Comparative postautotomy tail activity in six Mediterranean lacertid lizard species.
Tail autotomy, the self-induced tail separation from the body, is a common and effective antipredator mechanism in lizards. In this study, we examine the muscle energetics of tail shedding in six lacertid lizard species (Podarcis erhardii, Podarcis peloponnesiaca, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis gaigeae, Podarcis milensis, and Lacerta graeca) from the northeast Mediterranean region. Very long periods of postautotomy tail movement were demonstrated for all species (range=6-8 min), and differences among species were not statistically significant. Postautotomy tail movement, powered by anaerobic muscle activity, resulted in a strong increase in lactate concentrations and a concomitant depletion of muscle glycogen of exhausted tails relative to resting tails. No significant differences were found in either lactate or glycogen concentrations among the species examined. Duration of movement was negatively correlated with final lactate concentrations. The lack of differentiation in postautotomy energetic physiology in this group of species that have evolved under very different predation environments indicates that postautotomy muscle metabolism involves an overall conservative suite of characters.
Section of Human and Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, Ilissia 157-84, Greece.
Panayiotis
P
Pafilis
Efstratios D
ED
Valakos
Johannes
J
Foufopoulos
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000502:physiology*; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008116:Lizards / Q000502:physiology*; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity; D013623:Tail / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D019344:Lactic Acid; D006003:Glycogen; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase