A complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence was determined for the lizard Calotes versicolor (Reptilia; Agamidae). The 16,670-bp genome with notable shorter genes for some protein-coding and tRNA genes had the same gene content as that found in other vertebrates. However, a novel gene arrangement was found in which the proline tRNA (trnP) gene is located in the light strand instead of its typ...

Moisture-harvesting lizards, such as the Australian thorny devil Moloch horridus, have remarkable adaptations for inhabiting arid regions. Their microstructured skin surface, with channels in between overlapping scales, enables them to collect water by capillarity and passively transport it to the mouth for ingestion. We characterized this capillary water transport for live thorny devils using ...