First report of the Southern Gulf Coast Toad (Incilius valliceps Wiegmann), Common House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus Duméril and Bibron), Schmidt’s Black-Striped Snake (Coniophanes schmidti Bailey), and Cozumel Whiptail (Aspidoscelis cozumela Gadow), on Turneffe Atoll, Belize

Each year from 2012 to 2019, during a 12-day period in November or December, we photographed common herpetofauna on Calabash Caye, a small mangrove-dominated island on the eastern edge of Turneffe Atoll, Belize. Turneffe Atoll is home to the newest, largest, and most biodiverse marine protected area in Belize. Calabash Caye exemplifies the islands on Turneffe’s eastern edge whose elevated beach ridges enable the development of coastal strand plain and littoral forest habitats, which are among the most threatened habitats in the world. As no herpetofaunal survey has been published for Turneffe in over twenty years, and as the herpetofauna is a conspicuous indicator of the health of terrestrial ecological communities on islands, we leveraged our annual field excursions to Calabash Caye to compile a photographic record of the island’s reptiles and amphibians. In multiple years, we documented the presence of five lizards (Anolis sagrei mayensis, Aspidoscelis cozumela, Ctenosaura similis, Phyllodactylus tuberculosus, and the invasive species Hemidactylus frenatus), three snakes (Boa imperator, Leptophis mexicanus hoeversi, and Coniophanes schmidti), and one amphibian (Incilius valliceps). This represents the first report of A. cozumela, H. frenatus, C. schmidti, and I. valliceps on Calabash Caye or on any island in Turneffe Atoll; H. frenatus, C. schmidti, and I. valliceps have never been reported on any of the Belizean cayes. We did not observe four species that have previously been reported on Calabash Caye: Brown Basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus), Mesoamerican Cane Toad (Rhinella horribilis), Mayan Skink (Marisora lineola; formerly Mabuya unimarginata), or a blindsnake, provisionally identified as Indotyphlops braminus. We also include photos of Anolis allisoni, Ctenosaura similis, and Anolis sagrei mayensis obtained during four single-day excursions to Half Moon Caye on Lighthouse Atoll; this represents three of four species reported from that location during the 1990s.

Development and retinal remodeling in the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei)

Background. The fovea, a pit in the retina, is believed to be important for high-acuity vision and is a feature found in the eyes of humans and a limited number of vertebrate species that include certain primates, birds, lizards, and fish. At present, model systems currently used for ocular research lack a foveated retina and studies investigating fovea development have largely been limited to histological and molecular studies in primates. As a result, progress towards understanding the mechanisms involved in regulating fovea development in humans is limited and is completely lacking in other, non-primate, vertebrates. To address this knowledge gap, we provide here a detailed histological atlas of retina and fovea development in the bifoveated Anolis sagrei lizard, a novel reptile model for fovea research. We also further test the hypothesis that retinal remodeling, which leads to fovea formation and photoreceptor cell packing, is related to asymmetric changes in eye shape. Results. Anole retina development follows the conventional spatiotemporal patterning observed in most vertebrates, where retina neurogenesis begins within the central retina, progresses throughout the temporal retina, and concludes in the nasal retina. One exception to this general rule is that areas that give rise to the fovea undergo retina differentiation prior to the rest of the retina. We find that retina thickness changes dynamically during periods of ocular elongation and retraction. During periods of ocular elongation, the retina thins, while during retraction it becomes thicker. Ganglion cell layer mounding is also observed in the temporal fovea region just prior to pit formation. Conclusions. Anole retina development parallels that of humans, including the onset and progression of retinal neurogenesis followed by changes in ocular shape and retinal remodeling that leads to pit formation in the retina. We propose that anoles are an excellent model system for fovea development research.

Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the brown anole (Anolis sagrei), a model species for evolution and ecology

Rapid technological improvements are democratizing access to high quality, chromosome-scale genome assemblies. No longer the domain of only the most highly studied model organisms, now non-traditional and emerging model species can be genome-enabled using a combination of sequencing technologies and assembly software. Consequently, old ideas built on sparse sampling across the tree of life have recently been amended in the face of genomic data drawn from a growing number of high-quality reference genomes. Arguably the most valuable are those long-studied species for which much is already known about their biology; what many term emerging model species. Here, we report a new, highly complete chromosome-scale genome assembly for the brown anole, Anolis sagrei — a lizard species widely studied across a variety of disciplines and for which a high-quality reference genome was long overdue.

Variaciones espaciales de las comunidades de lagartos diurnos en Loma de Cunagua, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

Una problemática común en nuestro país es conocer cómo influyen las variaciones del área y sus condiciones, en la distribución y abundancia de las comunidades de reptiles. El Refugio de Fauna Loma de Cunagua presenta dos variantes de Bosque Semideciduo (conservada y secundaria). Existen en el área 18 especies, 14 de ellas endémicas, que incluyen dos taxones a nivel subespecífico. Hay predominio de lagartos diurnos, pero sin información sobre el comportamiento de sus poblaciones. Para este estudio se establecieron transectos en las dos variantes de bosque, donde se efectuó un muestreo mensual durante un año y se anotaron las especies y sus datos de hábitat y microhábitat. Se realizó una correlación de Pearson con los valores de riqueza de especies en cada variante de bosque para conocer la influencia del hábitat en la comunidad. Para identificar las tendencias de las variaciones comunitarias se utilizó un Análisis de Correspondencias. Las especies más representadas fueron Anolis sagrei y Anolis lucius, pero todas son dependientes de las características del hábitat. Existe una correlación positiva entre la riqueza de especies y la variante conservada de bosque, probablemente relacionado con la complejidad del hábitat. A mayor número de estratos a usar, mayor número de especies de reptiles. Además, la cobertura de dosel y la insolación son parámetros esenciales en la segregación de las especies.

Oligoquetofagia por Anolis sagrei y nectarivoría por Anolis porcatus (Squamata: Dactyloidae): nuevas observaciones

Nuevas observaciones de campo confirman que la ingestión de lombrices de tierra (Oligochaeta) por Anolis sagrei no es un evento tan raro como se creía. De igual modo, las observaciones realizadas en tres inviernos consecutivos (2019, 2020, 2021), durante la temporada de floración de las orquídeas Cattleya lueddemanniana y Guarianthe skinneri, ratifican que la nectarivoría es un hábito regular en Anolis porcatus.

NUEVOS REGISTROS DE LA LAGARTIJA INTRODUCIDA Anolis sagrei (SQUAMATA: DACTYLOIDAE) EN EL ESTADO DE VERACRUZ, MÉXICO

Resumen. — Anolis sagrei es una especie nativa de Bahamas, el archipiélago de Cuba y Pequeño Caimán que se ha introducido en diferentes partes del mundo. Esta especie ha sido registrada en varios lugares de México, incluido el estado de Veracruz. Aquí, reportamos tres nuevas localidades para esta especie que complementan el conocimiento de su distribución en el estado de Veracruz.

OBSERVATION OF NOCTURNAL COPULATION UNDER ARTIFICIAL LIGHT IN BROWN ANOLE Anolis sagrei (SQUAMATA: POLYCHROTIDAE)

Se reporta la observación de cópula nocturna en Anolis sagrei bajo luz artificial; además de las conductas alimenticias, las conductas reproductivas también pueden ser afectadas por la luz artificial nocturna en esta especie invasora explotadora de ambientes urbanos.