Rapid color change in a Horsfield’s Spiny Lizard (Salea horsfieldii) in Nilgiris, India

Rapid change in the thermal tolerance of a tropical lizard.

The predominant view is that the thermal physiology of tropical ectotherms, including lizards, is not labile over ecological timescales. We used the recent introduction (∼35 years ago) of the Puerto Rican lizard Anolis cristatellus to Miami, Florida, to test this thermal rigidity hypothesis. We measured lower (critical thermal minimum [CT(min)]) and upper (critical thermal maximum [CT(max)]) th...

Testosterone stimulates the expression of a social color signal in Yarrow's Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus jarrovii.

The sex steroid testosterone has been shown to regulate the development of male-specific coloration in many organisms that exhibit sexual dichromatism, but the role of testosterone is less certain for species in which both sexes express bright coloration. Lizards in the genus Sceloporus possess bright blue patches on their throats and abdomens. These patches, which are used in social signaling,...

Correlation of skin color and gingival pigmentation patterns in a group of South Indians in India

Background: Melanin pigmentation of the gingiva occurs in allethnicities. Excessive pigmentation is an esthetic concern thathas increased awareness about depigmentation procedures. Thepurpose of the present study was to correlate the skin color andgender with the intensity and distribution of gingival melaninpigmentation in a group of South Indians for treatment strategies.Method: Two hundred m...

Population differences in a lizard communicative display: evidence for rapid change in structure and function.

Population differences in a communicative display can lead to reproductive isolation and speciation, and are an indicator of the potential for rapid change in the display. Herein, we describe differences in the push-up displays produced by three populations of sagebrush lizards, Sceloporus graciosus, in the field. Lizards from these three populations differ in the use of display body postures, ...

A Preliminary Study of Plague at a Hill Station in the Nilgiris, South India