The mole salamanders (genus Ambystoma) are a group of advanced salamanders endemic to North America, the only genus in the family Ambystomatidae. The group has become famous due to the presence of the axolotl (A. mexicanum), widely used in research, and the tiger salamander (A. tigrinum, A. mavortium) which is the official amphibian of many states, and often sold as a pet. Terrestrial mole salamanders are identified by having wide, protruding eyes, prominent costal grooves, and thick arms. Most have vivid patterning on dark backgrounds, with marks ranging from deep blue spots to large yellow bars depending on the species. Terrestrial adults spend most of their lives underground in burrows, either of their own making or abandoned by other animals. Some northern species may hibernate in these burrows throughout the winter. They live alone and feed on any available invertebrate. Adults spend little time in the water, only returning to the ponds of their birth to breed. All mole salamanders are ...

Streamside salamanders are members of the Mole-salamander family (Ambystomatidae), so called because of their habit of living in mole (and other small mammal) tunnels, often up to a few meters under ground. Related species include marbled salamanders (A. opacum), spotted .salamanders (A. maculatum), and Jefferson salamanders (A. jeffersonianum). In latin, Amby means a cup and stoma means mouth. This refers to their wide cup-shaped mouths designed for gobbling up invertebrates and maybe the other larval amphibians that they eat when they themsleves are larvae. (These wide mouths also make them look like theyre constantly grinning.) Most of their adult lives (perhaps 6-15 years), are spent underground in well defined territories. The other mole salamanders are known to partake in mass migrations during breeding season in which each individual crawls out of his/her mole tunnel to walk hundreds of meters downhill to a particular breeding pond. After a week or so, the salamanders disperse from ...

The Small-mouth salamander (Ambystoma texanum) is a mole salamander species and a member of the Ambystomatidae family. The species may also be referred to as the Texas salamander, the Porphyry salamander or the narrow-mouthed salamander.. The Small-mouthed salamander can be found in the central United States. The species ranges from Michigan to Nebraska, south to Texas and east to Tennessee. The Small-mouth salamander has also been found in Ontario, Canada.. The Small-mouth salamander inhabits moist areas that are relatively close to a water source. When on land, wet prairie, meadow, swamp and damp forest are all preferred habitats. A nocturnal species, the salamander remains hidden beneath logs, rock and leaf litter or in small mammal burrows.. The Small-mouth salamander commonly reaches lengths between 4.5 and 7 inches. Typical coloration is black or dark brown and its belly side is black. Light grey or silver spots or flecks are found on its dorsal (upper) side. Often male small-mouthed ...

Complex cognition and relatively large brains are distributed across various taxa, and many primarily verbal hypotheses exist to explain such diversity. Yet, mathematical approaches formalizing verbal hypotheses would help deepen the understanding of brain and cognition evolution. With this aim, we combine elements of life history and metabolic theories to formulate a metabolically explicit mathematical model for brain life history evolution. We assume that some of the brains energetic expense is due to production (learning) and maintenance (memory) of energy-extraction skills (or cognitive abilities, knowledge, information, etc.). We also assume that individuals use such skills to extract energy from the environment, and can allocate this energy to grow and maintain the body, including brain and reproductive tissues. The model can be used to ask what fraction of growth energy should be allocated at each age, given natural selection, to growing brain and other tissues under various biological ...

TY - JOUR. T1 - A multivariate analysis of genetic constraints to life history evolution in a wild population of red deer. AU - Walling, Craig A.. AU - Morrissey, Michael B.. AU - Foerster, Katharina. AU - Clutton-Brock, Tim H.. AU - Pemberton, Josephine M.. AU - Kruuk, Loeske E B. PY - 2014/1/1. Y1 - 2014/1/1. N2 - Evolutionary theory predicts that genetic constraints should be widespread, but empirical support for their existence is surprisingly rare. Commonly applied univariate and bivariate approaches to detecting genetic constraints can underestimate their prevalence, with important aspects potentially tractable only within a multivariate framework. However, multivariate genetic analyses of data from natural populations are challenging because of modest sample sizes, incomplete pedigrees, and missing data. Here we present results from a study of a comprehensive set of life history traits (juvenile survival, age at first breeding, annual fecundity, and longevity) for both males and females ...

Disclosed is a photolithographic pattern-forming material capable of giving a fine patterned resist layer rapidly and being used repeatedly. The pattern-forming material is a multilayered body comprising a substrate and a photoresist layer thereon which is overlaid with a three-layered composite film for near-field light generation consisting of an intermediate layer of a non-linear optical material such as antimony sandwiched between two dielectric layers. When irradiated with active rays focused on the optically nonlinear layer, a fine optical window or light scattering point is formed therein where a near-field light is generated to pattern-wise expose the photoresist layer.

The claim the null model needs to be falsified is pretty easy to make, but can be difficult in practice to achieve, particularly if the null model itself is full of assumptions. Null models have long been a part of evolutionary ecology, with null models proposed for phenotypic evolution, life history evolution, and species distributions/area relationships. For example, Mike Lynch (and Hill) developed a model of neutral phenotypic evolution (based on mutational input and drift) but this null model is pretty difficult to falsify even in cases when we know the trait in question is likely under selection (e.g., increases in human brain size); too many assumptions go into it. Similarly, there is a new set of models put forth by Hal Caswell (and independently by Tuljapurkar/Steiner) on neutral life history evolution. However, these models make assumptions about how organisms move through their life cycle (a 1st order Markov assumption--current state depends only on prior state), which is, for some, ...

Something rarely seen: a metamorphosed Tennessee Cave Salamander (Gyrinophilus palleucus). These usually paedomorphic salamanders inhabit subterranean waters, primarily observed in cave streams. We saw two larvae in a pool upstream from where we caught this guy, but they unfortunately avoided capture. Jackson County, Alabama. November 2016 ...

Discovery of Anesthesia is one of the most important advancement of modern medicine. Attempts at producing a state of general anesthesia can be traced throughout recorded history in the writings of the ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Indians, and Chinese. During the Middle Ages, which correspond roughly to what is sometimes referred to as the Islamic Golden Age, scientists and other scholars made significant advances in science and medicine in the Muslim…

Some abstracts and videos from the 2013 Congress of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology. Genetic genealogy comes of age: advances in the use of deep-rooted pedigrees in human evolutionary research (video) Author(s): Larmuseau, MHD, Van Geystelen, A, Decorte, R Summary: Research on the recent human evolution will benefit from the implementation of extended genetic genealogical data. The approach to combine deep-rooted pedigrees with genetic information advances the understanding of changes in the human population genetic structure during the last centuries. This recent advance is mainly based on the extensive growth of whole genome sequencing data and available genealogical data of high quality. Moreover, according to the latest genetic genealogical research the historical non-paternity rate in Western Europe is estimated around 1% per generation within the last four centuries, which means that the expected relationship between the legal genealogy and the genetics of DNA donors exists. ...

And, more importantly, are all peoples equally suited, in a neuroendocrinological sense, to live under the regimentation which is bound to come in a vastly overcrowded world? These are questions that I cannot answer, and the very mention of them is considered indecent in my country. Do the minds of all races work in the same fashion, do not their emotions differ with differences in their hormonal peculiarities, and is it not possible that cultures vary to a certain extent in terms of these variations? These questions require research, and the results may mar the vision of a single world culture. People are genetically and culturally different, and short of a global police state run by persons yet to be determined, entrusted with the power to perform chromosomal surgery and interspecific transplants, they will remain different for a long time to come. If the world is to become united, the union must be a loose confederation of very different units, or it will not long endure ...

There are some striking patterns in the results already. 85% of the A00 so far are from the Bangwa (Nweh) people, and 15% from the Nkongho-Mbo. This is despite the fact that nearly 57% of the samples collected were from Mbo, and only 37% were from Bangwa. Once all the results have been fully tabulated, we can provide more complete statistics. It will take a while to transcribe all the rich data from those handwritten sheets into electronic spreadsheets. [. . .] Whats next? Matthew would like to head back to the field quite soon, in the second half of October, when the school where he teaches has a break. Our current plan is for him to visit the region of the Bamileke people. Matthew, an ethno-historian, has said The similarity in names, language, dancing style and all other aspects of life suggest that the Bangwa are 90 percent Bamileke. By testing a good number of Bamileke, well be able to see whether the heritage they share includes A00, or not. It is possible that the A00 among the Bangwa ...

Abstract: Many complex mesoscopic systems, ranging from synthetic colloids to active biological cells, exhibit a rich variety of pattern-forming behavior. In this talk, I will show you how anisotropy in two model systems, anisotropic shaped colloids and bacterial communities, affect complex pattern formation. During the directed self-assembly of colloidal systems, shape anisotropy can greatly influence resulting structures. We have developed a technique called roughness controlled depletion attraction which allows us to probe the phase space of 2D Brownian systems for a variety of anisotropic shapes such as triangles, squares, and other polygons. We have discovered several unanticipated effects, such as local chiral symmetry breaking in a triatic liquid crystal phase of uniform triangles. Anisotropy also plays a large role in the formation of bacterial communities called biofilms. Biofilms are a major human health hazard as well as being an impediment in many industrial and medical settings. By ...

Resembling neatly stacked rows of driftwood abandoned by receding tides, particles left by a confined, evaporating droplet can create beautiful and complex patterns. The natural, pattern-forming process could find use in ...

As a recent Miller Fellow, I have become interested in studying and developing biological genetic circuits that can perform programmable computations. While I dont think cellular based computing can rival the speed of silicon computing, I do believe that a cellular system that can be programmed is an extremely powerful tool for applications we can only begin to imagine. In its simplest incarnation, programmatic control of gene expression would be an invaluable tool for metabolic engineers trying to coax bacteria into producing drugs. More creatively, we might see bacterial cells that can form patterns with each other, and carry out instructions once specific patterns are formed. Recent work suggests that these goals are indeed feasible, but that we are in the exciting beginnings of this adventure! For more information, see the work of Jay Keasling on producing anti-malarial drugs inside bacteria, and Ron Weiss on pattern-forming bacteria. In addition to scientific research, I am involved in ...

Shifts in ecological affinity correlate with changes in evolutionary regime in Xiphosura. Clades that invade nonmarine environments exhibit distinct differences in the prevalence of heterochronic traits in comparison to those that inhabit the marine realm (Fig. 6), with Austrolimulidae demonstrating increased prevalence of peramorphy, while paedomorphy is prevalent among Bellinurina (Fig. 7). Paedomorphic traits have long been recognized in bellinurines (Haug et al. Reference Haug, Van Roy, Leipner, Funch, Rudkin, Schöllmann and Haug2012; Lamsdell in press), including their retention of long, gracile prosomal appendages into adulthood; visible opisthosomal segmentation; and elongated dorsal prosomal shield spines. Austrolimulids, meanwhile, develop elongate and splayed prosomal genal spines; reduce the size of their opisthosomal tergopleura; and exhibit enlarged, posteriorly positioned lateral eyes-all of which are recognized as peramorphic conditions herein. Interestingly, lineages that make ...

Definitions and overview of the history evolution, natural selection, and evolution controversies. Includes brief mentions of evolution scientists.

Duellman, W. E. 1993. Amphibian Species of the World: Additions and Corrections. Univ. of Kansas Printing Service. Lawrence, KS.. Duellman, W. E. and L. Trueb. 1986. Biology of Amphibians. McGraw-Hill, New York.. Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian Species of the World. Allen Press and the Association of Systematics Collections. Lawrence, Kansas.. Hecht, M. K. and J. L. Edwards. 1977. The methodology of phylogenetic inference above the species level. Pp. 3-51 in M. K. Hecht, P. C. Goody and B. M. Hecht (eds.) Major Patterns in Vertebrate Evolution. Plenum Press, New York.. Larson, A. 1991. A molecular perspective on the evolutionary relationships of the salamander families. Evolutionary Biology 25:211-277.. Larson, A. and W. W. Dimmick. 1993. Phylogenetic relationships of the salamander families: A analysis of congruence among morphological and molecular characters. Herpetological Monographs 7:77-93.. Larson, A., D. W. Weisrock, and K. H. Kozak. 2003. Phylogenetic systematics of salamanders (Amphibia: ...

Duellman, W. E. 1993. Amphibian Species of the World: Additions and Corrections. Univ. of Kansas Printing Service. Lawrence, KS.. Duellman, W. E. and L. Trueb. 1986. Biology of Amphibians. McGraw-Hill, New York.. Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian Species of the World. Allen Press and the Association of Systematics Collections. Lawrence, Kansas.. Hecht, M. K. and J. L. Edwards. 1977. The methodology of phylogenetic inference above the species level. Pp. 3-51 in M. K. Hecht, P. C. Goody and B. M. Hecht (eds.) Major Patterns in Vertebrate Evolution. Plenum Press, New York.. Larson, A. 1991. A molecular perspective on the evolutionary relationships of the salamander families. Evolutionary Biology 25:211-277.. Larson, A. and W. W. Dimmick. 1993. Phylogenetic relationships of the salamander families: A analysis of congruence among morphological and molecular characters. Herpetological Monographs 7:77-93.. Larson, A., D. W. Weisrock, and K. H. Kozak. 2003. Phylogenetic systematics of salamanders (Amphibia: ...

en] Current theories on the alternative mating tactics suppose that individuals may opt for particular behavioral patterns depending of their morphological status. Facultative paedomorphosis in newts and salamanders is a suitable process to explore this question because it implies the coexistence of two different morphological morphs differing by the presence of gills and epigamic traits. The aim of this study was to find out whether paedomorphs and metamorphs use similar tactics to attract mates in the presence of a rival and whether there are differences in sexual activity and success between alternative morphs. Sexual interactions in triadic encounters were staged and analyzed in a standardized experimental design. The two kinds of males did not differ in terms of sexual activity, spermatophore deposition or female responsiveness. Both rival paedomorphic and metamorphic males exhibited sexual interference, but in most encounters, intruders just disturbed the courting pair. Sperm transfer ...

Salamandridae is a family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Currently, 74 species (with more expected) have been identified in the Northern Hemisphere - Europe, Asia, the northern tip of Africa, and North America. Salamandrids are distinguished from other salamanders by the lack of rib or costal grooves along the sides of their bodies and by their rough skin. Their skin is very granular because of the number of poison glands. They also lack nasolabial grooves. Most species of Salamandridae have moveable eyelids but lack lacrimal glands. Nearly all salamandrids produce a potent toxin in their skin, with some species being deadly to many other animal species. With a few exceptions, salamandrids have patterns of bright and contrasting colours, most of these are to warn potential predators of their toxicity. They have four well-developed limbs, with four toes on the fore limbs, and (in most cases) five toes on the hind limbs. They vary from 7 to 30 cm (3 to 12 in) in ...

Drosophila melanogaster is a species of Fly (the taxonomic order Diptera) in the family Drosophilidae. The species is known generally as the common fruit fly or vinegar fly. Starting with Charles W. Woodworths proposal of the use of this species as a model organism, D. melanogaster continues to be widely used for biological research in studies of genetics, physiology, microbial pathogenesis and life history evolution. It is typically used because it is an animal species that is easy to care for, breeds quickly, and lays many eggs [Wikipedia].. ...

A sexually dimorphic characteristic, the second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D ratio), has been shown to reflect the prenatal concentration of sex steroid hormones and to correlate with many personality, physiological, and life history traits. The correlations are usually stronger for the right than the left hand. Most studies have shown that the 2D:4D ratio does not vary with age or postnatal concentration of sex steroid hormones. Recently, a strong association between left hand 2D:4D ratio and infection with a common human parasite Toxoplasma has been reported. We hypothesized that the confounding effect of Toxoplasma infection on left hand 2D:4D ratio could be responsible for the stronger association between different traits and right hand rather than left hand 2D:4D ratio. This confounding effect of toxoplasmosis could also be responsible for the difficulty in finding an association between 2D:4D ratio and age or postnatal steroid hormone concentration. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the ...

The point of Dr. Keass book is historical but also very timely: Scientists who challenge materialism today face discrimination as heretics that squelches their research and teaching.. ...

Crucial for the dorsoventral patterning is the BMP / Chordi n interaction (Dpp / short gastrulation in Drosophila). For some systems there are indications components have properties as we expect for pattern-forming systems. BMP and Chordin inhibit each other ([8-12], for review (13,14]). Two components that mutually inhibit each other behave as if positive autoregulation is involved. For instance, an increase of the first component leads to an enforced repression of the second, which, in turn, leads to a further increase of the first as if this substance would be directly positively autoregulating. To obtain a balanced activation of BMP and Chordin at opposite positions, a third component is anticipated that acts antagonistically on one of these indirectly self-enhancing reactions. A candidate is the Anti-Dorsalizing Morphogenetic Protein (ADMP) [15]. Its properties have been frequently regarded as counterintuitive: being expressed in the organizer, but its function is to reduce organizer ...

gene expression profiles (log10 relative concentrations) in both X. laevis and X. tropicalis is shown fitted by sigmoids.(C) Plots of t1 (time of induction) for pairs of genes with ,0.8 goodness of fit in both species. The green line is unity and the red is fitted to the data.(D) Plots of h1 (range of expression). Same format as (C).(E and F) Heterochrony/heterometry phase-plane for families of transcription factors (E) and several signaling pathways (F). The circles and lines indicate the mean and standard deviation of each gene sets heterochronies and heterometries. The transcription factor families are helix-loop-helix (PF00010, 27 genes with sigmoids), Homeobox (IPR001356, 74 genes), Zinc finger (C2H2 type, IPR007087, 24 genes), T-box (IPR001699, 5 genes), Fox ...

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesnt cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control. ...

Vertebrate Hoxd genes are sequentially activated during the morphogenesis and pattern formation of the limb. Using the approach of gene disruption via homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells, we have assessed the function of the last gene of the complex, Hoxd-13. Mutant mice displayed skele …

This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Wielstra, B., Litvinchuk, S. N., Naumov, B., Tzankov, N., Arntzen, J. W. (2013): A revised taxonomy of crested newts in the Triturus karelinii group (Amphibia: Caudata: Salamandridae), with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 3682 (3): 441-453, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3682.3.5 ...

Welcome to the Comparative Functional Genomics Laboratory at the University of Guelph led by Dr. Andreas Heyland ([email protected]). Dr. Heylands laboratory uses novel functional genomics approaches to study the endocrine and neuroendocrine systems of aquatic invertebrates. Specifically he investigates the function and evolution of hormonal and neurotransmitter signaling systems in the regulation of development and metamorphosis. His research includes Evolutionary development studies of marine invertebrate metamorphosis, eco-toxicogenomic approached to understand endocrine disruption in aquatic ecosystems and water remediation technologies. These projects are integrated with several national and international collaborations ranging form basic scientific work to industry partnerships.. Our research program includes the following projects:. 1) Application of Functional Genomics Approaches to Emerging Models. 2) Mechanisms of Life History Evolution. 3) Iodine and thyroid hormone function in ...

A major goal of genomic and reproductive biology is to understand the evolution of sex determination and sex chromosomes. Species of the 2 genera of the Salamander family Proteidae - |i|Necturus

This is primarily an old world family with six representatives in North America (Stebbins 1985), one of which can be found in Idaho, Taricha granulosa (Rough-skinned Newt). Characteristics of the family include vomerine teeth in two long rows (Goin and Goin 1971),the absence of a nasolabial groove, no parasphenoid_teeth ...

Approximately 55 extant species in 15 genera are recognized in this morphologically and behaviorally diverse family of salamanders. Geographic distribution is the largest of any salamander family, with four disjunct centers. Salamandrids occur primarily in Europe (throughout most of Europe, South into northern Africa and east into Asia), and Asia (especially India, Southern China, and mainland Southeast Asia). Two genera are endemic to North America.. The salamandrids are informally subdivided into two subgroups, the true salamanders (including the genera Chioglossa, Mertensiella, and Salamandra), and the newts (the remaining genera). The true salamanders tend to be smooth skinned, while the newts are unlike all other salamanders in having rough skin that is not slimy.. Most adult salamandrids are small, rarely exceeding 20 cm in length, and brightly colored. All salamandrids have toxic skin secretions (some produce tetrodotoxins), and many have bright warning coloration that is used in ...

Zhiyong YUAN, Ke JIANG, Limin DING, Liang ZHANG and Jing CHE, 2013. A New Newt of the Genus Cynops (Caudata: Salamandridae) from Guangdong, China.

Brightsmith, D. J. 2005. Competition, predation and nest niche shifts among tropical cavity nesters: phylogeny and natural history evolution of parrots (Psittaciformes) and trogons (Trogoniformes). Journal of Avian Biology 36:64-73.. Collar, N.J. 1997. Psittacidae (Parrots). Pages 280-477 in Handbook of the Birds of the World. J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, eds. BirdLife International and Lynx Editions, Cambridge, UK and Barcelona.. de Kloet, R. S. and S. R. de Kloet. 2005. The evolution of the spindlin gene in birds: Sequence analysis of an intron of the spindlin W and Z gene reveals four major divisions of the Psittaciformes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 36:706-721. Forshaw, J. M. 2006. Parrots of the World. Princeton University Press.. Forshaw, J. and W. T. Cooper. 2002 Australian Parrots, 3rd edn. Robina Press, Queensland, Australia. Higgins, P. J. 1999 Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds, vol. 4: Parrots to Dollarbird. Oxford University Press, ...

Beside our main interest in rather large-scale biogeography and phylogeography of the Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and Mediterranean, we also conduct a research on the Central European (mainly Czech and Slovak) reptiles and amphibians. In collaboration with the team from the Comenius University in Bratislava and National Museum in Prague we study population genetics and morphological variation in the contact zone of two slow-worm species (Anguis fragilis and A. colchica). We also found a unique paedomorphic population of the smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) in Central Bohemia, Czech Republic:. Gvoždík V., Javůrková V., Kopecký O., 2013: First evidence of a paedomorphic population of the smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) in the Czech Republic. Acta Herpetologica 8 (1): 53- ...

Fire salamander (salmandra salamandra from family Salamandridae) live an area Middle and South Europe. HD Stock Footage Clip. Medium shot.

Fire salamander (salmandra salamandra from family Salamandridae) live an area Middle and South Europe. HD Stock Footage Clip. Medium shot.

Yang, D.-d., J.-p. Jiang, Y.-h. Shen, and D.-b. Fei. 2014. A new species of the genus Tylototriton (Urodela: Salamandridae) from northeastern Hunan Province, China. Asian Herpetological Research 5: 1-11 ...

Skull is one of the commonest parts of the skeleton used to opine on the sex of an individual. Sexual dimorphism is insignificant in the pre-pubertal age group. Although adult skulls show a few non-metrical and metrical differences, there is paedomorphic tendency in the human skulls of either sex (William PL et al 1995). Absolute sexual differences seldom exist (Bass 1955). Further, hormones, nutritional status, cultural differences and environmental factors affect these variations. Skulls from different geographical areas vary much. Skull shapes may also vary within a population and even among the closely related.. Traditionally sexing of the skull has been based on the non-metrical traits (Krogman 1962, Berry 1975). Non-metrical differences are mainly in facial skeleton, vault and mandible.. There are a few studies, which have used exhaustive list of metrical parameters for sexing of the skulls (Keen 1950, Hanihara 1959, Steyn and Iscan 1997, Stewart 1948). Keen (1950) has chosen a large ...

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Cryogenic 6536 (MCZ:Cryo:6536); Pachytriton granulosus; Asia: China: Zhejiang; Lishui, Mt. Jiulong; Animalia Chordata Amphibia Lissamphibia Caudata Salamandroidea Salamandridae Pachytriton granulosus;

Cryogenic 6568 (MCZ:Cryo:6568); Pachytriton granulosus; Asia: China: Zhejiang; Lishui, Jiyun; Animalia Chordata Amphibia Lissamphibia Caudata Salamandroidea Salamandridae Pachytriton granulosus;

ABSTRACT: The yellow-spotted mountain newt Neurergus microspilotus (Caudata: Salamandridae) is listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In spite of its conservation status and laws protecting it, the species continues to decline in the wild. A captive breeding program was successfully established to support the species recovery. To learn more about the species ecology and winter mortality, 24 juveniles reared in captivity were released on 4 occasions in a small spring enclosure from July to September 2012 and monitored until December, when they disappeared for overwintering. In 12 visits to the site before and after overwintering, a total of 31 individuals were identified. Based on an average diurnal detection probability for this newt (0.61 ± 0.19 SD), the observed newts during the pre-overwintering period were estimated to represent 6.5 to 41.0% of the reintroduced newts. The newts observed after overwintering were 13 to 28% of the reintroduced newts. This ...

A molecular phylogeny of the salamandrid genus Neurergus was reconstructed based on two sections of the 12S and 16S mitochondrial ribosomal genes (810 bp), 19 allozyme and three plasma protein loci. When representative species of all closely related salamandrid groups were included, mitochondrial data provided evidence for monophyly of Neurergus within the Salamandridae. Mitochondrial and allozyme data showed homogenous intrageneric tree topologies, but different estimates of times of separation. We calibrated the evolutionary rate to 0.46% pairwise sequence divergence per million years. Accordingly Neurergus diverged 18 million years ago (mya) from a lineage that comprised Euproctus asper and large bodied newts of the genus Triturus. A split around 11 mya produced two major clades within Neurergus. Further separation within the southern 'N. crocatus-clade' (comprising N. crocatus, N. microspilotus and N. kaiseri) occurred ca. 5 mya. The northern 'N. strauchii-clade' separated into N

Fascinating! This is consistent with the integral role of the timing of developmental processes in the development of phenotypic traits. There is resurgence in evolutionary biology (including within the neurosciences--which I discuss in my recent JevoHealth paper on play and human brain development) in recognizing the role of heterochrony (changes in timing of developmental processes in a descendant relative to its ancestors) in the evolution of new or altered traits. Evolution acts most powerfully through that which is easiest to change--which often turns out to be the timing of developmentally-programmed traits. If the modern world keeps up its leptinogenic environment, we may find the trait of early sexual maturity become canalized in our species. I wonder what the long-term consequences of this would be for human society and civilization. Sounds like a fascinating topic for a sci fi story, because it will take too many generations for the human species to lose its phenotypic plasticity in ...

And that leads me to discussing one of the most challenging and confusing salamanders of southern Ontario: Jeffersons Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum). The Jeffs is largely restricted to south central Ontario, although ongoing research has had it turn up slightly beyond that area. It is a large salamander, with adults reaching 18-20 cm in total length. It is dark bluish black, with a few lighter whitish-bluish flecks, but not as large or as brightly marked as the Blue-spotted Salamander. What makes things especially challenging in identifying these salamanders in the field is a result of the unusual reproductive process and ultimate genetics of these two species. They hybridize, and there is a broad zone of hybridization. One can really only tell what kind one is by doing DNA analysis, which for these salamanders requires snipping a small tip of the tail, running it through a blender of sorts, and then examining the DNA. There are many variations of the genetic make-up of these hybrids, ...

So a new study conducted by UC Davis research revealed interesting things from interbred salamanders, results that go against what was the dominant

TY - JOUR. T1 - Ontogeny discombobulates phylogeny. T2 - Paedomorphosis and higher-level salamander relationships. AU - Wiens, John J. AU - Bonett, Ronald M.. AU - Chippindale, Paul T.. PY - 2005/2. Y1 - 2005/2. N2 - Evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) has revolutionized evolutionary biology but has had relatively little impact on systematics. We show that similar large-scale developmental changes in distantly related lineages can dramatically mislead phylogenetic analyses based on morphological data. Salamanders are important model systems in many fields of biology and are of special interest in that many species are paedomorphic and thus never complete metamorphosis. A recent study of higher-level salamander phylogeny placed most paedomorphic families in a single clade based on morphological data. Here, we use new molecular and morphological data to show that this result most likely was caused by the misleading effects of paedomorphosis. We also provide a well-supported estimate of ...

Ozark blind cave salamanders, known also as ghost lizards and grotto salamanders, live in subterranean systems in the Ozark Mountains -- and nowhere else in the world. Theyre pretty rare, and they often dwell in almost inaccessible caverns, so scientists still are learning about the behavior and quirks of this ...

Digital Morphology account of the extremely minute salamander, Thorius minutissimus, featuring CT-generated animations of the whole specimen