I had a tie for this. The runner up is the Surinam Toad, who I might write about someday, but the winner is the Caucasian rock lizard, Darevskia (or Lacerta, the nomenclature is confusing) rostombekovi.
Now these gals are parthenogenetic, which isn’t particularly weird for a herp. There’s several species that do this. Some, like whiptails in the genus Cnemidophorus, are neat in that they actually practice female-female courting behavior and require stimulation to reproduce. Another species, the mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris), is fascinating because sometimes physical males do crop up that produce sperm… that’s completely useless. They can’t impregnate a female. But the Caucasian rock lizard is something else entirely.
Also called Rostombekov’s Lizard, this creature is unique because it’s monoclonal, meaning there’s only one genetic lineage. There never was a male. Literally every single member of this species is genetically identical to her sisters.
There are several parthenogenetic species in the genus Darevskia, but the rest of them have multiple lineages and so there’s some genetic diversity. That is absolutely not true of this particular lizard. How did this happen? What kind of speciation event led to a single clonal line for an entire species? We do know that the other Caucasian rock lizards that are strictly parthenogenetic have wider ranges than their bisexual ancestors, but this species is shamefully under-studied; we know very little about them, other than that they’re threatened by land development and they’re all genetically identical. That is unheard of in vertebrates.
So here’s to you, weird identical lizard ladies. Science can’t tell me what the hell happened to you, but you do you.
Literally. Because you’re all clones of each other.
MM/CRT - Mucous Membranes/Capillary Refill Time - Apply pressure to the animal’s gum then quickly remove finger, the capillaries in the gum should refill with blood in a well oxygenated animal in approx. 1 second. If longer, oxygen may need to be increased. Any mucous membranes’ colour are a good indicator of oxygenation. All should be a healthy pink, if grey to blue-ish, the animal is in serious physiological danger.
RR = Respiratory Rate - By watching the rise and fall of the chest, feeling the animal’s breath or listening to the lung sounds, the respiratory rate can be noted. Normal RR for a cat, for instance, is 24-28 breaths p/m. A dog’s normal RR is 16-20 breaths p/m. Most vets/vet nurses will only count the amount of breaths within 15 seconds then multiply by 4 to save time.
HR = Heart Rate - The heart rate is also to be taken with the 15s x 4 method. Auscultation of the heartbeat is heard using a stethoscope. The normal HR for a cat is 110-140 bpm. Normal HR for a dog is 70-160bpm depending on the size of the dog. The larger the dog, the slower the HR.
CORNEAL REFLEX = Involuntary blinking of the eyelids stimulated by touching of the eyes. If the corneal reflex is gone, the anesthesia is too deep. Always test to make sure it remains at all times during the surgery.
PINCH TEST = Pinch a sensitive area of the skin to test the animal’s sense of pain. If the animal flinches/makes noise, the anesthesia is obviously too light and should be heavier.
SKIN TENT TEST = To monitor hydration levels, the occasional skin tent test can be done. All this means is: pull the skin on the back of the neck (the ‘scruff) upwards and together I.e. “tent” , then watch to make sure the skin falls very quickly back in place. If it is not very fast, you can assume that hydration levels are low.
JAW TONE = Pull the lower jaw down. If the animal is adequately sedated, the jaw will remain open and no reflex to shut it will occur.
TEMP = It is normal for the animals’ temperature to be slightly lower than normal due to exposure of the organs, inhalation of pure, cold oxygen, the metal of the surgical table against the skin…this is why shivering is a normal part of coming out of anesthesia as the body regulates its temperature. Of course, there are things that can be done to lessen the temp drop such as warm IV fluids, paw booties/socks, or an electric blanket/some other blanket or mat between the surgical table and the animal. Normal temps: Dog = 37.2C - 39.2C. Cat = 38C - 39.2C.
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I am going to get 2 pet rats very soon. So cute.
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grasp me, list me on the lines of your smile. ask me, kiss me just by the sun dial. time wants me almost as much as you do. she isn’t enough for me to hold onto. slippin’ away in the lightest wind, you may be fragile but she’s just thin, can’t win, she can’t, can’t win, can’t sing like you do.
A Ring-Tailed Lemur from my recent trip to Madagascar. It cracks me up as it kind of looks a bit like a psycho lemur but I promise it was just mid vocalization and not possessed.
When ringtailed troops travel throughout their home range, they keep their tails raised in the air, like flags, to keep group members together. Constant vocalizations among members also keep the group together. Ringtailed lemurs are one of the most vocal primates. They have several different alarm calls to alert members of their group to potential danger.
