A hard problem that hinders the movement of waxy crude oil is wax deposition in oil pipelines.To ensure the safe operation of crude oil pipelines,an accurate model must be developed to predict the rate of wax depositi...A hard problem that hinders the movement of waxy crude oil is wax deposition in oil pipelines.To ensure the safe operation of crude oil pipelines,an accurate model must be developed to predict the rate of wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.Aiming at the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,which easily falls into the local minimum value and weak generalization ability in the implementation process,an optimized ENN prediction model based on the IRSA is proposed.The validity of the new model was confirmed by the accurate prediction of two sets of experimental data on wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.The two groups of crude oil wax deposition rate case prediction results showed that the average absolute percentage errors of IRSA-ENN prediction models is 0.5476% and 0.7831%,respectively.Additionally,it shows a higher prediction accuracy compared to the ENN prediction model.In fact,the new model established by using the IRSA to optimize ENN can optimize the initial weights and thresholds in the prediction process,which can overcome the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,such as weak generalization ability and tendency to fall into the local minimum value,so that it has the advantages of strong implementation and high prediction accuracy.展开更多
With the growth of the discipline of digital communication,the topic has acquiredmore attention in the cybersecuritymedium.The Intrusion Detection(ID)system monitors network traffic to detect malicious activities.The ...With the growth of the discipline of digital communication,the topic has acquiredmore attention in the cybersecuritymedium.The Intrusion Detection(ID)system monitors network traffic to detect malicious activities.The paper introduces a novel Feature Selection(FS)approach for ID.Reptile Search Algorithm(RSA)—is a new optimization algorithm;in this method,each agent searches a new region according to the position of the host,which makes the algorithm suffers from getting stuck in local optima and a slow convergence rate.To overcome these problems,this study introduces an improved RSA approach by integrating Cauchy Mutation(CM)into the RSA’s structure.Thus,the CM can effectively expand search space and enhance the performance of the RSA.The developed RSA-CM is assessed on five publicly available ID datasets:KDD-CUP99,NSL-KDD,UNSW-NB15,CIC-IDS2017,and CIC-IDS2018 and two engineering problems.The RSA-CM is compared with the original RSA,and three other state-of-the-art FS methods,namely particle swarm optimization,grey wolf optimization,and multi-verse optimizer,and quantitatively is evaluated using fitness value,the number of selected optimum features,accuracy,precision,recall,and F1-score evaluationmeasures.The results reveal that the developed RSA-CMgot better results than the other competitive methods applied for FS on the ID datasets and the examined engineering problems.Moreover,the Friedman test results confirm that RSA-CMhas a significant superiority compared to other methods as an FS method for ID.展开更多
Two novel improved variants of reptile search algorithm(RSA),RSA with opposition-based learning(ORSA)and hybrid ORSA with pattern search(ORSAPS),are proposed to determine the proportional,integral,and derivative(PID)c...Two novel improved variants of reptile search algorithm(RSA),RSA with opposition-based learning(ORSA)and hybrid ORSA with pattern search(ORSAPS),are proposed to determine the proportional,integral,and derivative(PID)controller parameters of an automatic voltage regulator(AVR)system using a novel objective function with augmented flexibility.In the proposed algorithms,the opposition-based learning technique improves the global search abilities of the original RSA algorithm,while the hybridization with the pattern search(PS)algorithm improves the local search abilities.Both algorithms are compared with the original RSA algorithm and have shown to be highly effective algorithms for tuning the PID controller parameters of an AVR system by getting superior results.Several analyses such as transient,stability,robustness,disturbance rejection,and trajectory tracking are conducted to test the performance of the proposed algorithms,which have validated the good promise of the proposed methods for controller designs.The performances of the proposed design approaches are also compared with the previously reported PID controller parameter tuning approaches to assess their success.It is shown that both proposed approaches obtain excellent and robust results among all compared ones.That is,with the adjustment of the weight factorα,which is introduced by the proposed objective function,for a system with high bandwitdh(α=1),the proposed ORSAPS-PID system has 2.08%more bandwidth than the proposed ORSA-PID system and 5.1%faster than the fastest algorithm from the literature.On the other hand,for a system where high phase and gain margins are desired(α=10),the proposed ORSA-PID system has 0.53%more phase margin and 2.18%more gain margin than the proposed ORSAPS-PID system and has 0.71%more phase margin and 2.25%more gain margin than the best performing algorithm from the literature.展开更多
The Middle Triassic Panxian fauna is a physical marker and representative record of the rapid recovery of the Triassic marine ecosystem following the Early Triassic stagnant stage after the end-Permian mass extinction...The Middle Triassic Panxian fauna is a physical marker and representative record of the rapid recovery of the Triassic marine ecosystem following the Early Triassic stagnant stage after the end-Permian mass extinction. Ten marine reptile taxa have been found from the 1.82-2.10 m-thick fossiliferous level in the Upper Member of the Guanling Formation, which can be subdivided into three marine reptile beds through the analysis on the stratigraphic distributions of fossil reptiles. The Lower Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Placodus inexpectatus Jiang et al., 2008 and Lariosaurus hongguoensis Jiang et al., 2006, the ichthyopterygians Xinminosaurus catactes Jiang et al., 2008 and Phalarodon cf. Phalarodon fraasi Merriam, 1910, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006, representing a stage of predominance of durophagous taxa. In this bed, the large complete skeletons may reach up to 2.3 m in length, and lithofacies and chemostratigraphic analyses indicate a relatively deep carbonate platform with an oxic water environment near the bottom, as well as a rising sea level The Middle Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygian Nothosaurus yangjuanensis Jiang et al., 2006 and the archosaur Qianosuchus mixtus Li et al., 2006, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. The fossils in this bed are characterized by its pincering dentition and large overall body size, with the largest possibly exceeding 3 m in length. This bed might represent a time of deepest basin with relatively anoxic condition near the bottom. The Upper Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Wumengosaurus delicatomandibularis Jiang et al., 2008, Keichousaurus sp., the protorosaur Dinocephalosaurus orientalis Li, 2003, and the ichthyopterygian Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. In this bed, reptilian taxa characterized by suction feeding appeared, and most are less than 1 m long. This bed corresponds to a period of decreasing water depth.展开更多
This paper briefly reviews the Triassic marine reptile fossils in Guizhou Province, especially the fossils that have been recently found in the Guanling area. Based on three sections at Guanling and Xingyi, Guizhou Pr...This paper briefly reviews the Triassic marine reptile fossils in Guizhou Province, especially the fossils that have been recently found in the Guanling area. Based on three sections at Guanling and Xingyi, Guizhou Province and Luoping, Yunnan Province, four horizons with vertebrate fossils are recognized in the Middle and Upper Triassic of this area; They are from bottom to top: Member I and Member II of the Guanling Formation, and the Zhuganpo Member and the Wayao Member of the Falang Formation.展开更多
We report amphibian and reptile distribution records based on recent biodiversity surveys conducted at the Angat Watershed Reservation, Bulacan Province, Luzon Island, Philippines. This watershed constitutes the princ...We report amphibian and reptile distribution records based on recent biodiversity surveys conducted at the Angat Watershed Reservation, Bulacan Province, Luzon Island, Philippines. This watershed constitutes the principal water source for Manila, the Philippines' largest metropolitan area. As virtually nothing is known of the herpetological diversity of the immediate area and the surrounding Bulacan Province, all species recorded as part of our surveys constitute major geographical records and/or significant range extensions. Our data result in a total of 63 new records of amphibian (19 frogs) and reptile (22 lizards, 2 turtles, and 20 snakes) species for this protected area (and immediate vicinity) that serves as a watershed for the major metropolitan area of Manila and surrounding cities. Together with the few previous literature records, our new records bring the total number of amphibian and reptile species for Bulacan Province to 68. We discuss several strategies for future survey work (focusing on habitat type, seasonal variation, and elevational variability) that we anticipate will result in increased knowledge of diversity within the Angat Watershed Reserve. The impressive level of herpetological diversity within such a small area, so close to Metro Manila, emphasizes that the diversity and distribution patterns of amphibians and reptiles from Luzon are still poorly known and in need of further study.展开更多
Adaptive developmental plasticity can enable an organism to modify its phenotype rapidly, in response to local (and perhaps, unpredictable) conditions, by altering reaction norms during development. Previous studies...Adaptive developmental plasticity can enable an organism to modify its phenotype rapidly, in response to local (and perhaps, unpredictable) conditions, by altering reaction norms during development. Previous studies on this topic have been dominated by western scientists, employing western study systems and approaches. Recently, the expansion of Chinese ecological research has seen a broadening of studies taxonomically (phylogenetically). Here, we briefly summarize research that has been conducted on developmental plasticity in Chinese reptiles over the past two decades, and suggest productive directions for future studies in this field. There are exciting research opportunities in this field in China, and we call for increased collaboration between western and eastern scientists to elucidate the role of developmental plasticity in evolutionary responses of organisms to environmental changes. As human activities increase the intensity and frequency of such changes, the need to understand responses of biological systems becomes an increasingly urgent priority.展开更多
From the Siwalik Group of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, new fossil reptile records are described. The Siwalik fauna from Haryana and Himachal is recorded from the pre-Pinjor and Pinjor beds (Upper Siwalik Subgroup: Pl...From the Siwalik Group of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, new fossil reptile records are described. The Siwalik fauna from Haryana and Himachal is recorded from the pre-Pinjor and Pinjor beds (Upper Siwalik Subgroup: Pliocene—Lower Pleistocene). The reptile fauna includes Crocodylus aff. palustris, Gavialis cf. gangeticus, Rhamphosuchus crassidens, Batagur sp., Geoclemys hamiltoni and Hardella thurjii. The findings are significant as fossil reptiles from the Siwalik Group are scanty as compared to the richer mammalian fauna.展开更多
Reptile sex determination is attracting much attention because the great diversity of sex-determination and dosage compensation mechanisms permits us to approach fundamental questions about mechanisms of sex chromosom...Reptile sex determination is attracting much attention because the great diversity of sex-determination and dosage compensation mechanisms permits us to approach fundamental questions about mechanisms of sex chromosome turnover. Recent studies have made significant progress in better understanding diversity and conservation of reptile sex chromosomes, with however no reptile master sex determination genes identified. Here we describe an integrated genomics and cytogenetics pipeline,combining probes generated from the microdissected sex chromosomes with transcriptome and genome sequencing to explore the sex chromosome diversity in non-model Australian reptiles. We tested our pipeline on a turtle, two species of geckos, and a monitor lizard. Genes identified on sex chromosomes were compared to the chicken genome to identify homologous regions among the four species. We identified candidate sex determining genes within these regions, including conserved vertebrate sex-determining genes pdgfa,pdgfra amh and wt1, and demonstrated their testis or ovary-specific expression. All four species showed gene-by-gene rather than chromosome-wide dosage compensation. Our results imply that reptile sex chromosomes originated by independent acquisition of sex-determining genes on different autosomes,as well as translocations between different ancestral macro-and microchromosomes.We discuss the evolutionary drivers of the slow differentiation and turnover of reptile sex chromosomes.展开更多
The Philippines is listed as one of the world's megadiverse countries despite its small size.Conversely,it is also on the list of global biodiversity conservation hotspots.With the threat of extinction at an all-t...The Philippines is listed as one of the world's megadiverse countries despite its small size.Conversely,it is also on the list of global biodiversity conservation hotspots.With the threat of extinction at an all-time high,better understa nding of the archipelago's biodiversity will provide invalua ble baseline information for proper conservation efforts.Here we provide an upda ted checklist on the herpetological biodiversity of Ca miguin Sur,Misa mis Oriental,Minda nao,Philippines.Field surveys and specimen collection from the municipality of Mambajao resulted in a total of 28 species(13 anurans,11 lizards,and four snakes)-all well represented by voucher specimens.Our data provides seven additional species records,upda ting the island's total amphibian and reptile species count to 57,with about half Philippine endemic.Included in the new records are three invasive alien species of amphibians:The Cane Toad Rhinella marina,the Greenhouse Frog Eleutherodatylus planirstris,and the Asiatic Painted Narrowmouth Toad Kaloula pulchra.展开更多
Although numerous check dams have been constructed in many countries, and its effect on physical factors were well documented, only a few reports were available on its effect on biotic component in adjacent area. This...Although numerous check dams have been constructed in many countries, and its effect on physical factors were well documented, only a few reports were available on its effect on biotic component in adjacent area. This research aims to address effects of the check dam on reptile assemblage in an ephemeral stream based on an assumption that reptile live in the stream and adjacent area may be susceptible to prolonged hydroperiod after check dam construction. Ten stream transects and 40 terrestrial strip transects, including 5, 10, 25, and 50 m from the stream, were used to monitor reptile diversity and composition in a deciduous forest of northern Thailand during April 2009 to February 2011. Physical factors related to water pattern in the stream and the terrestrial habitats were also collected. Results on physical factors indicated that the water pattern and soil moisture in the stream, as well as leaf litter moisture in the terrestrial habitat were increased as a result of the check dam. However, rarefaction curve indicated that reptile diversity was not significantly different between pre- and post-check dam periods in every transect. Moreover, Morisita’s index of similarity indicated that reptile composition between pre- and post-check dam periods was approximately the same (86% - 100%). These results indicated that reptile assemblage was not affected by the check dam. It can be concluded based on data of one year after the check dam construction that check dam can effectively prolong water and moisture to the habitat with minimal effect on reptile assemblage in the area.展开更多
The descriptions of fossil Triassic marine pla- codonts as durophagous reptiles are revised through comparisons with the sirenia and basal proboscidean mammal and palaeoenvironment analyses. The jaws of placodonts are...The descriptions of fossil Triassic marine pla- codonts as durophagous reptiles are revised through comparisons with the sirenia and basal proboscidean mammal and palaeoenvironment analyses. The jaws of placodonts are conver- gent with those of Halitherium/Dugong or Mo- eritherium in their general function. Whereas Halitherium possessed a horny oral pad and counterpart and a special rasp-like tongue to grind seagrass, as does the modern Dugong, placodonts had large teeth that covered their jaws to form a similar grinding pad. The sirenia also lost their anterior teeth during many Millions of years and built a horny pad instead and specialized tongue to fed mainly on seagrass, whereas placodonts had only macroalgae availa- ble. Indirect evidence for Triassic macroalgae is provided by benthic palaeocommunities from different layers and extended European regions in the Germanic Basin. Studies of tooth wear stages for Placodus indicate that anterior teeth may have been used in a similar manner to the procumbent front teeth of modern Dugong. Paraplacodus and Placodus seem to have used these teeth as spatulas to dig out seaplants. Cyamodus and other placodonts such as Placochelys had smaller or reduced anterior teeth. The scarcity of highly worn palatine or maxillary and lower jaw dentary Placodus or Cyamodus teeth (less then 0.5%) suggests that they had a relatively soft diet. The seaplants would only have been squeezed in a similar feeding strategy to that of modern Dugong feeding on seagrass without jaw rotation and grinding. The phylogenetic trend in tooth reduction within the placodonts Paraplacodus, Placodus, especially in Cyamodus but also Placochelys, and Henodus within 11 My appears to have been a result of this plant-feeding adaptation and may even explain the origin or at least close relationship of the earliest Upper Triassic turtles as toothless algae and jellyfish feeders, in terms of the long-term convergent development with the sirens.展开更多
The popularity of keeping reptiles such as snakes and lizards is ever increasing. The health and welfare of these animals depends on the knowledge and understanding of their environmental and nutritional needs. But wh...The popularity of keeping reptiles such as snakes and lizards is ever increasing. The health and welfare of these animals depends on the knowledge and understanding of their environmental and nutritional needs. But where does a new owner of these species obtain such information? This study aims to investigate what information is available in pet shops and stores for the reptile owning public and how well this information is imparted. Our findings show that there is a lot of excellent advice on the husbandry of reptiles in some shops while others offer less advice. It is hoped that through this study areas of downfall on primary knowledge can be recognized so that all shops can aspire to the highest levels of information.展开更多
Curvature lines are special and important curves on surfaces.It is of great significance to construct developable surface interpolated on curvature lines in engineering applications.In this paper,the shape optimizatio...Curvature lines are special and important curves on surfaces.It is of great significance to construct developable surface interpolated on curvature lines in engineering applications.In this paper,the shape optimization of generalized cubic ball developable surface interpolated on the curvature line is studied by using the improved reptile search algorithm.Firstly,based on the curvature line of generalized cubic ball curve with shape adjustable,this paper gives the construction method of SGC-Ball developable surface interpolated on the curve.Secondly,the feedback mechanism,adaptive parameters and mutation strategy are introduced into the reptile search algorithm,and the Feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm effectively improves the solving precision.On IEEE congress on evolutionary computation 2014,2017,2019 and four engineering design problems,the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm is compared with other representative methods,and the result indicates that the solution performance of the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm is competitive.At last,taking the minimum energy as the evaluation index,the shape optimization model of SGC-Ball interpolation developable surface is established.The developable surface with the minimum energy is achieved with the help of the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm,and the comparison experiment verifies the superiority of the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm for the shape optimization problem.展开更多
This study proposes a novel nature-inspired meta-heuristic optimizer based on the Reptile Search Algorithm combed with Salp Swarm Algorithm for image segmentation using gray-scale multi-level thresholding,called RSA-S...This study proposes a novel nature-inspired meta-heuristic optimizer based on the Reptile Search Algorithm combed with Salp Swarm Algorithm for image segmentation using gray-scale multi-level thresholding,called RSA-SSA.The proposed method introduces a better search space to find the optimal solution at each iteration.However,we proposed RSA-SSA to avoid the searching problem in the same area and determine the optimal multi-level thresholds.The obtained solutions by the proposed method are represented using the image histogram.The proposed RSA-SSA employed Otsu’s variance class function to get the best threshold values at each level.The performance measure for the proposed method is valid by detecting fitness function,structural similarity index,peak signal-to-noise ratio,and Friedman ranking test.Several benchmark images of COVID-19 validate the performance of the proposed RSA-SSA.The results showed that the proposed RSA-SSA outperformed other metaheuristics optimization algorithms published in the literature.展开更多
The Antarctic Paleogene marine fossil record has been the key to reconstructing the evolution of the Weddellian Sea and final dismemberment of Southern Gondwana.In this context,Eocene marine vertebrates from Seymour(M...The Antarctic Paleogene marine fossil record has been the key to reconstructing the evolution of the Weddellian Sea and final dismemberment of Southern Gondwana.In this context,Eocene marine vertebrates from Seymour(Marambio)Island have provided valuable information.We present the first Eocene record of marine reptiles from the southern Atlantic Coast of South America.This corresponds to several postcranial turtle remains represented by a proximal end of the right humerus,three caudal and one thoracic vertebrae,a fragment of the left pubis,and ten ossicles of the dorsal carapace,coming from the Leticia Formation(late-mid Eocene)at Cabo Tiburones,Tierra del Fuego,Argentina.These materials show severalfeatures such as the size and general morphology of the humerus and vertebrae,and the presence of relatively small,irregular,smooth,and unkeeled ossicles,which allow us to assign them to Dermochelyidae indet.Dermochelyids are a cosmopolitan group ofcryptodiran turtles,registered from the late Cretaceous up to the recent,with some physiological-biological peculiarities(e.g.,endothermy and an exclusive jellyfish-based diet)and characterized by the presence of an osseous carapace formed by ossicles.The new finding from the Leticia Formation is an addition to the scarce and extremely fragmentary record of Eocene dermochelyids from the southern seas like those from the La Meseta and Submeseta formations(Antarctica)and the Waihao and Burnside formations(New Zealand).This new information allows us to discuss the presence of these turtles in such high latitudes in the past and its implication in the evolution of the Weddellian fauna.展开更多
Melanin is the basis of coloration in many animals,and although it is often used in communication,thermoregulation,or camouflage,melanin has many other physiological functions.For example,in polluted habitats,melanin ...Melanin is the basis of coloration in many animals,and although it is often used in communication,thermoregulation,or camouflage,melanin has many other physiological functions.For example,in polluted habitats,melanin can have a detoxifying function.Melanic coloration would help to sequester in the skin the heavy metal contaminants from inside the body,which will be expelled to the exterior when the skin is sloughed.Moreover,animals should have evolved more melanic colorations in more polluted habitats(“industrial melanism”hypothesis).We examined whether the fossorial amphisbaenian reptile,Trogonophis wiegmanni,is able to eliminate heavy metals,derived from soil pollution by seagull depositions,through sloughing its skin.Our results suggest a covariation between levels of soil pollution by heavy metals and the concentration of heavy metals in the sloughed skins of amphisbaenians.This suggests that amphisbaenians may expel heavy metals from their bodies when they slough the skins.We also tested whether amphisbaenians inhabiting soils with higher levels of heavy metal pollution had darker(melanin-dependent)body colorations.However,contrary to predictions from the“industrial melanization”hypothesis,we found a negative relationship between soil pollution and proportions of melanic coloration.This contradictory result could,however,be explained because heavy metals have endocrine disruption effects that increase physiological stress,and higher stress levels could result in decreased melanogenesis.We suggest that although amphisbaenians might have some detoxifying mechanism linked to melanin in the skin,this process might be negatively affected by stress and result ineffective under conditions of high soil pollution.展开更多
Understanding the spatial distribution and habitat preference for rare and endangered species are essential for effective conservation practice.We examined the spatial distribution and habitat preference of four Diplo...Understanding the spatial distribution and habitat preference for rare and endangered species are essential for effective conservation practice.We examined the spatial distribution and habitat preference of four Diploderma species(Diploderma drukdaypo,D.laeviventre,D.batangense,and D.vela),which are endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and are currently under state protection.We used the ensembles of small models(ESM)approach and predicted potential distribution ranges of the species in current and two future climate scenarios(SSP126 and SSP585).The degree of overlap between the predicted distribution ranges and existing natural reserves was further analyzed.Habitat preference was examined using a paired quadrat method.Our results predicted that D.drukdaypo has a current distribution range of 600 km^(2),which would decrease to 50 km^(2)and 55 km^(2)under the SSP126 and SSP585 respectively.For D.laeviventre,the current distribution range is 817 km^(2),with minimum changes in the two future climate scenarios(774 km^(2)and 902 km^(2)).For D.batangense,the current distribution range is 875 km^(2),which would expand to 1522 km^(2)and 3340 km^(2)in the two future climate scenarios.Similarly for D.vela,the current distribution range is 1369 km^(2),which would change to 1825 km^(2)and 2043 km^(2)respectively under the two future climate scenarios.The effect of protection of current nature reserves are likely low for those species;we found no overlap(D.drukdaypo,D.laeviventre)or little overlap(D.batangense 2.04%–3.56%,D.vela 15.52%–16.87%)between the currently designated protection area and distribution range under current and future climate scenarios.For habitat preference,stones appear to be the critical habitat element for those species although different species had different stone requirements.Taken together,we provided critical information on potential distribution ranges and habitat preference for four endangered Diploderma species,and confirmed the inadequacy of current nature reserves.The establishment of new or expansion of existing nature reserves is urgent for the conservation of those species.展开更多
Extending recent findings that reptile embryos seek optimal temperatures inside eggs for thermoregulation,our study demonstrates that this thermoregulatory behaviour can be affected by the amount of oxygen available t...Extending recent findings that reptile embryos seek optimal temperatures inside eggs for thermoregulation,our study demonstrates that this thermoregulatory behaviour can be affected by the amount of oxygen available to an embryo.We exposed embryos of a freshwater turtle(Mauremys reevesii)to two heat sources(an optimal temperature of 30°C and a high temperature of 33°C)under three different oxygen levels–hypoxia(12%O2),normoxia(21%O2)and hyperoxia(30%O2)–and quantified the interactive effects of temperature and oxygen availability on embryonic thermoregulatory behaviour.Our results demonstrated that,in both thermal treatments,embryos exposed to hypoxia did not move as close to the heat source and therefore selected lower temperatures than those exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia.Embryos may select low temperatures under hypoxic conditions to decrease oxygen consumption and therefore alleviate the negative impact of hypoxic stress.展开更多
Color variation among populations is thought to be either due to genetic variation or phenotype plasticity.In this study,we found that an agamid lizard,Phrynocephalus theobaldi,inhabiting elevations greater than any o...Color variation among populations is thought to be either due to genetic variation or phenotype plasticity.In this study,we found that an agamid lizard,Phrynocephalus theobaldi,inhabiting elevations greater than any other reptile,displayed a significantly darker spotted marking on the central ventral abdomen in higher populations than in lower populations.The grey spotted area only occurred in elevations>4200 m,and also increased with increased elevation.The ratio of the size of the dark colored area to the degree of skin luminance/reflectance was used to test whether the lizard has a larger and darker spotted area at higher elevations.This ratio was significantly positively associated with elevation rather than substrate color.The lizard did not display sexual difference in this phenotype.Temperature had a significant influence on the brightness of central abdomen,but temperature-related plasticity of this trait was much smaller than the magnitude of the difference between higher(>4200 m)and lower populations(<4200 m).Common garden experiments showed that genetic inheritance,rather than phenotype plasticity,played a dominant role in this variation.Our research addressed the darkness of a body region that is rarely analyzed because it is shielded from direct insolation.The idea that ventral color could be related to thermoregulation is shown to be worthy of further research.展开更多
文摘A hard problem that hinders the movement of waxy crude oil is wax deposition in oil pipelines.To ensure the safe operation of crude oil pipelines,an accurate model must be developed to predict the rate of wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.Aiming at the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,which easily falls into the local minimum value and weak generalization ability in the implementation process,an optimized ENN prediction model based on the IRSA is proposed.The validity of the new model was confirmed by the accurate prediction of two sets of experimental data on wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.The two groups of crude oil wax deposition rate case prediction results showed that the average absolute percentage errors of IRSA-ENN prediction models is 0.5476% and 0.7831%,respectively.Additionally,it shows a higher prediction accuracy compared to the ENN prediction model.In fact,the new model established by using the IRSA to optimize ENN can optimize the initial weights and thresholds in the prediction process,which can overcome the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,such as weak generalization ability and tendency to fall into the local minimum value,so that it has the advantages of strong implementation and high prediction accuracy.
文摘With the growth of the discipline of digital communication,the topic has acquiredmore attention in the cybersecuritymedium.The Intrusion Detection(ID)system monitors network traffic to detect malicious activities.The paper introduces a novel Feature Selection(FS)approach for ID.Reptile Search Algorithm(RSA)—is a new optimization algorithm;in this method,each agent searches a new region according to the position of the host,which makes the algorithm suffers from getting stuck in local optima and a slow convergence rate.To overcome these problems,this study introduces an improved RSA approach by integrating Cauchy Mutation(CM)into the RSA’s structure.Thus,the CM can effectively expand search space and enhance the performance of the RSA.The developed RSA-CM is assessed on five publicly available ID datasets:KDD-CUP99,NSL-KDD,UNSW-NB15,CIC-IDS2017,and CIC-IDS2018 and two engineering problems.The RSA-CM is compared with the original RSA,and three other state-of-the-art FS methods,namely particle swarm optimization,grey wolf optimization,and multi-verse optimizer,and quantitatively is evaluated using fitness value,the number of selected optimum features,accuracy,precision,recall,and F1-score evaluationmeasures.The results reveal that the developed RSA-CMgot better results than the other competitive methods applied for FS on the ID datasets and the examined engineering problems.Moreover,the Friedman test results confirm that RSA-CMhas a significant superiority compared to other methods as an FS method for ID.
文摘Two novel improved variants of reptile search algorithm(RSA),RSA with opposition-based learning(ORSA)and hybrid ORSA with pattern search(ORSAPS),are proposed to determine the proportional,integral,and derivative(PID)controller parameters of an automatic voltage regulator(AVR)system using a novel objective function with augmented flexibility.In the proposed algorithms,the opposition-based learning technique improves the global search abilities of the original RSA algorithm,while the hybridization with the pattern search(PS)algorithm improves the local search abilities.Both algorithms are compared with the original RSA algorithm and have shown to be highly effective algorithms for tuning the PID controller parameters of an AVR system by getting superior results.Several analyses such as transient,stability,robustness,disturbance rejection,and trajectory tracking are conducted to test the performance of the proposed algorithms,which have validated the good promise of the proposed methods for controller designs.The performances of the proposed design approaches are also compared with the previously reported PID controller parameter tuning approaches to assess their success.It is shown that both proposed approaches obtain excellent and robust results among all compared ones.That is,with the adjustment of the weight factorα,which is introduced by the proposed objective function,for a system with high bandwitdh(α=1),the proposed ORSAPS-PID system has 2.08%more bandwidth than the proposed ORSA-PID system and 5.1%faster than the fastest algorithm from the literature.On the other hand,for a system where high phase and gain margins are desired(α=10),the proposed ORSA-PID system has 0.53%more phase margin and 2.18%more gain margin than the proposed ORSAPS-PID system and has 0.71%more phase margin and 2.25%more gain margin than the best performing algorithm from the literature.
基金supported bygrants from the National Natural Science Foundation ofChina(no.:40672002 and 40302009)the Program for NewCentury Excellent Talents in University(no.:NCET-07-0015)+1 种基金the Committee for Research and Exploration ofthe National Geographic Society of USA(no.:7886-05)Peking University,and was a contribution to the IGCP-572 project
文摘The Middle Triassic Panxian fauna is a physical marker and representative record of the rapid recovery of the Triassic marine ecosystem following the Early Triassic stagnant stage after the end-Permian mass extinction. Ten marine reptile taxa have been found from the 1.82-2.10 m-thick fossiliferous level in the Upper Member of the Guanling Formation, which can be subdivided into three marine reptile beds through the analysis on the stratigraphic distributions of fossil reptiles. The Lower Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Placodus inexpectatus Jiang et al., 2008 and Lariosaurus hongguoensis Jiang et al., 2006, the ichthyopterygians Xinminosaurus catactes Jiang et al., 2008 and Phalarodon cf. Phalarodon fraasi Merriam, 1910, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006, representing a stage of predominance of durophagous taxa. In this bed, the large complete skeletons may reach up to 2.3 m in length, and lithofacies and chemostratigraphic analyses indicate a relatively deep carbonate platform with an oxic water environment near the bottom, as well as a rising sea level The Middle Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygian Nothosaurus yangjuanensis Jiang et al., 2006 and the archosaur Qianosuchus mixtus Li et al., 2006, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. The fossils in this bed are characterized by its pincering dentition and large overall body size, with the largest possibly exceeding 3 m in length. This bed might represent a time of deepest basin with relatively anoxic condition near the bottom. The Upper Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Wumengosaurus delicatomandibularis Jiang et al., 2008, Keichousaurus sp., the protorosaur Dinocephalosaurus orientalis Li, 2003, and the ichthyopterygian Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. In this bed, reptilian taxa characterized by suction feeding appeared, and most are less than 1 m long. This bed corresponds to a period of decreasing water depth.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(40072010,49942006)Innovation Funds of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX3-J-02).
文摘This paper briefly reviews the Triassic marine reptile fossils in Guizhou Province, especially the fossils that have been recently found in the Guanling area. Based on three sections at Guanling and Xingyi, Guizhou Province and Luoping, Yunnan Province, four horizons with vertebrate fossils are recognized in the Middle and Upper Triassic of this area; They are from bottom to top: Member I and Member II of the Guanling Formation, and the Zhuganpo Member and the Wayao Member of the Falang Formation.
基金Support for fieldwork was provided by the funding from the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute to DSM and RMB,and NSF grants(EF-0334952 and DEB 0743491)to RMBSupport for participation in Angat surveys by some of the 2011 field team members was provided by the California Academy of Science and the Hearst Foundation
文摘We report amphibian and reptile distribution records based on recent biodiversity surveys conducted at the Angat Watershed Reservation, Bulacan Province, Luzon Island, Philippines. This watershed constitutes the principal water source for Manila, the Philippines' largest metropolitan area. As virtually nothing is known of the herpetological diversity of the immediate area and the surrounding Bulacan Province, all species recorded as part of our surveys constitute major geographical records and/or significant range extensions. Our data result in a total of 63 new records of amphibian (19 frogs) and reptile (22 lizards, 2 turtles, and 20 snakes) species for this protected area (and immediate vicinity) that serves as a watershed for the major metropolitan area of Manila and surrounding cities. Together with the few previous literature records, our new records bring the total number of amphibian and reptile species for Bulacan Province to 68. We discuss several strategies for future survey work (focusing on habitat type, seasonal variation, and elevational variability) that we anticipate will result in increased knowledge of diversity within the Angat Watershed Reserve. The impressive level of herpetological diversity within such a small area, so close to Metro Manila, emphasizes that the diversity and distribution patterns of amphibians and reptiles from Luzon are still poorly known and in need of further study.
文摘Adaptive developmental plasticity can enable an organism to modify its phenotype rapidly, in response to local (and perhaps, unpredictable) conditions, by altering reaction norms during development. Previous studies on this topic have been dominated by western scientists, employing western study systems and approaches. Recently, the expansion of Chinese ecological research has seen a broadening of studies taxonomically (phylogenetically). Here, we briefly summarize research that has been conducted on developmental plasticity in Chinese reptiles over the past two decades, and suggest productive directions for future studies in this field. There are exciting research opportunities in this field in China, and we call for increased collaboration between western and eastern scientists to elucidate the role of developmental plasticity in evolutionary responses of organisms to environmental changes. As human activities increase the intensity and frequency of such changes, the need to understand responses of biological systems becomes an increasingly urgent priority.
文摘From the Siwalik Group of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, new fossil reptile records are described. The Siwalik fauna from Haryana and Himachal is recorded from the pre-Pinjor and Pinjor beds (Upper Siwalik Subgroup: Pliocene—Lower Pleistocene). The reptile fauna includes Crocodylus aff. palustris, Gavialis cf. gangeticus, Rhamphosuchus crassidens, Batagur sp., Geoclemys hamiltoni and Hardella thurjii. The findings are significant as fossil reptiles from the Siwalik Group are scanty as compared to the richer mammalian fauna.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32170415, 32061130208)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LD19C190001)+6 种基金European Research Council Starting Grant (677696) to Q.Z.supported by an ARC FT (FT110100733)partially supported by ARC DP (DP110102262) led by T.E.University of Canberra Strategic Research Fund awarded to T.E.supported by an ARC DP (DP110102262) led by T.E.supported by NSF (IOS1146820)supported by the University of Canberra postgraduate research scholarships。
文摘Reptile sex determination is attracting much attention because the great diversity of sex-determination and dosage compensation mechanisms permits us to approach fundamental questions about mechanisms of sex chromosome turnover. Recent studies have made significant progress in better understanding diversity and conservation of reptile sex chromosomes, with however no reptile master sex determination genes identified. Here we describe an integrated genomics and cytogenetics pipeline,combining probes generated from the microdissected sex chromosomes with transcriptome and genome sequencing to explore the sex chromosome diversity in non-model Australian reptiles. We tested our pipeline on a turtle, two species of geckos, and a monitor lizard. Genes identified on sex chromosomes were compared to the chicken genome to identify homologous regions among the four species. We identified candidate sex determining genes within these regions, including conserved vertebrate sex-determining genes pdgfa,pdgfra amh and wt1, and demonstrated their testis or ovary-specific expression. All four species showed gene-by-gene rather than chromosome-wide dosage compensation. Our results imply that reptile sex chromosomes originated by independent acquisition of sex-determining genes on different autosomes,as well as translocations between different ancestral macro-and microchromosomes.We discuss the evolutionary drivers of the slow differentiation and turnover of reptile sex chromosomes.
基金We would like to thank the following for making this field expedition possible and successful:the Philippine National Museum of Natural History(PNMNH),the local government of Camiguin Sur,Mindanao and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Ma mbajao for the logistics support and permit to collect,allowing us to conduct herpetofa unal assessment in Mount Timpoong Hibok-hibok National Monument(MTHHNM)and other areas within the island.We would also like to extend our gratitude to the our collagues who assisted us,for support and company:Dave Gencral,Rolly Urriza,Cecilia Banag Moran,Sarah Grace Zamudio,and the local guide Jhoner Abian for his extensive effort and support during our field survey.
文摘The Philippines is listed as one of the world's megadiverse countries despite its small size.Conversely,it is also on the list of global biodiversity conservation hotspots.With the threat of extinction at an all-time high,better understa nding of the archipelago's biodiversity will provide invalua ble baseline information for proper conservation efforts.Here we provide an upda ted checklist on the herpetological biodiversity of Ca miguin Sur,Misa mis Oriental,Minda nao,Philippines.Field surveys and specimen collection from the municipality of Mambajao resulted in a total of 28 species(13 anurans,11 lizards,and four snakes)-all well represented by voucher specimens.Our data provides seven additional species records,upda ting the island's total amphibian and reptile species count to 57,with about half Philippine endemic.Included in the new records are three invasive alien species of amphibians:The Cane Toad Rhinella marina,the Greenhouse Frog Eleutherodatylus planirstris,and the Asiatic Painted Narrowmouth Toad Kaloula pulchra.
文摘Although numerous check dams have been constructed in many countries, and its effect on physical factors were well documented, only a few reports were available on its effect on biotic component in adjacent area. This research aims to address effects of the check dam on reptile assemblage in an ephemeral stream based on an assumption that reptile live in the stream and adjacent area may be susceptible to prolonged hydroperiod after check dam construction. Ten stream transects and 40 terrestrial strip transects, including 5, 10, 25, and 50 m from the stream, were used to monitor reptile diversity and composition in a deciduous forest of northern Thailand during April 2009 to February 2011. Physical factors related to water pattern in the stream and the terrestrial habitats were also collected. Results on physical factors indicated that the water pattern and soil moisture in the stream, as well as leaf litter moisture in the terrestrial habitat were increased as a result of the check dam. However, rarefaction curve indicated that reptile diversity was not significantly different between pre- and post-check dam periods in every transect. Moreover, Morisita’s index of similarity indicated that reptile composition between pre- and post-check dam periods was approximately the same (86% - 100%). These results indicated that reptile assemblage was not affected by the check dam. It can be concluded based on data of one year after the check dam construction that check dam can effectively prolong water and moisture to the habitat with minimal effect on reptile assemblage in the area.
文摘The descriptions of fossil Triassic marine pla- codonts as durophagous reptiles are revised through comparisons with the sirenia and basal proboscidean mammal and palaeoenvironment analyses. The jaws of placodonts are conver- gent with those of Halitherium/Dugong or Mo- eritherium in their general function. Whereas Halitherium possessed a horny oral pad and counterpart and a special rasp-like tongue to grind seagrass, as does the modern Dugong, placodonts had large teeth that covered their jaws to form a similar grinding pad. The sirenia also lost their anterior teeth during many Millions of years and built a horny pad instead and specialized tongue to fed mainly on seagrass, whereas placodonts had only macroalgae availa- ble. Indirect evidence for Triassic macroalgae is provided by benthic palaeocommunities from different layers and extended European regions in the Germanic Basin. Studies of tooth wear stages for Placodus indicate that anterior teeth may have been used in a similar manner to the procumbent front teeth of modern Dugong. Paraplacodus and Placodus seem to have used these teeth as spatulas to dig out seaplants. Cyamodus and other placodonts such as Placochelys had smaller or reduced anterior teeth. The scarcity of highly worn palatine or maxillary and lower jaw dentary Placodus or Cyamodus teeth (less then 0.5%) suggests that they had a relatively soft diet. The seaplants would only have been squeezed in a similar feeding strategy to that of modern Dugong feeding on seagrass without jaw rotation and grinding. The phylogenetic trend in tooth reduction within the placodonts Paraplacodus, Placodus, especially in Cyamodus but also Placochelys, and Henodus within 11 My appears to have been a result of this plant-feeding adaptation and may even explain the origin or at least close relationship of the earliest Upper Triassic turtles as toothless algae and jellyfish feeders, in terms of the long-term convergent development with the sirens.
文摘The popularity of keeping reptiles such as snakes and lizards is ever increasing. The health and welfare of these animals depends on the knowledge and understanding of their environmental and nutritional needs. But where does a new owner of these species obtain such information? This study aims to investigate what information is available in pet shops and stores for the reptile owning public and how well this information is imparted. Our findings show that there is a lot of excellent advice on the husbandry of reptiles in some shops while others offer less advice. It is hoped that through this study areas of downfall on primary knowledge can be recognized so that all shops can aspire to the highest levels of information.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52375264).
文摘Curvature lines are special and important curves on surfaces.It is of great significance to construct developable surface interpolated on curvature lines in engineering applications.In this paper,the shape optimization of generalized cubic ball developable surface interpolated on the curvature line is studied by using the improved reptile search algorithm.Firstly,based on the curvature line of generalized cubic ball curve with shape adjustable,this paper gives the construction method of SGC-Ball developable surface interpolated on the curve.Secondly,the feedback mechanism,adaptive parameters and mutation strategy are introduced into the reptile search algorithm,and the Feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm effectively improves the solving precision.On IEEE congress on evolutionary computation 2014,2017,2019 and four engineering design problems,the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm is compared with other representative methods,and the result indicates that the solution performance of the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm is competitive.At last,taking the minimum energy as the evaluation index,the shape optimization model of SGC-Ball interpolation developable surface is established.The developable surface with the minimum energy is achieved with the help of the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm,and the comparison experiment verifies the superiority of the feedback mechanism-driven improved reptile search algorithm for the shape optimization problem.
文摘This study proposes a novel nature-inspired meta-heuristic optimizer based on the Reptile Search Algorithm combed with Salp Swarm Algorithm for image segmentation using gray-scale multi-level thresholding,called RSA-SSA.The proposed method introduces a better search space to find the optimal solution at each iteration.However,we proposed RSA-SSA to avoid the searching problem in the same area and determine the optimal multi-level thresholds.The obtained solutions by the proposed method are represented using the image histogram.The proposed RSA-SSA employed Otsu’s variance class function to get the best threshold values at each level.The performance measure for the proposed method is valid by detecting fitness function,structural similarity index,peak signal-to-noise ratio,and Friedman ranking test.Several benchmark images of COVID-19 validate the performance of the proposed RSA-SSA.The results showed that the proposed RSA-SSA outperformed other metaheuristics optimization algorithms published in the literature.
基金funded by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica-Proyectos de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica-PICT 2017-0607(to M.Reguero)and PICT 2019-00327(to M.Buono).
文摘The Antarctic Paleogene marine fossil record has been the key to reconstructing the evolution of the Weddellian Sea and final dismemberment of Southern Gondwana.In this context,Eocene marine vertebrates from Seymour(Marambio)Island have provided valuable information.We present the first Eocene record of marine reptiles from the southern Atlantic Coast of South America.This corresponds to several postcranial turtle remains represented by a proximal end of the right humerus,three caudal and one thoracic vertebrae,a fragment of the left pubis,and ten ossicles of the dorsal carapace,coming from the Leticia Formation(late-mid Eocene)at Cabo Tiburones,Tierra del Fuego,Argentina.These materials show severalfeatures such as the size and general morphology of the humerus and vertebrae,and the presence of relatively small,irregular,smooth,and unkeeled ossicles,which allow us to assign them to Dermochelyidae indet.Dermochelyids are a cosmopolitan group ofcryptodiran turtles,registered from the late Cretaceous up to the recent,with some physiological-biological peculiarities(e.g.,endothermy and an exclusive jellyfish-based diet)and characterized by the presence of an osseous carapace formed by ossicles.The new finding from the Leticia Formation is an addition to the scarce and extremely fragmentary record of Eocene dermochelyids from the southern seas like those from the La Meseta and Submeseta formations(Antarctica)and the Waihao and Burnside formations(New Zealand).This new information allows us to discuss the presence of these turtles in such high latitudes in the past and its implication in the evolution of the Weddellian fauna.
基金Financial support was provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia,Innovación y Universidades project PGC2018-093592-B-I00(MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE).
文摘Melanin is the basis of coloration in many animals,and although it is often used in communication,thermoregulation,or camouflage,melanin has many other physiological functions.For example,in polluted habitats,melanin can have a detoxifying function.Melanic coloration would help to sequester in the skin the heavy metal contaminants from inside the body,which will be expelled to the exterior when the skin is sloughed.Moreover,animals should have evolved more melanic colorations in more polluted habitats(“industrial melanism”hypothesis).We examined whether the fossorial amphisbaenian reptile,Trogonophis wiegmanni,is able to eliminate heavy metals,derived from soil pollution by seagull depositions,through sloughing its skin.Our results suggest a covariation between levels of soil pollution by heavy metals and the concentration of heavy metals in the sloughed skins of amphisbaenians.This suggests that amphisbaenians may expel heavy metals from their bodies when they slough the skins.We also tested whether amphisbaenians inhabiting soils with higher levels of heavy metal pollution had darker(melanin-dependent)body colorations.However,contrary to predictions from the“industrial melanization”hypothesis,we found a negative relationship between soil pollution and proportions of melanic coloration.This contradictory result could,however,be explained because heavy metals have endocrine disruption effects that increase physiological stress,and higher stress levels could result in decreased melanogenesis.We suggest that although amphisbaenians might have some detoxifying mechanism linked to melanin in the skin,this process might be negatively affected by stress and result ineffective under conditions of high soil pollution.
基金This work was supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(Grant No.2019QZKK0402)Science and Technology Plan Project of Tibet Autonomous Region to Yin QI(Grant No.XZ202201ZY0030G)China Biodiversity Observation Networks(Sino BON-Amphibian and Reptile)。
文摘Understanding the spatial distribution and habitat preference for rare and endangered species are essential for effective conservation practice.We examined the spatial distribution and habitat preference of four Diploderma species(Diploderma drukdaypo,D.laeviventre,D.batangense,and D.vela),which are endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and are currently under state protection.We used the ensembles of small models(ESM)approach and predicted potential distribution ranges of the species in current and two future climate scenarios(SSP126 and SSP585).The degree of overlap between the predicted distribution ranges and existing natural reserves was further analyzed.Habitat preference was examined using a paired quadrat method.Our results predicted that D.drukdaypo has a current distribution range of 600 km^(2),which would decrease to 50 km^(2)and 55 km^(2)under the SSP126 and SSP585 respectively.For D.laeviventre,the current distribution range is 817 km^(2),with minimum changes in the two future climate scenarios(774 km^(2)and 902 km^(2)).For D.batangense,the current distribution range is 875 km^(2),which would expand to 1522 km^(2)and 3340 km^(2)in the two future climate scenarios.Similarly for D.vela,the current distribution range is 1369 km^(2),which would change to 1825 km^(2)and 2043 km^(2)respectively under the two future climate scenarios.The effect of protection of current nature reserves are likely low for those species;we found no overlap(D.drukdaypo,D.laeviventre)or little overlap(D.batangense 2.04%–3.56%,D.vela 15.52%–16.87%)between the currently designated protection area and distribution range under current and future climate scenarios.For habitat preference,stones appear to be the critical habitat element for those species although different species had different stone requirements.Taken together,we provided critical information on potential distribution ranges and habitat preference for four endangered Diploderma species,and confirmed the inadequacy of current nature reserves.The establishment of new or expansion of existing nature reserves is urgent for the conservation of those species.
基金This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32030013,31821001).
文摘Extending recent findings that reptile embryos seek optimal temperatures inside eggs for thermoregulation,our study demonstrates that this thermoregulatory behaviour can be affected by the amount of oxygen available to an embryo.We exposed embryos of a freshwater turtle(Mauremys reevesii)to two heat sources(an optimal temperature of 30°C and a high temperature of 33°C)under three different oxygen levels–hypoxia(12%O2),normoxia(21%O2)and hyperoxia(30%O2)–and quantified the interactive effects of temperature and oxygen availability on embryonic thermoregulatory behaviour.Our results demonstrated that,in both thermal treatments,embryos exposed to hypoxia did not move as close to the heat source and therefore selected lower temperatures than those exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia.Embryos may select low temperatures under hypoxic conditions to decrease oxygen consumption and therefore alleviate the negative impact of hypoxic stress.
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP,Grant No.2019 QZKK0501)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31772447)Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation(LY21C040002)。
文摘Color variation among populations is thought to be either due to genetic variation or phenotype plasticity.In this study,we found that an agamid lizard,Phrynocephalus theobaldi,inhabiting elevations greater than any other reptile,displayed a significantly darker spotted marking on the central ventral abdomen in higher populations than in lower populations.The grey spotted area only occurred in elevations>4200 m,and also increased with increased elevation.The ratio of the size of the dark colored area to the degree of skin luminance/reflectance was used to test whether the lizard has a larger and darker spotted area at higher elevations.This ratio was significantly positively associated with elevation rather than substrate color.The lizard did not display sexual difference in this phenotype.Temperature had a significant influence on the brightness of central abdomen,but temperature-related plasticity of this trait was much smaller than the magnitude of the difference between higher(>4200 m)and lower populations(<4200 m).Common garden experiments showed that genetic inheritance,rather than phenotype plasticity,played a dominant role in this variation.Our research addressed the darkness of a body region that is rarely analyzed because it is shielded from direct insolation.The idea that ventral color could be related to thermoregulation is shown to be worthy of further research.