Description of a proctodeal gland of three South American Liolaemus lizards (Iguania: Liolaemidae)

VALDECANTOS SOLEDAD; MARTINEZ VIRGINIA; LABRA ANTONIETA

Salamandra

German herpetological society

Año: 2015 vol. 51 p. 182 - 186

0036-3375

Vertebrates, with the exception of mammals and teleosteos, have a cavity where the products of urogenital and digestive tracts are received and expelled, the cloaca. Moreover, evidence indicate that in different lizard species the cloaca might contain glands with secretions involved in chemical communications, considering that feces are a source of scents. In Liolaemus lizards, feces of both sexes contain information about the owner, allowing self-recognition. Presently, some cloacal glands have been described in the urodeaum of females of two Liolaemus species, which would be involved in process the eggs production and maintenance, although this does not preclude that their products can be used in chemical communication. However, so far there is no information if males of Liolaemus lizards do have glands in the cloaca that might explain the pheromonal properties of feces. Here we explored the anatomy of the anterior border of the cloaca, the proctodeal region, of males and females, juveniles and adults of three Liolaemus species. We found that only males, juveniles and adults, of the three Liolaemus species have an undescribed gland for Liolaemus lizards. This is a compound tubuloacinar gland with apocrine secretion, and its secretory activity depends on the individual?s age, being highest in adult males. Presently, it is unclear if this new discovered gland in Liolaemus males corresponds to any of those previously described in other lizard species. In addition, there is no hint on the specific function of these glands in Liolaemus, although we postulate that their secretions may be involved in reproductive aspects.