abstract: August Krogh, a 20th century Nobel Prize winner in Physiology and Medicine, once stated, "for such a large number of problems there will be some animal of choice, or a few such animals, on which it can be most conveniently studied." What developed to be known as the Krogh Principle, has become the cornerstone of bioinspired robotics. This is the realization that solutions to various multifaceted engineering problems lie in nature. With the integration of biology, physics and engineering, the classical approach in solving engineering problems has transformed. Through such an integration, the presented research will address the following engineering solution: maneuverability on and through complex granular and aquatic environments. The basilisk lizard and the octopus are the key sources of inspiration for the anticipated solution. The basilisk lizard is a highly agile reptile with the ability to easily traverse on vast, alternating, unstructured, and complex terrains (i.e. sand, mud, water). This makes them a great medium for pursuing potential solutions for robotic locomotion on such terrains. The octopus, with a nearly soft, yet muscular hydrostat body and arms, is proficient in locomotion and its complex motor functions are vast. Their versatility, "infinite" degrees of freedom, and dexterity have made them an ideal candidate for inspiration in the fields such as soft robotics. Through conducting animal experiments on the basilisk lizard and octopus, insight can be obtained on the question: how does the animal interact with complex granular and aquatic environments so effectively? Following it through by conducting systematic robotic experiments, the capabilities and limitations of the animal can be understood. Integrating the hierarchical concepts observed and learnt through animal and robotic experiments, it can be used towards designing, modeling, and developing robotic systems that will assist humanity and society on a diversified set of applications: home service, health care, public safety, transportation, logistics, structural examinations, aquatic and extraterrestrial exploration, search-and-rescue, environmental monitoring, forestry, and agriculture, just to name a few. By learning and being inspired by nature, there exist the potential to go beyond nature for the greater good of society and humanity. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2020

There is a large number of species existing in the world; each year, however, the number of the endangered ones rapidly increases. Nowadays, captive breeding becomes an option for their survival in refugees. Sufficient population with satisfactory breeding management gives hope for survival to the endangered species (in mid-term) or even possible future reintroduction to their natural habitat. WAZA is currently the world's leading association of worldwide zoos and similar breeding facilities. Because these institutions operate as a network to facilitate the exchange of reared individuals, for conservation purposes, their captive populations may be seen as one large population characterized by its size, i.e., the total number of individuals. Such view is currently recognized by many conservationists as the so-called concept of Noah's Ark. The space on the Ark is limited, therefore it is needed to heed the characteristics of the species aboard to maximize the conservation potential. Many factors influence the presence of species in zoological gardens. Following previous studies we selected some factors that may be important, i.e., body lenght, taxonomy, and IUCN status. Analysis of these factors among the main reptile clades shall reveal the pattern of reptile composition in worldwide zoos. One of the factors...

The extant venomous Gila monster and beaded lizards, species of Heloderma, live today in southwestern USA and south along the Pacific coastal region into Central America, but their fossil history is poorly understood. Here we report helodermatid osteoderms (dermal ossicles) from the late Miocene-early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site, eastern Tennessee USA. Twenty-three species of mammals are known from the fauna including abundant Tapirus polkensis, as well as fishes, anurans, salamanders, turtles, Alligator, birds, and snakes. Beaded lizards belong to the Monstersauria, a clade that includes Primaderma + Paraderma + Gobiderma + Helodermatidae (Estesia, Eurheloderma, Lowesaurus, and Heloderma). Osteoderms of lizards in this clade are unique within Squamata; they typically are circular to polygonal in outline, domed to flat-domed in cross-section, have a vermiculate surface texture, are not compound structures, and do not have imbricate surfaces as on many scincomorph and anguid lizards. We review and characterize the osteoderms of all members of Monstersauria. Osteoderms from the cranium, body, and limbs of Heloderma characteristically have a ring-extension (bony flange) at least partly surrounding the dome. Its presence appears to be a key character distinct to all species of Heloderma, consequently, we propose the presence of a ring-extension to be an apomorphy. Three osteoderms from the Gray Fossil Site range from 1.5 to 3.0 mm in diameter, have the circular shape of helodermatid osteoderms with a domed apical surface, and have the ring-extensions, permiting generic identification. Macrobotanical remains from the Gray Fossil Site indicate an oak-hickory subtropical forest dominated by Quercus (oak) and Carya (hickory) with some conifer species, an understorey including the climbing vines Sinomenium, Sargentodoxa, and Vitis. Plant and mammal remains indicate a strong Asian influence.

The effect of total metabolic cost expenditures on the precision of behavioral thermoregulation was investigated for the purportedly eurythermic Northern Alligator lizard (Gerrhonotus coeruleus). An operant apparatus was designed to test metabolic output at different heat reinforcement magnitudes. The mean TB reflected in each trial was positively correlated to the length of reinforcement. The shuttle rate during each trial was inversely correlated to the length of reinforcement. The standard deviation and total metabolic costs did not vary significantly between trials undertaken at the same ambient temperature. Eurythermality in G. coeruleus is caused by fluctuations in preferred body temperature and not by fluctuations around this temperature. The metabolic cost of behavioral thermoregulation did not change with corresponding changes in reinforcement magnitude. This indicates that eurythermality is the recorded effect of lizards behaviorally regulating to different TB in a stenothermic manner, rather than of random TB fluctuations in a wide range of normal activity (the classical view of eurythermality).

Within the few years following the publications of the first studies on reptilian thermoregulation (Mosauer, 1936; Attsatt, 1939; Cowles and Bogert, 1944; and Strelnidov, 1944) there has been an increasing number of investigations concerned with the mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon. Many studies have demonstrated that heliothermic lizards maintain a relatively constant body temperature during per- iods of diurnal and seasonal activity. Much of this regulation is dependent upon behavior. An extensive review of thermoregulation in both lizards and snakes has been compiled by St. Girons and St. Girona (1956).

Ten species of anoles at Bajo Calima within the Choco of Western Colombia separate into two principal microhabitat groups: forest species, and those inhabiting openings and edges. The ten anoles further separate according to ground and vegetation dwellers. There is a relation at Bajo Calima between the number of anole species and vegetational structural diversity. Anole diversity within a given macrohabitat is by perch microsite/microclimate heterogeneity. These are the two major ecological dimensions along which similarity is limited or resources are partitioned.

The understanding of diversification of intraspecific lineages can shed light on speciation processes and ultimately biogeographic patterns across multiple spatial and temporal scales. In this dissertation I investigated the geographical and ecological factors promoting diversification across the South American dry diagonal biomes (i.e. Cerrado, Chaco, and Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests - SDTFs), through a coupled approach between multilocus phylogeographic and geospatial methods, in the larger context of interpreting the consequences of the resulting patterns for the conservation of biodiversity and evolutionary processes. In Chapter 1 I evaluate biogeographic hypotheses previously proposed and emphasize that the dry diagonal biomes are particularly biodiverse and biogeographically complex, but poorly studied and under protected. I also propose testable predictions for the subsequent chapters and future diversification studies. In the subsequent chapters I adopt a biodiversity prediction approach based on estimating palaeodistributions and habitat stability surfaces to formulate and test spatially explicit diversification hypotheses based on squamate richness and phylogeography. In Chapter 2 I identify historically stable areas of SDTFs and in Chapter 3 I found that the historical climatic stability is a good predictor of Cerrado squamate richness. In Chapter 4 I use a multilocus dataset to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among described species of the lizard genus Phyllopezus (Phyllodactylidae), distributed across the ‘dry diagonal’ biomes. In Chapter 5 I used a dense sampling design focused in the species complex P. pollicaris (more individuals, localities, and markers), and coalescent phylogeographic methods to test the relative influences of Tertiary geomorphological vs. Quaternary climatic events on diversification in this lizard. I found unprecedented levels of cryptic genetic diversity, deep phylogeographic structure, and diversification dating back to at least the Neogene with persistence across Quaternary fluctuations. My dissertation emphasizes that patterns of diversification across the ‘dry diagonal’ biomes are much more complex than previously proposed and reflect the primary influence of geologically old processes. Evidence of allopatric and ecological speciation between lineages that coincide with genetic clusters associated with each of the biomes, contradicts early views that the biomes would have a shared diversification history. These patterns illustrate that low-vagility complexes, characterized by strong structure and pre-Pleistocene divergences, represent ideal radiations to investigate broad biogeography of associated biomes. Future studies should investigate patterns of temporal and spatial congruence across co-distributed taxa, and integrate morphological and further ecological data to refine species limits, taxonomy, and patterns of trait evolution across these radiations.

Understanding the effects of natural variation in environmental temperature on organisms and how those organisms evolve to live in different thermal environments is a central tenet of evolutionary physiology. Phenotypic differences among populations are the result of local adaptation, innate genetic differences between populations, and phenotypic plasticity, differential responses to the environment. Although not mutually exclusive, distinguishing between these paradigms can help illuminate species boundaries resulting from thermal limitations in physiology. For my dissertation, I examined geographic variation in measures of thermal physiology of the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis to understand the relative role of adaptation and acclimation in determining the thermal biology of populations of this species living in different thermal environments. To achieve this goal I measured three indices of physiological function; body temperature, thermal tolerance and heat shock protein (Hsp70) abundance, across geographic and seasonal variation in temperature. Furthermore, I examined variation in sprint speed performance before and after heat stress and its relationship to Hsp70 to determine if stress protein expression is a reliable indicator of whole organism physiological stress. I found that geographic location can have a major effect on thermal physiology and performance in S. occidentalis in that thermal tolerance, Hsp70, and sprint speed varied with site and season with warmer southern sites typically more heat adapted than cooler northern sites. I also found a trade off in thermal tolerance suggesting that specialization to temperature was occurring in these lizards. Finally, lizards with increased Hsp70 were typically slower after heat stress indicating that Hsp70 is a reliable indicator of organism stress. Despite these findings, there was no difference in body temperature among sites and seasonal patterns in thermal tolerance suggest that during certain times of the year plastic responses to temperature may mask adaptive differences. Here, I argue that temperature differences between sites has resulted in temperature adaptation at these sites, but that plastic responses to seasonal variation in temperature can become more important during certain times of the year. Although these relationships have been thoroughly studied in invertebrate organisms, further research should examine whether these patterns exist in other vertebrate ectotherm species.

Thesis (MSc (Botany and Zoology))--University of Stellenbosch, 1990. / Mouton and Oelofsen (1988) suggested that melanistic cordylid populations in the southwestern Cape represent relict, cold-adapted populations which evolved under adverse climatic conditions during the Last Glacial Period, 18000-16000 BP. The first section of this study was undertaken to test their model for the evolution of melanism in the cordylid species, Cordylus polyzonus. For this purpose, geographic character variation among populations of Cordylus polyzonus in the region south of 32°15' latitude and west of 19015' longitude was investigated. Variation in 122 external morphological characters was analysed in 306 specimens from 93 localities. Although no inter-locality variation was observed in most of the characters, a high degree of concordancy was observed in the geographical variation of three headshield characters. These three headshield characters are considered non-adaptive and can accordingly be regarded as good indicators of genealogical relationship. Since they varied together with other adaptive characters such as melanism and body size, it can be concluded that geographically isolated melanistic populations of Cordylus polyzonus represent relicts of a once larger melanistic population. The data underscore the Mouton-Oelofsen hypothesis for the evolution of melanistic cordylid taxa in the south-western Cape. A further corrolary of the Mouton-Oelofsen hypothesis, is that melanistic cordylids are presently restricted to cool enclaves. This assumption was evaluated in the second section of this study by analysing prevailing climatic conditions associated with the occurrence of extant melanistic populations of the genera Cordylus and Pseudocordylus in the southwestern Cape. Climatic data were obtained from 123 weather stations in the study-area. A close correspondence was found between the distribution of melanistic populations along the westcoast and the primary upwelling zones of the southern Benguela Current. Lower mean daily temperatures and a high incidence of advective sea fog on the adjacent coastal regions are direct effects of these cold upwelled waters. Likewise, montane melanistic populations, occurring at relatively high altitudes along the extreme western borders of the Cape Fold Mountains, also experience lower mean daily temperatures and a high incidence of orographic fog and cloud cover. Melanistic cordylid populations therefore generally have to 4. contend with relatively exposed environmental conditions of low temperature and limited solar radiation due to the filtering effect of fog and cloud cover. The fact that all the melanistic taxa in this region occur as small isolated populations limited to cool enclaves, suggests that they are presently in a contracted state under strong environmental pressure. It is postulated that palaeoclimatic conditions very similar to climatic conditions presently prevailing in these enclaves were experienced over the entire western coastal region, at least as far as the Orange River, during the Last Glacial Maximum when melanism probably evolved. Our results therefore corroborate the Mouton-Oelofsen hypothesis that isolated melanistic cordylid populations represent cold-adapted relicts. One would accordingly expect melanistic populations to posses some enhanced ability to absorb infrared radiant heat to cope with these conditions of limited sunshine and lower temperatures. In section three of this study, differences in dorsal skin reflectivity between melanistic and turquoise ~. polyzonus populations were quantified. Furthermore, the physiological ability of this species to change body colour was investigated, as well as ontogenetic colour change. Significant differences in dorsal skin reflectivity existed between melanistic and turquoise specimens in the 500-1300 mjl spectral range, demonstrating the greater heat-absorbing capacity of melanistic populations. The data underscore the MoutonOelofsen model that melanistic populations are "cold-adapted" relicts. Furthermore, ontogenetic colour change is a real phenomenon in the melanistic variation of C. polyzonus. In this respect it is unique among the melanistic cordylid taxa in that ontogenetic colour change seemingly does not occur in the other forms. Experiments to investigate short term colour change in response to different temperatures regimes, produced no conclusive results. On the other hand, seasonal colour changes could be demonstrated for both melanistic and turquoise specimens, indicating that this species has the physiological capacity to change colour. It is, however, believed that geographic colour variation in ~. polyzonus cannot be attributed to this capacity, but is rather the result of selection over time. This view is underscored by the results of section one demonstrating that, apart from colour and body size, melanistic and turquoise forms also differ in certain non-adaptive traits; suggesting that they do not belong to the same primary gene pool.

Phylogeny of selected genera of geckos in the Mediterranean and adjacent regions Jan Červenka Ph.D. thesis Abstract This Ph.D. thesis is composed of three published articles and one manuscript, and is focused on the phylogenetic relationships of selected species of geckos from the Mediterranean and surrounding areas. The group of geckos of interest shares the common characteristic of an absence of adhesive lamellas on their toes. Historically, it was assumed that these species were closely related. Molecular-phylogenetic approaches were used in order to reveal the phylogenetic relationships within this group, especially using the sequential data from mitochondrial genes. Morphological characteristics commonly used in lizards were studied in connection with the ecology of the group. This thesis provides the first more detailed view of the phylogeny of the studied species. The results show that the genus Cyrtopodion, previously considered as monophyletic, in fact is not monophyletic as the genera Bunopus and Agamura represent its inner groups. Mediodactylus, the subgenus of Cyrtopodion, forms monophylum but is not closely related to the other members of the genus and so was reclassified as the independent genus. The enigmatic and yet so far very poorly studied genus Carinatogecko was discovered to be the...