Herbert I. Rosenberg

Development of the subdigital adhesive pads of Ptyodactylus guttatus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae)

Subdigital adhesive pads play an important role in the locomotion of many species of gekkonid lizards. These pads consist of integrated components derived from the epidermis, dermis, vascular system, subcuticular tendons, and phalanges. These components become intimately associated with each other during the developmental differentiation of the digits and the sequence of this integration is outlined herein in Ptyodactylus guttatus. The pads initially appear as paired swellings at the distal tips of the digits. Subsequently, a fan‐like array of naked scansors develops on the ventral surface of each digit, at about the same time that scales differentiate over the surface of the foot as a whole. At the time of appearance of the naked scansors, the vascular sinus system of the pad also differentiates, along with subcuticular connective tissue specializations. At this stage the digits, along with the rest of the body, are clad in an embryonic periderm. Only after hatching and as the periderm is shed, do the epidermal setae and spines appear. The developmental sequence described here is consistent with predictions previously advanced about the evolutionary origin and elaboration of subdigital pads in gekkonid lizards. The paucity of available staged embryonic material leaves many questions unresolved.

The secretion of Duvernoy's gland of Malpolon monspessulanus induces haemorrhage in the lungs of mice.

A toxic protein that induces death of mice with profuse bleeding from the nostrils was isolated from the secretion of Duvernoys gland of Malpolon monspessulanus (Colubridae). The toxic protein, referred to as CM-b, showed mainly one band on SDS-PAGE corresponding to a mol. wt of 24,000. Its intravenous LD50 in mice was 1 microgram/g and i.v. injections of lethal or sublethal doses induced haemorrhage in the lungs. When injected into the skin of mice, however, the toxin was not haemorrhagic. CM-b showed no proteolytic or procoagulant activity. The nature of this and other components from Duvernoys secretion of colubrids that cause similar effects remains to be established.

Hemipenial Morphology of Some Amphisbaenids (Amphisbaenia: Reptilia)

Fig. 3. Lateral view of trunk vertebrae of the 3 cryptobranchid genera: A, Andrias japonicus davidianus, Recent, Museum of Comparative Zoology 2852, X 1; B, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, Recent, MCZ 256, X 2; C, Piceoerpeton willwoodensis, PU 18021, X 1; A and B are first trunk vertebrae; broken lines in C indicate restored areas; the restoration of the neural arch and the transverse process is conjectural.

Review of Textbooks of Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

This is a review of recent texts that may be used in a course in comparative vertebrate anatomy for undergraduates usually majoring in an organismic biology program. Books were selected for this review based on their date of publication; all were published in the 1990s. Reviews are based on our combined experience of over 50 years as lecturers in a half year course in comparative anatomy at the University of Calgary; several of the texts have been used in our classroom.