AN ADULT MALE Basiliscus plumifrons COPE, 1875 WITHOUT AN ARM SURVIVES IN THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST OF COSTA RICA.

Abstract

El basilisco verde (Basiliscus plumifrons) es una lagartija centroamericana de moderado tamaño que habita desde Honduras hasta Panamá. La especie es sobre todo arborícola, aunque también se le observa perchando en troncos, rocas y arbustos. Esta lagartija se alimenta de invertebrados y vertebrados, y también consume flores y frutas. El 23 de junio de 2019 a las 0932 h, en el Parque Nacional Cahuita en el Caribe de Costa Rica, observamos un basilisco verde que no tenía su extremidad delantera izquierda. El basilisco solo tenía un pequeño muñón bien cicatrizado. En esta nota reportamos este caso y discutimos algunas implicaciones relacionadas a la pérdida y regeneración de apéndices en anfibios y reptiles.

A BRIEF REVIEW OF LIMB ANOMALIES IN LIZARDS AND PRESENCE OF ECTRODACTILY IN Aspidoscelis costatus (SQUAMATA: TEIIDAE)

“…Such conditions may result from either genetic or environmental factors (e.g., predation attempts or developmental problems arising from the effects of temperature, humidity levels, toxins, etc. ; Rothschild et al, 2012;Kolenda et al, 2017;Mora et al, 2020). Such morphological departures from the usual body plan may present themselves in different forms, with some, but not all, being described in the next paragraph.…”

FIRST RECORD OF ECTOMELY IN Phrynosoma orbiculare (SQUAMATA: PHRYONOSOMATIDAE): PREDATION INJURY OR CONGENITAL ANOMALY?

“…Therefore, any kind of limb anomaly might constitute a potential cost to the overall fitness of individuals (Gkourtsouli-Antoniadou et al, 2017). However, limb anomalies are quite common in different lizard species (Gleed-Owen, 2012;Kolenda et al, 2017;Gkourtsouli-Antoniadou et al, 2017;Christopoulos & Pafilis, 2020;Mora et al, 2020) and are regarded as having genetic and environmental origins (Rothschild et al, 2012;Kolenda et al, 2017;Christopoulos & Pafilis, 2020). Here we report the first case of a forelimb anomaly in an individual of Mountain Horned Lizard Phrynosoma orbiculare.…”

“…Previous studies in different lizard species have considered two potential causes for limb anomalies: injuries from predation attempts (Mora et al, 2020) or malformation during embryo development (Raynaud, 1990). Predators of Phrynosoma lizards are quite diverse, including mammals such as canids (e.g., Vulpes spp.…”

“…A previous record in P. cornutum has shown that horned lizards can survive predator attacks with visible and healed wounds (Sherbrooke, 2022); however, to our knowledge, there are no records of Phrynosoma lizards that had survived a predation attempt with partial limb loss. Records of other lizard species suggest that individuals with ectomely do not decrease their mobility and flee capacity (Gleed-Owen, 2012;Kolenda et al, 2017;Christopoulos & Pafilis 2020;Mora et al, 2020), but they probably would not be able to climb. Taking all into account, this is the first case of ectomely in a Phrynosoma lizard and further studies could help to elucidate if this kind of anomaly is environmentally or genetically determined.…”

PRIMER CASO DE ECTROMELIA EN Corytophanes cristatus (SQUAMATA: CORYTOPHANIDAE)

“…Los reportes de anomalías morfológicas han aumentado significativamente en los últimos años principalmente en anfibios y reptiles (Rebouças et al, 2019;Venerozo-Tlazalo et al, 2022;Díaz-Marín et al, 2023). En los reptiles, las anomalías en extremidades son comunes (Gleed-Owen,2012;Kolenda et al, 2017;Mora et al, 2020, Díaz-Marín et al, 2023, y pueden ser de origen genético (i.e. mutaciones) o ambiental (i.e., exposición a contaminantes o luz ultravioleta, infección por endoparásitos o depredación selectiva; Rothschild et al,2012, Christopoulos & Pafilis, 2020.…”