View in EDS

Retention of the Full Visual Opsin Repertoire in Some Australian Cryptozoic Lizards.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Retention of the Full Visual Opsin Repertoire in Some Australian Cryptozoic Lizards.
Authors: Ford, Matthew J. R.1 (AUTHOR) matthewford1995@hotmail.co.uk, Ludington, Alastair J.1 (AUTHOR), Bradford, Tessa1 (AUTHOR), Sanders, Kate L.1 (AUTHOR), Hutchinson, Mark N.2 (AUTHOR), Simões, Bruno F.1,3 (AUTHOR) bruno.simoes@me.com
Source: Ecology & Evolution (20457758). Jun2026, Vol. 16 Issue 6, p1-17. 17p.
Subject Terms: Visual pigments, Lizards, Visual perception, Color vision, Animal burrowing
Abstract: Australian scincid lizards in the sister genera Lerista and Ctenotus are a prominent system for understanding adaptation in the transition from surface‐active to fossorial life. The approximately 205 species in this group exhibit extreme diversity in morphology and ecology. Lerista and Ctenotus both include diurnal and surface‐active species that are fully pentadactyl, and Lerista also contains many specialised limb‐reduced and limbless sand‐swimmers. To understand how the visual systems of these lizards have responded to their varied photic environments, we examined the five opsin genes encoding the pigments that mediate colour and dim‐light vision. These genes were sequenced for 58 species of Lerista and Ctenotus and analysed for variation in selection pressures among amino acid sites and across branches in the species tree. All five opsins are inferred to be present and intact in all species of Lerista and Ctenotus examined, and we identified signals of differential selection in all five opsin genes—RH1, which mediates scotopic vision and four cone opsins associated with photopic vision (SWS1, SWS2, RH2, LWS). Most comparisons of selection pressures did not show significant differences across broad ecological divisions; however, LWS showed signals of both positive site‐specific and relaxed selection in comparisons of the more limb reduced versus less fossorial (fully limbed) Lerista. These results suggest that photopic abilities are retained across both clades, even in the most fossorial species, highlighting a need for studies of visual ecology of Australian skinks and prompting caution with regards to generalisations about degenerate vision in fossorial squamates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Ecology & Evolution (20457758) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 194870704
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Retention of the Full Visual Opsin Repertoire in Some Australian Cryptozoic Lizards.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ford%2C+Matthew+J%2E+R%2E%22">Ford, Matthew J. R.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> matthewford1995@hotmail.co.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ludington%2C+Alastair+J%2E%22">Ludington, Alastair J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bradford%2C+Tessa%22">Bradford, Tessa</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sanders%2C+Kate+L%2E%22">Sanders, Kate L.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hutchinson%2C+Mark+N%2E%22">Hutchinson, Mark N.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Simões%2C+Bruno+F%2E%22">Simões, Bruno F.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> bruno.simoes@me.com</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Ecology+%26+Evolution+%2820457758%29%22">Ecology & Evolution (20457758)</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 16 Issue 6, p1-17. 17p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+pigments%22">Visual pigments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lizards%22">Lizards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+perception%22">Visual perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Color+vision%22">Color vision</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Animal+burrowing%22">Animal burrowing</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Australian scincid lizards in the sister genera Lerista and Ctenotus are a prominent system for understanding adaptation in the transition from surface‐active to fossorial life. The approximately 205 species in this group exhibit extreme diversity in morphology and ecology. Lerista and Ctenotus both include diurnal and surface‐active species that are fully pentadactyl, and Lerista also contains many specialised limb‐reduced and limbless sand‐swimmers. To understand how the visual systems of these lizards have responded to their varied photic environments, we examined the five opsin genes encoding the pigments that mediate colour and dim‐light vision. These genes were sequenced for 58 species of Lerista and Ctenotus and analysed for variation in selection pressures among amino acid sites and across branches in the species tree. All five opsins are inferred to be present and intact in all species of Lerista and Ctenotus examined, and we identified signals of differential selection in all five opsin genes—RH1, which mediates scotopic vision and four cone opsins associated with photopic vision (SWS1, SWS2, RH2, LWS). Most comparisons of selection pressures did not show significant differences across broad ecological divisions; however, LWS showed signals of both positive site‐specific and relaxed selection in comparisons of the more limb reduced versus less fossorial (fully limbed) Lerista. These results suggest that photopic abilities are retained across both clades, even in the most fossorial species, highlighting a need for studies of visual ecology of Australian skinks and prompting caution with regards to generalisations about degenerate vision in fossorial squamates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Ecology & Evolution (20457758) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=194870704
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/ece3.73782
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Visual pigments
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Lizards
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Visual perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Color vision
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Animal burrowing
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Retention of the Full Visual Opsin Repertoire in Some Australian Cryptozoic Lizards.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ford, Matthew J. R.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ludington, Alastair J.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bradford, Tessa
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sanders, Kate L.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hutchinson, Mark N.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Simões, Bruno F.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 20457758
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 16
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Ecology & Evolution (20457758)
              Type: main
ResultId 1