ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4630-3202
Current Organisation
Universität Bielefeld
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Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 30-06-2020
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 31-01-2022
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-1298977/V1
Abstract: Host-gut microbiota interactions are complex and can have a profound impact on the ecology and evolution of both counterparts. Several host traits such as taxonomy, diet and social behavior, and external factors such as prey availability and local environment are known to influence the composition and ersity of the gut microbiota. In this study, we investigated the influence of taxonomy, sex, host size, locality/habitat on gut microbiota ersity in five lizard species from two different sites in Portugal. We also analyzed the potential levels of microbial transmission between species that live in sympatry and syntopy. We studied Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis lusitanicus from northern Portugal (Moledo) and two invasive species, Podarcis siculus and Teira dugesii , and the native Podarcis virescens from Lisbon. We used a metabarcoding approach to characterize the bacterial communities from the cloaca of lizards, sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA. Habitat/locality was found to be the main driver of the differences in composition and structure of gut bacterial communities of the studied lizards, with host effects more evident at finer taxonomic scales. Additionally, lizards from urbanized environments had higher microbiome ersity than lizards from rural areas. We detected a significant positive correlation between size and gut bacterial alpha- ersity in the invasive species P. siculus , which could be due to higher exploratory behaviours. Moreover, estimates of bacterial transmission indicate that P. siculus may have acquired a high proportion of local microbiota. These findings indicate that a erse array of host and environmental factors can influence lizards gut microbiota.
Publisher: Brill
Date: 05-01-2022
DOI: 10.1163/15685381-BJA10078
Abstract: Assessment of parasites and their pathogenicity is essential for studying the ecology of populations and understanding their dynamics. In this study, we investigate the prevalence and intensity of infection of haemogregarines (phylum Apicomplexa) in two sympatric lizard species, Podarcis vaucheri and Scelarcis perspicillata , across three localities in Morocco, and their effect on host immune response. We used the Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) skin testing technique to relate the level of immune response with parasite infection. Prevalence and intensity levels were estimated with microscopy, and 18S rRNA gene sequences were used to confirm parasite identity. All parasites belong to the haemogregarine lineage found in other North African reptiles. There were differences in prevalence between localities and sexes. Overall, infected lizards were larger than uninfected ones, although we did not detect differences in parasitaemia across species, sex or locality. The swelling response was not related to the presence or number of haemogregarines, or to host body size, body condition, sex or species. We found no evidence of impact for these parasites on the circulating blood cells or the hosts’ immune system, but more data is needed to assess the potential impact of mixed infections, and the possibility of cryptic parasite species.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-09-2020
Publisher: Brill
Date: 20-04-2021
DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-BJA10089
Abstract: Tonic immobility, or the ability to play dead, is widespread among vertebrates. It is a last line of defence against a threat, and usually follows physical restraint. Here, I report two lizards exhibiting tonic immobility in the presence of humans, but remarkably, without any handling or physical contact. These two lizards belonged to an invasive population of the Italian Wall Lizard ( Podarcis siculus ), and both events took place in different years and situations, suggesting this behaviour may be more common than previously thought. There are rare documented cases of animals exhibiting this behaviour without handling however, to my knowledge, this is the first description of a lizard displaying tonic immobility to humans, in the absence of handling. This is also the first incident of tonic immobility in the Italian Wall Lizard. I discuss these anecdotal events in the light of this invasive population inhabiting a highly urbanized location.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-07-2021
DOI: 10.1007/S00436-021-07233-5
Abstract: Invasive 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 in idual of P. siculus was infected (3.7%), and while P. virescens exhibited an average intensity of 1.36%, the infected P. siculus in idual 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 lify parasite DNA from the infected P. siculus in idual, 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.
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 10-2018
Abstract: Species that are able to solve novel problems through social learning from either a conspecific or a heterospecific may gain a significant advantage in new environments. We tested the ability of a highly successful invasive species, the Italian wall lizard Podarcis sicula , to solve a novel foraging task when social information was available from both a conspecific and an unfamiliar heterospecific ( Podarcis bocagei ). We found that Italian wall lizards that had access to social information made fewer errors, regardless of whether the demonstrator was a conspecific or a heterospecific, compared to Italian wall lizards that in idually learnt the same task. We suggest that social learning could be a previously underappreciated, advantageous mechanism facilitating invasions.
Publisher: Acta Herpetologica
Date: 2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2019
Publisher: American Society of Parasitologists
Date: 02-2014
DOI: 10.1645/13-203.1
Abstract: Hepatozoon spp. are identified for the first time in the hibian order Gymnophiona, or caecilians, from the Seychelles island of Silhouette. Estimate of relationships derived from partial 18S rRNA gene sequences indicate these are not related to Hepatozoon spp. from frogs or to other Hepatozoon spp. from reptiles in the Seychelles. Assessment of mature gamonts from blood smears indicate that these can be recognized as a new species, Hepatozoon seychellensis n. sp.
Location: Spain
No related grants have been discovered for Isabel Damas Moreira.