First record of tail bifurcations in the snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) from Pastrina hill (northwestern Bulgaria)

Primer registre de bifurcació caudal en Ablepharus kitaibelii Bibron (Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) del puig Pastrina (nord-oest de Bulgària) Registrem el primer cas de bifurcacions caudals en A. kitaibelii. Aquesta anomalia morfològica va ser identificada en un estudi de seguiment de quatre anys portat a terme en una zona d’elevada presència herpetològica al puig Pastrina (nord-oest de Bulgària). D’un total de 415 espècimens capturats, quatre (0,96%) van presentar una duplicació lateral simètrica o asimètrica de la cua. Només es van registrar bifurcacions de la secció caudal més distal, la qual cosa contrasta amb les registrades en altres llangardaixos  com ara Gekkonidae, Lacertidae i Teiidae, en què s’han registrat supervivències amb bifurcacions a les seccions caudals més proximals.Primer registro de bifurcación caudal en Ablepharus kitaibelii Bibron (Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) del monte Pastrina (noroeste de Bulgaria) Registramos el primer caso de bifurcaciones caudales en A. kitaibelii. Esta anomalía morfológica fue identificada en un estudio de seguimiento de cuatro años realizado en una zona de elevada presencia herpetológica en el monte Pastrina (noroeste de Bulgaria). De un total de 415 especímenes capturados, cuatro (0,96%) presentaron una duplicación lateral simétrica o asimétrica de la cola. Se registraron únicamente bifurcaciones de la sección caudal más distal, lo que contrasta con las registradas en otros lagartos como, por ejemplo, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae y Teiidae, en los que se han registrado supervivencias con bifurcaciones en las secciones caudales más proximales.We report for the first time on the occurrence of tail bifurcations in the snake-eyed skink (A. kitaibelii). This morphological anomaly was identified during a four-year monitoring program conducted in a herpetological hot-spot at Pastrina hill (northwestern Bulgaria). From a total of 415 captured specimens, four animals (0.96%) showed symmetrical or asymmetrical lateral duplication of the tail. Only bifurcations of the distal-most caudal section were detected in contrast to some other lizards (e.g. Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Teiidae) that are reported to survive with bifurcations at more proximal tail sections

Structure and function of the feeding apparatus in the common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus (Chelonia, Kinosternidae)

The present study examined the kinematic patterns of initial food uptake, food transport, pharyngeal packing and swallowing in the common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus. These data are supplemented by morphological descriptions of the skull and the hyolingual complex. Although the hyoid is mainly cartilaginous, S. odoratus still use exclusively hydrodynamic mechanisms in prey capture and prey transport. The tongue is relatively small, with weakly developed intrinsic musculature. We propose that the elasticity of the hypoglossum and the hyoid body impacts the capability of S. odoratus to suction feed, but allows these turtles to effectively re-position the food items within the oropharyngeal cavity during transport, manipulation and pharyngeal packing. We standardised conditions in all feeding events by using food items of the same consistence and size, and by always offering the food at the same position at the bottom of the aquarium. Nonetheless, the measured kinematic values varied considerably. The duration of prey capture and prey transport cycles were relatively long in S. odoratus compared to other freshwater turtles studied so far. The initiation of hyoid retraction relative to the onset of jaw opening can be modulated not only in prey capture but also in prey transport cycles. In the common musk turtle, the jaw and hyoid movements apparently have a low level of integration

First record of tail bifurcations in the snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) from Pastrina hill (northwestern Bulgaria)

We report for the first time on the occurrence of tail bifurcations in the snake-eyed skink (A. kitaibelii). This morphological anomaly was identified during a four-year monitoring program conducted in a herpetological hot-spot at Pastrina hill (northwestern Bulgaria). From a total of 415 captured specimens, four animals (0.96%) showed symmetrical or asymmetrical lateral duplication of the tail. Only bifurcations of the distal-most caudal section were detected in contrast to some other lizards (e.g. Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Teiidae) that are reported to survive with bifurcations at more proximal tail sections.© Copyright belongs to the author