| intraoral carcinoma in a burmese python. | | 1977 | 584605 |
| pyloroduodenal resection in a burmese python. | | 1976 | 977472 |
| epizootic of fatal amebiasis among exhibited snakes: epidemiologic, pathologic, and chemotherapeutic considerations. | an epizootic of reptilian amebiasis seems to have caused the death of 15 to 16 large and valuable captive snakes (boas, pythons, and anacondas) occupying one of 5 large display dioramas in the steinhart aquarium of the california academy of science, golden gate park, san francisco. subsequent review of previous snake deaths in the colony indicated that of 464 snakes that had died since early 1969, 89 snakes had intestinal or hepatic lesions, and 80 of these snakes had pathologic features which i ... | 1975 | 1147335 |
| [studies on chemical constituents of the gall of python molurus bivittatus schlegel]. | two constituents were isolated from the gall of python molurus bivittus schlegel, one is sodium taurodeoxycholate (i). the other is a new compound--sodium tauropythocholate (ii). its structure was elucidated as 3 alpha, 12 alpha, 16 alpha-trihydroxy-5-cholan-24-oic acid n-[2-sulfoethyl] amide by ir, 1hnmr, 13cnmr, ms 13c-1h cosy, and chemical reaction. | 1992 | 1293939 |
| retained caseous yolk sac in a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). | retained yolk sacs are common in the domestic chicken and account for considerable morbidity and mortality during late embryonic development and within the first 10 days of life. what is believed to be the first recorded instance of a retained caseous yolk sac and its successful surgical removal from a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) is reported. the snake experienced no post-operative complications and continues to be well 16 mo following surgery. | 1990 | 2250338 |
| notes on clotting in a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). | studies of the clotting mechanisms in the plasma of a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) confirm earlier information that both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of thrombin formation participate in reptilian hemostasis. plasma fibrinogen was present at a concentration comparable to that in human plasma. other assays were hampered by the need to use nonreptilian reagents. the activated partial thromboplastin time was shorter than was that of human plasma, thus implying the presence of prot ... | 1990 | 2341766 |
| torsion of the oviduct in a burmese python (python molorus bivittatus). | | 1985 | 4060525 |
| plasma concentrations of chloramphenicol in snakes. | plasma chloramphenicol concentrations after a subcutaneous injection were studied in 87 snakes of 16 different species. the biological half-life of chloramphenicol varied from 3.3 hours in the indigo snake (drymarchon corais couperi) to 22.1 hours in the midland water snake (nerodia sipedon). a single dosage of 50 mg of chloramphenicol/kg of body weight produced plasma concentrations greater than 5 micrograms/ml for nearly 72 hours in 2 species of water snakes (nerodia erythrogaster, nerodia sip ... | 1985 | 4083608 |
| thermoregulation in a brooding female indian python, python molurus bivittatus. | at varying environmental temperatures, measurements of body temperatures and gas exchange of a female indian python (python molurus bivittatus) show that during the brooding period this animal can regulate its body temperature by physiological means analogous to those in endotherms. ambient temperatures below 33 degrees c result in spasmodic contractions of the body musculature with a consequent increase in metabolism and body temperature. | 1966 | 5908075 |
| subcutaneous mycotic infection of a burmese python snake. | | 1980 | 7193286 |
| effects of meal size on postprandial responses in juvenile burmese pythons (python molurus). | pythons were reported previously to exhibit large changes in intestinal mass and transporter activities on consuming meals equal to 25% of the snake's body mass. this paper examines how those and other adaptive responses to feeding vary with meal size (5, 25, or 65% of body mass). larger meals took longer to pass through the stomach and small intestine. after ingestion of a meal, o2 consumption rates rose to up to 32 times fasting levels and remained significantly elevated for up to 13 days. thi ... | 1997 | 9087654 |
| disposition of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin after intramuscular injection in juvenile burmese pythons (python molurus bivittatus). | eleven juvenile burmese pythons (python molurus bivittatus) weighing 0.75-1.75 kg were randomly divided into two groups. blood samples were obtained through surgically placed anterior carotid artery cannulas. six pythons received a single i.m. injection of enrofloxacin at 5 mg/kg. blood samples were obtained at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr postinjection. a mean (+/- sd) maximal plasma concentration of 1.66 (+/- 0.42) micrograms/ml was measured at 5.75 hr postinjection. the harmonic me ... | 1997 | 9226619 |
| purification and characterization of islet hormones (insulin, glucagon, pancreatic, polypeptide and somatostatin) from the burmese python, python molurus. | insulin was purified from an extract of the pancreas of the burmese python, python molurus (squamata:serpentes) and its primary structure established as: a chain: gly-ile-val-glu-gln-cys-cys-glu-asn-thr10-cys-ser-leu-tyr-glu-leu- glu-asn-tyr-cys20-asn. b-chain: ala-pro-asn-gln-his-leu-cys-gly-ser-his10-leu-val-glu-ala-leu-tyr- leu-val-cys-gly20-asp-arg-gly-phe-tyr-tyr-ser-pro-arg-ser30. with the exception of the conservative substitution phe --> tyr at position b25, those residues in human insul ... | 1997 | 9350978 |
| tachykinins (substance p, neurokinin a and neuropeptide gamma) and neurotensin from the intestine of the burmese python, python molurus. | peptides with substance p-like immunoreactivity, neurokinin a-like immunoreactivity and neurotensin-like immunoreactivity were isolated in pure form from an extract of the intestine of the burmese python (python molurus). the primary structure of python substance p (arg-pro-arg-pro-gln-gln-phe-tyr-gly-leu- met-nh2) shows one amino acid substitution (phe8-->tyr) compared with chicken/alligator substance p and an additional substitution (lys3-->arg) as compared with mammalian substance p. the neur ... | 1997 | 9437709 |
| a novel mycoplasma sp. associated with proliferative tracheitis and pneumonia in a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). | proliferative lymphocytic tracheitis and pneumonia were observed histologically in the respiratory tract of a captive burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). a mycoplasma species was isolated from the respiratory tissue. polymerase chain reaction analysis of the 16s rrna gene sequence of the isolate showed 0.90 similarity to mycoplasma agassizii, an organism previously shown to cause respiratory disease in reptiles. based on these findings, a novel mycoplasma species was suspected to be the ... | 1997 | 9447490 |
| two-dimensional echocardiographic anatomy of the snake heart (python molurus bivittatus). | two-dimensional echocardiography was performed on burmese pythons (python molurus bivittatus) to determine an optimal echocardiographic imaging technique for snakes and to describe the echocardiographic anatomy of the snake heart. five snakes immobilized with tiletamine/zolazepam and maintained on isoflurane in oxygen were imaged in dorsal recumbency. the portion of the snake's body containing the heart was submerged in warm water to reduce the artifact created by air trapped between and under t ... | 1999 | 10023997 |
| molecular evolution of peptide tyrosine--tyrosine: primary structure of pyy from the lampreys geotria australis and lampetra fluviatilis, bichir, python and desert tortoise. | peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (pyy) has been isolated from the intestines of two species of reptile, the desert tortoise gopherus agassizii (testudines) and the burmese python python molurus (squamata), from the primitive actinopterygian fish, the bichir polypterus senegalis (polypteriformes) and from two agnathans, the southern-hemisphere lamprey geotria australis (geotriidae) and the holarctic lamprey lampetra fluviatilis (petromyzontidae). the primary structure of bichir pyy is identical to the p ... | 1999 | 10100922 |
| neuroendocrine peptides (insulin, pancreatic polypeptide, neuropeptide y, galanin, somatostatin, substance p, and neuropeptide gamma) from the desert tortoise, gopherus agassizii. | the traditional view that testudines (tortoises and turtles) should be regarded as the surviving clade of the anapsid reptiles rather than classified with the diapsid reptiles (snakes, lizards, and crocodiles) has recently been challenged. neuropeptide y, neuropeptide gamma, and somatostatin-14 were isolated from an extract of the brain, substance p and galanin from an extract of the intestine, and insulin and pancreatic polypeptide from an extract of the pancreas of the desert tortoise, gopheru ... | 1999 | 10477126 |
| structural flexibility of the intestine of burmese python in response to feeding. | the small intestine of burmese pythons, python molurus bivittatus, undergoes a remarkable size increase shortly after feeding. we studied the dynamics, reversibility and repeatability of organ size changes using noninvasive imaging techniques. we employed light and electron microscopy, flow cytometry and immunohistology to study the cytological mechanisms that drive the size changes of the small intestine. within 2 days of feeding, the size of the small intestine increased to up to three times t ... | 2001 | 11136618 |
| pulmonary receptors in reptiles: discharge patterns of receptor populations in snakes versus turtles. | this study examines the effects of lung inflation/deflation with and without co2 on the entire population of pulmonary receptors in the vagus nerve in two species of snakes and two species of turtles. we asked the question, "how does the response of the entire mixed population of pulmonary stretch receptors (psr) and intrapulmonary chemoreceptors (ipc) in species possessing both differ from that in species with only psr"? this was studied under conditions of artificial ventilation with the secon ... | 2001 | 11302526 |
| what's your diagnosis? cardiopulmonary arrest in a burmese python. aortic aneurysm. | | 2001 | 11385754 |
| effect of feeding on circulating micronutrient concentrations in the burmese python (python molurus). | burmese pythons (python molurus) regulate digestive performance and metabolism with the ingestion of each meal. to explore the python's postprandial responses, we monitored the concentrations of blood micronutrients and homocysteine during fasting and for 15 days after feeding. plasma folate concentrations peaked with a 270% increase over fasting levels 3 days after feeding, whereas plasma b-12 peaked with a 66% increase within 1 day. erythrocyte folate concentrations were highest 15 days after ... | 2001 | 11423336 |
| retroviral particles in neoplasms of burmese pythons (python molurus bivittatus). | neoplastic diseases associated with retroviruses were diagnosed in four burmese pythons (python molurus bivattatus) from a single collection. snake no. 1 was a 7-year-old female with recurrent undifferentiated mesenchymal round cell tumor (lymphosarcoma) of the oral cavity. at necropsy, similar neoplastic masses were evident in the uterus and ovary, and there was diffuse involvement of the spleen. snake no. 2 was a 4.5-year-old female that was euthanatized because of complications following rese ... | 2001 | 11572567 |
| responses of python gastrointestinal regulatory peptides to feeding. | in the burmese python (python molurus), the rapid up-regulation of gastrointestinal (gi) function and morphology after feeding, and subsequent down-regulation on completing digestion, are expected to be mediated by gi hormones and neuropeptides. hence, we examined postfeeding changes in plasma and tissue concentrations of 11 gi hormones and neuropeptides in the python. circulating levels of cholecystokinin (cck), glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (gip), glucagon, and neurotensin increase ... | 2001 | 11707600 |
| structural flexibility of the small intestine and liver of garter snakes in response to feeding and fasting. | garter snakes thamnophis sirtalis parietalis feed frequently but also tolerate extended periods of fasting when food is unavailable. we studied the dynamics, reversibility and repeatability of size changes of the small intestine and liver using ultrasonography. we employed light and transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry to study the tissue mechanism that drives this flexibility. we compared garter snakes that fed every other day, snakes that fed once a week and fasting snakes. in a ... | 2002 | 11976350 |
| intracardiac flow separation in an in situ perfused heart from burmese python python molurus. | the heart of non-crocodilian reptiles has two separate atria that receive blood from the systemic and pulmonary circulations. the ventricle is not fully divided, but is compartmentalised into two chambers (cavum dorsale and cavum pulmonale) by a muscular ridge that runs from the apex to the base of the ventricle. the muscular ridge is small in turtles, but is well developed in varanid lizards and many species of snakes. these anatomical differences correlate with an effective blood flow separati ... | 2002 | 12151377 |
| increased blood oxygen affinity during digestion in the snake python molurus. | many snakes exhibit large increases in metabolic rate during digestion that place extensive demands on efficient oxygen transport. in the present study, we describe blood oxygen affinity following three weeks of fasting and 48 h after feeding in the burmese python (python molurus). we also report simultaneous measurements of arterial blood gases and haematological parameters. arterial blood was obtained from chronically implanted catheters, and blood oxygen-dissociation curves were constructed f ... | 2002 | 12324542 |
| effects of digestive status on the reptilian gut. | reptiles, including the burmese python, python molurus bivittatus, that feed at infrequent intervals show a prominent increase in gastrointestinal mass, metabolism and brush border transport rates after feeding. current knowledge and theories around these phenomena, as well as studies on the innervation of the reptilian gut, are summarised in this review. little is known about the putative changes in the nervous and humoral control systems of the gut, and it is not known whether feeding affects ... | 2002 | 12443909 |
| effects of temperature on the metabolic response to feeding in python molurus. | as ectothermic vertebrates, reptiles undergo diurnal and seasonal changes in body temperature, which affect many biological functions. in conjunction with a general review regarding the effects of temperature on digestion in reptiles, we describe the effects of various temperatures (20-35 degrees c) on the metabolic response to digestion in the burmese python (python molurus). the snakes were fed mice amounting to 20% of their body weight and gas exchange (oxygen uptake and co(2) production) wer ... | 2002 | 12443910 |
| molecular genetic evidence for parthenogenesis in the burmese python, python molurus bivittatus. | parthenogenesis among reptiles is rare. only a few species have the ability to reproduce asexually. most of these are obligate parthenogenetic species that consist (almost) entirely of females, which can reproduce solely through parthenogenesis. rarer are sexual species that only sporadically reproduce through parthenogenesis. a female python molurus bivittatus (reptilia, boidae) from the artis zoo, amsterdam, produced eggs in five consecutive years that contained embryos while she was isolated ... | 2003 | 12634818 |
| gastric function and its contribution to the postprandial metabolic response of the burmese python python molurus. | the large intact prey ingested by burmese pythons require considerable processing by the stomach before passage into the small intestine. to investigate the function and cost of gastric digestion and its contribution to postprandial metabolic response for the burmese python, i examined the rate of gastric digestion, the postprandial profile of gastric ph and the effects of decreasing gastric workload on the metabolic cost of digestion, referred to as specific dynamic action (sda). ingested meal ... | 2003 | 12682094 |
| a three-dimensional kinematic analysis of tongue flicking in python molurus. | the forked snake tongue is a muscular organ without hard skeletal support. a functional interpretation of the variable arrangement of the intrinsic muscles along the tongue requires a quantitative analysis of the motion performance during tongue protrusion and flicking. therefore, high-speed fluoroscopy and high-speed stereo photogrammetry were used to analyse the three-dimensional shape changes of the tongue in python molurus bivittatus (boidae). the posterior protruding part of the tongue elon ... | 2004 | 14747414 |
| trichinella papuae and trichinella zimbabwensis induce infection in experimentally infected varans, caimans, pythons and turtles. | the discovery of trichinella zimbabwensis in farm crocodiles of zimbabwe has opened up a new frontier in the epidemiology of the trichinella genus. the objective of the present study was to investigate the infectivity of encapsulated species (t. spiralis, t. nativa, t. britovi, t. murrelli and t. nelsoni) and non-encapsulated species (t. pseudospiralis, t. papuae and t. zimbabwensis) in caimans (caiman crocodilus), varans (varanus exanthematicus), pythons (python molurus bivittatus) and turtles ... | 2004 | 15074882 |
| eat and run: prioritization of oxygen delivery during elevated metabolic states. | the principal function of the cardiopulmonary system is the matching of oxygen and carbon dioxide transport to the metabolic requirements of different tissues. increased oxygen demands (vo2), for example during physical activity, result in a rapid compensatory increase in cardiac output and redistribution of blood flow to the appropriate skeletal muscles. these cardiovascular changes are matched by suitable ventilatory increments. this matching of cardiopulmonary performance and metabolism durin ... | 2004 | 15556104 |
| the effect of meal composition on specific dynamic action in burmese pythons (python molurus). | we quantified the specific dynamic action (sda) resulting from the ingestion of various meal types in burmese pythons (python molurus) at 30 degrees c. each snake was fed a series of experimental meals consisting of amino acid mixtures, simple proteins, simple or complex carbohydrates, or lipids as well as meals of whole animal tissue (chicken breast, beef suet, and mouse). rates of oxygen consumption were measured for approximately 4 d after feeding, and the increment above standard metabolic r ... | 2005 | 15778938 |
| postprandial morphological response of the intestinal epithelium of the burmese python (python molurus). | the postprandial morphological changes of the intestinal epithelium of burmese pythons were examined using fasting pythons and at eight time points after feeding. in fasting pythons, tightly packed enterocytes possess very short microvilli and are arranged in a pseudostratified fashion. enterocyte width increases by 23% within 24 h postfeeding, inducing significant increases in villus length and intestinal mass. by 6 days postfeeding, enterocyte volume had peaked, following as much as an 80% inc ... | 2005 | 16002308 |
| temporal effects of 3 commonly used anticoagulants on hematologic and biochemical variables in blood samples from macaws and burmese pythons. | few studies have been done to evaluate anticoagulants for use with blood samples from birds and reptiles. heparin currently is the most commonly used anticoagulant in practice, but may adversely affect blood cell staining and quantitation. | 2005 | 16270264 |
| postprandial increase of oleoylethanolamide mobilization in small intestine of the burmese python (python molurus). | oleoylethanolamide (oea) is an endogenous lipid mediator that inhibits feeding in rats and mice by activating the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (ppar-alpha). in rodents, intestinal oea levels increase about threefold upon refeeding, a response that may contribute to the induction of between-meal satiety. here, we examined whether feeding-induced oea mobilization also occurs in burmese pythons (python molurus), a species of ambush-hunting snakes that consume hu ... | 2006 | 16373434 |
| endoscopic examination of snakes by access through an air sac. | sixteen boa constrictors (boa constrictor), three royal pythons (python regius) and 15 burmese pythons (python molurus bivittatus) were examined endoscopically by access through the air sac. the snakes were immobilised in a ventral position using a half-open anaesthetic system with assisted ventilation and a mixture of isoflurane and oxygen. the rigid endoscope was introduced percutaneously and the internal structure of the lungs and the air sac, and the shape, size and external surface of the l ... | 2006 | 16565339 |
| evidence for different origin of sex chromosomes in snakes, birds, and mammals and step-wise differentiation of snake sex chromosomes. | all snake species exhibit genetic sex determination with the zz/zw type of sex chromosomes. to investigate the origin and evolution of snake sex chromosomes, we constructed, by fish, a cytogenetic map of the japanese four-striped rat snake (elaphe quadrivirgata) with 109 cdna clones. eleven of the 109 clones were localized to the z chromosome. all human and chicken homologues of the snake z-linked genes were located on autosomes, suggesting that the sex chromosomes of snakes, mammals, and birds ... | 2006 | 17110446 |
| adaptive regulation of digestive performance in the genus python. | the adaptive interplay between feeding habits and digestive physiology is demonstrated by the burmese python, which in response to feeding infrequently has evolved the capacity to widely regulate gastrointestinal performance with feeding and fasting. to explore the generality of this physiological trait among pythons, we compared the postprandial responses of metabolism and both intestinal morphology and function among five members of the genus python: p. brongersmai, p. molurus, p. regius, p. r ... | 2007 | 17210969 |
| osteitis deformans (paget's disease) in a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus)--a case report. | osteitis deformans (paget's disease of bone) is a chronic focal disorder of bone remodelling characterized by an initial increase in osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, with subsequent compensatory increase in new bone formation, resulting in a disorganized mosaic of woven and lamellar bone. in the burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) of this report, multifocal gross swellings involving the proximal third of the vertebral spine were observed and associated with anorexia, a relative inabil ... | 2007 | 17222574 |
| isolation and characterisation of crocodile and python ovotransferrins. | transferrins play a major role in iron homeostasis and metabolism. in vertebrates, these proteins are synthesised in the liver and dispersed within the organism by the bloodstream. in oviparous vertebrates additional expression is observed in the oviduct and the synthesised protein is deposited in egg white as ovotransferrin. most research on ovotransferrin has been performed on the chicken protein. there is a limited amount of information on other bird transferrins, and until our previous paper ... | 2007 | 17351671 |
| reptilian transferrins: evolution of disulphide bridges and conservation of iron-binding center. | transferrins, found in invertebrates and vertebrates, form a physiologically important family of proteins playing a major role in iron acquisition and transport, defense against microbial pathogens, growth and differentiation. these proteins are bilobal in structure and each lobe is composed of two domains divided by a cleft harboring an iron atom. vertebrate transferrins comprise of serotransferrins, lactoferrins and ovotransferrins. in mammals serotransferrins transport iron in physiological f ... | 2007 | 17466466 |
| cooking and grinding reduces the cost of meat digestion. | the cooking of food is hypothesized to have played a major role in human evolution partly by providing an increase in net energy gain. for meat, cooking compromises the structural integrity of the tissue by gelatinizing the collagen. hence, cooked meat should take less effort to digest compared to raw meat. likewise, less energy would be expended digesting ground meat compared to intact meat. we tested these hypotheses by assessing how the cooking and/or grinding of meat influences the energy ex ... | 2007 | 17827047 |
| effects of meal size, clutch, and metabolism on the energy efficiencies of juvenile burmese pythons, python molurus. | we explored meal size and clutch (i.e., genetic) effects on the relative proportion of ingested energy that is absorbed by the gut (apparent digestive efficiency), becomes available for metabolism and growth (apparent assimilation efficiency), and is used for growth (production efficiency) for juvenile burmese pythons (python molurus). sibling pythons were fed rodent meals equaling 15%, 25%, and 35% of their body mass and individuals from five different clutches were fed rodent meals equaling 25 ... | 2007 | 17913527 |
| evaluation of simultaneous permeation and metabolism of methyl nicotinate in human, snake, and shed snake skin. | the transdermal permeation and metabolic characteristics of methyl nicotinate (mn) in stratum corneum and split-thickness human skin and three species of shed snake and snake skin (elaphae obsoleta, naja kaouthia, and python molurus bivittatus) were evaluated. in vitro skin transport using excised skin and hydrolysis experiments using skin homogenate were carried out. the flux of mn, a metabolite, nicotinic acid (na), and the total (mn+na), as well as kinetic parameters (v(max) and k(m)) for hyd ... | 2008 | 18300102 |
| matched regulation of gastrointestinal performance in the burmese python, python molurus. | in burmese pythons fasting and feeding cause dramatic regulation of gastric acid production and intestinal nutrient uptake. predictably, other components of their gastrointestinal tract are similarly regulated with each meal. we therefore assessed the matched regulation of gastrointestinal performance by comparing the postprandial activities and capacities of gastric (pepsin), pancreatic (amylase and trypsin) and intestinal (aminopeptidase-n and maltase) enzymes, and intestinal nutrient uptake. ... | 2008 | 18344488 |
| claims of potential expansion throughout the u.s. by invasive python species are contradicted by ecological niche models. | recent reports from the united states geological survey (usgs) suggested that invasive burmese pythons in the everglades may quickly spread into many parts of the u.s. due to putative climatic suitability. additionally, projected trends of global warming were predicted to significantly increase suitable habitat and promote range expansion by these snakes. however, the ecological limitations of the burmese python are not known and the possible effects of global warming on the potential expansion ... | 2008 | 18698351 |
| oviduct adenocarcinoma in some species of captive snakes. | this article reports 5 cases of oviduct adenocarcinoma in adult captive snakes from smithsonian's national zoological park. this neoplasm was found in 1 of each of the following species: emerald tree boa (corallus caninus), amazonian tree boa (corallus enydris enydris), burmese rock python (python molurus bivittatus), northern pine snake (pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus), and corn snake (elaphe guttata). grossly, tan to red firm masses were found within oviducts in 3 cases. in an additional ... | 2008 | 18725476 |
| digestive physiology of the burmese python: broad regulation of integrated performance. | as an apparent adaptation to predictably long episodes of fasting, the sit-and-wait foraging burmese python experiences unprecedented regulation of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular performance with feeding and fasting. the ingestion of a meal signals the quiescent gut tissues to start secreting digestive acid and enzymes, to upregulate intestinal brush-border enzymes and nutrient transporters, and to grow. an integrated phenomenon, digestion is also characterized by increases in the mass, and ... | 2008 | 19043049 |
| ticks on captive and free-living wild animals in northeastern brazil. | from 2005 to 2009, 147 ticks found on 32 wild animals from or referred to two zoobotanical parks (parque zoobotânico arruda câmara and parque estadual dois irmãos) located in northeastern brazil were identified. ticks found on two veterinarians working in one of the parks (i.e., parque estadual dois irmãos), after return from forested areas within the park's territory, were also identified. the following tick-host associations were recorded: amblyomma fuscum neumann on boa constrictor l.; amblyo ... | 2010 | 19693679 |
| functional changes with feeding in the gastro-intestinal epithelia of the burmese python (python molurus). | the morphology of the digestive system in fasting and refed burmese pythons was determined, as well as the localization of the proton (h(+), k(+)-atpase) and sodium (na(+), k(+)-atpase) pumps. in fasting pythons, oxyntopeptic cells located within the fundic glands are typically non-active, with a thick apical tubulovesicular system and numerous zymogen granules. they become active immediately after feeding but return to a non-active state 3 days after the ingestion of the prey. the proton pump, ... | 2009 | 19799514 |
| prioritizing blood flow: cardiovascular performance in response to the competing demands of locomotion and digestion for the burmese python, python molurus. | individually, the metabolic demands of digestion or movement can be fully supported by elevations in cardiovascular performance, but when occurring simultaneously, vascular perfusion may have to be prioritized to either the gut or skeletal muscles. burmese pythons (python molurus) experience similar increases in metabolic rate during the digestion of a meal as they do while crawling, hence each would have an equal demand for vascular supply when these two actions are combined. to determine, for ... | 2010 | 20008365 |
| anatomy of the python heart. | the hearts of all snakes and lizards consist of two atria and a single incompletely divided ventricle. in general, the squamate ventricle is subdivided into three chambers: cavum arteriosum (left), cavum venosum (medial) and cavum pulmonale (right). although a similar division also applies to the heart of pythons, this family of snakes is unique amongst snakes in having intracardiac pressure separation. here we provide a detailed anatomical description of the cardiac structures that confer this ... | 2010 | 20376590 |
| postprandial remodeling of the gut microbiota in burmese pythons. | the vertebrate gut microbiota evolved in an environment typified by periodic fluctuations in nutrient availability, yet little is known about its responses to host feeding and fasting. as many model species (for example, mice) are adapted to lifestyles of frequent small meals, we turned to the burmese python, a sit-and-wait foraging snake that consumes large prey at long intervals (>1 month), to examine the effects of a dynamic nutrient milieu on the gut microbiota. we used multiplexed 16s rrna ... | 2010 | 20520652 |
| whole transcriptome analysis of the fasting and fed burmese python heart: insights into extreme physiological cardiac adaptation. | the infrequently feeding burmese python (python molurus) experiences significant and rapid postprandial cardiac hypertrophy followed by regression as digestion is completed. to begin to explore the molecular mechanisms of this response, we have sequenced and assembled the fasted and postfed burmese python heart transcriptomes with illumina technology using the chicken (gallus gallus) genome as a reference. in addition, we have used rna-seq analysis to identify differences in the expression of bi ... | 2010 | 21045117 |
| first reports of ectoparasites collected from wild-caught exotic reptiles in florida. | we collected ectoparasites from 27 of 51 wild-caught, free-ranging exotic reptiles examined in florida from 2003 to 2008. sampled animals represented eight species, five of which yielded ectoparasites. reported new parasite distribution records for the united states include the following: the first collection of the african tick amblyomma latum (koch) from a wild-caught animal [ball python, python regius (shaw)] in the united states; the first collection of the lizard scale mite hirstiella stami ... | 2011 | 21337954 |
| ultrasonographic diagnosis of an endocarditis valvularis in a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) with pneumonia. | an 11-yr-old burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) was presented with a history of respiratory symptoms. computed tomography and an endoscopic examination of the left lung were performed and revealed severe pneumonia. microbiologic examination of a tracheal wash sample and an endoscopy-guided sample from the lung confirmed infection with salmonella enterica ssp. iv, enterobacter cloacae, and klebsiella pneumoniae. computed tomographic examination demonstrated a hyperattenuated structure wit ... | 2010 | 21370657 |
| double valvular insufficiency in a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus, linnaeus, 1758) suffering from concomitant bacterial pneumonia. | ultrasonography, and, to a lesser extent, echocardiography are now well-established, noninvasive, and painless diagnostic tools in herpetologic medicine. various cardiac lesions have been previously described in reptiles, but valvulopathy is rarely documented in these animals and, consequently, is poorly understood. in this report, sinoatrial and atrioventricular insufficiencies were diagnosed in a 5-yr-old captive dyspneic burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) on the basis of echocardiogra ... | 2010 | 21370663 |
| discovery of highly divergent repeat landscapes in snake genomes using high throughput sequencing. | we conducted a comprehensive assessment of genomic repeat content in two snake genomes, the venomous copperhead (agkistrodon contortrix) and the burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). these two genomes are both relatively small (∼1.4 gb), but have surprisingly extensive differences in the abundance and expansion histories of their repeat elements. in the python, the readily identifiable repeat element content is low (21%), similar to bird genomes, whereas that of the copperhead is higher (4 ... | 2011 | 21572095 |
| sequencing the genome of the burmese python (python molurus bivittatus) as a model for studying extreme adaptations in snakes. | abstract: the consortium for snake genomics is in the process of sequencing the genome and creating transcriptomic resources for the burmese python. here, we describe how this will be done, what analyses this work will include, and provide a timeline. | 2011 | 21801464 |
| acariasis on pet burmese python, python molurus bivittatus in malaysia. | to identify the acari present on pet burmese pythons in malaysia and to determine whether there is any potential public health risk related to handling of the snakes. | 2011 | 21771459 |
| evolutionary and cellular mechanisms regulating intestinal performance of amphibians and reptiles. | vertebrate intestinal tracts possess an array of structural and functional adaptations to the wide diversity of food and feeding habits. in addition to well-described differences in form and function between herbivores and carnivores, the intestine exhibits adaptive plasticity to variation in digestive demand. the capacity to which intestinal performance responds to changes in digestive demands is a product of evolutionary and cellular mechanisms. in this report, i have taken an integrative appr ... | 2005 | 21676772 |
| identification of bacteria from the oral cavity and cloaca of snakes imported from vietnam. | reptiles are used for various purposes these days, including public exhibits, medicinal applications, and as laboratory animals. as the international exchange of reptiles has gradually increased, more people have had the opportunity to come in contact with these animals. snakes typically live in the rhizosphere where various bacterial strains exist and as such they can lead to opportunistic human diseases. when snakes are encountered in veterinary medicine, it is necessary to monitor their micro ... | 2011 | 21998610 |
| Origin and convergent evolution of exendin genes. | Exendins are secretin hormone-like peptides that are components of the toxins from two venomous lizards, Heloderma suspectum (Gila monster) and Heloderma horridium (Mexican bearded lizard). Exendins-1 and -2 are vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-like, both in sequence and function, while exendins-3 and -4 are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-like. The evolutionary origin of these peptides, and the genes that encode them, has been unclear. Recently, genes orthologous to exendin have been identif ... | 2012 | 22137915 |
| selected regulation of gastrointestinal acid-base secretion and tissue metabolism for the diamondback water snake and burmese python. | snakes exhibit an apparent dichotomy in the regulation of gastrointestinal (gi) performance with feeding and fasting; frequently feeding species modestly regulate intestinal function whereas infrequently feeding species rapidly upregulate and downregulate intestinal function with the start and completion of each meal, respectively. the downregulatory response with fasting for infrequently feeding snakes is hypothesized to be a selective attribute that reduces energy expenditure between meals. to ... | 2012 | 22162867 |
| a multi-organ transcriptome resource for the burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). | abstract: | 2011 | 21867488 |
| Fatty acids identified in the Burmese python promote beneficial cardiac growth. | Burmese pythons display a marked increase in heart mass after a large meal. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of this physiological heart growth with the goal of applying this knowledge to the mammalian heart. We found that heart growth in pythons is characterized by myocyte hypertrophy in the absence of cell proliferation and by activation of physiological signal transduction pathways. Despite high levels of circulating lipids, the postprandial python heart does not accumulate triglyceri ... | 2011 | 22034436 |
| leveraging comparative genomics to identify and functionally characterize genes associated with sperm phenotypes in python bivittatus (burmese python). | comparative genomics approaches provide a means of leveraging functional genomics information from a highly annotated model organism's genome (such as the mouse genome) in order to make physiological inferences about the role of genes and proteins in a less characterized organism's genome (such as the burmese python). we employed a comparative genomics approach to produce the functional annotation of python bivittatus genes encoding proteins associated with sperm phenotypes. we identify 129 gene ... | 2016 | 27200191 |
| in silico analysis of gene expression network components underlying pigmentation phenotypes in the python identified evolutionarily conserved clusters of transcription factor binding sites. | color variation provides the opportunity to investigate the genetic basis of evolution and selection. reptiles are less studied than mammals. comparative genomics approaches allow for knowledge gained in one species to be leveraged for use in another species. we describe a comparative vertebrate analysis of conserved regulatory modules in pythons aimed at assessing bioinformatics evidence that transcription factors important in mammalian pigmentation phenotypes may also be important in python pi ... | 2016 | 27698666 |
| myiasis by megaselia scalaris (diptera: phoridae) in a python affected by pulmonitis. | myiases are caused by the presence of maggots in vertebrate tissues and organs. myiases have been studied widely in humans, farm animals, and pets, whereas reports of myiasis in reptiles are scarce. we describe a case of myiasis caused by the megaselia scalaris (loew) in an indian python (python molurus bivittatus, kuhl) (ophida: boidae). the python, 15 yr old, born and reared in a terrarium in the mainland of venice (italy), was affected by diffuse, purulent pneumonia caused by burkholderia cep ... | 2013 | 23427672 |
| hepatozoon and theileria species detected in ticks collected from mammals and snakes in thailand. | we report the detection of hepatozoon and theileria in 103 ticks from mammals and snakes in thailand. by using a genus-specific 18s rrna pcr, hepatozoon and theileria spp. were detected in 8% and 18%, respectively, of ticks (n=79) removed from mammals. of the ticks removed from snakes (n=24), 96% were infected with hepatozoon spp., but none were infected with theileria. phylogenetic analysis revealed that hepatozoon spp. detected from dermacentor astrosignatus and dermacentor auratus ticks from ... | 2015 | 25736475 |
| detection and prevalence of boid inclusion body disease in collections of boas and pythons using immunological assays. | inclusion body disease (ibd) of boas and pythons is characterized by the intracytoplasmic accumulation of an antigenic 68 kda viral protein ibdp, more recently known as the nucleoprotein (np) of the reptarenaviruses. blood samples of 131 captive boas and pythons (53 boa constrictors, boa constrictor; 35 rainbow boas, epicrates cenchria; 22 ball pythons, python regius; 5 carpet pythons, morelia spilota; 6 burmese pythons, python bivittatus; 4 jamaican boas, epicrates subflavus; 5 anacondas, eunec ... | 2016 | 27938703 |
| molecular cloning and characterization of satellite dna sequences from constitutive heterochromatin of the habu snake (protobothrops flavoviridis, viperidae) and the burmese python (python bivittatus, pythonidae). | highly repetitive dna sequences of the centromeric heterochromatin provide valuable molecular cytogenetic markers for the investigation of genomic compartmentalization in the macrochromosomes and microchromosomes of sauropsids. here, the relationship between centromeric heterochromatin and karyotype evolution was examined using cloned repetitive dna sequences from two snake species, the habu snake (protobothrops flavoviridis, crotalinae, viperidae) and burmese python (python bivittatus, pythonid ... | 2015 | 26205503 |
| environmental dna (edna) sampling improves occurrence and detection estimates of invasive burmese pythons. | environmental dna (edna) methods are used to detect dna that is shed into the aquatic environment by cryptic or low density species. applied in edna studies, occupancy models can be used to estimate occurrence and detection probabilities and thereby account for imperfect detection. however, occupancy terminology has been applied inconsistently in edna studies, and many have calculated occurrence probabilities while not considering the effects of imperfect detection. low detection of invasive gia ... | 2015 | 25874630 |
| ultrasound imaging of the anterior section of the eye of five different snake species. | nineteen clinically normal snakes: six ball pythons (python regius), six burmese pythons (python bivittatus), one children's python (antaresia childreni), four amazon tree boas (corallus hortulanus), and two malagasy ground boas (acrantophis madagascariensis) were subjected to ultrasound imaging with 21 mhz (ball python) and 50 mhz (ball python, burmese python, children's python, amazon tree boa, malagasy ground boa) transducers in order to measure the different structures of the anterior segmen ... | 2014 | 25547871 |
| altered visual experience and acute visual deprivation affect predatory targeting by infrared-imaging boid snakes. | boid and crotaline snakes use both their eyes and infrared-imaging facial pit organs to target homeothermic prey. these snakes can target in complete darkness, but the eyes can also effectively direct predatory strikes. we investigated the behavioral correlates of boid snakes' simultaneous use of two imaging systems by testing whether congenital unilateral visual deprivation affects targeting performance. normally sighted burmese pythons exhibited average targeting angle of zero (on the midline ... | 2001 | 11701137 |
| rapid microsatellite identification from illumina paired-end genomic sequencing in two birds and a snake. | identification of microsatellites, or simple sequence repeats (ssrs), can be a time-consuming and costly investment requiring enrichment, cloning, and sequencing of candidate loci. recently, however, high throughput sequencing (with or without prior enrichment for specific ssr loci) has been utilized to identify ssr loci. the direct "seq-to-ssr" approach has an advantage over enrichment-based strategies in that it does not require a priori selection of particular motifs, or prior knowledge of ge ... | 2012 | 22348032 |
| in situ cardiac perfusion reveals interspecific variation of intraventricular flow separation in reptiles. | the ventricles of non-crocodilian reptiles are incompletely divided and provide an opportunity for mixing of oxygen-poor blood and oxygen-rich blood (intracardiac shunting). however, both cardiac morphology and in vivo shunting patterns exhibit considerable interspecific variation within reptiles. in the present study, we develop an in situ double-perfused heart approach to characterise the propensity and capacity for shunting in five reptile species: the turtle trachemys scripta, the rock pytho ... | 2016 | 27207643 |
| severe mammal declines coincide with proliferation of invasive burmese pythons in everglades national park. | invasive species represent a significant threat to global biodiversity and a substantial economic burden. burmese pythons, giant constricting snakes native to asia, now are found throughout much of southern florida, including all of everglades national park (enp). pythons have increased dramatically in both abundance and geographic range since 2000 and consume a wide variety of mammals and birds. here we report severe apparent declines in mammal populations that coincide temporally and spatially ... | 2012 | 22308381 |
| reptiles and amphibians as potential reservoir hosts of chikungunya virus. | chikungunya virus is an emerging arbovirus of significant human-health concern. little is known about its sylvatic cycle, including whether ectothermic vertebrates are permissive to infection. in this study, individuals from ten species of reptiles and amphibians were inoculated with chikungunya virus and samples of blood were tested to characterize viremia and seroconversion. viremia was not detected in cane toads, house geckos, or american alligators, but most of the green iguanas, red-eared s ... | 0 | 29313469 |
| interactions between the invasive burmese python, python bivittatus kuhl, and the local mosquito community in florida, usa. | the burmese python, python bivittatus kuhl, is a well-established invasive species in the greater everglades ecosystem of southern florida, usa. most research on its ecological impacts focuses on its role as a predator and its trophic interactions with native vertebrate species, particularly mammals. beyond predation, there is little known about the ecological interactions between p. bivittatus and native faunal communities. it is likely that established populations of p. bivittatus in southern ... | 2018 | 29342169 |
| mammal decline, linked to invasive burmese python, shifts host use of vector mosquito towards reservoir hosts of a zoonotic disease. | invasive apex predators have profound impacts on natural communities, yet the consequences of these impacts on the transmission of zoonotic pathogens are unexplored. collapse of large- and medium-sized mammal populations in the florida everglades has been linked to the invasive burmese python, python bivittatus kuhl. we used historic and current data to investigate potential impacts of these community effects on contact between the reservoir hosts (certain rodents) and vectors of everglades viru ... | 2017 | 28978755 |
| challenges to a molecular approach to prey identification in the burmese python, python molurus bivittatus. | molecular approaches to prey identification are increasingly useful in elucidating predator-prey relationships, and we aimed to investigate the feasibility of these methods to document the species identities of prey consumed by invasive burmese pythons in florida. we were particularly interested in the diet of young snakes, because visual identification of prey from this size class has proven difficult. we successfully extracted dna from the gastrointestinal contents of 43 young pythons, as well ... | 2015 | 26623196 |
| the influence of midazolam on heart rate arises from cardiac autonomic tones alterations in burmese pythons, python molurus. | the gabaa receptor agonist midazolam is a compound widely used as a tranquilizer and sedative in mammals and reptiles. it is already known that this benzodiazepine produces small to intermediate heart rate (hr) alterations in mammals, however, its influence on reptiles' hr remains unexplored. thus, the present study sought to verify the effects of midazolam on hr and cardiac modulation in the snake python molurus. to do so, the snakes' hr, cardiac autonomic tones, and hr variability were evaluat ... | 2017 | 29104018 |
| the big squeeze: scaling of constriction pressure in two of the world's largest snakes, python reticulatus and python molurus bivittatus. | snakes are important predators that have radiated throughout many ecosystems, and constriction was important in their radiation. constrictors immobilize and kill prey by using body loops to exert pressure on their prey. despite its importance, little is known about constriction performance or its full effects on prey. we studied the scaling of constriction performance in two species of giant pythons (python reticulatus and python molurus bivittatus) and propose a new mechanism of prey death by c ... | 2015 | 26347553 |
| rapid changes in gene expression direct rapid shifts in intestinal form and function in the burmese python after feeding. | snakes provide a unique and valuable model system for studying the extremes of physiological remodeling because of the ability of some species to rapidly upregulate organ form and function upon feeding. the predominant model species used to study such extreme responses has been the burmese python because of the extreme nature of postfeeding response in this species. we analyzed the burmese python intestine across a time series, before, during, and after feeding to understand the patterns and tim ... | 2015 | 25670730 |
| the burmese python genome reveals the molecular basis for extreme adaptation in snakes. | snakes possess many extreme morphological and physiological adaptations. identification of the molecular basis of these traits can provide novel understanding for vertebrate biology and medicine. here, we study snake biology using the genome sequence of the burmese python (python molurus bivittatus), a model of extreme physiological and metabolic adaptation. we compare the python and king cobra genomes along with genomic samples from other snakes and perform transcriptome analysis to gain insigh ... | 2013 | 24297902 |
| a new peptide (ruviprase) purified from the venom of daboia russelii russelii shows potent anticoagulant activity via non-enzymatic inhibition of thrombin and factor xa. | compounds showing dual inhibition of thrombin and factor xa (fxa) are the subject of great interest owing to their broader specificity for effective anticoagulation therapy against cardiovascular disorders. this is the first report on the functional characterization and assessment of therapeutic potential of a 4423.6 da inhibitory peptide (ruviprase) purified from daboia russelii russelii venom. the secondary structure of ruviprase is composed of α-helices (61.9%) and random coils (38.1%). the p ... | 2014 | 25038567 |
| facultative parthenogenesis validated by dna analyses in the green anaconda (eunectes murinus). | in reptiles, the mode of reproduction is typically sexual. however, facultative parthenogenesis occurs in some squamata, such as komodo dragon (varanus komodoensis) and burmese python (python bivittatus). here, we report facultative parthenogenesis in the green anaconda (eunectes murinus). we found two fully developed female neonates and 17 undeveloped eggs in the oviduct of a female anaconda isolated from other individuals for eight years and two months at ueno zoo, japan. to clarify the zygosi ... | 2017 | 29236745 |
| pet snakes illegally marketed in brazil: climatic viability and establishment risk. | invasive species are one among many threats to biodiversity. brazil has been spared, generically, of several destructive invasive species. reports of invasive snakes' populations are nonexistent, but the illegal pet trade might change this scenario. despite the brazilian laws forbid to import most animals, illegal trade is frequently observed and propagules are found in the wild. the high species richness within brazilian biomes and accelerated fragmentation of natural reserves are a critical fa ... | 2017 | 28817630 |
| thousands of microsatellite loci from the venomous coralsnake micrurus fulvius and variability of select loci across populations and related species. | studies of population genetics increasingly use next-generation dna sequencing to identify microsatellite loci in nonmodel organisms. there are, however, relatively few studies that validate the feasibility of transitioning from marker development to experimental application across populations and species. north american coralsnakes of the micrurus fulvius species complex occur in the united states and mexico, and little is known about their population structure and phylogenetic relationships. t ... | 2012 | 22938699 |
| ontogenetic shifts and spatial associations in organ positions for snakes. | snakes possess an elongated body form and serial placement of organs which provides the opportunity to explore historic and adaptive mechanisms of organ position. we examined the influence of body size and sex on the position of, and spatial associations between, the heart, liver, small intestine, and right kidney for ten phylogenetically diverse species of snakes that vary in body shape and habitat. snake snout-vent length explained much of the variation in the position of these four organs. fo ... | 2015 | 26358987 |
| characterization of carbonic anhydrase xiii in the erythrocytes of the burmese python, python molurus bivittatus. | carbonic anhydrase (ca) is one of the most abundant proteins found in vertebrate erythrocytes with the majority of species expressing a low activity ca i and high activity ca ii. however, several phylogenetic gaps remain in our understanding of the expansion of cytoplasmic ca in vertebrate erythrocytes. in particular, very little is known about isoforms from reptiles. the current study sought to characterize the erythrocyte isoforms from two squamate species, python molurus and nerodia rhombifer ... | 2015 | 26005204 |
| effects of feeding on luminal ph and morphology of the gastroesophageal junction of snakes. | at the gastroesophageal junction, most vertebrates possess a functional lower esophageal sphincter (les) which may serve to regulate the passage of liquids and food into the stomach and prevent the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. snakes seemingly lack an les and consume meals large enough to extend anteriorly from the stomach into the esophagus thereby providing the opportunity for the reflux of gastric juices. to explore whether snakes experience or can prevent gastric reflux, we ... | 2012 | 22938694 |
| evidence of igy subclass diversification in snakes: evolutionary implications. | mammalian igg and ige are thought to have evolved from igy of nonmammalian tetrapods; however, no diversification of igy subclasses has been reported in reptiles or birds, which are phylogenetically close to mammals. to our knowledge, we report the first evidence of the presence of multiple igy-encoding (υ) genes in snakes. two υ genes were identified in the snake elaphe taeniura, and three υ genes were identified in the burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). although four of the υ genes di ... | 2012 | 22933626 |
| parasite spillover: indirect effects of invasive burmese pythons. | identification of the origin of parasites of nonindigenous species (nis) can be complex. nis may introduce parasites from their native range and acquire parasites from within their invaded range. determination of whether parasites are non-native or native can be complicated when parasite genera occur within both the nis' native range and its introduced range. we explored potential for spillover and spillback of lung parasites infecting burmese pythons (python bivittatus) in their invasive range ... | 2018 | 29375757 |
| transcriptome analysis of the response of burmese python to digestion. | exceptional and extreme feeding behaviour makes the burmese python (python bivittatus) an interesting model to study physiological remodelling and metabolic adaptation in response to refeeding after prolonged starvation. in this study, we used transcriptome sequencing of 5 visceral organs during fasting as well as 24 hours and 48 hours after ingestion of a large meal to unravel the postprandial changes in burmese pythons. we first used the pooled data to perform a de novo assembly of the transcr ... | 2017 | 28873961 |
| a validation of 11 body-condition indices in a giant snake species that exhibits positive allometry. | body condition is a gauge of the energy stores of an animal, and though it has important implications for fitness, survival, competition, and disease, it is difficult to measure directly. instead, body condition is frequently estimated as a body condition index (bci) using length and mass measurements. a desirable bci should accurately reflect true body condition and be unbiased with respect to size (i.e., mean bci estimates should not change across different length or mass ranges), and choosing ... | 2017 | 28723960 |