Morphological study of the integument and corporal skeletal muscles of two psammophilous members of Scincidae (Scincus scincus and Eumeces schneideri).

ABSTRACT: Sand deserts are common biotopes on the earth's surface. Numerous morphological and physiological adaptations have appeared to cope with the peculiar conditions imposed by sandy substrates, such as abrasion, mechanical resistance and the potential low oxygen levels. The psammophilous scincids (Lepidosauria) Scincus scincus and Eumeces schneideri are among those. S. scincus is a species frequently used to study displacement inside a sandy substrate. E. schneideri is a species phylogenetically closely related to S. scincus with a similar lifestyle. The aims of this study focus on the morphology of the integument and the muscular system. Briefly, we describe interspecific differences at the superficial architecture of the scales pattern and the thickness of the integument. We highlight a high

SUBMITTER: Canei J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7839682 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature