Morphology, Reproduction and Diet in Australian and Papuan Death Adders (Acanthophis, Elapidae)

Shine, Richard; Spencer, Carol; Keogh, J. Scott

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0094216

Cited by 15 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Ambush foraging has also been observed in the horned sea snake, Hydrophis peronii Duméril, 1853 (Elapidae; Borsa, 2008). Acanthophis (Elapidae), in which some species have horn-like supraocular scales, share remarkable morphological convergence with terrestrial vipers and like many vipers also employ caudal luring to attract prey (Shine, Spencer, & Keogh, 2014;Crowe-Riddell et al, 2021). These comparisons may support the hypothesis that horns evolved under selection for crypsis in ambush foraging snakes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Habitat determines convergent evolution of cephalic horns in vipers

Busschau

Boissinot

2022

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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Phenotypic convergence of traits in similar environments can provide insights into the evolutionary processes shaping trait evolution. Among squamate reptiles, horn-like cephalic appendages have evolved under various selective pressures, including selection for defence, crypsis or sexual selection. Yet, among snakes, particularly vipers, the functional and evolutionary significance of horns are unknown. We used a comparative phylogenetic approach with habitat and diet data on 263 viper taxa to shed light on the selective pressures underlying horn evolution in vipers. We detected significant correlations with habitat but not diet. The relative positions of horns are ecologically divergent in that supranasal horns are positively correlated with terrestrial forest habitats while supraocular horns are negatively correlated with terrestrial forest habitats and are instead associated with arboreal or sparsely vegetated habitats. Multiple independent origins of supranasal or supraocular horns in similar habitats provide evidence of adaptive convergence. Comparisons with other snake lineages suggest that cephalic appendages may have evolved under selection for crypsis in ambush foraging snakes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Habitat determines convergent evolution of cephalic horns in vipers

Busschau

Boissinot

2022

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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“…Previous analysis of stomach contents in museum specimens of A. antarcticus (throughout their Australian geographic range) reveal that larger snakes tend to eat more endotherms, e.g. birds and mammals, than smaller snakes (summarised in Figure S1 and Table S2) (Shine, 1980;Shine, Spencer, & Keogh, 2014). The mammalian prey that could be identified to family level were mostly rodents (Muridae, 52%), followed by a single dunnart (Sminthopsis spp.)…”

Section: Ecological Significance Of Colour Change In Caudal Luresmentioning

confidence: 98%

From matte banded to glossy black: structures underlying colour change in the caudal lures of southern death adders (Acanthophis antarcticus,Reptilia: Elapidae)

Crowe‐Riddell

Dix

Pieterman

et al. 2021

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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Many ambush-foraging snakes move their tails to entice prey within striking range (‘caudal luring’). During ontogeny, the conspicuous hues of caudal lures change to match the cryptic patterning of the body/head. This coincides with decreased luring behaviour and reflects the trade-off between prey acquisition and camouflage as the snake grows. Australo-Papuan death adders (Acanthophis, Elapidae) are unique in that both juveniles and adults use caudal luring, but ontogenetic colour change has not been investigated. We examined the spectral reflectance, microstructure and pigmentation of caudal skin in wild-sourced and captive bred Acanthopihs antarcticus ranging in body size (snout-vent length 116–674 mm; mass 3–832 g; N = 33) to test whether colour properties change as snakes grow. We found that lure colour is distinct from the cryptic body skin across the life history, and changes from a matte banding pattern (grey/black) in neonates/juveniles, to uniform and glossy black with a yellow ventral stripe in larger snakes. These colour changes are caused by increases in dermal pigmentation and a transition to a smooth, interlocking epidermal microstructure. To understand the selection pressures that might be driving ontogenetic colour change in this species, further studies should test how different prey types respond to distinct lure morphologies.

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“…The other genera of New Guinean elapids are principally lowland inhabitants. Acanthophis has two lineages in New Guinea (laevis, rugosus; Wüster et al, 2005;Shine et al, 2014). The latter species appears to be primarily a Trans-Fly species, and the former is a widespread species in Papua Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.…”

Section: Diversity and Distribution Patterns In The New Guinean Herpementioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity in Pacific Slender-Toed Geckos, Nactus pelagicus Complex (Reptilia: Squamata), of New Guinea and Adjacent Islands

Zug

2020

Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology

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The diversity within the genus Nactus is slight in comparison to the other Australasian genus of narrow-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus). The latter now has more than 290 species, with over half of these species newly described in the twenty-first century. In contrast, prior to this study, 12 Nactus species were recognized formally in the recent herpetological literature: three species in the Mascarene Islands, two in the Pacific Islands, three in Australia, and six in New Guinea and associated island groups. Three of these New Guinea species are miniature (snout–vent length ≤ 40 mm) species, and three are in the pelagicus complex; with the exception of the recently described N. kunan, all other New Guinean populations were labeled N. pelagicus even though they were known to be bisexual species and differed from the unisexual N. pelagicus of Oceania. Considering only bisexual New Guinean “pelagicus,” my morphological analyses recognize 24 distinct populations for which I provide new names or resurrected species names from synonymies. Of these 24, two species are extralimital (Morotai and Kei Islands). The sampling of Nactus in Indonesia Papua is very poor, with only one specimen from the base of the Vogelkop, two from south coast drainages, and more than a dozen from islands from the east coast of Cenderawasih Bay; the remainder derive from Papua New Guinea (PNG). The Indonesia Papua populations represent four species, two of which are shared with PNG. Papua New Guinea thus has a total of 20 species, varying from widespread species (e.g., north coast of main Papua to the Sepik-Ramu area) to a single locality in Madang or single islands in the Louisiade Archipelago. Most distributions of the PNG species match at least one other PNG anuran or reptile species. The greatest diversity of PNG species occurs in Madang Province to Huon Peninsula and the Milne Bay mainland with sympatry in both areas. The “pelagicus complex” of species is herein confirmed to be polyphyletic. In spite of its use in this study, its subsequent use should be restricted to the unisexual species and their parental species, of which only one (N. multicarinatus) is known. The preceding represents a subgroup within the larger clade of Australian and New Guinean bisexual species. For the present, I do not recommend a name for this group because a molecular phylogenetic analysis will be required to identify the cladogenesis of the Nactus species.

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Morphology, Reproduction and Diet in Australian and Papuan Death Adders (Acanthophis, Elapidae)

Cited by 15 publications

References 56 publications

Habitat determines convergent evolution of cephalic horns in vipers

Habitat determines convergent evolution of cephalic horns in vipers

From matte banded to glossy black: structures underlying colour change in the caudal lures of southern death adders (Acanthophis antarcticus,Reptilia: Elapidae)

Diversity in Pacific Slender-Toed Geckos, Nactus pelagicus Complex (Reptilia: Squamata), of New Guinea and Adjacent Islands

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