest a Ceno- Received: 12 December 2014 zoic diversification, long after the break-up of Pangaea, implying dispersal. Here, Accepted: 27 February 2015 we describe primitive amphisbaeniansfromtheNorthAmericanPalaeocene, including the oldest known amphisbaenian, and provide new and older molecu- lar divergence estimates for the clade, showing that worm lizards originated in North America, then radiated and dispersedinthePalaeogenefollowingtheCre- taceous-Palaeogene (K-Pg) extinction. This scenario implies at least three trans- Subject Areas: oceanic dispersals: from North America to Europe, from North America to evolution, palaeontology, Africa and from Africa to South America. Amphisbaenians provide a striking taxonomy and systematics case study in biogeography, suggesting that the role of continental drift in biogeo- graphy may be overstated.
    [Show full text]