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Corporate Crocodile Tears? On the Reactive Attitudes of Corporate Agents Open
Recently, a number of people have argued that certain entities embodied by groups of agents themselves qualify as agents, with their own (analogs of) beliefs, desires, and intentions; even, some claim, as moral agents. However, others have…
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Diets Alter the Gut Microbiome of Crocodile Lizards Open
The crocodile lizard is a critically endangered reptile, and serious diseases have been found in this species in recent years, especially in captive lizards. Whether these diseases are caused by changes in the gut microbiota and the effect…
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COVID-19 threatens health systems in sub-Saharan Africa: the eye of the crocodile Open
The threat of coronavirus disease 2019 to health systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can be compared metaphorically to a lake in Africa infested with a bask of crocodiles and the saying "the eye of the crocodile."In the lake, only the eyes…
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Morphological and functional changes in the vertebral column with increasing aquatic adaptation in crocodylomorphs Open
The lineage leading to modern Crocodylia has undergone dramatic evolutionary changes in morphology, ecology and locomotion over the past 200+ Myr. These functional innovations may be explained in part by morphological changes in the axial …
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Captivity Influences Gut Microbiota in Crocodile Lizards (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) Open
Captivity is an important measure for conservation of an endangered species, and it is becoming a hot topic in conservation biology, which integrates gut microbiota and endangered species management in captivity. As an ancient reptile, the…
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Digital dissection and three-dimensional interactive models of limb musculature in the Australian estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) Open
Digital dissection is a relatively new technique that has enabled scientists to gain a better understanding of vertebrate anatomy. It can be used to rapidly disseminate detailed, three-dimensional information in an easily accessible manner…
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Distinguishing butchery cut marks from crocodile bite marks through machine learning methods Open
All models of evolution of human behaviour depend on the correct identification and interpretation of bone surface modifications (BSM) on archaeofaunal assemblages. Crucial evolutionary features, such as the origin of stone tool use, meat-…
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Ancient Demographics Determine the Effectiveness of Genetic Purging in Endangered Lizards Open
The purging of deleterious alleles has been hypothesized to mitigate inbreeding depression, but its effectiveness in endangered species remains debatable. To understand how deleterious alleles are purged during population contractions, we …
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Forelimb muscle and joint actions in Archosauria: insights from <i>Crocodylus johnstoni</i> (Pseudosuchia) and <i>Mussaurus patagonicus</i> (Sauropodomorpha) Open
Many of the major locomotor transitions during the evolution of Archosauria, the lineage including crocodiles and birds as well as extinct Dinosauria, were shifts from quadrupedalism to bipedalism (and vice versa). Those occurred within a …
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Similarity of Crocodilian and Avian Lungs Indicates Unidirectional Flow Is Ancestral for Archosaurs Open
Patterns of airflow and pulmonary anatomy were studied in the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), the black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), the spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), the dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis), t…
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Spatial resolving power and spectral sensitivity of the saltwater crocodile, <i>Crocodylus porosus</i>, and the freshwater crocodile, <i>Crocodylus johnstoni</i> Open
Crocodilians are apex amphibious predators that occupy a range of tropical habitats. In this study, we examined whether their semi-aquatic lifestyle and ambush hunting mode are reflected in specific adaptations in the peripheral visual sys…
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A Cultural Herpetology of Nile Crocodiles in Africa Open
Human-wildlife conflict is a growing problem worldwide wherever humans share landscapes with large predators, and negative encounters with eight species of the crocodilians is particularly widespread. Conservationists' responses to these a…
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Life histories and conservation of long‐lived reptiles, an illustration with the American crocodile (<i>Crocodylus acutus</i>) Open
Successful species conservation is dependent on adequate estimates of population dynamics, but age‐specific demographics are generally lacking for many long‐lived iteroparous species such as large reptiles. Accurate demographic information…
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Modification of Crocodile Spermatozoa Refutes the Tenet That Post-testicular Sperm Maturation Is Restricted To Mammals* Open
Competition to achieve paternity has contributed to the development of a multitude of elaborate male reproductive strategies. In one of the most well-studied examples, the spermatozoa of all mammalian species must undergo a series of physi…
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Identification of a Novel Ichthyic Parvovirus in Marine Species in Hainan Island, China Open
Parvoviruses are a diverse group of viruses that are capable of infecting a wide range of animals. In this study, we report the discovery of a novel parvovirus, tilapia parvovirus HMU-HKU, in the fecal samples of crocodiles and intestines …
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Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums Open
Interspecific hybridization can lead to adaptation and speciation, especially in the context of recent radiations. The emblematic Crocodylus (true crocodiles) is the most broadly distributed, ecologically diverse, and species-rich crocodyl…
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Copper/Zinc Superoxide Dismutase from the Crocodile Icefish Chionodraco hamatus: Antioxidant Defense at Constant Sub-Zero Temperature Open
In the present study, we describe the purification and molecular characterization of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) from Chionodraco hamatus, an Antarctic teleost widely distributed in many areas of the Ross Sea that plays a pivotal role…
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Crocodilepox Virus Evolutionary Genomics Supports Observed Poxvirus Infection Dynamics on Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) Open
Saltwater crocodilepox virus (SwCRV), belonging to the genus Crocodylidpoxvirus, are large DNA viruses posing an economic risk to Australian saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) farms by extending production times. Although poxvirus-li…
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Can isotope markers differentiate between wild and captive reptile populations? A case study based on crocodile lizards ( Shinisaurus crocodilurus ) from Vietnam Open
The international wildlife trade in allegedly “captive-bred” specimens has globally increased during recent years, while the legal origin of respective animals frequently remains doubtful. Worldwide, authorities experience strong challenge…
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Human-crocodile conflict and conservation implications of Saltwater Crocodiles Crocodylus porosus (Reptilia: Crocodylia: Crocodylidae) in Sri Lanka Open
Human-wildlife conflict occurs when human requirements encroach on those of wildlife populations, with potential costs to both humans and wild animals. As top predators in most inland waters, crocodilians are involved in human-wildlife con…
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Human–crocodile conflict in the Indian Sundarban: an analysis of spatio-temporal incidences in relation to people's livelihood Open
The incidence of human–crocodile conflict is increasing, and fear of injury and loss of life is affecting public and political support for crocodile conservation. We studied conflicts between people and estuarine crocodiles Crocodylus poro…
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Sequential segmental analysis of the crocodilian heart Open
Differences between hearts of crocodilians and those of mammals and birds are only partly understood because there is no standardised approach and terminology for describing cardiac structure. Whereas most reptiles have an undivided ventri…
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Trackways of the American Crocodile (<i>Crocodylus acutus</i>) in Northwestern Costa Rica: Implications for Crocodylian Ichnology Open
We documented trackways of free-living Crocodylus acutus on beaches at the mouths of Tamarindo and Ventanas estuaries, Costa Rica. Our crocodiles had estimated total lengths of 1–3 meters or more. Manus prints have five digits, with digits…
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Biotransformation and Oxidative Stress Responses in Captive Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) Exposed to Organic Contaminants from the Natural Environment in South Africa Open
In the present study, the biotransformation and oxidative stress responses in relation to chemical burden in the liver of male and female Nile crocodiles--Crocodylus niloticus--from a commercial crocodile farm passively exposed to various …
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Spatial Ecology of Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) Nesting in a Fragmented Landscape Open
The role that oil palm plays in the Lower Kinabatangan region of Eastern Sabah is of considerable scientific and conservation interest, providing a model habitat for many tropical regions as they become increasingly fragmented. Crocodilian…
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Dead or Alive? Factors Affecting the Survival of Victims during Attacks by Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in Australia Open
Conflicts between humans and crocodilians are a widespread conservation challenge and the number of crocodile attacks is increasing worldwide. We identified the factors that most effectively decide whether a victim is injured or killed in …
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Musculoskeletal modelling of the Nile crocodile (<i>Crocodylus niloticus</i>) hindlimb: Effects of limb posture on leverage during terrestrial locomotion Open
We developed a three‐dimensional, computational biomechanical model of a juvenile Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ) pelvis and hindlimb, composed of 47 pelvic limb muscles, to investigate muscle function. We tested whether crocodiles…
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Sequencing, <i>de novo</i> assembling, and annotating the genome of the endangered Chinese crocodile lizard <i>Shinisaurus crocodilurus</i> Open
The Chinese crocodile lizard, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, is the only living representative of the monotypic family Shinisauridae under the order Squamata. It is an obligate semi-aquatic, viviparous, diurnal species restricted to specific po…
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Anatomy, ontogeny, and evolution of the archosaurian respiratory system: A case study on <i>Alligator mississippiensis</i> and <i>Struthio camelus</i> Open
The avian lung is highly specialized and is both functionally and morphologically distinct from that of their closest extant relatives, the crocodilians. It is highly partitioned, with a unidirectionally ventilated and immobilized gas‐exch…
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Comparative analysis of the composition and function of fecal‐gut bacteria in captive juvenile <i>Crocodylus siamensis</i> between healthy and anorexic individuals Open
The Siamese crocodile ( Crocodylus siamensis ) is a freshwater, endangered crocodile with high economic value in the farming industry. Gut microflora plays an essential role in host physiological activity, and it contributes significantly …