Global ETD Search
Search theses and dissertations gathered from participating repositories worldwide. Every result links back to the library that holds it. No account is needed.
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Showing 1 to 17 of 17 for “"skinks"”.
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Response of the Ozark Zigzag Salamander (Plethodon Angusticlavius) to High and Low Level Threats
… This result may indicate that salamanders and skinks are competitors or skinks are predators of salamanders. This study also examined the aggressive and antipredatory behaviors of salamanders toward skinks. Small salamanders were more aggressive in the presence of a large skink while large …
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Studies of Susceptibility of Broad-Headed Skinks (<em>Eumeces laticeps</em>) and Laboratory Mice (<em>Mus musculus</em>) to Strain MI-2 of <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em> and Vector Competence of the Tick <em>Ixodes scapularis</em>
… was evaluated. Attempts to infect broad-headed skinks with MI-2 strain spirochetes were unsuccessful. Spirochetes could not be isolated from various tissues of seven lizards at least 30 days after they had been inoculated with 107 spirochetes. Also, none of the xenodiagnostic tick larvae (n = …
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A functional morphological study of limb regression in some Southern African species of Scincidae (Reptilia : Sauria)
How and why did limblessness evolve in certain skinks? These questions are explored in certain species of the Scincidae (from southern Africa) that vary in the degree of limb reduction. This regression series consists of Mabuya capensis (with normal, pentadactyle limbs), Riopa sundevallii (with …
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The ecology of a host-parasite relationship: haemogregarines and the eastern water skink, Eulamprus quoyii
… a two-year markrecapture study of eastern water skinks at Blackdown Tableland, Queensland, Australia, and analysed blood slides to measure haemogregarine blood parasite infection. Prevalence (the proportion of the host population infected) increased with host age, did not differ between the …
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Phylogenetic Systematics and Evolution within the Family Scincidae
Scincidae (skinks) comprise one of the largest families of lizards, and the more than 1300 species show great variation in body size and form, and are found worldwide in a diversity of habitats. The group presents many interesting questions ranging from the colonization of oceanic islands, to the …
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Sociable weaver nests as a resource to local animal communities
… between Sociable weavers, Kalahari tree skinks (Trachylepis spilogaster), African pygmy falcons (Polihierax semitorquatus) and snakes. These species have all been shown to associate with weaver colonies and may impact weavers and each other in different ways. I show that Sociable weaver …
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Food Habits, Growth, Conversion Efficiency and Response to Prey Odors of the Copperhead, Agkistrodon Contortrix
… neonates were observed to feed only on small skinks, various small colubrid snakes, and plethodontid salamanders. Growth rate was similar for all snakes with average values of 2.6 mm/wk for adults and 2.1 mm/wk for juveniles. Rate of weight gain was strongly dependent on body weight with …
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On The Cranial Osteology of <em>Eremiascincus</em> and Its Use For Identification.
… morphometrics, 4) using cranial morphometrics of skinks to deduce their phylogeny, and 5) using geometric morphometrics to distinguish between individual elements of <em>Eremiascincus</em> and <em>Ctenotus</em>. Although linear morphometrics is adept at describing allometric changes to the skull …
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Behavioral and Metabolic Responses of the Southern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Serratus) to Predatory Stimuli: Influence of Body Size
… substrate cues from ringneck snakes, five-lined skinks (nonpredator), and dechlorinated water. In the foraging study, I also examined the response to airborne cues. Larger salamanders (SVL > 32 mm) foraged more than smaller salamanders, and salamanders showed reduced foraging in the presence of …
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The energetic consequences of tail loss to juvenile lizards
… were measured for juveniles of two species of skinks: <u>Eumeces Fasciatus</u> that use the tail for predator deflection, and <u>Chalcides ocellatus</u> that does not use the tail for predator deflection. Experimental conditions produced an energy limiting situation under which the priority of …
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Unraveling the interaction between hormones and incubation temperature on lizard cognition
… affects cognitive development in two species of skinks: the delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata), and the common garden skink (L. guichenoti). I manipulated egg CORT levels and incubation temperature and then assessed lizards' performance across multiple cognitive domains, alongside …
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Unraveling the interaction between hormones and incubation temperature on lizard cognition
… affects cognitive development in two species of skinks: the delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata), and the common garden skink (L. guichenoti). I manipulated egg CORT levels and incubation temperature and then assessed lizards' performance across multiple cognitive domains, alongside …
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Aspects of the ecology and management of small mammalian predators in northern New Zealand
… prey of stoats were rodents, birds, lagomorphs, skinks (Cyclodina spp) and invertebrates. Skinks, followed by mice, were the main prey of weasels. Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were the most commonly occurring prey item in the ferret guts. The food habits for cats and stoats were compared …
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Investigating the Patterns of Convergence in Pectoral Girdle Reduction During the Evolution of Limblessness in Lerista (Scincidae)
… groups, and more similar to those of other skinks than to those of other groups of lizards. Though some aspects of limb loss are common to all lizard groups that have evolved a serpentine body plan, this study shows that, even in closely related groups, this transition does not proceed in …
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Historical Processes and Genetic Implications of Limb Reduction and Loss in an Island Skink Lineage
… endemic radiation of Philippine semi-fossorial skinks of the genus Brachymeles represent one of the few radiations of scincid lizards to possess both fully limbed and limbless species. And yet, nothing is known of the phylogenetic relationships of this exceptional group. Morphologically similar …
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The legacy of macroevolution: understanding and predicting evolutionary responses to novel environments
… although we did identify contingent evolution in skinks. We then investigated the evolution of hindlimb length and adhesive toepad size in two "model clades" for studying urban tolerance and invasion biology. We identified evidence for evolutionary contingencies in the two clades with opposite …
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Venom Expelled by Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus) Across Different Prey Sizes, Prey Taxa, and Snake Body Temperatures
<p>Pit vipers possess a sophisticated venom delivery system enabling them to efficiently disable prey. To avoid retaliatory countermeasures, pit vipers typically release envenomated prey which are then trailed and consumed after succumbing to venom effects. Successful retrieval of released prey …