Spatial memory: are lizards really deficient?

In many animals, behaviours such as territoriality, mate guarding, navigation and food acquisition rely heavily on spatial memory abilities; this has been demonstrated in diverse taxa, from invertebrates to mammals. However, spatial memory ability in squamate reptiles has been seen as possible, at best, or non-existent, at worst. Of the few previous studies testing for spatial memory in squamates, some have found no evidence of spatial memory while two studies have found evidence of spatial memory in snakes, but have been criticized based on methodological issues. We used the Barnes maze, a common paradigm to test spatial memory abilities in mammals, to test for spatial memory abilities in the side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana). We found the existence of spatial memory in this species using this spatial task. Thus, our study supports the existence of spatial memory in this squamate reptile species and seeks to parsimoniously align this species with the diverse taxa that demonstrate spatial memory ability.     

Phylogeny of the reptilian Eimeria: are Choleoeimeria and Acroeimeria valid generic names?

Reptiles are the animals with the most described coccidian species among all vertebrates. However, the co‐evolutionary relationships in this host–parasite system have been scarcely studied. Paperna & Landsberg (South African Journal of Zoology, 24, 1989, 345) proposed the independent evolutionary origin of the Eimeria‐like species isolated from reptiles based on morphological and developmental characteristics of their oocysts. Accordingly, they suggested the reclassification of these parasites in two new genera, Choleoeimeria and Acroeimeria. The validity of the genera proposed to classify reptilian Eimeria species remained unresolved due to the lack of species genetically characterized. In this study, we included 18S rRNA gene sequences from seven Eimeria‐like species isolated from five different lizard host families. The phylogenetic analyses confirmed the independent evolutionary origin of the Eimeria‐like species infecting lizards. Within this group, most species were placed into two monophyletic clades. One of them included the species with ellipsoidal oocysts (i.e. Choleoeimeria‐like oocysts), whereas the species with more spheroidal oocysts (i.e. Acroeimeria‐like oocysts) were included in the second one. This result supports the taxonomic validity of the genera Acroeimeria and Choleoeimeria.     

CONDITION, GENOTYPE-BY-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION, AND CORRELATIONAL SELECTION IN LIZARD LIFE-HISTORY MORPHS

Abstract We compared reproductive allocation and variation in condition and survivorship of two heritable female throat color morphs (orange and yellow) in a free‐living population of side‐blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana). Using path analysis and structural equation modeling, we investigated how variation in the social environment affected clutch size and egg mass and two condition traits (postlaying mass, immunological condition) and how these traits in turn affected female field survival. In the presence of many neighbors, both morphs increased their clutch sizes, although these effects were only significant in yellow females. In addition, yellow females increased their egg mass in the presence of many orange neighbors. Orange females surrounded by many orange neighbors showed sign of stress in the form of immunosuppression, whereas this effect was less pronounced in yellow females. The morphs also differed in the impact of variation in clutch size and egg mass on both condition traits. Finally, female morphotype and immune responsiveness affected fitness interactively, and hence these two traits showed signs of fitness epistasis: Selection gradients on this trait were opposite in sign in the two morphs. The correlational selection gradient (_{γthroatxantibody response}) between female throat color and antibody responsiveness was ‐0.365. Our data thus reveal important interactive effects such as genotype‐by‐environment interaction toward the social environment and morph‐specific trade‐offs as well as the occurrence of correlational selection. We discuss the use of naturally occurring and conspicuous genetic polymorphisms in field studies of selection and life‐history allocation.     

Human dimensions of wolf (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Canis lupus</Emphasis>) conflicts in Finland

The growth of the Finnish wolf (Canis lupus) population during the last years has highlighted people’s contradictory attitudes toward wolves. The supranational conservation objectives brought on by Finland’s membership in the European Union (EU) and the regional application of the official policy on wolves have led to conflicts. This article is based on the preparation process of the wolf management plan in Finland. As a part of the process, a nationwide hearing was arranged in 2004. Fear of wolves is widespread and even more common in areas with low wolf population. People living in areas where wolves occur feel that they can no longer influence decision making which affects them and that the authorities, conservationists, and the EU do not listen to their opinions. Numerous requests have been made for the legislation and its interpretation, and concessions to these requests would promote consensus and increase tolerance for wolves. Proposed changes include reforming the damage compensation system and formulating a clearer interpretation of the conservation status of wolves. However, it seems impossible to create a policy that would be universally supported. As the wolf question has become more central in environmental policy, the conservation and management of the species have become more complicated, and the cooperation between various interest groups has declined. The wolf conflict could be mitigated by compromises, but because the conflict is value-based, solutions are illusive.     

Changes in the expression of genetic characteristics across cohorts in skeletal deformations of farmed salmonids

Genetic analysis of disorder incidence in farmed animals is challenged by two factors. Disorders in different cohorts and environments could be caused by different factors, leading to changes in heritability and to less than unity genetic correlations across cohorts. Moreover, due to computational limitations, liability scale heritabilities at very low incidence may differ from those estimated at higher incidence. We tested whether these two dilemmas occur in skeletal deformations of farmed salmonids using multigeneration data from the Finnish rainbow trout breeding programme and previous salmonid studies. The results showed that heritability was close to zero in cohorts in which management practices maintained incidence at a low level. When there was a management failure and incidence was unusually high, heritability was elevated. This may be due to computational limitations at very low incidence and/or because deformations are induced by different factors in different cohorts. Most genetic correlations between deformations recorded in different generations were weakly to strongly positive. However, also negative correlations between generations were present, showing that high liability at one time can be genetically connected to low liability at another time. The results emphasise that genetic architecture of binary traits can be influenced by trait expression.