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Salt excretion in a beach lizard (Ameiva quadrilineata, Teiidae)

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Summary

The teiid lizardAmeiva quadrilineata has a nasal salt gland that responds to NaCl loading by increasing excretion of Na+ (from 1.12 to 2.63 μM/100 gh), K+ (from 0.14 to 2.43 μM/100 gh), and Cl (from 1.10 to 5.47 μM/100 gh). For salt-loaded lizards these values represent 47% of the total excretion of Na+, 35% for K+, and 87% for Cl.

The lizards forage on beaches and their diet includes large numbers of amphipods (Talorchestia) which are approximately twice as salty as the lizards' body fluids. All of the ingested Na+ and K+ can be excreted through the cloaca, but extra-renal excretion of Cl is probably important to the lizards under natural conditions.

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Hillman, P.E., Pough, F.H. Salt excretion in a beach lizard (Ameiva quadrilineata, Teiidae). J Comp Physiol B 109, 169–175 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00689416

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00689416

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