Tail regeneration affects the digestive performance of a Mediterranean lizard
| Autor: | Aikaterini Reppa, Aristoula Bletsa, Niki Karambotsi, Panayiotis Pafilis, Efstratios D. Valakos, Kostas Sagonas |
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| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Tail 030110 physiology 0106 biological sciences 0301 basic medicine biology Lizard Ecology Regeneration (biology) Energy metabolism Zoology Lizards General Medicine 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences 03 medical and health sciences biology.animal Animals Regeneration Digestion Tissue formation Energy Metabolism Autotomy Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics |
| Zdroj: | The Science of Nature. 104 |
| ISSN: | 1432-1904 0028-1042 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00114-017-1437-9 |
| Popis: | In caudal autotomy, lizards shed their tail to escape from an attacking predator. Since the tail serves multiple functions, caudal regeneration is of pivotal importance. However, it is a demanding procedure that requires substantial energy and nutrients. Therefore, lizards have to increase energy income to fuel the extraordinary requirements of the regenerating tail. We presumed that autotomized lizards would adjust their digestion to acquire this additional energy. To clarify the effects of tail regeneration on digestion, we compared the digestive performance before autotomy, during regeneration, and after its completion. Tail regeneration indeed increased gut passage time but did not affect digestive performance in a uniform pattern: though protein income was maximized, lipid and sugar acquisition remained stable. This divergence in proteins may be attributed to their particular role in tail reconstruction, as they are the main building blocks for tissue formation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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