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Femoral Pore
Femoral pores are a part of a holocrine secretory gland found on the inside of the thighs of certain lizards and amphisbaenians which releases pheromones to attract mates or mark territory. In certain species only the male has these pores and in other species, both sexes have them, with the male's being larger. Femoral pores appear as a series of pits or holes within a row of scales on the ventral portion of the animal's thigh. Femoral pores are present in all genera in the families Cordylidae, Crotaphytidae, Hoplocercidae, Iguanidae, Phrynosomatidae, and Xantusiidae. They are absent in all genera in the Anguidae, Chamaeleonidae, Dibamidae, Helodermatidae, Scincidae, Xenosauridae, and Varanidae families. They are present in other lizards and amphisbaenians quite variably, some geckoes, '' Phelsuma'', for example have these pores, others in the same family do not. In the desert iguana (''Dipsosaurus dorsalis''), the waxy lipids released from the femoral pores abs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holocrine
Holocrine (from Ancient Greek ὅλος; ''hólos'', “whole, entire” + κρῑ́νω; ''krī́nō'', “to separate”) is a term used to classify the mode of secretion in exocrine glands in the study of histology. Holocrine secretions are produced in the cytoplasm of the cell and released by the rupture of the plasma membrane, which destroys the cell and results in the secretion of the product into the lumen. Holocrine gland secretion is the most damaging (to the cell itself and not to the host which begot the cell) type of secretion, with merocrine secretion being the least damaging and apocrine secretion falling in between. Examples of holocrine glands include the sebaceous glands of the skin and the meibomian glands of the eyelid. The sebaceous gland is an example of a holocrine gland because its product of secretion (sebum A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete an oily or waxy matter, called se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helodermatidae
The Helodermatidae or beaded lizards are a small family of lizards endemic to North America today, but formerly more widespread in the ancient past. Traditionally, the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard were the only species recognized, although the latter has recently been split into several species. While the fossil record of this family may date back to as far as the Cretaceous with genera such as '' Primaderma'' and '' Paraderma'' of North America, the oldest definitive members of the Helodermatidae date to the Early Oligocene, with ''Lowesaurus matthewi'' from North America (Nebraska) and ''Euheloderma gallicum'' from Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ... (France). References {{Reflist Lizard families Taxa named by John Edward Gray ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gallotia Galloti
''Gallotia galloti'' (Gallot's lizard, Tenerife lizard, or Western Canaries lizard) is a species of Lacertidae, lacertid (wall lizard) in the genus ''Gallotia''. The species is found on the Canary Islands of Tenerife and La Palma. Both the Genus, generic name, ''Gallotia'', and the Specific name (zoology), specific name, ''galloti'', are in honor of D. Gallot, an amateur Natural history, naturalist, who collected the holotype, type specimen.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michel; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Gallotia galloti'', p. 97). Four subspecies are recognized: *''Gallotia galloti eisentrauti'' - Northern Tenerife lizard (northern Tenerife) *''Gallotia galloti galloti'' - Southern Tenerife lizard (central and southern Tenerife, including Teide) *''Gallotia galloti insulanagae'' - Anaga lizard (Roque de Fuera de Anaga, offshore the Macizo de Anaga mountains, northeastern Tenerife) *''Ga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meroles Anchietae
The shovel-snouted lizard (''Meroles anchietae''), also known commonly as Anchieta's desert lizard, Anchieta's dune lizard and the Namib sand-diver, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to southern Africa. Etymology The specific name, ''anchietae'', is in honor of Portuguese naturalist José Alberto de Oliveira Anchieta, who was an explorer of Africa. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Meroles anchietae'', p. 8). Geographic range ''M. anchietae'' is found in Angola and Namibia. Habitat The preferred natural habitat of ''M. anchietae'' is desert, with aeolian sand dunes and sparse vegetation, at altitudes from sea level to . Description Adults of ''M. anchietae'' have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about . Branch, Bill (2004). ''Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Third Revised edition, Second impressi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sexual Dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most animals and some plants. Differences may include secondary sex characteristics, size, weight, colour, markings, or behavioural or cognitive traits. These differences may be subtle or exaggerated and may be subjected to sexual selection and natural selection. The opposite of dimorphism is ''monomorphism'', which is when both biological sexes are phenotypically indistinguishable from each other. Overview Ornamentation and coloration Common and easily identified types of dimorphism consist of ornamentation and coloration, though not always apparent. A difference in coloration of sexes within a given species is called sexual dichromatism, which is commonly seen in many species of birds and reptiles. Sexual selection leads to the exaggerated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leopard Gecko
The leopard gecko or common leopard gecko (''Eublepharis macularius'') is a ground-dwelling lizard native to the rocky dry grassland and desert regions of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. The leopard gecko has become a popular pet, and due to extensive captive breeding it is sometimes referred to as the first domesticated species of lizard. Taxonomy Leopard geckos were first described as a species by zoologist Edward Blyth in 1854 as ''Eublepharis macularius''. The generic name ''Eublepharis'' is a combination of the Greek words ''eu'' (good) and ''blepharos'' (eyelid), as having eyelids is the primary characteristic that distinguishes members of this subfamily from other geckos, along with a lack of lamellae. The specific name ''macularius'' derives from the Latin word ''macula'' meaning "spot" or "blemish", referring to the animal's natural spotted markings. There are five subspecies of E. macularius: *''Eublepharis macularius afghanicus'' *''Eublepharis macula ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight, and constitutes about 10% of the total electromagnetic radiation output from the Sun. It is also produced by electric arcs and specialized lights, such as mercury-vapor lamps, tanning lamps, and black lights. Although long-wavelength ultraviolet is not considered an ionizing radiation because its photons lack the energy to ionize atoms, it can cause chemical reactions and causes many substances to glow or fluoresce. Consequently, the chemical and biological effects of UV are greater than simple heating effects, and many practical applications of UV radiation derive from its interactions with organic molecules. Short-wave ultraviolet light damages DNA and sterilizes surfaces with which it comes into contact. F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lipid
Lipids are a broad group of naturally-occurring molecules which includes fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The functions of lipids include storing energy, signaling, and acting as structural components of cell membranes. Lipids have applications in the cosmetic and food industries, and in nanotechnology. Lipids may be broadly defined as hydrophobic or amphiphilic small molecules; the amphiphilic nature of some lipids allows them to form structures such as vesicles, multilamellar/unilamellar liposomes, or membranes in an aqueous environment. Biological lipids originate entirely or in part from two distinct types of biochemical subunits or "building-blocks": ketoacyl and isoprene groups. Using this approach, lipids may be divided into eight categories: fatty acyls, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, saccharolipids, and polyketides (derived from cond ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Desert Iguana
The desert iguana (''Dipsosaurus dorsalis'') is an iguana species found in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, as well as on several Gulf of California islands. Taxonomy The species was first described in the ''Catalog of North American Reptiles'', by Spencer Fullerton Baird and Charles Frédéric Girard, in 1859 as ''Crotaphytus dorsalis.'' It was reclassified two years later as ''Dipsosaurus dofus dorsalis'' by Edward Hallowell. The generic name comes from a combination of two Greek words meaning "thirsty lizard": "" () for "thirsty", and "" () for "lizard". The specific name, "dorsalis", comes from the Latin word ''dorsum'' meaning "spike", in reference to a row of enlarged spiked scales on the middle of the lizard's back which form a crest that extends almost to the tip of its vent. ''Dipsosaurus'' contains two species, ''D. dorsalis'', and ''D. catalinensis''. Genetic evidence supports ''Dipsosaurus'' being the m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phelsuma
''Phelsuma'' is a large genus of geckos in the family Gekkonidae. Species in the genus ''Phelsuma'' are commonly referred to as day geckos. Some day geckos are seriously endangered and some are common, but all ''Phelsuma'' species are CITES Appendix II listed. Little is known about trade in day geckos, but the IUCN considers it a threat to some species. Some species are captive-bred. Taxonomy The genus itself is thought to have originated anywhere between the Late Cretaceous to the mid-Eocene (43 to 75 mya), as that is when its lineage is known to have diverged from the one containing the Namaqua day gecko (''Rhoptropella''), although it is unknown how closely related both genera are. The crown group containing all recent species is thought to have originated in the early Oligocene, about 30 million years ago, with the most basal of them being the isolated Andaman day gecko (''P. andamanensis''), which diverged from all other species shortly after the crown group originated. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
