Four Cases of Complete Melanistic Italian Wall Lizard [Podarcis siculus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810)] in Southern Italy and Sicily Island

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Reina ◽  
Filippo Spadola ◽  
Manuel Morici ◽  
Paola Sgroi ◽  
Antonino Marcianò
Keyword(s):  
Southern Italy ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard

scholarly journals Lizard colour plasticity tracks background seasonal changes

Biology Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. bio052415
Author(s):  
Daniele Pellitteri-Rosa ◽  
Andrea Gazzola ◽  
Simone Todisco ◽  
Fabio Mastropasqua ◽  
Cristiano Liuzzi
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Environmental Heterogeneity ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Natural Area ◽  
Colour Variation ◽  
Environmental Background ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Colour Patterns ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard

ABSTRACTEnvironmental heterogeneity on a spatial and temporal scale fosters an organism's capacity to plastically alter coloration. Predation risk might favour the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in colour patterns, as individuals who change colour throughout the year may be able to improve their fitness. Here we explored the change in dorsal pigmentation of the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus campestris) at three time points (March, July, October) during a period of activity in a Mediterranean natural area in southern Italy. Following a preliminary investigation conducted in 2018, during 2019 we captured 135 lizards and took a picture of their ventral scales to check for possible recapture over the sessions. Lizard dorsal pictures were collected in the field with the support of a reference chart to quantitatively estimate chromatic variables (hue, saturation and value). At the same time, pictures of the environmental background were collected. Our findings suggest that lizards are capable of altering dorsal coloration during seasonal change. They vary from green at the onset of spring, to brownish in the middle of summer and to a greyish colour in October. This modification closely followed environmental background colour variation and enhanced lizard crypsis during each season.

scholarly journals Biological responses in pesticide exposed lizards (Podarcis siculus)

Ecotoxicology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Simbula ◽  
Ginevra Moltedo ◽  
Barbara Catalano ◽  
Giacomo Martuccio ◽  
Claudia Sebbio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Biotransformation Enzymes ◽  
Biological Responses ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Parasite Infections ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard ◽  
Detoxification Process ◽  
Accurate Quantification

AbstractThe release of contaminants as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides into the environment has been listed as one of the six major contributors to the global decline of reptiles. Although reptiles may face severe risk from contaminants due to their ecology and physiology, they are currently less studied than other vertebrate groups. In the present work, we investigated if and how different types of field treatment (conventional and organic) affected the health status of Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) individuals in central Italy. We chose a multi-biomarker approach that evaluated the biological responses of lizards to the treatment by means of AChE activity in the nervous system, biotransformation enzymes activities and oxidative stress in the liver, micronuclei frequency measured in the erythrocytes, and rate of intestinal parasitic infection. Our findings showed evidence of effects of treatment in conventional areas and between sexes with significant oxidative stress due to hydroxyl radicals, that caused DNA damage. No difference of intestinal parasite infections was found among treatments. Podarcis siculus seems to be a good bioindicator in ecotoxicological studies and potentially in risk assessment of pesticides, although further analyses in laboratory and in the field are needed to achieve more accurate quantification of specific pesticide effects in relation to known exposure history and to understand if other mechanisms were involved in the toxicity and detoxification process of pesticides for this species.

scholarly journals Invasive lizard has fewer parasites than native congener

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Tomé ◽  
D. James Harris ◽  
Ana Perera ◽  
Isabel Damas-Moreira
Keyword(s):  
18S Rrna ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Average Intensity ◽  
Invasive Potential ◽  
Lizard Species ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Species Establishment ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard

AbstractInvasive species can carry parasites to introduced locations, which may be key to understand the success or failure of species establishment and the invasive potential of introduced species. We compared the prevalence and infection levels of haemogregarine blood parasites between two sympatric congeneric species in Lisbon, Portugal: the invasive Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) and the native green Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis virescens). The two species had significant differences in their infection levels: while P. virescens had high prevalence of infection (69.0%), only one individual of P. siculus was infected (3.7%), and while P. virescens exhibited an average intensity of 1.36%, the infected P. siculus individual had an infection rate of only 0.04%. Genetic analyses of 18S rRNA identified two different haemogregarine haplotypes in P. virescens. Due to the low levels of infection, we were not able to amplify parasite DNA from the infected P. siculus individual, although it was morphologically similar to those found in P. virescens. Since other studies also reported low levels of parasites in P. siculus, we hypothesize that this general lack of parasites could be one of the factors contributing to its competitive advantage over native lizard species and introduction success.

scholarly journals Detection of Leishmania tarentolae in lizards, sand flies and dogs in southern Italy, where Leishmania infantum is endemic: hindrances and opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan ◽  
Maria Stefania Latrofa ◽  
Roberta Iatta ◽  
Ranju R. S. Manoj ◽  
Rossella Panarese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Canine Leishmaniasis ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Leishmania Tarentolae ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Vertebrate Hosts ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Leishmania tarentolae is a protozoan isolated from geckoes (Tarentola annularis, Tarentola mauritanica), which is considered non-pathogenic and is transmitted by herpetophilic Sergentomyia spp. sand flies. This species occurs in sympatry with Leishmania infantum in areas where canine leishmaniasis is endemic. In the present study, we investigated the circulation of L. tarentolae and L. infantum in sand flies, dogs and lizards in a dog shelter in southern Italy, where canine leishmaniasis by L. infantum is endemic. Methods Sheltered dogs (n = 100) negative for Leishmania spp. (March 2020) were screened by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) using promastigotes of both species at two time points (June 2020 and March 2021). Whole blood from dogs, tissues of Podarcis siculus lizards (n = 28) and sand flies (n = 2306) were also sampled and tested by a duplex real-time PCR (dqPCR). Host blood meal was assessed in sand flies by PCR. Results Overall, 16 dogs became positive for L. infantum and/or L. tarentolae by IFAT at one or both sampling periods. One canine blood sample was positive for L. infantum, whilst two for L. tarentolae by dqPCR. At the cytology of lizard blood, Leishmania spp. amastigote-like forms were detected in erythrocytes. Twenty-two tissue samples, mostly lung (21.4%), scored molecularly positive for L. tarentolae, corresponding to 10 lizards (i.e., 35.7%). Of the female Sergentomyia minuta sampled (n = 1252), 158 scored positive for L. tarentolae, four for L. infantum, and one co-infected. Two Phlebotomus perniciosus (out of 29 females) were positive for L. tarentolae. Engorged S. minuta (n = 10) fed on humans, and one P. perniciosus, positive for L. tarentolae, on lagomorphs. Conclusions Dogs and lacertid lizards (Podarcis siculus) were herein found for the first time infected by L. tarentolae. The detection of both L. tarentolae and L. infantum in S. minuta and P. perniciosus suggests their sympatric circulation, with a potential overlap in vertebrate hosts. The interactions between L. tarentolae and L. infantum should be further investigated in both vectors and vertebrate hosts to understand the potential implications for the diagnosis and control of canine leishmaniasis in endemic areas. Graphical abstract

scholarly journals First Record of the Northern Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis siculus campestris) in Missouri

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-45
Author(s):  
Jeffrey T. Briggler ◽  
Rhonda L. Rimer ◽  
Guntram Deichsel
Keyword(s):  
First Record ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard

scholarly journals First records of the Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810) (Squamata: Lacertidae) in Albania

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 814-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edvárd MIZSEI ◽  
Marcel UHRIN ◽  
Daniel JABLONSKI ◽  
Márton SZABOLCS
Keyword(s):  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard

scholarly journals Spotlight on islands: on the origin and diversification of an ancient lineage of the Italian wall lizard Podarcis siculus in the western Pontine Islands

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Senczuk ◽  
Katja Havenstein ◽  
Valentina Milana ◽  
Chiara Ripa ◽  
Emanuela De Simone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ancient Lineage ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Pontine Islands ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard

scholarly journals Eaten or beaten? Severe population decline of the invasive lizard Podarcis siculus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810) after an eradication project in Athens, Greece

Herpetozoa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 165-169
Author(s):  
Chloe Adamopoulou ◽  
Panayiotis Pafilis
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Short Communication ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Vegetation Growth ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Stray Cats ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard ◽  
Established Population

Invasive species have been recognised as an important hazard to native communities. Amongst the mitigation measures that have been proposed to confront biological invasions, eradication projects are certainly the most drastic. In this short communication, a successful eradication project against a recently established population of the Italian wall lizard (Podarcissiculus) in Athens, Greece, is reported. To this aim, the Hellenic Herpetological Society received unforeseen aid from stray cats and, possibly, from the Οcellated skink (Chalcidesocellatus) and vegetation growth. Within three years, the initial thriving P.siculus population has shrunk to very few individuals.

Occurrence of lizards in agricultural land and implications for conservation

2021 ◽  
pp. 77-84
Author(s):  
Marta Biaggini
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
Chemical Application ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Arthropod Fauna ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Fauna Composition ◽  
Cereal Fields ◽  
Italian Wall Lizard

Agriculture intensification is among one of the major threats affecting terrestrial reptiles worldwide. There is however a lack of information available on the ecology of these vertebrates in agricultural landscapes. Basic information like the pattern of occurrence in cultivated fields is key to assess the probability of an animal being affected by threats driven by agricultural managing. Focussing on the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus), we performed a field study to assess in detail its distribution and abundance in two cultivations, vineyards and cereal fields. Lizard distribution and abundance significantly varied among land uses, regardless of the arthropod fauna composition and diversity (analysed in the same fields), and the management activities. In the cereal fields, lizards were present exclusively along the field margins while in the vineyards they also occurred in the inner portions of the cultivated areas, even if they were more abundant next to the borders. The widespread presence of lizards in the vineyards suggest that P. siculus can likely adapt to such cultivated areas. This partly lowers the effect of habitat loss due to vineyard planting but exposes animals to the risks related to management activities, including mechanical practices and chemical application. In contrast, the presence of sowed lands, as extremely simplified habitats, results primarily in a definitive loss of habitat for lizards that are unable to settle within them, while the exposure to threats driven by management is less direct than in vineyards.

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