RESUMO
The mouse, chicken, African clawed frog, and zebrafish are considered ¨model organisms¨ due to their extensive embryological and genetic characterization. However, they are far from representative of known diversity, impairing phylogenetic analyses of developmental patterns. Since squamates have historically received limited attention in developmental studies, we here describe the developmental sequence for Tropidurus torquatus, and provide the first post-ovipositional developmental series for the lizard family Tropiduridae. Fifteen developmental stages are described based on morphological traits such as the eye and accessory visual structures, pharyngeal arches, fusion of facial primordia, limb development, pigmentation, and scales. Organogenesis is already in progression at oviposition (Stage 28), with embryos continuing to develop at the incubation temperature of 30°C ± 1°C, and hatching after 75 ± 5 days, at Stage 42. Comparisons with other lizards show a conserved embryonic sequence, however developmental timing differences were found in features such as the pharyngeal arches, endolymphatic sacs, pigmentation and scales. The development of the phallic and cranial lip of the cloaca anlages are compared with that of other lizards. The order of T. torquatus fore- and hindlimb formation differs from that most commonly observed in lizards. The abundance and close association of this species with urban environments, as well as the ease of capturing and managing females, makes T. torquatus an attractive source of developmental data for future experimental and ontogenetic studies. Anat Rec, 300:277-290, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assuntos
Lagartos/embriologia , Organogênese/fisiologia , Oviposição/fisiologia , Animais , Lagartos/anatomia & histologia , Filogenia , TemperaturaRESUMO
Podocnemis expanse, known popularly as the giant Amazon river turtle, is widely exploited. This makes specimens available for various studies, and we used this opportunity to investigate aspects of the development of the plastron. We examined several stages of pre- and post- hatching development in embryos and hatchlings collected starting from day 18 of natural incubation. Embryos and hatchlings were cleared and double stained for cartilage and bone. The epiplastron, endoplastron, hyoplastron, hypoplastron, xiphiplastron, and mesoplastron bones form the complete plastron of this turtle. In stage 16, bone centers become visible in most of the bones of the plastron. Alizarin Red stain retention indicated that the sequence of bone ossification is as follows: first the hyoplastron and the hypoplastron, then the endoplastron followed by the xiphiplastron, and lastly the mesoplastron. The epiplastron bone shows an ossification center only in stage 20. All these elements have independent ossification centers and join together only later. The plastron closes completely seven months after hatching.