Color polymorphism is genetically controlled, and the process generating maintaining morphs can affect speciation/extinction rates. badges are useful signals in intraspecific communication because they convey information about alternative strategies potentially decrease unnecessary conflicts among different color morphs. Competition aggressive interactions contribute to maintenance. This could ...

The current nomenclature system of group I introns (see Cech, 1988;Michel & Westhof, 1990) has become insufficient to distinguish and categorize the complex collection of more than 900 group I introns in ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of nuclear, mitochondrial, chloroplast, and eubacterial genomes (http://www+rna+icmb+utexas+edu/; GenBank; our unpubl+ results) in a rational way+ The majority of these gro...

Femoral glands of male lizards produce waxy secretions that are involved in inter- and intraspecific chemical communication. The main components of these secretions are proteins and lipids, the latter having been extensively studied and already associated to male quality. On the opposite, the composition and role of proteins are nearly unknown, the only available information coming from few stu...

In recent years, molecular studies have revealed complex patterns of diVerentiation within many European herpetological taxa. Wall lizards (Podarcis spp.) were one of the most studied groups, perhaps due to the complexity of deWning taxonomical entities within this genus by morphological analysis only, due to an extreme intraspeciWc variability coupled with low variation between species. Regard...

The epiphysis of femur and tibia in the lizard Podarcis muralis can extensively regenerate after injury. The process involves the articular cartilage and metaphyseal (growth) plate after damage. The secondary ossification center present between the articular cartilage and the growth plate is replaced by cartilaginous epiphyses after about one month of regeneration at high temperature. The prese...

Lizards and small rodents were live captured in Tuscany, central Italy, from May through August 2005. Prevalence of infestation by larval Ixodes ricinus L. (Acari: Ixodidae) and mean numbers of larvae per host were not significantly different for common wall lizards, Podarcis muralis Laurenti, and Apodemus spp. mice, whereas infestation levels by nymphs were significantly greater on lizards. Bo...

Abstract Game theory models predict the outcome of a dyadic contest to depend on opponents’ asymmetries in three main traits: resource-holding potential (RHP), resource value (RV) and aggressiveness. Using male common wall lizards Podarcis muralis , polymorphic species showing discrete morphs (white, yellow, red), we investigated how aggressive behavior varies according change subjective RV col...