Subdivisions of the mesencephalon and isthmus in the lizard Gekko gecko as revealed by ChAT immunohistochemistry

Sophisticated vocal communication systems of birds and mammals, including human speech, are characterized by a high degree of plasticity in which signals are individually adjusted in response to changes in the environment. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first evidence for vocal plasticity in a reptile. Like birds and mammals, tokay geckos ( Gekko gecko ) increased the duration of brief call notes in the presence of broadcast noise compared to quiet conditions, a behaviour that facilitates signal detection by receivers. By contrast, they did not adjust the amplitudes of their call syllables in noise (the Lombard effect), which is in line with the hypothesis that the Lombard effect has evolved independently in birds and mammals. However, the geckos used a different strategy to increase signal-to-noise ratios: instead of increasing the amplitude of a given call type when exposed to noise, the subjects produced more high-amplitude syllable types from their repertoire. Our findings demonstrate that reptile vocalizations are much more flexible than previously thought, including elaborate vocal plasticity that is also important for the complex signalling systems of birds and mammals. We suggest that signal detection constraints are one of the major forces driving the evolution of animal communication systems across different taxa.

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THE EFFECT OF PROLACTIN ON THE SLOUGHING CYCLE IN THE HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED—THYROIDECTOMIZED LIZARD, GEKKO GECKO L.

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.0490619 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 619-624 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

K. W. CHIU ◽

J. G. PHILLIPS

Keyword(s):

Experimental Period ◽

Normal Functioning ◽

Gekko Gecko

SUMMARY Hypophysectomized—thyroidectomized geckos failed to slough during the experimental period of about 120 days. The resting phase of the sloughing cycle persisted so that the outer epidermal generation remained incomplete. These results indicate that one important endocrine component of the sloughing cycle is the normal functioning of the pituitary—thyroid system. Prolactin administration at 0·4 i.u./g body wt on alternate days restored sloughing by reducing the length of the resting phase; the outer generation was completed and was shed after the appearance of a new inner unit.

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Cholinergic, Monoaminergic and Peptidergic Innervation of the Primary Visual Centers in the Brain of the Lizards Gekko gecko and Gallotia galloti

Brain Behavior and Evolution ◽

10.1159/000113910 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 157-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Loreta Medina ◽

Wilhelmus J.A.J. Smeets

Keyword(s):

Gekko Gecko ◽

Peptidergic Innervation ◽

The Brain ◽

Gallotia Galloti

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Gekko gecko extract attenuates airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in a murine model of ovalbumin-induced asthma

Journal of Ethnopharmacology ◽

10.1016/j.jep.2021.114574 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 282 ◽

pp. 114574

Author(s):

Hyeon Hwa Nam ◽

Ji Hye Lee ◽

Seung Mok Ryu ◽

Sueun Lee ◽

Sungyu Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Airway Inflammation ◽

Murine Model ◽

Gekko Gecko ◽

Mucus Hypersecretion

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Study of morphological variations of Gekko gecko (Linnaeus 1758) population in Indonesia

10.1063/5.0002491 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Shohib Manzili ◽

Ibrohim ◽

Amir Hamidy

Keyword(s):

Gekko Gecko ◽

Morphological Variations

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Observations on digeneans from lizards (Sauria) in Indonesia (Paradistomum geckonum, Mesocoelium sociale, and Postorchigenes ovatus) with a revision of Paradistomum Kossack, 1910 (Dicrocoeliidae)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z82-268 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 60 (9) ◽

pp. 2093-2106 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

L. M. Killick ◽

M. Beverley-Burton

Keyword(s):

Small Intestine ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Host Record ◽

Valid Species ◽

New Host ◽

Gekko Gecko ◽

New Host Record ◽

Fixation Techniques ◽

Calotes Versicolor ◽

Takydromus Sexlineatus

An emended diagnosis for Paradistomum (syn. Paradistomoides) (Dicrocoeliidae) is given and Paradistomum geckonum is redescribed. Paradistomum geckonum occurred in the gallbladder or bile duct of Hemidactylus frenatus, Cosymbotus platyurus, Gehyra mutilata, Gekko gecko, Calotes versicolor, and Takydromus sexlineatus. Taxonomic characters used to separate P. geckonum from other Paradistomum spp. are evaluated and the effects of two different fixation techniques compared. Of the species occurring in Southeast Asian lizards, P. gregarinum, P. oroterminosus, P. paloensis, P. medius, P. brevis, and P. laruei are made synonyms of P. geckonum; P. mutabile, P. indica, P. samoensis, P. orientalis, P. spatulatus (n. comb.), and P. mujibi (n. comb.) are considered valid species and the taxonomic status of P. ceratophorae, P. excalotes, P. intestinalis (n. comb.), P. lanceolatus (n. comb.), P. diminutus (n. comb.), P. intermedius (n. comb.), P. elongatus (n. comb.), and P. hemidactylus (n. comb.) should be clarified as new material becomes available. Postorchigenes ovatus (Lecithodendriidae) occurred in the small intestine of the first four hosts listed above; Mesocoelium sociale (Brachycoeliidae) occurred in the small intestine or stomach of all hosts listed above except G. mutilata and T. sexlineatus, and was the only digenean found in Mabuya multifasciata. No digeneans were found in H. bowringi, H. garnoti, Draco volans, or Lygosoma spp. Gekko gecko was a new host record for all three parasites and C. platyurus for M. sociale and P. ovatus. Other new host records were C. versicolor and T. sexlineatus for P. gregarinum, H. frenatus for M. sociale, and G. mutilata for P. ovatus. All infections constitute new geographic records. Morphometric data are presented in tabular form for all three species.

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