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Questionnaires are important tools for assessing attitudes regarding conservation issues. However, they are not easily comparable and their reliability has been insufficiently assessed. We examined factors influencing responses to open- and closed-ended questions about animal conservation to more than 600 schoolchildren (9 years old on average). We analysed the level of understanding, controllable (e.g. sample size) and less controllable factors (e.g. affectivity). Most children responded appropriately to the questions, but subtle changes in the phrasing influenced the answers. Affectivity towards endearing species and spontaneity also influenced the responses whereas small sample sizes (~50 children) provided relatively stable patterns. Overall, we suggest that standardization of questionnaires administered over large spatial and time scales is needed to accurately assess children's attitudes towards conservation issues.

Recent studies have reported declines in lizard populations associated with local warming trends and alteration of thermal niches. These studies suggest that there are some key physiological and behavioural parameters that determine the sensitivity of each species to the local context of global warming. The Atlas Dwarf Lizard, Atlantolacerta andreanskyi, is a small lacertid lizard endemic to the High Atlas Mountains (2200–3500 m a.s.l.) of Morocco. Its populations display a disjointed distribution across 440 km, consisting of phylogenetic lineages separated since the Miocene, suggesting a morphologically cryptic species complex. To establish whether this deeply rooted evolutionary divergence has promoted shifts in fundamental niche occupancy, but also whether there is any ecophysiological plasticity, preferred body temperatures (Tpref) and evaporative water loss (EWL) were examined in populations of the central and western High Atlas. Our results revealed no differences in Tpref across populations, but lower thermal preferences in (gravid) females. In contrast, EWL varied between populations, but not between sexes. In both cases, sexual patterns remained similar between populations, and differences were not evident between body sizes. Importantly, Tpref and EWL traded off, even if with a common trend across populations. These results suggest that ecophysiology remains mostly conservative within this species complex and that hydric ecology, which is more closely associated with body size, is more flexible than thermal ecology. The increase of lizard body size with altitude, in agreement with life history trends with seasonality observed in other Mountain Lizards, cannot be interpreted in terms of ecophysiological adaptation since the low-altitude populations of small lizards are the ones most exposed to dehydration. Rather, local environment and possibly aspects of evolutionary history could be involved. Overall, the ecophysiological conservativeness of this endemic species confirms its vulnerability to climate change, and indicates that hydric ecology needs to be incorporated into general models regarding how behavioural plasticity may mediate resilience to such changes. In this context, the low-altitude populations are the most vulnerable ones, and local management measures should focus on the conservation of vegetation and water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimentally assessing the preferred body temperature (Tpref) of ectothermic animals is important to understand thermal adaptation. In lizards, this variable is usually estimated by measuring body temperature in thermal gradients. To quantify the extent to which different experimental setups influence the inferred Tpref values we submitted 65 individual lizards of three species to randomized tests using six different experimental setups at Oukaimeden, Morocco, including setup variants similar to those that have been most often used in lacertids. Among-treatment differences were substantial. Using an infrared bulb as heat source in combination with artificial cold lighting yielded about 5°C lower Tpref estimates than photothermal treatments with an incandescent bulb as heat and light source, possibly because lizards thermoregulated differently without a visual cue related to the heat source, or due to the absence of a natural photoperiod. Photothermal assays in which Tpref was assessed by hourly cloacal measurements over a 10h period yielded 2.2°C lower Tpref estimates than 2h treatments where body temperature was measured every minute with a thermocouple attached to the belly. This probably reflects that the 2h treatments targeted lizards in the initial warming-up phase, whereas the 10h treatment attempts to capture the preferred temperature of a lizard over its entire daily cycle including phases of inactivity. Lastly, we observed large differences among treatments with contact thermometers versus infrared laser thermometer measurements, calling for caution when the latter are used with artificial heat sources. Our data do not provide thorough tests of the physical, behavioural or physiological causes underlying the observed differences between treatments, but illustrate that for meta-analyses where detailed comparisons are needed, a rigorous consideration of the optimal experimental setup and its consistent use will remain necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two satellite DNAs (satDNAs) have been isolated and characterized from three populations of Atlantolacerta andreanskyi. One satDNA (AAN‐TaqI) has been isolated here from the first time. It is characterized by a tendency to AT enrichment (AT = 54.2%) and monomer length ranging from 187 to 199 bp. FISH experiments showed that this element occurs in subterminal position on the short arms of all chromosomes of the complement. The analyses of genetic variability of AAN‐TaqI showed that the concerted evolution is acting effectively on these repeats that form separate clusters consistent with the geographic origin in the phylogenetic tree, thus supporting the hypothesis that A. andreanskyi would be a species complex. In addition, in the population from Jbel Aoulime this satDNA is already differentiated into two subfamilies. The other satDNA belongs to the family of IMO‐TaqI already isolated in other lacertids. Differently from AAN‐TaqI, concerted evolution does not seem to act effectively on this element that is not differentiated between populations. These results confirm that IMO‐TaqI (AT = 53.4%) is conserved in both chromosomal position and most of its sequence in the lacertids from which it has been characterized so far. Its remarkable evolutionary conservation for about 45 million years could indicate that this satDNA may have a functional role that future investigations could unveil. Once again, this study shows how satDNAs coexisting in the same genome may differ in their evolutionary pattern, even though the reasons underlying this phenomenon in the species here studied have still to be fully understood. Research Highlights: Two satDNAs have been described in Atlantolacerta andreanskyi. AAN‐TaqI has been described here for the first time, whereas IMO‐TaqI had been already described in other species of lacertids and it is evolutionary conserved in these lizards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a generalist pathogen that affects many amphibian species and is responsible of chytridiomycosis onset, considered as the main causes of species extinctions and populations declines worldwide. The chytrid fungal pathogen has been first described in North Africa in 2011. The present work reported the first survey on Bd prevalence and intensity in the Tensift region of Morocco. The survey has been conducted on 11 different localities by collecting skin swabs and tissue samples of 97 individuals. Using a quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) protocol, low-intensity of Bd infection has been detected in the area of study. In fact, the chytrid fungal pathogen has been identified in 10 individuals distributed in six of the 11 sites investigated, placing the 95% confidence interval for overall prevalence at 5.5-19.6%. The survey confirmed the occurrence of Bd at both high and low altitude localities, on four species out of seven known to inhabit the region and added two additional species (Pelophylax saharicus and Sclerophrys mauritanica) to the list of Bd susceptible amphibians in Morocco. The present records extended Bd distribution more than 400 km in the South of Morocco, indicating that the chytrid fungal pathogen is more widespread in the country than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The age structure and growth of the Moroccan Painted Frog (Discoglossus scovazzi Camerano, 1878) in a population living in the High Atlas at the upper altitudinal limit of the species' range was estimated for the first time by skeletochronology. Individual age was determined by counting the lines of arrested growth (LAGs) from crosssections of the phalanges. Both males and females reached sexual maturity at 3-4 years of age at which point the speed of osteogenesis and body growth slow down. Males and females have maximum lifespans of six and five years, and average sizes of 47. 50 mm (n = 21, SD = 1.40) and 39.70 mm (n = 53, SD = 0.90) respectively. We detected a positive relationship between age and size, suggesting that the oldest individuals are always bigger and heavier. Sizes corresponding to the same age class are very heterogeneous reflecting divergent conditions and growth strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, IMO‐TaqI satDNA, previously isolated in several species of Lacertidae, was isolated and characterized from four species of the genus Lacerta and three of the genus Timon. The aim was to gain further insights into the evolutionary dynamics of this satDNA, its occurrence among lacertids and to understand if it plays any role in sex chromosome evolution in these seven species. The results here obtained highlighted the presence of this repetitive element in the genome of all the species investigated, thus indicating that IMO‐TaqI satDNA is evolutionary conserved among a wide variety of lacertids. In addition, this element was found to be very abundant in the constitutive heterochromatin of the W‐sex chromosome of the four Lacerta species investigated. The occurrence of IMO‐TaqI satDNA on Lacerta heterochromosome suggests that it is involved in the differentiation of the W chromosome by heterochromatinization, and the fact that it is absent in the W of other lacertids investigated seems to confirm that repetitive DNA sequences would remain randomly trapped into the sex chromosomes, undergoing amplification as a consequence of the suppression of recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant present in most aquatic ecosystems. High concentrations pose serious threats to organisms and to human health. Because previous studies focused on few countries, environmental hazard due to Hg contamination remains obscure in many geographic areas, and for example limited information is available in North Africa. We examined total Hg contamination in 13 sites in Morocco (12 rivers and one lake) spread over a large area, 400 km north-south and 350 km west-east, that encompasses different biogeographic zones separated by the Atlas Mountains. Due to their longevity and sedentary habits, we used freshwater turtles as biological probes to monitor Hg exposure. Keratinized tissues reflect long-term Hg exposure; thus, we assayed Hg concentration in the claws of > 200 individuals and supplemented these data with blood Hg concentrations of > 60 individuals (a tissue that provides shorter term Hg exposure integration). The results provide the first large-scale picture of Hg contamination in the aquatic freshwater systems of Morocco. Comparisons with previous studies revealed that some of the sites were highly contaminated (e.g. mean Hg concentrations were above 5 μg g, a very high level in keratinized tissues) whereas other sites presented moderate or baseline levels. Unexpectedly, all highly contaminated sites were found in less densely populated areas, while more densely urbanized northern sites, even the sewers of large cities, were not highly contaminated. We hypothesize that silver mining activities in the southern High Atlas and in the Anti-Atlas contaminate rivers of the catchment basins over long distances. These findings indicate that fish, water consumption and contamination levels in local people should be further scrutinized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthodactylus lineomaculatus is now regarded as an ecotype of A. erythrurus with which it has been recently synonymized. Despite the wide range of A. erythrurus, karyological data for this species are scarce and limited to classical cytogenetic studies carried out in individuals from only 2 locations (central Spain and Spanish enclave of Melilla on the northwestern Mediterranean Moroccan coast). Here, for the first time, we cytogenetically characterized individuals of A. lineomaculatus from the southwestern Moroccan Atlantic coast with the aim to increase the karyological knowledge of this wide-ranging species and to assess if any chromosomal changes can be found in this ecotype in comparison to other populations of this species. The diploid number of the individuals investigated is 2n = 38 which is typical of most lacertids. Active NORs were located telomerically in a mediumsmall pair of chromosomes, and no inactive NORs were detected. C-banding revealed an intensely heterochromatic W chromosome composed of AT-rich (centromere and long arm telomeric region) and GC-rich (most of the long arm) regions, with extended interstitial telomeric sequences. These telomere-like repeats occupy the GC-rich heterochromatin of the W. The DNA composition of the W represents a trait distinguishing A. lineomaculatus (southwestern Morocco) from A. erythrurus from Spain that possess a DAPI-positive (AT-rich) W chromosome. In conclusion, these results add further evidence to the remarkable karyotype conservation in lacertid lizards, although differences in NOR location and in W chromosome structure among populations could suggest an incipient speciation mediated by chromosome changes in this wide-ranging lizard species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]